"Dragonmarshian doctors are useless. You've been here for so long, and none of you have been able to come up with anything. "In the end, we can only put our hopes on Mr. Saunders." Vivian sighed."Exactly! These good-for-nothings don't hold a candle to Mr. Saunders." The Murrays began showering Rudolph with flattery.So many specialists gathered there, but not even one of them knew how to treat Caden. But Rudolph had simply given him a checkup and was able to tell what was wrong. The difference between them was too obvious."Since you know how to treat him, please proceed with the treatment, Mr. Saunders." Lily did not wish to waste any more time."Bring me my medical box." Rudolph waved his assistants over and gestured for them to put his medical supplies in front of him.He opened up the boxes and began rummaging through them. Then, he pulled out a black bottle. "This is the Golden Elixir, made of 108 rare and expensive herbs. It's especially useful for clearing blocked ci
"Y—you're spewing nonsense!" After being exposed, Rudolph tried to act calm and composed. But he could not hide the panic in his eyes.Though he hated to admit it, the Golden Elixir was cheap stuff that cost no more than several hundred.Of course, he could have easily sold it for several thousands with his reputation and medical skills."Nonsense? Well, why don't we check out the components of the elixir then?"Dustin pressed. "If I'm not mistaken, there's also some form of stimulant added to the Golden Elixir. While there may be immediate life-saving effects, it would still deplete the patient's life."What you're doing is the same as killing the patient! You heartless bastard!""Rubbish! I'm a miracle doctor from Kimboku! Someone like you should be looking up to me! How dare you accuse me?"You better apologize to me right this instant!" Rudolph fumed. "Apologize? Do you deserve an apology from me?" Dustin scoffed."You're not going to apologize, are you? Fine! I won't car
Just as they were about to say more, Lily cut them off. "Enough! This is not the time for pointless bickering! Caden's life is at stake!""Exactly! Dustin! Quick, save my father!" Sheila quickly reacted.Though Rudolph had a great reputation, she trusted Dustin more."Wait a second!" Dustin was about to go up to Caden when Jayden stopped him. "This is a life at stake! We cannot afford you messing things up! Mr. Saunders must be the one to treat him!""I said it, he can't help him. He'll only put him in danger," Dustin answered."If even Mr. Saunders can't help him, what makes you think you can?"Jayden suddenly turned to look at Lily. "Aunt Lily, you should be the one deciding. Do you trust Mr. Saunders, or do you trust this brat?""Well …" Lily was in a dilemma when presented with such a choice.She had seen for herself how good Dustin's skills were. He had been the one who cured Sheila of her strange condition.But Rudolph had an exceptional reputation. He had been practic
"Dustin!" Sheila panicked when she saw Dustin leave, so she chased after him."Dustin, I'm sorry. I didn't know Mr. Saunders would be here, too. "This is all my fault. Please don't be angry," Sheila said remorsefully."I'm not angry, Sheila. As a doctor, I hope that your dad can receive good treatment. But nobody trusts me." Dustin shook his head.He had warned them multiple times, but his warnings had been ignored. It wouldn't be appropriate for him to force himself on them further."Dustin, I trust you. But …" Sheila stopped herself. Her parents were the ones who made the decisions in the family. As their daughter, she did not have much say."It's alright, Sheila, go back in. I'll go out for a cup of coffee. "If anything happens, give me a call right away." Dustin smiled as he patted her on the shoulder."Alright then." Sheila nodded and headed back into the ward. But not before turning around several times to check on Dustin. She truly felt sorry for making him come ov
When faced with insults from influential figures, the doctors struggled to remain composed. They may not have been as skilled as Rudolph, but they found it hard to tolerate the harsh remarks.Meanwhile, Lily noticed her husband's vital signs had stabilized but wondered why he remained unconscious. "Mr. Saunders, when will my husband wake up?""Don't worry. Your husband will wake up once I remove these silver needles," Rudolph reassured her before removing the needles.Suddenly, Caden's body trembled, and his bloodshot eyes shot open. "He's awake!" Everyone was relieved. "Thank you, Mr. Saunders! You're amazing!" Jayden praised."You're much better than the doctors in Dragonmarsh!" Vivian and others chimed in."Thank you so much, Mr. Saunders. I'm so grateful," Lily exclaimed with joy. "I specialize in treating unusual diseases, so this was easy for me," Rudolph boasted. But nobody noticed Caden's eyes were bloodshot, and he was writhing in pain. He suddenly screamed and ju
"I—Is Mr. Saunders dead?"Caden's sudden violent outburst toward Rudolph stunned everyone in the room. They began to doubt Rudolph's treatment after he suggested that a silver needle could cure Caden.Caden flung Rudolph's lifeless body against the wall. This snapped everyone back to reality. "Mr. Saunders!"Vivian and Evan were devastated by Rudolph's death. "Quick! We must restrain Uncle Caden!" Jayden instructed his men to hold Caden down. But Caden attacked anyone who approached him."Caden, please stop!" Lily pleaded."Dad, come back to your senses!" Sheila cried out in despair.Their heartfelt pleas had no effect and only captured Caden's attention."Die!" He charged at Sheila with his hands aimed at his daughter's neck. "Caden, no!" Lily instinctively threw herself in front of Sheila to shield her.Suddenly, a silver needle flew from a distance. It hit Caden's neck, and he froze. Sheila stood stiff with her father's hand just inches from her neck. Meanwhile,
"Your safety is at stake if I don't return," Dustin said as he shot another silver needle.Caden was still struggling, but this time, the needle rendered him completely immobile."Dustin, don't you have medical skills? Please help my husband," Lily pleaded. "I'm sorry, but my medical knowledge is limited compared to Mr. Saunders'. You should seek his treatment."Lily glanced at Rudolph's lifeless body in the corner and sighed. She knew Rudolph wouldn't have died if he could cure her husband.Then, she added, "I apologize for offending you earlier. You're our only hope now that Mr. Saunders is dead."Sheila also pleaded, "Dustin, my father has lost his sanity. Please, save him.""Okay, I'll do my best to help you." Dustin felt indebted to Christopher, so he couldn't refuse to help his family."Thank you." Sheila expressed her gratitude.But Jayden voiced his concern, "Aunt Lily, are you sure about letting him treat Uncle Caden? Even Mr. Saunders couldn't do it. Can we trust th
Dustin knocked Caden unconscious after the others had left. Then, he proceeded with the treatment. Caden's condition had worsened due to practicing forbidden techniques. These techniques drained his vitality, damaged his circulatory pathways, and affected his internal organs. Moreover, Rudolph's treatment had exacerbated his condition. Hence, Dustin needed to use silver needles to stabilize Caden's life force. He then channeled his true energy to clear Caden's blocked circulatory pathways and mend the injured organs. Dustin began by inserting the silver needles into Caden's body. He started at the head, then the chest, and finally the abdomen. Afterward, he flicked the needles to infuse pure energy into Caden's pressure points. After one hour, Dustin stopped the flow of his true energy and collected all the silver needles.Lily looked at the unconscious Caden on the bed and asked, "Is it done?" "Don't worry, Caden was merely knocked unconscious. He'll wake up soon," Dustin
Glenn wasn't just skilled in swordsmanship, but his technique was also flawless. Every strike was unpredictable, relentless, and impossible to block. His attacks came in waves, and each one was stronger than the last.What made him even more terrifying were the six divine swords that obeyed his every command. They were like extensions of his will. The swords threw Dustin off balance, attacking from every direction and blocking any chance of escape. They moved in perfect sync with Glenn and left no room for counterattacks.Dustin had no choice but to dodge and parry. If not for his incredible agility and mastery of the sword, he wouldn't have lasted more than a few breaths.Even so, the pressure was overwhelming. It felt like he wasn't just facing Glenn but six or seven skilled opponents at once. Any slip in focus, or any opening, could be his last.The real challenge was that Dustin wasn't gaining any ground. While he had to stay focused on dodging and blocking, he also had to se
Under the watchful eyes of the audience, Dustin and Glenn stepped onto the battle ring. They stood about 30 feet apart, and their eyes locked across the distance. Their gazes met like sparks, and they could feel the weight of the other's stare."Are you Logan?" Glenn asked, breaking the silence.He had heard the rumors about this dark horse before stepping into the ring, but now that he was facing him, he wasn't sure."Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is who wins this fight." Dustin didn't confirm or deny it, but his words left Glenn with no doubt.Both men were at the top of the Legendary List and held equal rank on the Champ-Tier List. Until they fought, no one could say who was the stronger of the two."I heard you're Seth's disciple, so I'm really looking forward to this." Glenn's gaze sharpened.Many years ago, his mentor, Cyrus, was defeated by Seth. That loss had always haunted Cyrus ever since. Now, with the disciples of both men about to face off, Glenn was determin
"Since Madam Penelope has spoken, I’ll follow her lead," Alloy said with a smile. "What about Mr. Hadley and Sage Foyer?""I'm in if you want to make a bet," Cyrus replied coolly."It's not every day we get an opportunity like this. Let me stir things up a bit." Kaden nodded with a grin.Once the three had agreed, Penelope waved for Abigail to come over.Soon, Abigail approached them with a wide grin. "Esteemed guests, I hear you want to bet. The current odds are—bet on Dustin to win, and you'll get 1.6 times your stake. Bet on Glenn, and it's only 0.4."She continued, "And no worries—if you win, I'll exchange your winnings for celestial stones." Abigail smiled brightly, and the other parties' eyes gleamed with the unmistakable shine of greed.Many had already placed their bets with her. Though she couldn't control the match's outcome, she knew how to adjust the odds to her advantage. Over time, that could turn into a huge fortune."I'm betting on Glenn to win." Cyrus quickly
"We're ready for the ultimate showdown of this tournament. The winner will be crowned the Combat Tournament Champion. Now, let's welcome both contestants to the ring." Oron's voice thundered as he stepped onto the battle ring.There was thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.The long-awaited showdown was finally at hand. Today's outcome wasn't just about personal glory, but it would also decide the future of the martial world.If Glenn triumphed and claimed the crown, the Sword Union would rise as the undisputed guild. The Celestial Alliance and the Mystic Arts Order would have no choice but to bow to their supremacy.But if Dustin won, it would be even more sensational. A dark horse, without any guild affiliation, defeating the elite disciples of the major guild—such a story would send shockwaves through the martial world.Once that happened, every major guild would fight tooth and nail to claim him. It would spark a fierce battle for dominance."Dr. Rhys! Good luck!"
"H-Hold on! I-I surrender!" Abigail said urgently. With the sword inches away from her throat, she decisively raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.She didn't expect herself to win the match. Her goal was simply to take this opportunity to test Dustin's strength and also gauge her own progress. But now, it was clear that there was still a sizable gap between them."You've done well. In a few more years, I might not even be able to keep up with you." Dustin smiled and lowered his Celestial Blade. His words weren't flattery; he genuinely saw potential in Abigail.The dark Phoenix flames carried a corrosive power that even his mystical pure energy couldn't resist. In other words, Abigail's black flames were the bane of any martial artist.Her journey in the martial world was still short—barely two years. She hadn't unlocked the full potential of her Phoenix bloodline yet. But with more training and experience, the sky was the limit for her."Don't try to console me, Sir. I'm n
With a resounding bang, the golden light erupted with a burst of terrifying energy wave. In an instant, the earth trembled, and fierce winds whipped through the air.Dustin and his sword were sent flying several yards. After landing, he stumbled back several steps before finally steadying himself.He looked up and saw that Abigail's body was now covered in a layer of golden armor, though he couldn't tell when it had happened. The armor glowed brightly, and it made her look imposing and striking.It was clearly a divine artifact.The Mystic Arts Order had been around for centuries, with deep roots and countless treasures. As the Grand Sorceress, Abigail would obviously have several divine artifacts for protection.Dustin wasn't surprised, but the armor's counterforce caught him off guard. Not only did it protect her, but it also had offensive capabilities.When his sword struck the armor earlier, the blow didn't leave a scratch. Instead, the armor absorbed the hit and sent the for
Dustin raised his hand as the black feathers rained down on him. A white energy shield flared into existence to form a wall before him.The feathers slammed into the shield and sent ripples across its surface but failed to break through. However, the black flames on the feathers spread across the shield and burned through its energy at a visible pace. In the blink of an eye, the once impenetrable barrier cracked open and left a gaping hole.Dustin couldn't hide his surprise. His mystical pure energy was far stronger than the average grandmaster's internal energy in offense and defense. It was meant to be impenetrable. He hadn't anticipated it couldn't hold up against Abigail's phoenix flame.Seeing the raw strength of her bloodline, he knew he couldn't afford to take any chances. As the black flames spread, he swiftly waved his hand to summon a furious gust of wind that sent the feathers and flames flying."Glaring Wings!" Abigail wasn't done yet. She quickly formed hand seals and
Abigail moved with lightning speed, and her figure weaved in and out like a shadow. Her swift movements left a blur of afterimages that was hard for anyone watching to keep up.On the contrary, Dustin stood still without making any movement."Fallen Fist!"After closing in, she unleashed a flurry of strikes—dozens of black palm shadows slamming toward his body, and each one was like a bullet aimed at its target.Abigail practiced a unique martial art, and it was imbued with voodoo-like properties that could kill anyone who made contact with her. But Dustin's body was immune to all poisons, so it was a perfect counter to her deadly attack.As the shadow palms closed in, he remained unshaken and thrust his palm forward.A fierce gust of wind surged and ripped through the air with unrelenting force. It collided with the black palm shadows.Abigail's black palm shadows exploded on impact and disintegrated into thick clouds of dark mist that quickly spread. Within moments, the mist e
The whole arena suddenly fell dead silent. Everyone stared blankly, and not a soul dared to breathe. Alloy shot to his feet in the main spectator seats, and his face was tense with worry. Yet, he didn't dare make a sound. He feared it might startle Glenn into making a mistake that could cost Fenley's life.After all, Fenley represented the future of the Celestial Alliance. Alloy had invested all his effort into Fenley, and he provided him with endless resources. If Fenley were to die in the match, it would deal a devastating blow to the entire guild.While Alloy was gripped with worry, Cyrus and Penelope cheered silently. They secretly hoped Glenn's sword would strike Fenley. If that happened, the Celestial Alliance would take at least a decade to regain its former glory.Fenley's body stiffened as he stared at the Fang Master hovering inches from him. A shiver ran through his spine as goosebumps prickled his skin. Sweat trickled down his face, and each drop hit the ground with a