Half an hour later, two luxury cars slowly pulled up in front of A'roma. The doors opened, and Dustin and his group got off one after the other. A'roma was a newly opened restaurant. It was known for its excellent ambiance, service, and food. The restaurant had garnered favorable reviews. There were many high-ranking officials and prominent figures who frequented the place. They had made a prior reservation. Thus, a few senior waitresses promptly led Dustin and his group to the second floor. On the second floor was the VIP area. Regular VIP patrons sat in the main hall, with decorative screens placed between tables.Meanwhile, higher-tiered VIPs had private rooms. They enjoyed a better experience in terms of environment and services. "Ms. Harmon, this way, please." A senior waitress dressed in a white shirt smiled as she led the group. She brought them to the entrance of a private room named Celestial Room 3.She opened the door and was about to walk in when a woman dress
Dustin found it amusing. "Is this the kind of service A'roma provides? Requesting us to switch rooms for no apparent reason and not even being polite about it? "Are you trying to take advantage of your customers?"How were they supposed to enjoy their meal when they were being forced to switch rooms for a few people?"What exactly do you want, sir?" Sue was unhappy. "Are you saying you should be compensated? Fine, as long as you agree to switch rooms, I'll cover the cost of a complimentary fruit platter. That should do it, right?" She looked at him in disdain. "Firstly, I don't need compensation. Secondly, offering us a mere fruit platter as compensation? What do you take us for? Beggars?"In a restaurant, the customer usually came first. Yet, the woman before him seemed to ignore that completely. "You better not be difficult, sir. We have rules in this restaurant. If you're unhappy, you're always welcome to leave!" Sue was annoyed. Their restaurant was booming. Losing a f
"Ugh …" Sue couldn't breathe. As her feet dangled in the air, her face turned red. A sense of impending doom spread through her. She never expected the silent white-haired woman to be that strong. She was able to lift her up effortlessly with just one hand. She had no doubt that if the woman exert some force into it, her neck would snap."No need, just two slaps as a lesson will do," Dustin said."Okay." Scarlet nodded and delivered two hard slaps. The slaps left Sue dazed and disoriented. Her teeth were knocked out, and her nose was bleeding. After hitting her, Scarlet threw her out the door like a piece of trash.Sue coughed violently, and her face was pale and swollen. It took her a while to recover."You … you guys are too much! I will not let you get away with this!"Sue grimaced and made her way downstairs in a rush. However, as soon as she reached the foot of the staircase, she collided with a group of people. Tumbling to the ground, she let out cries of pain. "
Dustin got up from his seat slowly and turned to face them. When he saw Florence and her group, he was slightly taken aback. What a small world."Another one?" Natasha frowned when she noticed Dahlia. She hadn't even finished dealing with Scarlet, and now Dahlia had joined the scene. It felt like she was being played by some cosmic joke. "Dustin? It's you!" Florence's expression darkened after she took a good look at the person before her. "Why are you here? You're not tailing us, are you?""Don't overthink it. We're just here to have a meal," Dustin replied impassively."A meal? Hmph! Who knows if you're telling the truth."Florence was doubtful. "You must have heard about our newfound wealth and planned this coincidental meeting. I've encountered plenty of people like you! You're trying to find an opportunity to gain favor with us!""That's right!" Julie chimed in haughtily. "Rhys! I'm warning you to keep your distance! Our social status puts us way out of your leagu
Natasha and Dahlia locked eyes in a fierce standoff. Their gazes were engaged in an intense battle of wills. The two women each possessed a unique charm and captivating beauty. At that moment, they exhibited a strong desire to outdo each other. "Ms. Harmon, I'd rather not engage in a verbal confrontation with you. The truth speaks for itself. "You've occupied our room. If you refuse to leave, don't blame me for calling the cops," Dahlia spoke again. Her tone was calm but assertive."Feel free to call the cops." Natasha smiled weakly, showing no fear."Dahlia, these people are truly shameless. There's no need to be polite with them. Just have someone kick them out!" Florence was getting annoyed."That's right! This is clearly the room we reserved. What makes them think they can just occupy it forcefully? They're too much!" Julie chimed in.Right then, the restaurant's security personnel had gathered in the room. When Florence saw them, she yelled, "What are you doing just st
"I …" Sue was at a loss for words.She wanted to argue further but hesitated. She could sense that Dahlia had grown angry. "You useless trash!" Right then, Florence couldn't hold back any longer and slapped Sue across the face. She yelled, "You can't even secure us a room? What good are you for? You've made a fool out of me!""Madam Franklin, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." Sue held her burning cheek. She held back her anger and apologized profusely, appearing extremely subservient. "What's the point of apologizing? How are you going to resolve this issue? Do you know that we have important guests arriving soon?" Florence snapped. This useless person not only failed in her task but also humiliated her in front of Dustin. It was simply unforgivable."Madam Franklin, why don't we head to Terra Room 1? The atmosphere there is quite pleasant," Sue suggested tentatively. Florence delivered another slap across her face. She roared, "Are you stupid? People of our stature should
Dustin found it amusing how arrogant Florence was behaving.From her actions and attire, Dustin guessed that she must have met a benefactor who had brought her entire family to immense riches. Not only were they rich now, but they also possessed power and status.She was already rude and haughty before they were rich and powerful. Now that they were, she went from bad to worse. But Dustin wasn't surprised that she'd act this way."Hey! I'm talking to you! Do you hear me? Name your price! I'm really busy and don't have time for your games!"Florence held a gold card between her fingers, looking every part a wealthy woman."I'm afraid you won't be able to afford the price I have in mind." Dustin shook his head."We can't afford it?" Florence broke out in cackles as she shot Dustin a ridiculous look."Hey Rhys! You really look down on us, don't you? Do you know our status now? Do you know how loaded we are?"See this gold card here? The amount I have in here is enough to shock y
"You … you're shameless!" Florence was so angry her face was flushed as she gritted her teeth.She had meant to flaunt her riches. But the rascal embarrassed her in front of everyone! He was despicable!"I've stated my price. Now, you have two options. You either pay the sum I asked for or get lost!" Dustin wasn't in the mood to play nice."You're too much! You've gone overboard!" Florence was livid. Ever since her sudden rise in status, she had never experienced anything as embarrassing as this."What's going on?"A tall, lanky man who was all suited up strode over with his head held high. All the restaurant's security made way for him as soon as he arrived.The man was Lou Geek, the owner of A'roma."Lou! You're finally here!" Sue was elated when she saw him. She quickly hurried over to his side.Lou was not only her boyfriend but also her powerful backer. He had status, power, and connections. And most importantly, his connections reached both the authorities and the under
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