The Drunken Maniac's presence brought about a major change of events.Just the previous second, Dustin had been the collective enemy of the entire alliance. And the next second, he was nominated as the alliance leader, to be revered by all. For a moment, things seemed to be looking up for him.But Dustin remained expressionless. He looked on coldly at all the martial artists who were acting respectfully to him. There was not the slightest hint of excitement or joy in his eyes. It all looked ridiculously ironic to him how things were.Apart from a handful of righteous ones among them, most of the remaining martial artists were fence-sitters who shifted their allegiance based on the circumstances.They had just been clamoring to slay him moments ago. And now, they were all cheering for him. Their instant change in attitude was ridiculous to him.As for the position of the alliance leader, he had absolutely no interest in it. He had challenged Ronald solely for revenge and to see
"Let's go, Drunken Maniac. Let's get a drink together."After putting the Celestial Pearl away safely, Dustin ignored the rest of them and walked down the stage with the Celestial Blade in hand.The crowd made way for him wherever he went.Dustin's incredible performance today had gained everyone's respect. Many of them could not understand why he refused to be the leader of the alliance. But, for now, it seemed like a good thing.That was especially so with all the guildmasters dying and ready to fight for the position.An upheaval was bound to happen in the martial world. And it will happen soon."Oh, right …"Dustin stopped in his tracks at the thought of something. He turned to look straight at Quincey. "I almost forgot. I've got this pain to deal with.""You … What do you want?" Quincey's expression changed immediately as panic flashed in his eyes."From the moment I set foot here, you've been dying to kill me. I'm afraid I won't be able to get any sleep knowing that such
"Hey kid, how was it? I came at just the right time, didn't I?"On the car ride back, the Drunken Maniac crossed his legs leisurely while chugging on a bottle of alcohol."They couldn't have done anything to me even if you hadn't come." Dustin shrugged."Oh, come on. Quit acting strong." The Drunken Maniac gave him a quick once over before he pursed his lips. "You used the secret Rhys technique to forcibly boost your cultivation. Now that the time is up, there's bound to be a recoil. Had I not shown up in time, you'd probably have died here today."Though the secret Rhys technique allowed one to forcibly boost their cultivation, there was a huge price to pay for it.It could deplete one's vitality or greatly weaken the person's body. If the person who used it was captured by his foes in his weakest state, it was highly likely that he might die."Pretty observant, old man."Dustin chuckled. Seeing that there was no point hiding things any longer, he pulled a silver needle out o
"Old man! What nonsense! You're the one incapable in that area! I am a champion at that!" Dustin was a little flustered.He got too emotional, and as a result, he started gasping heavily as he spoke. With his pale face, he was the very picture of being weak."Fine, you're the champion. I know that already. Don't get too excited." The Drunken Maniac nodded his head indifferently in an attempt to pacify him. "Regardless, this is a very rare piece of treasure. Just keep it for emergencies, alright?" He slid the bottle of medicine into Dustin's pocket as he spoke."You—" Dustin felt insulted. As he was about to explode, he started coughing violently."It's alright. Stop talking. I get what you're trying to say." The Drunken Maniac gave Dustin a pat on the back. He then turned and said, "I have to leave now. I still have a flight to catch. Remember to take the medicine on time so you'll have a child soon!"With that said, the Drunken Maniac disappeared in a flash."Take care, old
"Ever since a new leader took over the Harmon family, the family bowed to the Grant family. They even took over the Harmon family's properties. I think Tyler Grant will show his true colors soon after the engagement." Natasha's expression became serious.The dispute within the Harmon family brought about bad blood among the brothers. Families were now enemies. It was a serious crisis in the family. Fortunately, she foresaw this. She had transferred the properties under her name to Oakvale. By doing so, she had protected some of the family's foundation."Natasha, speaking of the Harmon family, what does your father think of all this?" Dustin asked. With Hector's network and reputation, he had a high chance of winning if he decided to fight back."My father is still trying his best to salvage the situation. He's trying to talk some sense into my uncles. However, I don't think it's working." Natasha shook her head.Her father was a good man. Too good to a fault, in fact. He wa
Trent and Kate stood beside him meekly. They didn't dare to make any noise, and they appeared pitiful.When they were captured by the Dark Panther Cavalry, they were released in just two days. From what they could deduce, Tyler must have convinced the Scarlet Warrior to let them go. This was enough to prove that they had placed their loyalty on the right person."Our engagement is tomorrow. Is everything ready?" Tyler finally spoke after finishing one round of chess."Well …" Trent's expression froze when he heard that, and he instinctively looked at his daughter."Tyler, we almost succeeded. But Dustin Rhys, that bastard, ruined our plan and captured us." Kate cursed as she explained."That's enough. I don't want to hear excuses." Tyler threw them an icy glance.He continued, "I want to see results, not the process. According to our deal, you'll get me the treasure map, and I'll give you my support to rise to power. "After that, we'll unite our families by marriage and achie
Trent had already lost his son. He didn't want to sacrifice his daughter's happiness and future as well. As such, he wouldn't mind being the bad guy, even if it meant betraying his brother."Dad! I knew you had it in you!" Kate was very happy when Trent agreed to her plan. "I believe we can solve any issue when we work together as father and daughter!" Everything else would fall into place once she had convinced her father."Kate, I accept your idea on one condition. You can't put your uncle's life in danger." Trent gave her a stern warning."Don't worry, Dad. I'm only doing it for the treasure map. If Uncle Hector surrenders the map to us, I won't hurt him, of course," Kate promised immediately. However, if he refused to cooperate, they couldn't blame her if she decided to be inhumane."Very well, I feel a lot better with your guarantee." Trent nodded.He continued, "Anyway, we still have another problem. There's a very competent martial artist protecting Hector in secret. Wi
He had seen many pretty women. However, he had never met a vixen like Kate. She knew how to flaunt her charm to its peak. The most important thing was this exceptional beauty before him was his future sister-in-law. The real abyss of desire was the excitement of committing the forbidden. It was tempting.Kate suddenly let out a sad sigh."What's the matter? Is there anything bothering you?" Vlad asked."It's nothing. Please enjoy your meal. It's just a small issue. It's nothing." Kate forced a smile, pretending to be reluctant. It would be very suspicious if she asked for help directly. But, if the other party insisted on finding out, it'd be a different scenario. "Kate, we're family. Please tell me if something is troubling you. I'll definitely help!" Vlad appeared to be very sincere, placing a hand on his chest."It's fine. You're injured. I shouldn't trouble you." Kate shook her head pitifully."Kate! What are you talking about?" Vlad put down his fork.He said unhappily
"Give me a moment to think," Dustin said.Grace's words sent him into deep thought.After all, carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small burden. First, he had to be tough enough to handle it. Then, he needed the resolve to accept what came with it. Once he carried that burden, it meant taking on a heavyweight.He used to act on his own terms and do things as he pleased without worrying too much about the consequences. But once the nation's fate was involved, everything changed.Not that he had many options.Dustin could either hide in Sacred Wrym Summit and hope Arion would protect him, or take a risk and absorb the Dragonmarsh's fate to push through his cultivation's bottleneck. Between the two, he was leaning toward the latter."I can give your plan a shot," Dustin said suddenly. "But we're still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we're doing this, we need to find that last one first."Only once all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly wield the
"Royal gods? And two of them?" Dustin frowned at the news.His battle with Poseidon in West Lucozia had shown him firsthand that the Hall of Gods didn't send weaklings into the field.One royal god had already pushed him to his limit. If two came at him together, winning wasn't even the question. He'd be lucky just to make it out alive."That's right," Grace said solemnly. "The royal gods, Zeus and Hera, have crossed the border. They're even stronger than Poseidon. If they ambush you together, your chances are slim."She knew Dustin was strong, but he was still young. Moreover, Zeus and Hera weren't just anyone. They were world-class powerhouses. Surviving a fight with them would be next to impossible.The Hall of Gods had probably figured out how dangerous Dustin could become. If they had given him a few more years to grow, they might not have been able to stop him."Well, that complicates things." Dustin rested his chin in one hand with a thoughtful expression.Two royal god
Soluna Hall had one rule—they wouldn't accept unfamiliar customers. They only served those they knew well or people introduced by someone they trusted. Every transaction required an appointment. Exceptions were made for urgent matters, but those came with an additional fee.When Dustin reached the entrance, two security guards stopped him. After stating his name and being verified by the guards, they let him through.Inside, a female attendant with a pleasant smile greeted him and led him across the main hall straight into the back garden. They passed a small fish pond and stopped in front of a secluded private room."This is Ms. Linsor's private reception area. Mr. Rhys, please come in," the female attendant said with a smile."She's not here?" Dustin asked curiously."She had something come up, but she'll be here soon. Please make yourself comfortable," the attendant said, still smiling."Alright then." He nodded and walked into the room.The room was spacious, with a vintag
"You're wrong, Tristan," Matthias said with a meaningful look.He continued, "Sure, I've got the Moseys to back me, but I'm still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel's got strong backing too, and this won't be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I'd say my chances shoot up to 80%."In his eyes, Tristan's support was worth more than the Ballard family.If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias."You know me, Matthias. I've never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn't for me. I hope you can understand that," Tristan said.After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn't let go.Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortco
Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel weren't fools. They understood the unspoken message loud and clear.Their purpose for this trip was to take advantage of the opportunity to offer their condolences and win the Ballard family's support. Should it work, all the better. If not, they'd at least make a good impression. The key was that as long as the Ballard family didn't pick a side or turn against them, there was still room to make things work. No need to rush into anything.Tristan spoke first. "You're being too kind, Duke of Lachshire. We've always admired Mr. Jovian's loyalty and courage. We're simply here to pay our respects—nothing more."Matthias added, "That's right. Your family has a lot to deal with right now. Plus, you're not as young as you used to be, so don't wear yourself out over this. We won't take up more of your time today."He gave a respectful nod, then turned to leave."Duke—"Nathaniel opened his mouth to speak, but Tristan interrupted. "That's enough, Nathani
"Oh? I didn't expect both of you to be here," Nathaniel said.He was just about to pay his respects when he spotted Tristan and Matthias inside the mourning hall. He gave a respectful nod and said, "Hello, Tristan, Matthias."Truthfully, he wasn't surprised. He had already guessed they would show up.The four ancient houses and the eight great families were all key players he needed on his side. And with the Ballard family still undecided, he wasn't about to miss the chance to make an impression."I heard you left Oakvale on official business. Funny how quickly you came back," Tristan said, his tone laced with meaning."It wasn't anything important. When I heard about Mr. Jovian's passing, I returned immediately. I wanted to pay my respects in person," Nathaniel answered smoothly, without missing a beat.He brushed off Tristan's subtle jab and used the moment to show the Ballard family he was genuinely there to pay his respects."Don't just stand there, Nathaniel. Go pay your re
"Your Royal Highness, it's an honor to have you here," Jonathan said.Upon seeing the distinguished guest arrive, he quickly pulled himself together and aside his grief. He led his family to greet Tristan, and they bowed in respect.Before they could finish the gesture, Tristan raised a hand to stop them. "No need for such formalities," he said. "The deceased deserves our respect."He turned to Jovian's portrait, which was displayed in the mourning hall, and sighed deeply.Tristan continued, "Mr. Jovian's untimely passing is truly a great loss to Dragonmarsh. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to your family during this difficult time."Jonathan's eyes were filled with tears as he bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words. My family is heartbroken over my brother's tragic death."Tristan nodded slightly. His gaze quickly swept across the hall before asking, "I've heard that Duke Lachshire fainted from grief. How is he doing now?"Jonathan
The unrest in West Lucozia finally ended with the capture of Warrick.Every official who was his accomplice was thoroughly investigated. Those who needed to be arrested were taken into custody, and those who deserved to be punished were executed.After the purge, more than 300 officials in West Lucozia were removed from their posts. Those guilty were arrested, and those whose crimes were severe were executed.Under Austin's iron-fisted reforms, West Lucozia's government underwent a complete overhaul. Corruption, bribery, and the tangled web of illegal deals were swept away like dust in the wind.The citizens quickly noticed the difference. When they visited government offices, they no longer faced delays, refusals, or demands for bribes.Long-neglected public issues began to move forward, thanks to the organized efforts of newly appointed officials. Things were improving across the board.Instead of fearing the crackdown, the citizens welcomed it. The corrupt officials who had dr
Austin's expression also turned serious as he saw the doubt in Dustin's eyes. He knew Dustin wouldn't worry over nothing.There were many strange beings in Streuqua, including vampires, werewolves, and the like. These supernatural species were notoriously hard to kill. Even after being decapitated, they weren't necessarily dead.Austin wasn't sure if Poseidon had that kind of ability. After all, the Hall of Gods and its so-called royal gods were still a mystery to most people in West Lucozia.To play it safe, they needed to recover Poisedon's head for their own peace of mind.Out on the water, Jaxon led a team of soldiers and ship crews to comb the sea in search of Poisedon's severed head.At the docks, all eyes turned to Warrick, Mulder, and the others. They had been tied up and were now being dragged before Dustin and Austin one by one.Warrick looked pale, but there was a certain defiance in his eyes. He knew his fate was sealed. After Dustin killed Poseidon, Warrick knew his