With a swift, ruthless swing, Feiver's head parted from his body, thudding to the floor and rolling like a soccer ball. His saucer-wide eyes showed his disbelief. He never imagined that his life wouldn't be taken by Dustin but by his foster father.Joaquin, the Welch family butler, was actually Feiver's foster father. When Feiver had nowhere to go, Joaquin rescued him, bringing him into the Welch family and giving him a place to stay. He had always been grateful and dutiful.So, when Joaquin instructed Feiver to poison Dustin, he didn't hesitate. Feiver felt it was time to repay the kindness he had received. To gain Dustin's trust, he even risked his own life, completely willing to sacrifice it.But now, he was betrayed by the man he considered as family. It was the reality that he couldn't wrap his head around."What?"Dustin furrowed his brow upon seeing Feiver's lifeless body. He fixed his gaze squarely on Joaquin and asked calmly, "Mr. Yaxley, care to explain what's goin
Dustin asked politely, "Mr. Welch, I've heard that your father has awakened. Is that correct?" "Yes, my dad has indeed woken up, but he's still weak. His mind is somewhat clouded. I believe he needs some time to rest," Alistair replied. Dustin reassured him, "No worries, those are just some aftereffects. He'll be back on his feet in no time." Changing the topic, he continued, "Now, Mr. Welch, about our deal. You promised me the Emerald Corolla and the Iceheart Lotus. When can I get them?""Well …" Alistair exchanged a glance with those beside him and hesitated.Joanne quickly interjected, "Dr. Rhys, we have no intentions of going back on our word. However, it might take a while since we're swamped with other things, and your request isn't our top priority.""Mrs. Welch, it seems you had a different stance when we made the deal." Dustin shook his head. "Precious herbs are rare and can't be easily acquired. We'll notify you when we have any information. Your patience will be a
"What's this? You want to do this the hard way?" Dustin scanned the Welch family members and smirked. "I've saved your daughter, handed over the formula, and pulled Mr. Welch Senior from the brink of death, all for the Welch family. And yet, you're turning on me now. "If word gets out, what will that do to your family's reputation?"His words sent a shiver down Alistair's spine, and the others squirmed. Alistair had orchestrated the poisoning to protect his family's reputation as a backup plan in case things went south. But with Feiver dead, openly confronting Dustin posed a risk of leaving themselves vulnerable. The reputation of the Welch family would be tarnished if it became known that they had committed murder and repaid kindness with enmity. After careful consideration, Alistair ultimately chose to step back for the time being"Joanne, what's running through that mind of yours? Dr. Rhys has done us a great favor. How can you be ungrateful?" Alistair scolded his wife
"Call for help right now! I'm on my way!" Dustin said urgently before hanging up the phone. He floored the gas pedal and raced toward Harmony Healers.With no time to waste, he ran the red lights, zipping like a lightning bolt. A drive that usually took 20 minutes became a ten-minute drive instead.When he arrived at the scene, the fire department was still on its way. Harmony Healers stood engulfed in a furious blaze. The first floor was gone, and the flames were creeping up to the second floor. Despite neighbors helping with water buckets, their efforts felt like a drop in the ocean. At this rate, the fire would reach the third floor in less than five minutes!"Quick! We need more help!" Brooke shouted, holding a fire extinguisher in his hand and spraying it frantically. His clothes were in tatters, his face smudged with soot, and he had burns on his skin. He looked absolutely worn out."Dr. Busch! Is Mr. Shaffer safe?""Cinna is still inside, and the fire has gotten out of
Engulfed in flames, Dustin leaped high into the air before landing heavily on the ground. The resounding impact left several deep cracks under his feet. A gust of wind swept over him, extinguishing the flames that had clocked his body. They could see white mist rising from his skin; it looked straight out of a movie. "What in the world?" The crowd stood in utter shock at the incredible scene they had just witnessed. Even the firefighters were rendered speechless. No one had expected a person to emerge unscathed from the raging fire, especially not after jumping from the third floor. His crazy and daring actions left everyone astonished. "Am I seeing things? The guy that went in actually made it out alive?""Not only did he survive, he even rescued someone!" "Oh my God! Who the hell is this guy? Even fire can't harm him. This is out of this world!"After a brief moment of silence, the crowd commented excitedly over the scene. Everyone looked at Dustin as if he were some sort
Brooke never even charged a penny for treating the poor. He believed he had a clear conscience before God and his patients. He could never have imagined that the good deeds he had done all his life would lead to this. It was disheartening to think how half of his life's work had been reduced to nothing but ashes by someone."Dr. Busch, even though I can't be completely certain, I do have a suspect in mind," Dustin suddenly said. "Who is it? Which evil person did such a thing?" Brooke's blood boiled. "The Swansons," Dustin spat out coldly."The Swansons?" Brooke was taken aback, appearing deep in thought. Although they had no proof, Dustin's accusation was not baseless. In order to gain control of Harmony Healers, they employed various means, including coercion and bribery, to achieve their goal. Even Ziggy, who caused a scene at Harmony Healers two days ago, was sent by the Swansons. The Swansons was the prime suspect in setting the fire. "They destroyed Harmony Healers
"What?" Eleanor's expression turned ugly as she watched the check burn. It was one thing to reject her offer, but setting the check ablaze was just an act of disrespect and humiliation toward her."Hey, Rhys! What's the meaning of this?" Ezra was upset by Dustin's actions. He yelled, "Eleanor was generous enough to give you money. Don't be ungrateful!""So just because you gave me money, I should accept it? What do you take me for? A beggar?" Dustin scoffed. His opinion of the Welch family had taken a nosedive. From the way Eleanor used him yesterday to the way the Welchs tried to kill him today, he finally realized the true nature of these people. "Hmph! Just look at your behavior; it's no different than a beggar." Ezra looked at him in disdain. "Another derogatory word from that mouth of yours, and I'll beat you up." Dustin's gaze grew colder. "You—!" Ezra was about to rip him a new one when Eleanor raised her hand to stop him.She stared at Dustin in silence; her eye
"Dr. Busch, selling Harmony Healers would be the wisest decision. Besides, aside from us, nobody else will buy it," Eleanor advised in a gentle tone. The Welchs and the Swansons controlled the entire South City. Who would dare take over Harmony Healers without their permission? "I'm not selling! Not over my dead body! Don't even think about taking Harmony Healers away from me!" Brooke yelled in frustration.He had dedicated more than half of his life to building Harmony Healers into what it was today. How could he bear to sell it, especially to these power-hungry individuals?He could tell that Harmony Healers would become nothing more than a money-making machine if it fell into their hands. That would completely tarnish its reputation!"You're not selling?" Ezra scoffed."Dr. Busch, it would be best for you to reconsider before answering. It wouldn't be wise to reject us.""I've lived long enough! My life is worthless anyway. I'm not afraid of you people!" Brooke screamed ag
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
"Glenn had only seven swords in the past. I didn't expect that in just one year, two more divine swords would recognize him as their master. This punk is much better than I was back then," Cyrus remarked. He stroked his chin with a look of surprise and approval. He had always believed in Glenn's potential, but Glenn's performance had still exceeded his expectations.After all, the more swords Glenn wielded, the stronger he became. He had already topped the Legendary List with just seven swords. Now, with nine, his strength had grown even more overwhelming."He truly is the Chosen One." Even Kaden couldn't help but sigh.The nine divine swords recognized their master and responded with ease. Glenn's talent and cultivation were leagues ahead of his peers.Every generation brought forth new talent, and the old had no choice but to step aside for the new generation. Compared to their time, today's youth were on another level—monsters in their own right."Now, this is going to be int