After all that tough talk, Julie hesitated. If she stepped back now, she would be like shooting herself in the foot. How could she show her face in the social circle after that? Just as she felt lost, a crisp voice cut through the tension."Ms. Amberson, why use a sledgehammer on a mosquito? Leave this small-time troublemaker to us."Two sharply dressed, beautiful young women strolled in side by side. The one in red exuded arrogance—it was Eleanor Welch! The one in white radiated a cold demeanor—it was Elena Forrest, who had crossed paths with Dustin.Back in Millsburg, down in the Southern Province, these two first crossed paths in kindergarten. Then, they ran into each other again at General Murray's estate stables, causing quite a ruckus. Little did they know that after all these years, they'd meet again right here."Ms. Forrest?" Julie's face brightened upon seeing them. Her backup had arrived."Ms. Amberson, let me introduce you. The lady by my side is the Welch famil
Under Elena's command, the two groups of guards rushed in through the door. One group was the Forrest family guards, while the other was the Welch family guards. Both groups consisted of carefully selected elite guards and outnumbered Julie's guards. They surrounded the Camron Medical guards as soon as they appeared, turning the situation around instantly. Onlookers retreated when they saw the standoff for fear of getting implicated in the conflict. No one dared to involve themselves in a confrontation with imposing forces consisting of two elite families and one ancient house. "It seems like you came prepared with the number of guards you have." Dustin narrowed his eyes, unafraid even as he was surrounded. "Dustin, considering our previous friendship, I can ask Elena to spare you as long as you apologize and grovel before us," Eleanor suddenly said. The more arrogant Dustin acted, the more she wanted to crush him beneath her feet and humiliate him thoroughly! How dare a n
Although they weren't sure what was going on, it was clear that the poison was extremely potent. "What is going on?" Eleanor, Elena, and Julie exchanged puzzled looks, their brows furrowed. The hall was filled with people, yet only their guards were affected. It was astonishing to think that the poison could differentiate between friend and foe. "Rhys! Are you responsible for this?" Julie was quick to conclude. "Don't blindly accuse me. I didn't do anything." Dustin shrugged. "You still dare deny it? You clearly did this, you rotten bastard!""Rhys! You'd better hand us the antidote! Otherwise, if anyone dies here, I will send you with them!" Elena yelled.The guards she brought today were from the elite ranks of the Forrest family. They weren't only skilled but also extremely loyal. The Forrest family had invested considerable resources in training these elite guards. She would be held accountable if they all died here upon her return. She might even be punished by house
Abigail looked just like the girl next door. However, Eleanor, Elena, and Julie felt a chill run down their spines as they gazed at her, breaking out in cold sweat. Despite her harmless appearance, the words that came from her lips were horrifying. She poisoned them yet was telling them to endure it. What a psycho!"Who are you? How dare you poison us?" Elena screamed fiercely. "That's not important. The issue now is, what will you choose?"Abigail smiled. "You only have two options. Either you succumb to my poison, or you apologize to Dustin and pay reparations.""We'll never apologize!" Elena declared indignantly. However, as soon as she spoke, her headache intensified, and she groaned."I don't care who you are! Hand over the antidote right now! Otherwise, you'll suffer the consequences!" Eleanor attempted to continue with her threats."Consequences?" Abigail squatted down with a smile and looked at Eleanor quietly. She then said, "Your last name is Welch, right? If … I
"The antidote … Give me the antidote!""I was wrong. I'll apologize! Give me the antidote!"Tormented by the pain, Elena couldn't take it any longer and started to cry for mercy. Abigail remained squatted, her hands supporting her chin. She showed no signs of reaction."My head is killing me! I can't take it anymore either! I'm willing to apologize and pay reparations! Now give me the antidote!" Julie gave in as well. Suffering humiliation was nothing compared to losing their lives. It wasn't the first time, anyway. Abigail continued looking at Eleanor without any reaction. "Eleanor! H-Hurry up and apologize! This woman is insane! If you don't apologize, we're going to die here!" Elena panicked and shouted in desperation. "If you don't speak soon, your friends are going to die," Abigail said with a smile. "Eleanor! What the hell are you doing? Just apologize already! Even if you want to die, don't bring us down with you!" Elena roared at her. Why did she insist on
"She's so beautiful and dignified!""Who is this beautiful woman? Why haven't I seen her before?""Just look at her posture and presence. She must be ranked high on the Beauty Ranking."Dahlia's appearance caused quite a stir. Regardless of gender, everyone was captivated. Even though there were many beautiful women in the refined and sophisticated city of Oakvale, which was filled with talented individuals, a woman of her allure was a rare sight. Her cool and noble temperament appeared almost otherworldly. It was as if she had just stepped out of a painting. "Dahlia!" Upon seeing the newcomers, Julie's face brightened as if she had encountered her savior. She immediately went up to greet them."I asked you to come here to discuss business. Instead, not only did you fail, but you also ended up having to pay 100 million for the damages. What exactly happened?" Dahlia asked coldly. "I—" Julie found herself at a loss of words. She couldn't admit that she had flaunted the Mosey
"So, what you mean is that only they can bully us, but we aren't allowed to retaliate? So powerless people like us can only ever be terrorized and humiliated by powerful people like you? "Is it a sin to even think about protecting ourselves?" Dustin mocked. Despite losing her memories, Dahlia remained the same. She was still prejudiced and self-righteous. She never got the situation straight before jumping to conclusions. "I don't understand what you mean." Dahlia frowned slightly."My people came today to discuss business. As a shareholder of Camron Medicals, you should treat them with courtesy instead of resorting to threats." "We would naturally welcome them if they were guests. But if they are enemies, don't blame us for being rude," Dustin retorted. "What? You've made a mistake and stirred up trouble, yet you don't feel any remorse?" Dahlia frowned."Ms. Nicholson, this was a misunderstanding." Lana suddenly stepped up and smiled apologetically. "Ms. Amberson here in
"Dustin, did you hear that? Get on your knees and apologize to me. Then, pay me 300 million in compensation for my mental distress. "Otherwise, I'll make sure you stay in prison forever!" Julie's hands were on her hips, appearing domineering. With her cousin backing her, she had nothing to fear. Julie might be a fake heiress, but her cousin was Sir Mosey's favored god-daughter. He had entrusted over half of his businesses to her. Dahlia's current status was no less than that of Dragonmarsh's princess. Everyone had to treat her with respect. Dustin might be capable, but he was nothing in front of Dahlia."Rhys! Dahlia is a prominent figure among the Moseys. You'd better think about your situation carefully!" Elena sneered, looking pleased with the turn of events. Once Dustin apologized, she would take the opportunity to humiliate him. If he resisted, that would be even better. Because once he angered Dahlia, there would be no way out for him!Dahlia wouldn't even need to tak
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