No one could deny that the woman was gorgeous and was considered an exceptional beauty. It wasn't only her looks. Her most striking feature was her seductive charisma that entranced anyone who gazed upon her."The Art of Seduction?" Caught in a momentary daze, Dustin swiftly snapped out of it. The woman in red had exuded a subtle, entrancing fragrance as she descended gracefully, enough to draw in anyone who inhaled it. That was just a small part of it. Her true strength lay in her gaze. Her every glance radiated a subtle light capable of stealing one's soul. This was one of the mystical arts of the martial arts world—the Art of Seduction. Clearly, the woman in red was far from an ordinary figure. "It's Holly Hudson! She's appeared!""As expected of one of the top ten beauties ranked on the Beauty Ranking, she is truly breathtaking!""If only I could spend one passionate night with Holly, I would die a happy death!""Holly is Grace Brothel's best card, but the only thing
Dustin had seen all kinds of beautiful women. A mere seduction art would not ensnare him. Did they really think he was controlled by instincts only? "Dear gentleman, why are you so mad?" After her descent, Holly wore an enchanting smile as she approached Dustin. She poured two glasses of wine and remarked, "Guests are always welcome here, and it's an honor to have you visit Grace Brothel. Allow me to raise the first toast."She lifted a glass from the table and downed the wine in one shot. Dustin grunted in acknowledgment and took a sip from his glass out of politeness."Dear gentleman, I'm friends with Ms. Welch and Ms. Forrest. I heard that there may have been a misunderstanding between both sides. "I'll be extremely grateful if you could overlook any past grievances," Holly said with a smile."Ms. Hudson, there's no need to involve yourself in our fight. It won't benefit you," Dustin said indifferently. "Since you appear to be a talented gentleman, I'm certain you also
Dustin glanced at the keys on the table and said meaningfully, "All this secrecy, just what are you scheming?""You sound as if two weak women like us are capable of plotting a scheme." Eleanor forced a smile."Yeah, we've sincerely repented and have no other ulterior motives. We swear on our lives!" Elena swore, going all out to convince Dustin.Eleanor's eyes twitched when she heard her, wishing she could slap her across the face. "For heaven's sake, why did you include me in your swear?" Eleanor muttered silently to herself."Since there's no scheming involved, let's head up together," Dustin said casually.Eleanor's expression froze.She glanced at Elena and was quick to come up with an explanation. "It's not convenient for Elena since she's in a wheelchair. I have to stay here and take care of her. "Besides, the murderer is treacherous. It's dangerous for us to go up there.""Exactly, it's too dangerous and inconvenient." Elena nodded repeatedly in agreement.Dustin co
Only those with absolute power and influence had the privilege to stay in the prestigious diamond suite."Sir, your room is ready. I wish you a delightful stay." After the bodyguard escorted Dustin to diamond suite four, he bid Dustin farewell and departed.Dustin approached the door and knocked gently, but there was no response.He sensed no apparent danger. At least, there was no imminent threat.Dustin unlocked the door with the key and walked straight in. Inside, he could smell the fragrance of scented candles. The room was also decorated in warm colors, creating a romantic atmosphere. Right across from the door was an elegant arrangement of sandalwood furniture adorned with fine wine and snacks.On the left, a partition draped in red lace concealed an assortment of intimate items. While on the right, a similar partition with white lace covered a bed and a wardrobe.Dustin's gaze swept around the area, and he soon noticed someone lying on the bed on the right. However
"Y-You! You murderer! How dare you kill Holly? You just committed a grave crime!""Guards! Someone, hurry up and arrest him!"The two Grace Brothel employees clamored, accusing Dustin of being the murderer. Their shouts soon resulted in a crowd that gathered around Dustin. Every one of them glared at Dustin angrily. They were filled with righteous indignation.Since Holly was Grace Brothel's best card and had countless admirers, her abrupt demise left the people feeling regretful.Of course, they were still mostly filled with hatred toward the murderer."How dare you commit murder in a place like this? You're digging your own grave!""Grace Brothel is under the Celestial Alliance. And Holly is Fenley's younger sister. There's no way you'll be able to get away with this!" "Get down on your knees and surrender immediately, or else you'll be dealt with accordingly!" The crowd unleashed a series of accusations. Judging from the hostile expressions on their faces, it was clear t
However, Eleanor never expected Anders' so-called ambush would involve Holly's lifeless body. Everyone knew that Holly was Fenley's younger sister. Now that Holly was dead, Fenley would undoubtedly take action, and everyone involved in the incident would face the consequences.It wasn't only Dustin that would suffer. They would have to suffer with him. It wasn't until this moment that she realized Anders had used them. They were like pawns that could be discarded at any moment.However, at this point, it was too late for regrets. All Eleanor could do now was to firmly hold her ground and try her best to extricate herself from the situation."Are you telling me this has nothing to do with you?" Dustin narrowed his eyes."That's right. We know nothing!" Eleanor immediately shook her head."That's right. We've been framed. Please don't misunderstand!" Elena echoed repeatedly."Alright, since you claim it has nothing to do with you, then tell me, who exactly was behind this? Wh
"Madam Lynch, are you ... You're not joking, right? Holly … really died?" Allen still couldn't quite believe it.Holly was a member of the Celestial Alliance. She was powerful and skilled at reading people. How could she possibly be killed?"Oh my! Why would I joke about something so serious? My two girls saw it clearly. Holly's body is upstairs right now. If you don't believe it, you can send someone to check," Jennie said, breaking into a cold sweat. "You two, go up and check!" Allen quickly ordered his henchmen to investigate. Soon, two henchmen rushed downstairs and delivered the same grim news. Holly was indeed dead. She was killed with a single blow.Upon hearing the news, Allen erupted in anger. His fierce gaze turned toward Dustin, and he sternly said, "You! Do you even realize what you've done? You'll pay for this with your life!"True to his words, he commanded his men, "Get him! Tear him into pieces and feed him to the dogs!"Holly's death couldn't go unpunished. If
"Hmm?" Allen slightly frowned as he looked at Eleanor and Elena."No ... It's not our fault. We didn't do anything. We're innocent!" Elena fearfully shook her head as she tried to explain."Mr. Bosman, we're friends with Holly. How could we harm her? Please don't let lies deceive you!" Eleanor cried. Then, she pointed at Dustin, "It's all him! He killed Holly and shifted the blame to us. We're defenseless girls. We couldn't fight back. Please, Mr. Bosman, stand up for us! Stand up for Holly!"Allen was infuriated when he looked at their pitiful looks. "Own up to what you've done. What kind of man uses girls as scapegoats?""I speak the truth. Their hearts are more malicious than you can imagine. You'll only harm yourself and others if you trust them," Dustin warned."Nonsense!" Allen glared at him and shouted, "Everyone saw you kill Holly. How dare you argue? It seems you won't confess until there's bloodshed!"Without a word, Allen charged at Dustin. His sword sliced through
"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
Compared to the second green sword, Glenn's third sword was even more powerful. As it descended, accompanied by the fury of a fire dragon, it carried the destructive force of a world-shattering storm.Fenley, whose energy flow was disrupted earlier, watched the fiery red long sword streak toward like a falling meteor. His heart raced and was gripped by a sudden sense of impending doom.With a roar, he risked the backlash effect and unleashed a powerful surge of internal energy. The ethereal divine spirit behind him instantly transformed into a figure with three heads and six arms. This was the complete form of the Four Elements of God's Technique.At that instant, he threw everything he had into the fight. He controlled the spirit to slam its giant arms into the flaming sword. With a loud explosion, the sword tore through the spirit's palms and continued its unyielding path toward Fenley. But its speed had slowed slightly.Without hesitation, he controlled the spirit to strike ag