"So, do you still want me to hand Ryan over?" Dustin walked up to Yonah and looked at him condescendingly. His expression betrayed no emotion. Coughing up blood, Yonah struggled to get up from the ground. His tone was bitter as he exclaimed, "W-Who are you? How dare you go against the Drakes Dominion Order.""You don't have the right to know." Dustin continued calmly, "Now, before I lose my temper, run as far away from me as you can. Otherwise, you won't be just coughing up blood." "You—!" Yonah gritted his teeth. With difficulty, he held himself back from attacking. Dustin was clearly stronger. It wouldn't be wise to challenge him right now. After all, it wouldn't be too late to seek revenge after their Elder arrived."You brat! I'm going to remember this! Just you wait. I'm going to make you pay a hundredfold for the humiliation I suffered today!" With that, Yonah left gloomily with the rest of his group. "What are you still standing around for? Do I need to send you o
While Dustin did not react to Aidan's invitation, Jackson suddenly became excited. "Dustin, why are you silent? Hurry up and agree! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Jackson prodded Dustin eagerly. Aidan Ridge was the Sandscale. He was one of the five most powerful martial artists in the Southwest and on par with Jackson's master, reaching the level of a grandmaster. Every year, countless martial artists vie to become Aidan's disciples. However, his disdain for ordinary weaklings, due to his proud and unpredictable temperament, kept him a solitary figure. Unexpectedly, the proud Sandscale had chosen to take on a disciple of his own accord today. "Thank you, Mr. Ridge. However, I have no intention of taking on a master." Dustin declined while shaking his head."Young man, I don't just take in anyone. You should think it over." Aidan raised an eyebrow in surprise.Due to his status, there were countless people eager to become his disciples every day. He didn't expec
"No chance at surviving? Is it really that dangerous?" Jackson was shocked. Ryan was the Arcane Path Guild's prodigy, possessing strength comparable to Jackson. The monsters in the oasis must be exceptionally formidable for him to say that. "I'm not trying to scare you. It's genuinely horrifying in there. My seniors and juniors were eaten by those monsters. "If I hadn't run fast enough and been lucky, I might have suffered the same fate," Ryan said with a pained expression.He had watched helplessly as his fellow disciples were killed, and the feeling was unbearable."Seems like our mission this time is teeming with danger!" Jackson appeared pensive. Although the Arcane Path Guild wasn't a Southwest sect, their strength rivaled that of the Embersteel Order. The fact that their team of elite disciples that were sent on the exploration barely survived indicated the extreme danger within the oasis.It would be a challenge for Jackson to venture in with his current abilities.
Ryan's experience inside the oasis was like a never-ending nightmare. Just the thought of it sent shivers down his spine, and he lacked the courage to venture back inside. "What is there to fear? With me around, nothing would hurt you. No matter how dangerous it is, I can keep you completely safe," Aidan declared confidently. "Mr. Ridge, please don't take the oasis lightly," Ryan said, shaking his head. "We only roamed the outskirts for a while but already encountered various dangers that resulted in injuries and casualties. "The inner areas remain unexplored, but I can assure you that the deeper you venture, the more dangerous it becomes. The monsters also grow stronger, and even grandmasters should proceed with caution.""Kid, aren't you exaggerating a bit? You're just a divine-level martial artist and may not fully grasp the true strength of a grandmaster."Aidan continued dismissively, "Besides, I'm not your average grandmaster. I can deal with a few monsters within minu
Night quickly descended over Dusthaven Village as an increasing number of factions gathered. Among them were reputable sects, dark factions, renowned martial arts grandmasters, and infamous villains.Despite their divergent identities and viewpoints, they all shared a common objective—venture into the oasis in pursuit of treasures.As the village crowded with people, tensions flared and conflicts rose. Members of dark factions engaged in acts of murder and theft, while those from reputable sects exploited the pretext of combating evil to eliminate rival contenders. After nightfall, a gruesome scene unfolded silently within the village. Several people had met their demise even before embarking on their quest for treasures. Meanwhile, inside an inn near the village entrance, Dustin, Grace, Jackson, Aidan, Garrett, and a few others carefully examined the map Ryan had drawn. Given its somewhat sloppy nature, they had to study it closely to understand it. It was also mainly be
"Sir … Sir, I don't know what you're saying. Let go of me. I can't breathe."The middle-aged woman was lifted off the ground, and her face was beet red. She kept struggling to break free, but it was to no avail.She was like a weak chick in Dustin's hands—he could kill her at any second. "Dustin, what are you doing?" Jackson furrowed his brow in confusion. It was not appropriate for a civilized person like Dustin to make a move on innocent civilians."Are you crazy, Dustin? She was kind enough to send us candles. Yet, you're trying to hurt her. How cruel." After seeing that, Garrett scolded Dustin indignantly.On the other hand, Aidan was sipping on wine relaxedly. It was as if he was an outsider in this situation.Grace wore a confused expression. However, she didn't say anything. She knew Dustin had his reasons."This person is suspicious. She wants to harm us!" Dustin glared at the middle-aged woman, not wanting to let go."Sir, I … I didn't do anything. It must be a misu
Five minutes later, Garrett returned to the room pooled with sweat."Ms. Linsor, you were right. Most of our men were poisoned. Thankfully, you gave us a bottle of Curax. Otherwise, we'd be in deep trouble." "Nobody died, right?" Grace asked."There's a few people that were severely injured and couldn't move. However, it's not life-threatening," Garrett answered."That's good." Grace let out a sigh of relief.There was a hint of anger in her eyes.Grace never provoked anyone, but she was not one to let things slide, either.The culprit had used such a sinister way to harm them. There was no way she could let it go."Captain Wilder, pick a few subordinates to investigate who's behind this. Let me know once you find something," Grace ordered."Yes!" Garrett answered before going out the door.His Black Scorpion Squad members were also poisoned, so he was similarly furious. "Ms. Linsor, something bad has happened! The village chief is in danger!" Osley, Grace's private butler
"Oh no! The golden net is about to break!" A shout suddenly sounded.When everyone looked over, Ryan's body seemed to grow bigger in the golden net.He was covered in black lines from head to toe.His teeth and nails had become sharper while his eyes turned from red to black. He was even letting out roars like a beast.Ryan's roar grew louder after each one, and his expression contorted into an ugly snarl.His back slowly arched, causing the golden net's wires to snap one by one.Ryan let out another roar. His sharp nails grabbed the net and ripped it apart.The sturdy golden net was torn into half, revealing a huge gap in it.Due to inertia, the young men holding onto the net crashed to the ground. "Oh no! This crazy man is about to escape!""Quick! Find a way to trap him!"Everyone was startled. They quickly took out ropes, looped them around Ryan, and swung it around swiftly. They planned to tie him up that way.Ryan roared up to the sky, and his robust body shook viole