Aidan raised an eyebrow, commenting, "Let's be clear—we're just fellow explorers with our own goals. We're not allies, and even if we were, why do we have to share both good and bad times?"Jackson hesitated, momentarily lost for words. It dawned on him that the rumors about Aidan's unpredictable nature were indeed true."Mr. Ridge, state your conditions. If it's something we can accommodate, we won't turn you down," Grace replied promptly. She sensed Aidan's longing for some sort of benefit."Great!" Aidan grinned, impressed by her quick understanding. He went on, "I can help you in getting out of this situation and guarantee your safety. However, in return, I'd need you to give me the Dragon Rope.""What? The Dragon Rope?" Jackson frowned at the unexpected mention.The Dragon Rope could restrain even grandmaster martial artists, making it invaluable. Aidan's request at this moment appeared to exploit their vulnerable situation. Hence, the unexpected behavior from such a resp
Aidan demonstrated remarkable strength as he skillfully wielded his crescent-shaped dual blades. With a swift motion, he released a barrage of blade aura toward the golden vines. Each blade carried enough force to split mountains, accompanied by a powerful gust of wind and vibrant lights.In response to his attack, the silver vines transformed into long spears, hurtling rapidly toward him with astonishing precision. These spears adeptly intercepted every blade aura, triggering a sequence of explosions. The countless blade auras shattered, forcefully pushing back the silver vines."Hmph! Let's see how tough you are!" Aidan charged forward, crossing his dual blades. With a swift swing, he shouted, "Destruction Slash!"A crackling sound filled the air as two crescent-shaped blade auras swiftly slashed toward the golden vine. Initially three feet in length, these razor-sharp blade auras expanded to a towering three yards as they closed in. Appearing like unstoppable blades, they c
The initial assault proved ineffective, prompting the golden vines to launch another attack. The front end of the vine elevated, resembling a fully drawn bowstring. After a moment of gathering strength, it struck down toward Aidan in the crater.The follow-up strike demonstrated increased speed and force compared to the previous one. Before reaching full power, the air itself seemed to tear apart, resonating with the anticipation of the impending strike.The velocity and strength exhibited by the golden vines far exceeded those of the silver ones. Each strike carried a seismic impact as if the earth trembled.Aidan noticed the approaching golden vines and chose not to confront them again. With a strong push from his legs, he moved sideways. At that moment, the powerful strike of the golden vines hit precisely where he had been standing moments ago.The impact was thunderous, shaking the earth and creating a powerful shockwave. It resembled a gust of wind clearing away fallen
At this moment, Dustin was trailing behind the group 300 feet away. He secretly unsheathed his sword.Dustin purposely stayed at the back when he saw Aidan in danger. Then, Dustin threw out a shot as fast as lightning.The shot was so subtle that nobody noticed. It easily sliced the golden vine into two, saving Aidan.The reason why Dustin saved him was because they were in the same group. Plus, Aidan still had some use to him.As Grace said, all of the forces had already entered the oasis. Moreover, most of them were skillful martial artists.Before Dustin found Dracan essence, he shouldn't expose his identity.After all, Aidan's existence could help get rid of a lot of problems. Aidan was a grandmaster martial artist. Thus, he was more than capable of dealing with petty martial artists.Dustin only sent out that shot after considering that factor.Although the golden vine was powerful, it was only at a grandmaster martial artist's level. Thus, it couldn't withstand an ultimat
"Helped you?" Everyone looked around curiously after hearing Aidan's words.All of them were busy escaping just now. They didn't have the time to think about anything else.Perhaps something had happened just now."Mr. Ridge, your skills are superb. I doubt you'll need any of our help.""That's right. We wouldn't be much help in a battle of your level.""Mr. Ridge, did someone step in and affect your performance just now? How terrible of them!"Not knowing what happened, the crowd gossiped among themselves.They thought that only a grandmaster martial artist like Aidan would have the ability to defeat the vines.If Aidan didn't make a move just now, many people would be dead right now."Mr. Ridge, what happened?" Jackson tried asking."Nothing… Nothing much. Since nobody admitted to it, it's fine." Aidan shook his head without another word.He was just probing with his question earlier, not expecting an outcome from it. Aidan couldn't accept if an ultimate grandmaster was hi
Instead of making a move, Grace chose to understand the situation first. "Captain Wilder, can you tell who are the two groups of people there?""Based on their outfits, the team that has more people looks like they're from Fantasy Sea Alliance." Garrett soon found out after taking a closer look."Fantasy Sea Alliance? Who are they?" Grace continued asking.Narrowing his eyes, Garrett explained, "The three major sects in the Southwest are Drakes Dominion Order, Embersteel Order, and Frostwing Sect. "Under these major sects, there are six influential sects, and Fantasy Sea Alliance is one of them."However, Fantasy Sea Alliance is different from normal sects. The way they do things is extreme. Thus, they don't have a good reputation. They have all sorts of members inside too."Jackson couldn't help but sneer upon hearing that, "To put it simply, Fantasy Sea Alliance is formed by a bunch of immoral martial artists. "They try to make themselves righteous, but they secretly like to
"How dare you! Who do you think you are to speak like this?" Jackson couldn't help but feel furious seeing Sophia getting threatened. Initially, Jackson wanted to solve it calmly and avoid unnecessary conflicts.However, he didn't expect the members of Fantasy Sea Alliance to be so arrogant. The latter had disregarded Emberson Steel and attempted to forcefully seize Harmony Sect's treasure. They were simply going too far!"You—" Just as the Fantasy Sea Alliance's member was about to speak, the middle-aged man raised his hand to stop him. "Everyone, treasures are worldly things. It's nothing compared to your own life. I doubt you guys wouldn't understand this, right?""So what if we do understand?" Jackson narrowed his eyes.The middle-aged man replied indifferently, "Since you understand, you should hand over the treasure. You lose some, but you win some. "We'll immediately leave once we get the treasure, and we won't make things difficult for you guys. How about it?"At tha
Looking at the several figures escaping a distance away, Jackson was stunned. "W-What?"He didn't expect Sophia and the others would leave so quickly. They even left without informing Jackson.Even if they needed to retreat, they should have at least told Jackson.By doing this, it seemed that they were leaving Jackson and his team to fend for themselves."Jackson risked his life to save them. Yet, the Harmony Sect's disciples just left like that. How ungrateful!" Hiding nearby, Garrett couldn't help but shake his head in disgust."It's hard to predict what people are thinking. It looks like Jackson's fiancée isn't a good person.""How pitiful. Jackson ended up in this situation just because of a few ungrateful brats."The crowd gossiped among themselves.Emberson Steel and Harmony Sect were alliances, while Jackson and Sophia were engaged.Normally, they should work together to face the enemy when in danger. They could even create a remarkable love story this way.Unexpected
"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