"Even Master Howler is here. It looks like we'll be leaving empty-handed.""Plans don't always unfold the way we want.""I thought we could forge ahead, but now it appears surrendering is our only option."Everyone shook their heads and let out collective sighs.Damien's reputation preceded him as one of the top elite in the southwest, and his status seemed unmatched. Despite Dustin being a young grandmaster, everyone thought he would be powerless in the presence of such top-tier individuals, considering the significant gap that exists between grandmasters.Dustin raised an eyebrow. "The master of the Drakes Dominion Order, right? You're the top elite in the southwest, often referred to as the peak level of martial arts?"While observing Damien's presence, Dustin sensed that he was likely in the late stages of being a grandmaster. Undoubtedly, Damien's strength positioned him as a regional overlord.With his hands casually tucked behind his back, Damien downplayed his skills. "I
Judging by the expressions on the faces of the members of the Drakes Dominion Order, they were dissatisfied with the decision.Damien turned, fixing his gaze on Dustin. "Young man, what do you think?"Contrary to the majority, Damien had granted Dustin the position of deputy master, a gesture of significant respect.Dustin bluntly rejected the offer, stating, "I'm not interested in being a deputy master. I definitely don't want to be involved with the Drakes Dominion Order."Damien's smile froze. His words carried a deeper meaning as he responded, "Hmm? Young man, opportunities come only once. Are you certain you want to decline my invitation?"Dustin nodded confidently. "Yeah."Damien's expression turned cold. "If that's the case, then I have nothing more to say." He felt a bit embarrassed, having extended an olive branch only to be rejected."Tch! Shameless!" Tobias sneered, his expression fierce. "Master Howler extended an invitation to you, and this is how you repay it? I or
Tobias hung on the wall in a precarious life-or-death situation, and Elder Greene of the Drakes Dominion Order spat blood due to severe injuries. Everyone stood frozen in shock, their attention fixed on the distressing scene. The elites from the Drakes Dominion Order and the Frostwing Sect were left dumbfounded. They struggled to come to terms with the unbelievable sight before them.Tobias and Elder Greene had long been acknowledged for their formidable strength. While not officially recognized as grandmaster martial artists, their prowess was on par with those who held such prestigious titles. Years of dedicated refinement and experience had bestowed upon them a distinctive advantage. Even when confronted by ordinary grandmasters, they possessed the capability to put up a formidable fight. Their collaborative efforts had yielded a remarkable track record of overcoming grandmasters together.Tobias and Elder Greene weren't expecting victory, but at the very least, they could
As Alexander took on the role of the challenger, Damien felt at ease. However, Dustin's skill surpassed that of a mere grandmaster, more akin to the mid-level of a grandmaster."Don't worry, Mr. Howler," Alexander reassured confidently. He added, "This kid's got talent, but I'm no pushover. In the southwest, you're the only one who might outclass me. The rest aren't even worth considering."Damien was the top dog in the southwest. Alexander had lost three sparring matches and felt he couldn't measure up to Damien. As for the other contenders, Alexander dismissed them without a second thought. Despite Dustin's impressive talent and strength, Alexander considered him too young to pose a real threat. Unlike Dustin, Alexander had been honing his skills for over a decade, firmly standing at the grandmaster level. He was not someone a young buck like Dustin could easily shake."Sure thing! Since Mr. Forge is ready to jump in, go ahead and have some fun with this kid." Damien nodded.
"Huh?"The sudden change threw everyone off guard. Everything happened in a split second, and they barely had any time to react. Dustin took Alexander down in a blink of an eye. In an instant, Alexander was already seriously wounded. To most of the martial artists, Alexander, the leader of Frostwing Sect, was flung toward a wall in a heartbeat. The entire situation happened too rapidly."H-How is this possible?" Bran was dumbfounded when he saw how badly injured Alexander was. His eyes widened in disbelief. He had never imagined that Alexander would be defeated tragically, let alone lose in a fight. After all, Alexander was one of the five strongest people in the Southwest. He was a grandmaster martial artist with excellent abilities.Aside from Damien, the master of Drakes Dominion Order, no one could rival him in the entire southwest. Bran thought it was a sure victory for Alexander in this battle. However, things seemed to have taken an entirely different turn. Not
If word got out, everyone would be stunned. "Awesome! That was a great fight!" Sophia squealed in delight. Her eyes lit up as she realized not only was Dustin handsome, but he was also incredibly powerful. He had a bright future awaiting him. Sophia had to seize her chance and do whatever she could to make him fall in love with her, even if it meant breaking her engagement with Jackson. "Fuck! He's at it again!" Garrett snarled, wariness evident in his eyes although he wore a surly expression. The chances of him getting his revenge were becoming slimmer once Dustin showcased how strong he really was. At this point, he had given up on the idea of revenge. He just hoped that Dustin wouldn't come after him. "And he said he was going to let me strike him thrice first before he made a move. But he can't even endure a single blow. Well, it seems like the leader of Frostwing Sect isn't exactly that great either," Dustin said nonchalantly. There was a hint of sarcasm in his ton
"Show Master Howler some respect. Leave half of everything behind and let's get going."They started moving upon Grace's orders. Some took the jewelry with them, while some loaded themselves with the Soul Elixir. Though they were instructed to leave half of them behind, they all took more than they should. Nevertheless, Damien turned a blind eye to this even though he already saw right through them.Dustin's power was so intimidating that everyone was extremely wary of him now. They dared not take the risk, nor did they want to go against him. If a commotion broke out, they would most likely end up with nothing. After all, the palace was surrounded by different forces. If the fight didn't end well for both parties, there would be other forces who would gladly benefit from it. As a result, Grace and her companions stepped out of the Underwater Palace with their loaded bags. Though the elites of Drakes Dominion Order and Frostwing Sect were itching to lunge at them, they didn't
Fortunately, Grace's assistant, Osley, just happened to arrive with lots of supplements. After a brief rest, they departed again. After three days, they finally made it out of the Deadlands in the afternoon of the third day. They were back at Dusthaven Village, where they had briefly stayed before.They had been particularly cautious in the past three days. They tossed and turned in their sleep, worried about the possible dangers they might encounter on their journey. They were finally relieved once they were back at Dusthaven Village. "It's getting late now, so we'll stay here tonight. If you're in a hurry to go somewhere else, please go ahead," Grace at the village entrance. "Now, if you'll excuse me."After that, she stayed at the inn she had reserved with her envoy team. Since they had accomplished their mission, it was about time for their team members to go their separate ways. All of them benefited from the journey, and each of them was loaded with plenty of treasure