Two days later, at the Peaceful Medical Center, Dahlia finally woke up.The first thing she noticed was that she was in a very plain room that contained a table, two chairs, and a hospital bed.She thought everything looked vaguely familiar, as if she had been here before."You're up?" Dustin quipped as he appeared at the entrance of the room.He was carrying a bowl of chicken soup in one hand. Even though it wasn’t the most flavorful dish, the soup looked tantalizing to her as she hadn’t eaten anything for the past two days. So much so that her stomach began to growl non-stop at the sight of it."Were you the one who saved me?" she asked first to break the awkward tension between them."You were injured and unconscious on the roadside, so I patched you up," he answered plainly."You patched me up?" she repeated with furrowed brows. A split second later, she hastily asked, "Oh, right! How long have I been unconscious? What’s the situation with the Spanners now? Are my parents in
After struggling to get away from him, Dahlia’s face was as red as a tomato. Beads of sweat trailed down her body. Her sultry eyes looked as if they could drill a hole into Dustin’s skull.Didn’t he just apply some ointment on her? So why was she giving him such an embarrassed look?"Haven’t you seen enough? Get out!" she screamed as she pulled up the blanket to cover her body.Her slender waist and upturned hips were a sight to behold indeed."Just apply this ointment for three to five days, then your scars will disappear," he said bluntly. He then put down the ointment before leaving the room sheepishly. After about ten minutes, Dahlia exited the room fully clothed.Compared to the woman full of rage and shame a moment ago, the woman in front of him now was her usual, cold self.She pretended as if nothing had happened between them at all."Lend me your phone. I have a call to make," she ordered as she rushed over to him while he was sipping on some chicken soup with her han
"Bitch, I'll fucking kill you!" Mr. Chansey screamed as he touched his scalded face. He was so furious he started pouncing on Dahlia.Her quick reflexes allowed her to deliver a swift but deadly kick to Mr. Chansey's crotch."Argh!" he cried out in pain immediately and started rolling on the floor with his hands over his bruised member, his face turning a darker shade of purple by the second."You disgust me!" she spat before turning around to leave the room. This caused her to bump into Dustin, who had been eavesdropping by the door the whole time. "What are you doing here?” she asked angrily. "Nothing, I was just making sure you were doing okay in there," he replied while shrugging his shoulders.His eyes instantly perked up at the sight of Mr. Chansey, who was writhing in pain on the floor.It was a good thing that she’d managed to mess him up, because if he’d stepped in, he’d surely make sure that Mr. Chansey won’t be using his hands ever again for the remainder of his lif
"Who dares to stir up trouble on my turf? Do they have a death wish?" Mason Zims bellowed as he strutted with a cigar in his mouth.Everywhere he went, the crowd dispersed as they were all afraid of provoking him.Even Dahlia's expression turned grave upon laying eyes on him.Although Trevor Spanner was dead, Mason Zims managed to inherit all of his power and was positively glowing in his element. With Edwin Hummer behind his back too, not many had the privilege of offending him."You escape through the side door. I'll cover for you!" Dahlia ordered as she stepped forward to shield Dustin. She was an influential figure herself, so even if Mason was batshit crazy, she knew he didn’t have the balls to do anything to her. It was a different story for Dustin though, for he wasn’t an influential figure or anything. So, if he were unfortunate enough to fall into Zim’s clutches, he would end up dead or disabled, at the very least!"You want him to escape? Where to? As long as Sir Zims is
“No! That’s impossible!” Dahlia thought.She denied the notion as soon as it emerged. Apart from his good looks, Dustin was just an average man. There was nothing special about him.Mason, on the other hand, had not only taken over Sir Spanner’s position and had authority over the Drey Group, but he also had hundreds of henchmen at his beck and call. Why would he be intimidated by a small fry like Dustin?She must be delusional. Mason’s kicks and punches rained down on Mr. Chansey unceasingly, causing him to spit blood.He saw no other way to it than to give Mr. Chansey a good beating for fear that Dustin would do him in out of wrath.“I’m sorry, Sir Zims, I was wrong! Please stop, I’m begging you, please stop!” Mr. Chansey cried out between wails. Mason only stopped after he sneaked a glance at Dustin and saw that his countenance was much calmer than before. He counted himself lucky that there was a scapegoat. He would have been in a bad spot otherwise.“A fat lot of use apologizin
Natasha was enjoying her coffee with Duane at Java Joys.“Do you still remember our bet, Natasha? Three days are up, and I’m still fit as a fiddle. Isn’t it time for you to make good on your promise?” Duane asked with a smile as he sipped on his coffee.“Why are you so impatient, Uncle Duane? We’ve got half a day left before time is up,” Natasha said collectedly.“Hah! You can’t really be buying what that little swindler said, can you?” Duane found it ridiculous. “I've been practicing martial arts for years. How would I not know my own physical condition? Look at me! Does it look like there’s anything wrong with me?”“I don’t know if you look like anything, but I trust Dustin’s judgment.” Natasha smiled. “Hmph! I wonder how that little swindler brainwashed you. Why do you trust him so much?” Duane wondered aloud.“Who knows? Maybe this is just how things were meant to be.” The corners of Natasha’s lips tugged upward as she thought of Dustin. “Anyway, half a day is left before time is
Dustin’s words took everyone by surprise. No one had expected him to be so audacious as to disregard them.“You brat! Are you even hearing yourself?” Duane’s jaws were tightly clenched and his expression was slightly distorted from the anguish. He was a person of prestige in South City, much less a small place like Swinton. And now, this little scoundrel dared speak to him like that?How impudent!“I know very well what I’m saying. You, however, do not seem to fathom the severity of the situation at hand. I am the only one who can help with your condition,” Dustin spelled out coldly.“You rascal! Don’t go around thinking that you’re some miracle worker just because you’ve got some medical tricks up your sleeves! You better know what’s best for you before I lose my temper!” Duane bellowed.“That’s right! I’ll break your face if you don’t cure my boss!” Duane’s bodyguard threatened.“You’ll break my face? I’d like to see you try." Dustin sneered.“I guess this one wouldn’t be afraid unti
Dustin had no interest in wealth or riches. But at the moment, he had a pressing need for rare herbs. The old drunkard’s condition had gotten worse day by day. He might not even make it through the year. He needed to gather five types of rare herbs to be able to treat him.“I am extremely fussy when it comes to herbs. Your collection might not necessarily be useful to me,” Dustin voiced out.“I can get you whatever herb you need!” Duane guaranteed immediately.“Do you have the Gozoraberry?” Dustin queried.“Uh… no.” Duane shook his head.“Flower of Crimson Gem?”“I don’t have that either.”“What about Cherusia?”“Rhys, I’ve never even heard of these herbs you are naming.” Duane’s expression turned bitter.“How about aged Panax root and ancient Heliotrope? I’m sure you’ve heard of those.” Dustin’s eyes narrowed.“Yes, I’ve heard of those! I know those herbs!” Duane nodded. Those two herbs cost a king’s ransom, but at least he’s heard of them.“And do you have them?” Dustin asked.“I’m n
The battle between the Hall of Gods and Sacred Wrym Summit raged with unrelenting intensity. The Hall of Gods had made meticulous preparations for this invasion. Besides recruiting powerful martial artists from around the world, they also distributed valuable enhanced serums to everyone. To counter Sacred Wrym Summit's Stormcraft technique, they developed a special combat suit capable of resisting such attacks. Generally, a divine martial artist struck by Stormcraft would instantly lose their combat ability, but this special suit reduced the effectiveness of the attack by half. Even if struck, they could recover after a brief moment to continue fighting. The defensive capabilities of this gear were nearly flawless.In addition, their greatest strength was the sheer weight of their numbers. They had at least ten thousand people, including hired outlaws, under their command. During the siege, they were densely packed like a swarm of bees.In contrast, Sacred Wrym Summit had only
Willard's ultimate move cleared the battlefield in an instant. The martial artists who had rushed forward were either dead or critically wounded, with no ability to defend themselves."This… How is this possible?" Hank's eyes widened in terror as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.Under the restriction of the sealing formation, even ultimate grandmasters couldn't unleash their full strength. But Willard, with nothing more than a flask of liquor, had managed to tap into a supreme divine power far beyond his cultivation level.Though he was only at the grandmaster level, his move, Infinite Spirit Manifestation, carried the might of an ultimate grandmaster. If he were to use it again, the outcome would be grim for everyone, including himself."Retract!" Willard took a deep breath and the thousands of illusory images that had surged forth earlier instantly retracted into his body. His face turned red and pale as his breath grew heavy and ragged.The toll of using Infinite Spirit Manif
"Take a guess." Willard didn't answer. Instead, he took another sip from his flask.His cultivation had been sealed, but his strength came from the wine in his hand. The wine was refined with valuable herbs and contained dense spiritual energy, which he could absorb and convert into combat power.In short, every sip made him stronger. Even with his cultivation sealed, he could still execute powerful techniques."It's the wine, isn't it?" Garrett's gaze landed on the flask, and a quick realization set in. Willard drank before and after every attack, which hinted at something suspicious."Bingo. But no prize for you." Willard smirked and launched forward with a palm strike aimed at Garrett. Though his strength wasn't at its peak, the attack remained a deadly threat to the already injured Garrett."Mr. Styles, save me." Garrett knew he had no chance of blocking it and cried for help."Go to hell, traitor!" Hank saw the internal commotion unfold and threw a powerful punch at Willard
With a longsword in hand, Dustin plunged into the crowd like a tiger among sheep and cut down his enemies with brutal efficiency.Though he couldn't tap into his mystical energy, his physical strength far outstripped that of an average martial artist. His speed, power, reflexes, and combat skills crushed anyone in his path.Every swing of his blade was precise and targeted the enemy's vital spots with deadly accuracy, which left no room for defense.Under his relentless assault, the assassins were helpless. The air rang with their screams as bodies fell one after another.Unlike the tournament match, Dustin now unleashed his full power in this life-or-death fight. His attacks were becoming more brutal and relentless than ever."This kid's tougher than I thought." Hank frowned as he watched his men struggle.He hadn't expected Dustin to have such formidable combat prowess, even with his sealed cultivation. If an unmatched genius like Dustin couldn't be made an ally, he had to be e
"Step forward, and you're dead!" Facing the onslaught of desperate assassins, Dustin showed no mercy. With a swing of his long sword, a dazzling sword aura swept through the darkness like a crescent moon and briefly illuminated the night sky. The assassins only saw a flash of white light and instinctively stopped in their tracks. When the brilliance faded, those at the front stood frozen as if struck by a paralysis spell.A moment later, heads tumbled to the ground, like ripe fruit falling from a tree. The headless bodies stood upright for two seconds before collapsing, blood splattering everywhere.The gruesome sight shocked everyone. They exchanged uneasy glances and were hesitant to move forward. No one had anticipated Dustin's sword to be so fast that the fallen couldn't even defend themselves.The assassins who had just been killed were among the elites. Yet, none of them could block even a single strike. The difference in strength was clear."What are you standing aroun
The people who emerged from the fog wore masks that hid their faces, but each had the Hall of Gods emblem on their bodies. Among them was a small group led by Dustin.After sensing a battle nearby, Dustin had deliberately left his team behind to investigate alone. He hadn't expected another group to lead them out of the fog formation."What's going on? Why are there so many bodies scattered around?" "Looks like they ran into a strong enemy. Stay sharp, everyone!" The sight of scattered corpses put everyone on edge. Their eyes darted between Dustin and Aven."Dustin, what are you doing here alone?" The leader of the group recognized him immediately.The Hall of Gods had recruited several teams, each marked by different colored masks, with team leaders wearing a distinctive emblem."Hank?" Dustin narrowed his eyes as he recognized the voice. "What happened here?" Hank asked tentatively."I don't know. I just stepped out of the fog formation." Dustin shook his head."Really?"
Though Marcell was momentarily stunned, he still explained patiently, "This man is the guardian of the Forbidden Ground. If we kill him, we'll be able to take the treasure." He was gravely wounded and had to rely on Dustin to deal with Aven, so he needed to be persuasive."We can talk about the treasure later. Right now, it's time to settle some old scores." Dustin stretched out his hand, and the long sword on the ground shot up into his grasp."Settle old scores? What are you talking about?" Marcell blinked in confusion, especially when he saw the sword in Dustin's hand. A feeling of unease spread through him."You and that big guy planned to use me as bait. Then, you sent me into the fog to clear the way for you," Dustin said flatly. "Did you really think I didn't hear that? Since you want to harm me, don't blame me for being ruthless.""What… What are you going to do?" Marcell panicked. "We're both working for the Hall of Gods. There's no need for this kind of betrayal. If thi
When the black death energy entered his body, Aven felt as if his entire being was being ripped apart. The pain was unbearable, as though a swarm of venomous insects was gnawing at him from the inside. It wasn't just his body that suffered, but his soul was being torn apart as well."Curse you! Get out of my body!" he roared in fury as he tried to force the black death energy out of his system.The death energy seemed to have burrowed deep into his bones. It was invasive and siphoned away his life force with every passing second. Even his internal energy was being drained to feed it. If this continued, he would be completely drained in less than three minutes."Won't leave, huh? Fine. We'll die together!" Aven's anger boiled over, and he went all out in his attack.He raised his hand, and dozens of Divine Talismans shot into the air to form a formation above his head. As it spun, a massive black thundercloud began to take shape. Lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled with terrifyin
The once frail Marcell began to undergo a rapid transformation. His muscles and bones grew at an astonishing pace. In the blink of an eye, his height jumped from five feet three inches to nearly six feet, and he kept growing.His once skeletal frame rapidly filled with dense muscle, and his skin stretched taut as if it might tear. His hunched back straightened, and his entire frame became incredibly imposing.Within just a few seconds, Marcell had transformed into a completely different person. Standing close to six feet five inches, his muscles bulged, his eyes burned with bloodlust, and he radiated a terrifying presence. If he had once been a frail wildcat, now he was a ruthless tiger.At that instant, Marcell was surrounded by swirling dark energy. His face twisted into a menacing and bloodthirsty expression. He looked like a demon straight out of hell."It is so delicious." Marcell licked his lips after absorbing the surrounding death energy and resentment.The Soul Abyss Tech