Zephyr Lodge, on the outskirts of town, was now the base for Kirin Gang.Dustin had gone there to lay low after he left the Hill family residence. The Hills were upset. So, there was no point in trying to explain himself to them. The best course of action was to uncover the truth to prove his innocence. Who was the one who murdered Paul? Why did the murderer set him up? With those questions in mind, Dustin ordered everyone in Kirin Gang to uncover the truth. Everyone available was sent out to gather information. Time was of the essence. They had to stabilize the situation before things got worse. "Sir Rhys!" Nelson barged into the meeting room with sweat running down his face. "Sir Rhys! We've got trouble! The Hills and their men are headed for Zephyr Lodge!""So soon?" Dustin frowned.They had just started using Zephyr Lodge as their base. Only a handful of people knew its location. He never thought they would be able to track him down within mere hours. It was obvious
Dustin was surprised by the dagger that clattered noisily by his feet.The dagger was indeed the one that Ronald gave him. But after a few drinks last night, he had put it in his room.He hadn't paid the dagger much attention this morning when he left for the Hill family residence. He hadn't expected it would be the weapon that killed Paul! And because of that, he was now the prime suspect! "Well? Do you have anything else to say? Are you going to tell me that the dagger had been stolen?" Spring asked darkly. Dustin furrowed his brow. He swallowed back the words on the tip of his tongue. It was true. He indeed wanted to say that the dagger had been stolen. But at this point, no one was going to believe that. "Rascal, we've got solid evidence now. Let's see how you get out of this!" Autumn roared. "Dad! Don't waste your breath on him. Just kill him right now to avenge Granddad!" Torben egged him on from behind. "Dustin! Did you really kill Sir Paul?" Ronald, who had been
There were just slightly more than a thousand people from the alliances. However, the disciples of the Kirin Gang added up to over five thousand people.Skills aside, just their numbers alone were enough to scare their opponents. Those clamoring to kill Dustin earlier on now kept their mouths shut. The people from Kirin Gang not only had knives with them. Some of the elites even had firearms. Unless one was a grandmaster, they could not hold up against those weapons."Sir Rhys, are you alright?" Cornelius and a group of elites from Kirin Gang rushed up to Dustin. They formed a circle around him, protecting him from the crowd. "I'm fine." Dustin shook his head. If he wished to leave, no one could stop him. But he might have to live with the label of a murderer and be hated by everyone for the rest of his life. "Dustin! Do you honestly think your underlings can fend off the Hill family's hidden guards?" Spring took a step forward aggressively. Though the Kirin Gang had the
"Septemortis?"Everyone looked wary of the black pill.It was an extremely poisonous substance. Once consumed, death was certain if one didn't have the antidote. No one could resist the poison's effect, regardless of their cultivation. It was something that struck fear in everyone's hearts. "Dustin! If your conscience is clear, then take the pill!" Spring shouted at him."That's right! If you don't take the pill to show you're innocent, we won't let you go!" the Hills clamored. They weren't happy to let Dustin go. But now that they had the Septemortis, things were different. No matter what tricks Dustin had up his sleeves, he couldn't escape death unless he gave them a satisfactory explanation. "Fine. I'll take it." Dustin nodded and placed the pill in his mouth."Sir Rhys! No!" Nelson immediately stopped Dustin when he saw what he had done. "This is highly poisonous! You'll die!""If he doesn't take it, he'll die too!" Autumn yelled."Damn it! I'll fight it out with yo
If Ronald hadn't calmed the crowd and bought Dustin some time to investigate, violence would've erupted. Things would be vastly different if that happened. "Dustin, I can't help you openly. But if you ever run into any problems, you may come to me in private," Ronald told him sincerely."Thank you, Sir Reeds." Dustin was thankful. "Now that things have come to this, you should watch your back." Ronald shook his head and sighed before walking away. The crowd came quickly and left just as quickly. Once they saw Dustin swallow the Septemortis, they knew he would die. It no longer mattered to them whether he was guilty. "Sir Rhys, you were too rash to take the poison! Why would you risk your life like that?" Cornelius sighed heavily. He really couldn't understand why Dustin would take the pill."All the elites from Balerno and Glenstead martial arts alliance were gathered here. Even with all of you here, you won't be able to stop them," Dustin answered calmly."Even if we ca
When Dustin finally opened his eyes again, he was in the hospital.It seems that the toxin within him had finally stabilized. But things still weren't looking up for him."You're awake, dear?" a surprised voice sounded beside him.When Dustin turned around, he found Natasha sitting by his bedside. Worry was evident on her beautiful face."Natasha, why are you here?" Dustin was shocked."I heard from Nelson that you fainted. Of course, I had to come over to check on you. What's the matter? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?" Natasha asked, concerned. "I'm fine. I guess I was just exhausted, so I dozed off." Dustin pretended to be relaxed."Exhausted? Poisoned, more like," Nelson muttered."Shut up!" Dustin glared at him. "Poisoned? What happened?" Natasha asked, furrowing her brow. "It's just a little poison. It isn't serious. I'll be fine after taking some medications." Dustin chuckled."Are you sure?" Natasha was doubtful. "What? Don't you trust my medical skills?
"Yay! We're going to the theme park tomorrow!" Haley cheered excitedly when she heard Dustin's reply. She didn't forget to thank him sincerely too. "Thank you, Uncle Dustin! I wish you the best of luck and happiness and that you can rest in peace." "Rest in peace?" Natasha was first taken aback for a moment before she burst into laughter.The child was too entertaining!"What nonsense are you spouting? I think you mean to wish him a good and peaceful rest!" Nelson shot her a look and quickly corrected her."I'm so sorry, Mr. Rhys! She didn't mean what she said. Please don't take it to heart," Cecilia immediately apologized.She worried he might be offended to hear something like that when he was hospitalized."That's alright. She means no harm." Dustin smiled warmly, not offended in the least. "Uncle Dustin, it's my birthday tomorrow. Will you join us to celebrate my birthday?" Haley cocked her head and asked innocently. "Sure! I'll be there!" Dustin ruffled her hair affe
"Alright, Haley. Don't make things difficult for Uncle Dustin. Look, his forehead is already dripping with sweat." Natasha couldn't help but laugh, trying to save Dustin from embarrassment.Only he would get bullied by a child so badly."Uncle Dustin, you're sweating? Let me wipe your forehead." Haley took out a couple of tissues and began to dab at Dustin's forehead. "Haley, it's getting dark. You should head back with Mom," Nelson interjected. "But I still want to talk to Uncle Dustin." Haley seemed reluctant to go."It's your birthday tomorrow, right? We can talk more tomorrow," Dustin hurriedly added. "Really?" Haley's face lit up with joy."Of course." Dustin nodded seriously."Pinky promise," Haley said while sticking out her pinky finger."I promise." Dustin smiled and hooked his pinky with hers."Uncle Dustin, I want to tell you a secret." After linking pinkies, Haley leaned close to Dustin's ear.She whispered, "Dad keeps coughing a lot these days. He must be sic
"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
When the spectators heard the match was about to begin, the excitement reached a fever pitch. Half of them cheered for Fenley while the other half chanted Glenn's name. Both were the Chosen Ones, and their popularity was undeniable. Everyone had been waiting for their face-off in the battle ring.Though Fenley ranked slightly below Glenn on the Legendary List, his fame and influence as the successor to the Celestial Alliance's guildmaster outshined Glenn's. Ultimately, the question of who was stronger could only be answered in the ring."I've been waiting for this day, Glenn." Fenley stared at him intently. His voice was powerful and commanding. He continued, "Others say I'm not your equal, but I refuse to believe it. Today, we'll find out whether your sword is faster or if my Four Elements of God's Technique is superior.""The moment you said that, you've already lost. Your doubt shows you lack the confidence to defeat me," Glenn replied calmly. If this were a fight-to-the-deat