It was Cornelius who saved Nikki. When Dustin yelled, Cornelius appeared in front of them instantly. He grabbed the iron whip and broke it in half."How dare you!""You insolent bastard!"The Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples shouted. They were angry at Dustin and Cornelius for disrupting the punishment. Some took out their swords, looking ready to fight. Duistin ignored them and walked up to Nikki. His expression darkened when he saw her covered in wounds and looking close to death. It was one thing to steal credit; Dustin could have acted as if nothing happened. But now they had falsely accused a person and resorted to torture when things turned bad. It was outrageous!"All of you are fellow disciples. Do you think it's appropriate to use such inhumane methods?" Dustin scanned his surroundings, his gaze sharp. "We are punishing a traitor. Outsiders should leave immediately!" Letitia warned. "This is my territory. Naturally, it is my business when something has happened
"I will break your legs for humiliating Edith!" Letitia's gaze turned cold.She shot toward Dustin like a ghost. As a divine-level marital artist, her skills were second only to Edith and comparable to several elders of the Jade Maiden Sisterhood."Go to hell!" Cornelius' expression darkened when he saw Letitia trying to attack Dustin. He replicated Letitia's palm attack with equal force, resulting in a loud collision. He staggered a few steps back before steadying himself. But Letitia was sent flying a few meters away before crashing heavily into a large tree. It was like a car had hit her. The force left her coughing blood uncontrollably. "What?" The expressions of the Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples fell. Letitia's skills ranked among the top five of the Jade Maiden Sisterhood members. None of the disciples could match her power. Yet, she was severely injured by a skinny old man. It was astonishing! Even Edith appeared unsettled at that moment. They didn't expec
"Madam Edith!" The Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples were shocked to see Edith collapse. They surrounded her, trying everything they could to wake her up. But all their efforts were in vain due to the severity of her injuries. "Hurry up and get her a doctor!" Letitia commanded and got the disciples to carry Edith outside. "Injuries sustained from going to extremes in training are not something an ordinary doctor can treat. "Of course, if you admit to your mistakes and pay me five billion as a reward, I can consider saving Madam Parker," Dustin said impassively. "What nonsense! Five billion? Why don't you rob the bank instead?" Letitia glared at Dustin. "Edith is blessed and has luck on her side. Nothing will happen to her. "Even if she were on the brink of death, we will never beg for your help!" "Really? Good luck then." Dustin smiled. "Let's go!" Letitia wasted no time. With a wave of her hand, she led the group out. "Madam Edith!" Nikki struggled to approach them
Ruth's urgent voice quickly came through when the call connected."Dustin! Bad news! My sister is in trouble!""Trouble?" Dustin furrowed his brows. "What happened?""The family treasury has been robbed. My sister is the prime suspect. "They're going to use the house law on her!" Ruth exclaimed in panic."Try your best to hold them up. I'll be there as soon as I can!" Without a moment to spare, Dustin hung up and swiftly headed to the Harmons' residence with Cornelius.… Meanwhile, inside the Harmon's ancestral altar, a group of people blocked Natasha at the entrance. She was trapped with nowhere to go.The elders of the family were angry and filled with righteous indignation. They scolded her nonstop. "Natasha! How dare you conspire with outsiders to steal from the family treasury. You are truly an ungrateful daughter!""You have ruined our hundred-year-old legacy! How do you think you should be punished?""You bitch! How could the Harmons have raised such an ungrate
"Nonsense!" Hector knocked away the knife offered to him. "I know Natasha very well. She would never do anything like this! There must have been a mistake!"When Hector heard that his daughter was in trouble, he immediately rushed home. He didn't expect to be met with such a hostile scene as soon as he stepped inside.Were they going to enforce the house law? Who dared to enforce the house law while the head of the family was away? "Uncle Hector, it's impossible to know a person truly. Character is nothing in front of riches." Dylan shook his head and continued, "The treasury was robbed, and only you and your daughter have the keys. If it wasn't Natasha, was it you, then?""Nonsense!"Hector glared at Dylan and exclaimed, "As the family head, I consider myself upright and honorable. I would never do anything that harms our family!""Well, that's certainly unusual. If it wasn't you or Natasha, was it a ghost who did it?" Dylan asked sarcastically.The crowd was doubtful upon
"What?" Upon seeing the man, both Hector and Natasha frowned. They started to worry. "Uncle Hector, you should recognize this man, right?"Dylan walked around the attendant. "I caught this guy as he escaped with the treasures. "After a thorough interrogation, he confessed and admitted to his crimes. The key to the treasury is the evidence.""Hey! What are you still standing around for? "Hurry up and tell us the truth. This is your last chance to redeem yourself!" Kate stepped forward and kicked the attendant."It's not me … I had nothing to do with it!" With a thud, the man fell to his knees before pointing at Natasha. He groveled as he cried out, "It was all Miss Natasha's doing! She ordered me to do it. "I was just following orders. I don't know anything. "Please, I beg you, spare my life!""What are you talking about? When did I ever order you to do such a thing?" Natasha looked serious."Ms. Natasha, we have been exposed. There's no point in denying it. "You mi
"What? You're stepping down as the family head?" Hector's words caused the crowd to panic. Since he became the family head, Hector worked diligently and tirelessly to manage the family. He had kept everything in order.While no one in the entire family dared to challenge his authority, they found it hard to accept that he was stepping down. "Dad! All of this happened because of me. "I should be the one being punished, if ever. There's no need for you to bear the blame!" Natasha started to panic. If Hector stepped down from his position and handed over all his assets, decades of her father's hard work would be ruined.After that, they would be left with nothing and no chance to turn the situation around."Shut it! It's not your place to speak!" Hector turned back and roared.Power, status, and money were nothing to him compared to his daughter."Hector, are you sure about this?" Trent's eyes shone with delight before he regained his composure."Hector, resigning from the r
"Considering that this is Natasha's first offense, and she has shown timely remorse, we can spare her from physical punishment."However, Trent suddenly added, "But the family has suffered significant losses, and you must make amends. "Here's the deal: if you hand over the formula to Immortunol, I'll forget today ever happened.""The formula to Immortunol?"Natasha furrowed her brows and refused immediately, "Never!"She hadn't committed any crime. They had only given in to alleviate the situation. She couldn't believe they were pushing their luck and targeting the formula to Immortunol. Their greed knew no limits!They knew that the formula was an invaluable treasure. Even if Natasha gave up all her assets, she could still make a fresh start as long as she possessed the formula."Natasha Harmon! Uncle Trent is giving you a chance. Don't be ungrateful!" Dylan shouted."Hmph! You'll face our house law if you don't hand over the formula. Let's see how you fare then!" Kate look
"Dad, what do you think?" Jonathan asked, turning to Simon."A guest has arrived, so we can't be rude. Invite them to the living room so we can discuss things properly," Simon replied calmly.Anders represented the Mosey family, and regardless of his intentions, Simon couldn't simply turn him away. As for the proposed marriage alliance, it was a matter that required thorough consideration."Understood," the butler replied promptly before leaving."Go on with your meal. I'm going to meet with Anders," Simon said, excusing himself from the table.Jonathan, Jensen, and Jovian exchanged glances and, without hesitation, followed their father. They were curious to see what the Mosey family had in mind."Alright, let them handle it. Let's focus on our meal," Gemma Letcher, Natasha's grandmother, said with a smile and signaled everyone to continue eating.…Three minutes later, in the Ballard family's living room, Simon sat at the head of the table near the entrance. Jonathan and his b
After leaving Dash Corporation, Dustin and Natasha headed to the mall, where they picked out gifts for every member of the Ballard family. From the eldest to the youngest toddlers, no one was left out. Later, they stopped by an antique shop and chose a beautiful calligraphy painting as a special gift for Simon.By evening, Dustin had everything ready for his first visit to the Ballard estate, located in the heart of Oakvale's city center. The estate was a sprawling courtyard mansion built on a large plot of land.Simon, the Duke of Lachshire, had three sons and a daughter. His eldest son, Jonathan Ballard, was a third-ranked official in the government. The second son, Jensen Ballard, was a successful entrepreneur in the pharmaceutical industry in Oakvale, with billions in assets. Meanwhile, the youngest son, Jovian Ballard, had made a name for himself in the military and was now a third-ranked general.Simon's youngest daughter, Jessica—Natasha's mother—was highly favored with
While Dustin was away, Natasha couldn't help but worry about him. She would always keep an eye out for any news about him. But no matter how much she missed him, she wouldn't call him. She didn't want to distract or cause him to lose focus on the important matters concerning the nation's affairs. Understanding how busy he was, she kept her feelings in check and buried herself in work to keep her mind occupied.But when Natasha finally saw Dustin again, all the emotions she had bottled up came rushing out. Months of longing turned into overwhelming affection, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.Her assistant, Tanya, watched in shock. She had no idea Natasha—typically the poised, decisive, and commanding chairwoman—was in a relationship. What surprised her even more was how different Natasha seemed around Dustin. The usually unshakable "queen" now appeared soft and tender in his presence.Tanya couldn't help but watch Dustin more closely. His looks and charisma were u
Dustin had boarded the plane back to Oakvale. His trip to Sacred Wrym Summit had been full of ups and downs. From the Combat Tournament to the invasion of the Hall of Gods, his journey had been perilous. Thankfully, the outcome was favorable. He had won the championship at the tournament, acquired three Dracan essences, and ultimately foiled the Hall of Gods' plan. In every way, the mission had been nearly flawless.After bidding farewell to his newfound allies, Dustin joined Grace on the return flight. Four of the five Dracan essences had already been gathered, leaving only one remaining. According to Grace, the last essence had been located, and the person holding it was in Oakvale. Though their identity was still unknown, she suspected it was most likely one of the three princes.With the position of heir to the throne still uncertain, the three princes were all eager to secure their power. Whoever obtained the Dracan essence would be blessed with fortune and have a higher c
The chaos of the night quickly settled.By morning, as the first light of dawn broke across the horizon, Sacred Wrym Summit had regained its usual tranquility. Yet, the bloodstains across the ground and the wreckage of buildings stood as grim reminders of the previous night's violence.The military forces summoned by Grace had already taken the Hall of Gods' prisoners into custody.Rumors spread like wildfire, fueling gossip throughout the martial world as all the major guilds watched with keen interest. After all, very few in history had ever dared to challenge Sacred Wrym Summit, and a bold invasion aimed at destroying it was nothing short of unprecedented.The outcome was clear to all who bore witness. After many years, the world had come to recognize the true terror of Arion. He was no mere mortal—he was almost a godlike figure.…Inside the Hall of Gods' headquarters in Streuqua, the core members were gathered, seated in two rows on either side of the grand hall.On the thr
After dealing with the Hall of Gods' elite fighters, Arion disappeared in a blur. When he reappeared, he was hovering above the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit.The scene at the entrance to the forbidden ground was one of utter carnage. Bodies lay strewn across the ground, and rivers of blood flowed freely. All members of the Hall of Gods, including Hank, lay motionless on the ground.Dustin and Willard, both covered in blood and exuding killing intent, had fought fiercely. After a long, grueling fight, they succeeded in defending the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit. They had thwarted the Hall of Gods' plan to destroy the Dracan force.At that instant, Dustin seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up. Through the mist and darkness, he pinpointed Arion's figure hovering above. Arion smiled faintly and nodded at Dustin before disappearing again.Crossing several mountains in mere seconds, Arion arrived above the Sacred Wrym Summit's grand hall. Below, the discipl
When the dust finally settled, Arion was the only one left standing.Bailey, Willem, Anthony, Batuul, the three elite assassins from Eskus, and several gods from the Hall of Gods were either dead or gravely injured.Willem's body had been blasted into countless pieces. Each fragment wriggled on the ground as it struggled to piece together. Batuul fared even worse. He was utterly obliterated, leaving no trace behind, not even ashes. On the contrary, Bailey and the three Eskus assassins had both their arms severed and were gravely wounded. Though Anthony's limbs were still intact, his crushed internal organs left him coughing up blood. The backlash from the demonic blade had also taken a devastating toll on his body. He now appeared decades older, his face gaunt and hollow, his hair gray. His frail frame made him look like a man standing at death's door."H-How is this possible? No… this can't be happening!" Bailey's expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief as he stared a
Arion's sudden appearance caught everyone off guard. They stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. What was going on? Wasn't Arion already dead? How could he be standing there in front of them? Could it be a ghost?They exchanged baffled looks, and their faces were filled with disbelief. They couldn't make sense of it. How could Arion possibly be alive? It was beyond their comprehension."You… you're not dead?" No one was more shocked than Willem. After all his effort, he had finally found the chance to bite into Arion's neck and drain every drop of his blood.He was certain Arion had died—there was no way he could have survived. But if Arion was dead, who was this person standing before them?"Everyone, calm down!" Bailey spoke up. "Arion's body is still over there. This person must be an imposter."At his words, everyone turned to look at the corpse lying nearby.Bailey was right. The body was still there, and there was no way Arion could still be alive. So, the person in front o
As the Snow Maiden attacked, Batuul's illusory Elephantine stirred into action. With a mighty roar, it charged forward and slammed into Arion. Its tusks, sharp as spears, aimed directly at his chest.Caught in the swirling snow, Arion couldn't avoid the attack and quickly invoked the Glow Incantation to shield himself. The tusks collided with the barrier in a deafening crash. The impact sent Arion flying, and the golden light surrounding him shattered like glass. Clearly, the illusory Elephantine's strength had far exceeded the Glow Incantation's limits.As Arion was tossed into the air, the three-headed, six-armed Chimera Wrath seized its moment. With six different weapons in hand, it launched a relentless assault.Arion swung his sword to block but was driven further back with each blow. With no solid footing in midair, his agility was useless against the onslaught.After several exchanges, one of the Chimera's weapons struck Arion squarely in the chest, sending him crashing to