Dustin ignored the profanities Nikki was throwing at him and walked straight ahead. He had done all that he should. Unfortunately, Nikki was just as stubborn and sickening as the other Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples.All his help and advice had fallen on deaf ears. It even came back to bite him. There was no saving a woman like that. He didn't have to, either. So, he might as well pretend not to know her at all. "How did it go? Did you get the scripture back?" Just then, Edith and her disciples approached Nikki. Edith has been thinking about the scripture since she lost it last night. So, when Dustin appeared, she immediately ordered Nikki to get it back. "He wouldn't hand it over, Madam. He even slapped me," Nikki whimpered. She covered her aching face with a hand. "What?" Edith frowned. "Didn't I tell you to sweet-talk him? What did you do?""That's what I did, but it was useless. He had his guard up against me. I couldn't get it back," Nikki moaned. "You piece of s
Maggie still remembered how Dustin had beaten her up. Now that the man she hated was standing right before her, she could finally have her revenge. "Enough talking. Where's Sir Augustus?" Dustin's expression was cold. "Hmph! You'll have to get through me if you want to challenge him!" Just then, a terrifying aura burst forth from the crowd. Then, a man and a woman jumped over to where the Doyle family was. The man stood tall and proud with a fiery aura, while the elegant woman gave off an icy air. It was clear that they were polar opposites. "What are you guys doing here?" Terry was happy to see the new arrivals. "We heard that you were being bullied, so we came to support you." The man grinned, while the woman merely nodded in acknowledgment. "Terry, these two are?" Phil was puzzled. "Let me introduce them to you, Dad. These are my seniors—Blaise and Frostine. They're a married couple, and they're also the famous Ice-Fire Duo on The Heavenly Immortals!" Terry introduce
As soon as Blaise made his move, Cornelius jumped out and threw a punch as well. A layer of true energy cushioned Cornelius' fist as it smashed into Blaise's fiery fist. Then, the energy exploded with a bang. Cornelius' body shook for a second before he steadied himself. Blaise, however, was pushed back from the impact. Each step he took to stabilize himself created a deep dent in the ground. It was clear to see who had the upper hand. "Holy shit! Who's that old man? He was able to stop the person ranked fifth on The Heavenly Immortals!""Incredible! He gained the upper hand against Blaise in a fistfight.""Balerno sure has tons of hidden gems. Even a random old man is so strong."Many people were shocked by Cornelius' ability. They didn't expect a scrawny old man to win against Blaise when it came to physical strength. It sure was a rare sight. "Who the hell are you? How dare you stop me!" Blaise's face burned in humiliation. He came here from Oakvale to show off his
Ronald found it strange too. A skilled semi-grandmaster was more than qualified to become an elder of the martial arts alliance.Why would he be working for Dustin? Was he hired with a hefty sum to fight in the battle? "It was only yesterday that we saw him. And yet, it seems like that old geezer has improved." Edith's expression was hostile. It carried a hint of resentment.She had been stuck as a semi-grandmaster for many years, unable to make any progress. However, that old geezer still had room to improve. It made her jealous. "Damn it! Where did that old geezer come from? I can't believe he still isn't defeated by Ice-Fire Duo." Maggie was getting anxious."Don't panic. At least it looks like Ice-Fire Duo still has the upper hand." Phil stroked his beard. They weren't ranked fifth and sixth on the Heavenly Immortals for nothing. They were invincible, especially when they joined forces. It was only a matter of time before they would defeat their opponent. "Relax, t
"What?" After witnessing Cornelius flying, the crowd was dumbfounded.They were aware of his skills from his earlier performance. He had single-handedly defeated Ice-Fire Duo. It was nothing short of imposing.Yet a formidable martial artist like him was severely injured by a single leaf. It was truly astonishing.The most remarkable part was that the leaf had shot out from more than a thousand yards away.Who could have injured a semi-grandmaster without even showing themselves?"He's here!"Amidst the gazes of many, an elderly man with a youthful appearance appeared at the end of Shinefield Lake.He wore a white robe and had his hands folded behind his back. He strode across the surface of the lake as if it were solid land. With every step he took, ripples that looked like lotuses appeared. It made the aquatic life beneath him leap from the water in response. At first glance, it looked like a divine being had descended from the heavens. As he moved amidst clouds and mist,
The water sphere exploded with a pop. Even the fish inside exploded into a bloody mist. "Huh?" Augustus frowned at the unexpected scene. Though he had made a simple attack, it wasn't an attack an ordinary person could defend against. "Augustus Kline, your opponent is me." Dustin stepped out while shielding Cornelius. "So you're Dustin Rhys?" Augustus gave him a once-over. His gaze was sharp, cold, and imposing. He exuded an air of indifference, resembling a God looking down upon insignificant mortals. "That would be me." Dustin was stoic. "Break your limbs, destroy your core, and apologize to Terry on your knees. That way, I will let you live," Augustus spat out coldly. Although his tone was relatively composed, an underlying dominance was unmistakably present. "Hey, Rhys! Did you hear that? Hurry up and destroy your core, then kneel and apologize! Terry yelled arrogantly. He wouldn't pass up the chance to humiliate Dustin. After all, Dustin would be entirely unde
Only silence filled the scene. Everyone was dumbfounded. Their eyes widened in disbelief. Nobody expected a great martial artist like Augustus to crash into the water with one strike. He was a grandmaster, for God's sake! His presence was like a divine being to ordinary martial artists. A flick of a finger could take a life, and a simple attack could defeat a divine-level martial artist! Under normal circumstances, a top-tier skilled martial artist like him should be invincible. He could crush everything effortlessly. What the hell was going on, then? The revered Augustus was defeated on their first encounter. How the hell was that possible? After a brief silence, the area around Shinefield Lake erupted into a frenzy."Oh my God! Am I seeing things? Augustus Kline was sent into the water?" "No! That's not possible! A grandmaster is like God. How could an ordinary person compare?""A grandmaster can only be defeated by another grandmaster. Could that man actually be a
It was Augustus, who was just sent crashing into the water!His hair was disheveled, and his entire body was drenched. He looked awful.He wasn't badly injured. However, he couldn't get back his initial glory as a grandmaster."Master Augustus is actually alright? That's great!" Seeing this, Terry was reenergized. He also regained his confidence.The surprised crowd also had their hopes restored.Dustin was indeed a young grandmaster, but Augustus was a grandmaster too. Earlier, he had been too reckless. Augustus had underestimated his enemy, which led to his loss. As a veteran grandmaster, Augustus would surely be more skilled if they fought head-on. "Young man, how dare you attack me by surprise?!" Augustus came out of the water. He gritted his teeth with a fierce expression. He looked as though he wanted to eat somebody.Augustus had never felt so embarrassed. He had his dignity wiped by a punk in front of everyone. It was a huge humiliation!"A surprise attack?
The next morning, Nathaniel was inside a lavish mansion. He was in his study, flipping through an ancient manuscript. One of his most trusted aides hurried in and lowered his voice, "Your Royal Highness, word just came in. Another trace of Dracan essence has been found."Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and closed the manuscript. "Where?""Our investigation shows it ended up in the hands of Logan Rhys," the aide replied."Logan Rhys?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes slightly and was surprised by the name.He had tried to win Logan over before and spared no expense, but never received a response. Later, he discovered that Tristan and Matthias had done the same.Fortunately, Logan still hadn't picked a side. He might be holding out for the best offer, but at least he hadn't shut the door on Nathaniel.With the Dracan essence in his hands, Logan had become an even more valuable target. In addition to the West Lucozian monarchy, Logan was an ultimate grandmaster, which made him worth recrui
"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