With how Walter tried to pick a fight with him, Dustin started running out of patience. It was his choice to choose a mentor and whether or not to learn from him. How could it be forced on someone? Besides, Walter was just halfway to becoming a grandmaster. How could he be qualified to be Dustin's mentor?"Master Chasey, your skills are exceptional. Dustin would never look down on you. Maybe he just needs some time to consider things. "Once he sees just how amazing you are, he'll come to appreciate the offer." Emily quickly tried to smooth things over when she saw things getting ugly."That's right, Dad! The matter of importance now is not getting yourself a disciple. "Let's not get distracted from the treasure," Vanessa tried to change the subject.Though it was a pity, she did not wish to force Dustin into things. It would not be worth it to go overboard and ruin their relationship."I'll give you three days to consider the offer, boy. If you change your mind within three
He had no problem lifting thousands of pounds with his strength. How was it possible that he could not lift a sword?"Try again," Walter urged.Ben didn't dare to hesitate. Taking a deep breath, he clasped both hands tightly on the sword's hilt and pulled it upwards with all his might.His veins popped, and his face flushed. He used all his strength, but the sword did not budge an inch."Master Chasey, this won't work. I can't lift it." Heaving a long sigh, Ben was already drenched in sweat."What a piece of trash. How could you not be able to lift just a sword? Let me do it!"Nathan couldn't take it anymore. He voluntarily walked up and pushed Ben aside. Then, he spat into his palms and rubbed them together.Setting his footing right, he grabbed the sword's hilt and deeply breathed. Mustering up all the true energy he had, he pulled up sharply. The black sword remained unmoving."Damn it! I don't believe this!" Nathan frowned. Unwilling to accept defeat, he tried several mor
Looking at the black sword in Dustin's hand, everyone was astonished. It was simply unbelievable.They had tried hard to pull the sword out, but none succeeded. And now, it came out by itself and flew straight into Dustin's hand.The most shocking thing was that Dustin hadn't touched it the entire time!He had simply pointed two fingers at it and made a lifting motion through the air. The sword seemed to have sensed him beckoning it, so it launched out of the ground and landed straight in his hand.But why?They had put in so much effort and thoroughly tried to get it out, all to no avail.Why did the sword come to Dustin just because he had motioned to it?Was the sword discriminating against them? Or had it simply ignored them?"No! No way! How could it have been so simple for him?" Nathan's eyes widened in disbelief.Even Master Chasey had not been able to pull the sword out! Why had it gone to Dustin of its own will? What was going on?"Oh my goodness! Am I seeing things?
This old geezer was abandoning his morals for his gain. He was greedy to make the sword his."Young man, let me make this clear. I'm not asking for your opinion," Walter said coldly. "Like they say, an innocent man will become a target if he possesses a prized possession. This sword isn't suitable for you. "Give it to me, and you can uphold your honor.""Sir Chasey, it sounds like you're threatening me." Dustin narrowed his eyes."I'm just giving you advice—a wise man understands his circumstances. You're still young, and you'll have many more opportunities. "You don't have to destroy your future over a sword, don't you think?" Walter continued.He was determined to get the sword at all costs. He would have done this long ago if he didn't care about his reputation."Master Chasey, the sword chose its wielder. Dustin is fated to have this sword. What you're doing isn't right, don't you think?" Emily frowned.She never thought her righteous master would completely turn his ba
"Go on, pull it out if you can."Dustin didn't want to waste his breath any longer. He tossed the sword back to its original spot and walked out the stone doors.There were three stone doors in the stone room. Dustin simply chose one and entered.He didn't prolong the situation for Emily's and Vanessa's sake. Instead, he chose to go his separate way.After all, it wasn't like Walter could retrieve the sword. There was no harm in leaving the sword here.The most important thing was the Shadowbloom.Once he found the Shadowbloom, he could still return and get the sword."Stop right there, punk!" As Walter watched Dustin walk away, his anger flared. He raised his hand and was about to deliver a lethal blow."Stop!" At that moment, Vanessa suddenly jumped between them.Walter jumped in fright. Afraid that he would accidentally injure his daughter, he stopped himself.Ultimately, he watched Dustin and the two others slowly walk into the darkness."Stupid girl, how dare you go a
"Sir, we're not disciples of the Jade Maiden Sisterhood. Should we pray?" Abigail asked."We should respect the dead," Dustin said, nodding.Iris was a great legend. Although she already passed, she deserved to be respected."Okay." Abigail agreed. She kneeled in front of the stone tablet and kowtowed.Suddenly, the stone tablet began rumbling. It sunk into the earth and disappeared.Then, an exquisite box emerged from the stone tablet's original spot."Sir, there's something here!" Abigail's eyes lit up, and she immediately opened the box.A golden pearl was Inside the wooden box. It was dazzling and sparkling.The golden liquid inside was spinning like a whirlpool. It was absorbing the spiritual energy from its surroundings."Oh my gosh, is this the Celestial Pearl?!" Azalea's eyes grew wide with shock.Even the ever-composed Dustin was surprised.He never thought the box would contain a legendary sacred relic of the martial world—the Celestial Pearl!"What's a Celestial
Seeing the two of them fight non-stop, Azalea couldn't stand it anymore. "If neither of you wants it, why don't you give it to me?"If she was shameless enough, they might give it to her."Don't be stupid!" Dustin glared at her. He forced the Celestial Pearl back into Abigail's pocket and said, "Take care of it. This treasure chose you. If you push it back, I'll be mad!""Oh … okay, then. I'll use it for a while, then give it to you." After hesitating, Abigail still decided to keep it close to her.She thought that once she grew stronger, she could help Dustin more.When she touched the Celestial Pearl, she could feel a cooling energy flow into her body and her core. It empowered her internal energy and strengthened her circulatory pathways.If this continued, she would have another breakthrough within three to five days.Her cultivation speed was advancing fast!"Alright, let's look around. Do you see any Shadowblooms here?"Without wasting time, Dustin began searching all
Abigail was shocked. She hid behind Azalea, trembling. She was fearless in most aspects, but supernatural stuff scared her. "Who are you?" Dustin frowned, his face hardened.He was caught off guard. But the fact that the person could push him back with a single palm strike proved their strength. The person before him was definitely an ultimate grandmaster! "This is my tomb. Who do you think I am?" The mist surrounding the figure dissipated. Soon, they saw the face of a white-haired woman with a youthful appearance appear before them. She possessed a beauty that could captivate nations. Even with white hair, her face looked like she didn't age. Her deep eyes seemed to have witnessed and seen all of life's experiences through everything. "Your tomb?" Dustin was stunned. His expression then shifted. "Are you Iris Meskill?""Iris Meskill?" Even Abigail and Azalea were stunned, their face full of disbelief. Didn't Iris die 50 years ago? Why was she alive? What was happ
"This is interesting." Dustin smirked as the dense barrage of swords came slashing down at him. In the blink of an eye, his figure dissolved into a wisp of smoke and vanished.A storm of sword shadows carrying the force that could split rivers and overturn seas crashed down on the fishing boat where he had just been standing. The entire vessel broke apart in an instant—some sinking into the depths while others drifted across the water."What? He dodged it?" Warrick's eyes flickered with surprise.Mulder's attack just now had been a 360-degree attack. Once caught in its range, there was no chance to dodge—only the option to endure. He couldn't understand how Dustin had managed to avoid it. Did he just teleport?"Hiding like a coward? What kind of warrior are you? Come fight me face-to-face."Frustrated after his attack missed again, Mulder grew desperate. His enhanced serum would only last for 15 minutes. If this dragged on, he'd collapse from exhaustion before Dustin even touche
"Oh? Are we going all out now?" Dustin smirked, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.Mulder, who had advanced to become a grandmaster martial artist through drugs, had a weak foundation. Even after taking the enhanced serum, he still posed no threat to Dustin. If Mulder were a hundred times stronger, he might just barely be able to fight Dustin.As the serum's effects pushed his body to the limit, Mulder suddenly let out a furious roar. His muscles swelled rapidly, and his bones cracked as they expanded. His body grew larger at an alarming rate, and his clothes tore apart under the strain.His six-foot frame stretched to nearly seven feet in mere moments as his body swelled to monstrous proportions. His face twisted fiercely, and his skin darkened as black scales surfaced.With another guttural growl, his roar turned beastlike. He grabbed his shredded shirt and ripped it away, exposing his broad chest covered in dark scales. A faint, eerie sheen flickered across their surface."D
Dustin's words made Mulder frown.Mulder knew all too well that Warrick was the kind of man who had no sense of loyalty or honor. If Warrick could kill his own personal guards without hesitation, what would stop him from killing a stranger? Mulder was certain that the moment things went south, Warrick would be the first to flee. Given the choice, he'd never willingly risk his life as Warrick's sacrificial pawn. But now, there was no turning back.With his undercover identity exposed and him helping Warrick escape, Mulder became a sworn enemy of West Lucozia. His name was now on the most-wanted list.Tonight was their best chance to escape. If they missed it, finding another way out would be nearly impossible.There was only one path left for him—kill whoever stood in his way and make it onto that escape boat."Enough talk, punk. Let's see what you're really made of," Mulder said.After weighing his options, he gritted his teeth and finally decided to draw his longsword. His fig
"You had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next," Dustin said.With a slight squeeze of his fingers, the steel blades clamped between them shattered with a sharp clang.Before the two Hall of Gods members could even react, Dustin waved his hand.The two men were sent flying as if they'd been hit by a truck, hurtling over 30 feet through the air. Blood sprayed from their mouths and noses before they hit the ground. They were critically injured and on the verge of death.Dustin slowly turned his head and looked at the man who had just tried to ambush him.The man glanced at the broken sword in his hand, then at Dustin, who looked utterly unfazed. He hesitated for a split second—then bolted.With a powerful leap, he dove straight for the sea. He knew Dustin's strength was on a completely different level. There was no chance of outrunning him on land, so the only hope was to disappear into the water.It might have worked—if not for what happened next.Just before he hit
"You're not a fisherman? Who the hell are you?"Mulder's guard shot up the moment he got a clear look at the young man's face.Fishermen who spent their days at sea were usually tanned from the sun, but this one had a fair complexion. It felt a little strangeNoticing something was off, the men behind Mulder drew their blades and fixed their sharp gazes on the fisherman.The so-called fisherman standing guard wasn't just anyone—it was Dustin, who had been waiting for them all along.Since his plan was set in motion, he'd been stationed there from morning until midnight. After what felt like an eternity, his targets had finally arrived."Isn't it obvious? I'm here to capture you."Dustin rose from the deck and rolled his shoulders before speaking in an even tone. "If you don't want to die, surrender now. Otherwise, it'll be too late.""Watch out! It could be an ambush." Mulder swiftly pulled out his dagger. His sharp gaze scanned the surroundings for any sign of hidden troops.
As night fell, Warrick sat motionless in his room as he tried to calm his mind through meditation. He had always been able to clear his mind with ease. But tonight, no matter how hard he tried, focus eluded him. A restless unease settled over him and refused to let him relax.Nearly two hours passed before Mulder's scouts finally returned. This time, they brought good news.The smuggling route they had scouted was completely safe, with no signs of an ambush. The West Lucozia army had yet to discover this potential escape route.Once everything was confirmed, Mulder let out a breath of relief. Warrick, too, finally felt the weight lift from his chest."Since the route is safe, we should set out immediately to avoid any unexpected complications." Warrick said. He had no intention of waiting any longer. He was a wanted man, and every moment in West Lucozia increased his chances of capture. There was no telling when the army might surround him. Only by escaping to Thaloria would he
After a hearty meal, the burly Warrick sprawled lazily onto the bed and dozed off. He slept soundly till dusk, lost in a deep dream. When the sky was painted in brilliant hues of the setting sun, only then did he wake up leisurely.The exhaustion from the previous day seemed to have melted away. He felt invigorated, refreshed, and in high spirits.At that moment, Leigh had already set the table in the hall with quiet efficiency. Compared to the first meal, this spread was far more lavish.At the center of the table sat a whole roasted pig. Its golden-brown skin glistened with a rich, crispy sheen. The mouthwatering aroma filled the room, making it impossible not to crave a bite.Warrick had never been one for formalities. The moment he saw the feast, he didn't hesitate. He strode over, took a seat, and started digging in. He ate with zero restraint without sparing a single thought for Mulder, who was still out gathering intel.After a while, half of the roast pig was gone. His fac
"Who is it?" Warrick's grip tightened around the hilt of his steel blade. His eyes, sharp and alert, were like those of a startled predator—full of caution and menace.For the past few days, he had been on edge, like a cornered animal. He barely slept and was constantly on high alert, fearing danger would strike at any moment.The door slowly creaked open. An elderly man with gray hair stepped inside with a tray of fruit and pastries in both hands.Before he could even register what was happening, a flash of cold steel appeared, and Warrick's blade was at the elderly man's throat.The elderly man trembled with fear. The tray slipped from his grasp, and fruit and pastries scattered on the floor."Easy, Sir Prescott. He's one of us." Mulder stepped forward and pressed down on the flat of Warrick's blade with a finger. He smiled and explained, "His name's Leigh Houston. He's mute and has served the Hall of Gods for years. He keeps watch over this tunnel entrance and has never slipp
"Here's the problem—even if we know Warrick's intentions, how do we stop him?" Austin asked.Right now, Warrick had already disappeared without a trace. Austin's team hadn't even come close enough to get a hold of him, so there was no way to track him down.West Lucozia's vast territory and resources made it impossible to seal off every exit route completely. While it might be manageable in the short term, prolonging such an operation would significantly impact West Lucozia's economy. Wasting resources on a single fugitive wasn't a wise move."Warrick is a wanted man across the entire city. There's no way he's leaving through official channels. He'll have to sneak his way out," Dustin analyzed. He continued, "According to the maritime charts, if he's traveling from West Lucozia to Artea, he'll have to go through Thaloria. That's our lead. Get someone on it immediately—find out how many smuggling routes there are from West Lucozia to Thaloria.""Got it. I'll get it done right away