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
At the same time Dustin broke through a new realm, Iris' killing palm strike was about to land on him. Dustin couldn't evade in time and had to face her head-on. Similarly, he extended a palm strike. The moment their palms met, an explosion rang out. Dustin flew back like a cannonball. He crashed into the wall behind him, leaving a human-shaped dent in.The entire chamber shook, causing stones to fall. Dustin felt a sharp pain in his throat and spat a mouthful of blood. His complexion turned pale. "Sir!" Abigail's expression shifted.She was about to rush up to help but was grabbed by Azalea. Azalea knew they had no place in a fight of that magnitude. Iris was already a revered figure 50 years ago. After years of seclusion, she was now invincible, a true immortal of earth! It was impressive that Dustin wasn't killed on the spot before such a terrifying figure. "You are skilled. Unfortunately, you are too young. "Leave. I don't wish to kill you," Iris said indiff
"Get lost! I'm not in the mood for anything right now. If you want to eat, go on your own." Warrick snapped, looking annoyed."I'm not going either," Percival refused flatly. "I'm on a health regimen these days—only tea, no alcohol.""Fine. If you're going to wait, then keep waiting. I won't be sticking around." Huxley forced a smile and acted like he was about to leave.But as he turned, he almost bumped into Boston, who was approaching from the other direction."Sorry, Sir Thatcher! I hope I didn't startle you." Since he was surrounded by so many high-ranking officials, Boston was already on edge. He had momentarily spaced out and almost caused a mishap by running into Huxley, which left him flustered and a bit tongue-tied.Unlike the other generals, Boston didn't come from an influential background or have any powerful connections. He had worked his way up from the bottom, and the last thing he wanted was to offend Huxley and risk losing everything he had fought so hard for.
After parting ways with Boston, Jovian checked into a nearby hotel to await the good news. Boston wasted no time. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he headed to the castle to deliver a letter of introduction. But when he arrived, he was stunned by what he saw.The gates of the West Lucozian monarchy had already gathered quite a few people, and among them were several figures he immediately recognized. These included Huxley Thatcher, the Commander of the Militia; Warrick Prescott, the Major General of the State Guard; and Percival Wentworth, the Chancellor of the National Academy.These three were first-ranking officials. In West Lucozia, they were nothing short of kingmakers who wielded immense power and influence. Warrick, in particular, was two ranks above Boston. Hence, he felt the need to be cautious in his presence and was eager not to make a bad impression.Alongside these three prominent figures, several second- and third-ranking officials also stood in line at
The following morning, Jovian stood at the entrance of West Lucozia Airport, wearing a sharp suit.Before the trip, he had contacted his comrade with whom he had fought side by side in the military. After earning military merit and with the Ballard family's influence, he was fortunate enough to stay in Oakvale and secure a decent position.His comrade, on the other hand, had moved to West Lucozia to carve out a life for himself. Years of hard work had paid off—he was now a third-rank general with considerable power, influence, and a strong network of connections. Jovian's meeting with the Prince of West Lucozia would depend entirely on his comrade's connections.Just then, the roar of an engine cut through the air as a military jeep pulled up beside him. The window rolled down, and the first thing that came into view was a bald head gleaming in the sunlight like a lightbulb. The glare nearly blinded him.Under that shiny dome was a face that looked ordinary at first glance. But w
"Grandfather, I understand why you sent Uncle Jonathan and Uncle Jensen to the Spanner and Fallon families to gather information," Natasha began. "But West Lucozia is thousands of miles away."She shook her head slightly. "They've always stayed out of the government's political matters. Sending Uncle Jovian there wouldn't achieve anything. He'd likely just be turned away." Oakvale and West Lucozia were worlds apart. The fight for the Oakvale throne didn't really affect the West Lucozian monarchy. Both sides had long adhered to an unspoken agreement to avoid meddling in each other's affairs."I know, but it'll be different this time. The royal throne is at stake, and every faction will do whatever it takes to secure West Lucozia's support. If the West Lucozian monarchy picks a side, the balance we've maintained for years will collapse. That's why I need to be ready for whatever happens," Simon replied.It would be best if the West Lucozian monarchy stayed out of the political strug
At the Ballard estate, Dustin was warmly welcomed to stay after dinner. This was the first time Natasha had brought her boyfriend home, so the Ballards made a big deal of it.Simon personally accompanied the young couple and invited them to the study to chat over tea. With his sharp eye, Simon could tell Dustin was no ordinary martial artist. His manners, speech, and broad knowledge set him apart from most people."Dustin, I fully support your relationship with Natasha. Your background or status doesn't matter. What matters most is that you two are happy together." Simon paused and said earnestly, "I want you to understand that she's been pampered all her life and hasn't faced much hardship. Now that she's with you, I hope you'll take good care of her.""Don't worry, Mr. Ballard. I would never let her down," Dustin replied sincerely.Though they had known each other for some time and hadn't yet taken their relationship to the next level, they had already made their feelings clear
After hearing Nathaniel's words, Tristan's expression darkened. His brow furrowed as he sank into deep thought.It seemed he had underestimated the situation. He had assumed it was just a simple rivalry between brothers; he hadn't anticipated Seamus seizing the chance to further his own agenda.Seamus already wielded considerable influence. Under the guise of supporting Matthias' ascension to the throne, he had been forming alliances and recruiting talents. His influence had grown to rival the royal family's.If Seamus really supported Matthias' ascension, he'd overshadow the king, and no one would be able to stop him. The worst-case scenario would be Seamus using Matthias as a puppet to overthrow the House of Linsor."Nathaniel, is everything you said true?" Tristan frowned."Absolutely. Every word," Nathaniel replied solemnly. "Of course, if you don't believe me, you can send someone to investigate.""I believe you. But… taking down Seamus won't be easy. Do you have a plan?" Tr
An hour later, Nathaniel quietly entered a private mansion wearing a disguise.Inside the living room, Tristan had already prepared tea and refreshments. He looked as if he had been waiting for a long time."Sorry to have kept you waiting, Tristan." Nathaniel took off his coat and walked forward with a smile."No need to apologize. I'm happy that you made the effort to arrange this. A few extra minutes are nothing, especially since it's rare for us to meet." Tristan gestured for him to sit while he poured two cups of tea and handed one to his brother.Nathaniel accepted the cup and discreetly set it aside. Whenever he was out, he was always cautious about food and drink—this wariness had become second nature."You asked to meet me on short notice. Is this about official matters or something personal?" Tristan took a sip from his cup and got straight to the point."Both," Nathaniel replied, still smiling."Oh?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it, then.""Given how things
In another luxurious mansion in the Inner City, a female spy dressed in black, cloaked in a hood, was reporting the results of her investigation to Nathaniel."Your Highness, the Moseys have been particularly active recently and are rallying allies. Many of the eight great families and other influential factions have already allied with them. If left unchecked, they'll pose a serious threat to us," she said, kneeling with her head lowered slightly."So the Moseys are backing Matthias, huh?" Nathaniel sat quietly, his expression unreadable."The Moseys have grand ambitions. While they claim to support Prince Matthias, they're merely setting him up as a puppet to rise to power and expand their own influence," she revealed.She had been infiltrating the Moseys' mansion for years and had gained a deep understanding of their operations, from the smallest details to the key players.Though Seamus appeared as a benevolent philanthropist, it was all a façade. Behind closed doors, he was r
That night, two young men sat playing chess inside a secluded mansion in the Inner City. On the left was Anders, who had visited the Ballard estate earlier. Across from him sat Matthias, a broad-shouldered man dressed in richly adorned robes.The game was intense, with fast moves followed by moments of deep thought. About ten minutes later, Anders finally conceded defeat."Anders, you've really improved since we last played. You almost had me there," Matthias said, stroking his beard in mild surprise."You flatter me, Your Highness. My chess skills are nothing compared to yours. If you hadn't gone easy on me, I wouldn't have lasted half as long," Anders replied with a modest smile."You're as smooth with words as ever." Matthias let out a hearty laugh with a look of smug satisfaction. Winning was in his nature—whether in war or on the chessboard, defeat was not an option."Well, we've eaten, and we've played. Let's get to business." With a wave of his hand, he signaled his men t