No matter what Astrid said, Orion continued to shake his head, filling Astrid with anger."I can give it to you, but the book isn't here. On my retirement day, you can come to collect it," Orion said.Astrid's face lit up with joy, and he nodded. "You've finally accepted it. I promise to carry forward our master's medical skills. I'll learn all the techniques you couldn't."He chuckled heartily and left.On the sofa, Orion sighed and shook his head. "After all these years, his temperament hasn't changed a bit."They hadn't been in touch for decades, all because of an acupoint technique manual. It wasn't that Orion didn't want to give it to Astrid, but the latter's temperament wasn't suitable for learning the techniques. Perhaps Eric could help change his junior brother's temperament.-Meanwhile, outside.A large crowd surrounded Astrid."Hol. Silver, is Hol. Thornfield really retiring?""Hol. Silver, my family member is seriously ill. Could you please treat them?"People as
Orion and Astrid's master had passed down some valuable items. One of the most precious things was a manual of acupoint techniques that had various extraordinary methods. These techniques were so profound that even a skilled holistic physician like Orion couldn't fully understand them.However, Astrid was different. He had exceptional talent, even more than Orion, and he might be the only one capable of grasping the methods in the manual.Rafael started to think. He had noticed that Astrid and Orion had conflicts. Both were at the same level. If he could win over Astrid, it wouldn't matter even if Eric or Sylvia became Orion's apprentice. After all, Orion didn't have much time left, while Astrid was the future gold standard in holistic medicine."If Hol. Thornfield takes on apprentices, it might be a threat to you," he said.Astrid glanced at Rafael. He could sense his intentions. His relationship with the Hernandezes wasn't great, and now this person was saying such things to him?
Orion nodded, saying, "Today, I won't introduce any new teachings at the moment. First, complete reading this book."As he spoke, he solemnly retrieved a book from his chest.The book had an ancient look, a testament to its age.Eric examined the cover, which bore the title 'Watson's Acupoint Techniques Compendium'. Judging by its cover alone, Eric discerned that this book held exceptional significance."This compendium has been passed down through generations in my lineage. My master received it from his own master, who served as a royal physician. Given his esteemed position, he amassed acupoint techniques from all corners of the world. Later, my master refined and perfected these techniques, culminating in this comprehensive compendium."I've included a few acupoint techniques in the notes I've shared with you, but they hardly qualify for a place within the Watson's Acupoint Techniques Compendium. I'm entrusting you with this now. You must read it immediately and commit its con
Eric lowered his head slightly, his voice heavy with emotion. "Master, please don't deceive me. After these days of learning and understanding, I've realized that your limit with the Blossom Needling technique is six times."Orion let out a long sigh, his emotions in turmoil. He hadn't expected Eric to grasp holistic medicine so quickly, nor did he anticipate Eric deducing his approaching limit after six Blossom Needling treatments.Eric's medical talent pleased him, but it was risky for Eric to perform acupoint treatments without ample experience, considering his relatively short study time."My limit is six more treatments, and I haven't shared something with you. The Blossom Needling technique should ideally be performed nine times to be fully effective. Regrettably, I doubt I can manage nine times anymore."You're aware of the consequences of errors in acupoint treatments. I'll perform it five times to ensure safety, reserving one for life extension. You can perform the remaini
Next to Astrid stood Rafael, who glanced at Eric and Sylvia in disdain. His expression suggested that it wouldn't be easy for them to leave with Astrid around.Eric certainly wanted to depart. He exchanged a brief glance with Rafael and readied himself to go. He was unfamiliar with Astrid, but considering the distinguished guests who had been frequenting lately, this extravagant reception was hardly a surprise.Just as Eric was about to take a step, Rafael's taunting voice reached his ears. "Hey, Eric! The esteemed Hol. Silver is calling for you! What's this? Ignoring people now? Are you trying to act all important?"Although Astrid hadn't explicitly summoned Eric, he tacitly agreed to it.Eric walked over and greeted, "Mas—" But recalling Orion's prior advice during the meal, he quickly corrected himself, "Greetings, Hol. Silver."During their meal, Orion had noticed Astrid's presence and advised Eric not to reveal their master-apprentice relationship or any details about the com
Sylvester glanced at Seraphine but said nothing.Seraphine spoke up on her own. "I'm heading out for drinks with some friends tonight, so please don't follow me.""Really?" Sylvester was taken aback. He added, "You're the one who's been shadowing me all the time, like gum stuck to my shoe. If it weren't for your scheme, I'd be in Salt City by now."Sylvia wondered if Sylvester had any interest in Seraphine.When they returned to the Montgomery estate, Seraphine left without Sylvester following her, opting to freshen up and go to sleep.Grace looked puzzled and asked, "What's happening with those two? I thought Seraphine was smitten with Sylvester. It's hard to believe she went out without him."Sylvia shook her head. "I'm not sure. They had a disagreement, but no one said why."Grace understood that pushing the matter wasn't wise—forcing a relationship never worked. It was possible that Sylvester didn't truly care for Seraphine.Later, Sylvia received a message from Seraphine,
Sylvia changed into her pajamas and stepped out.Seraphine scrutinized Sylvia from head to toe with a mischievous grin. "Sylvia, your figure is absolutely stunning. I can't believe how exceptional your family's genes are."Sylvia could have been a flawless beauty if not for the scars on her face. She rolled her eyes and asked, "Why are you here so late at night?"Seraphine giggled and led Sylvia to a seat."Sylvia, how can I capture Sylvester's attention? I just returned, smelling of alcohol, and had a handsome companion escorting me home, but he didn't react at all. Does he genuinely not care about me?"She was eager to unravel the mystery of Sylvester's preferences.Sylvia pondered momentarily and advised, "You're going about it the wrong way. You need to be assertive. Remember how effective that was for you previously?"Sylvester is quite distant and aloof. Traditional methods won't work, especially since so many girls in Salt City have tried and failed to win him over. You n
Grace exchanged a quick smile with Seraphine and said, "We won't meddle in your affairs, you youngsters. We'll figure out how to compensate Sylvester for what happened later."With that, she departed.Seeing the situation turning awkward, Sylvia tugged on Eric's arm and whispered, "Eric, let's go. It's time to visit our master."Eric raised an eyebrow, puzzled by Sylvia's sudden urgency. Had she betrayed Sylvester?As they got into the car, Sylvia finally revealed her thoughts. "I never expected Seraphine to be so bold! Last night, I suggested using force, but I didn't anticipate her barging into his room! He cried out in pain this morning, and I suspect she used more than just force!"Eric was taken aback. He had heard a knock on the door the previous night, and when he heard Seraphine's voice, he simply went back to sleep, unaware of what had unfolded. It now made sense why Sylvia had skipped breakfast and had been in such a hurry to leave.-In Sylvester's room.Seraphine cl
In terms of innate talent, Eric was unparalleled, having reached the pinnacle of martial arts. With a single punch, he sent the 'God' flying."Good!" Stealthbane shouted with excitement.The ultimate enemy had finally been defeated, bringing peace to the world. Eric sighed in relief.However, in the next moment, the 'God' stood up again. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he revealed a bloodthirsty smile. "You have successfully enraged me!"Everyone braced for a potential massacre, but instead, the enemy turned and fled.Could Eric let him escape?"Chase him!" Stealthbane commanded.Allowing this foe to escape would spell endless trouble.A group of people pursued the enemy, who soon reappeared clad in iron armor."Not seen this before, have you?" The 'God' seemed to have recovered somewhat. "Did you think I only research viruses? Wrong! I control global resources and global wealth!"This is our newly developed Doomforge Exosuit which amplifies a person's battle prowess tenfol
The sturdy floor lay in utter disarray.In desperation, Ruth shouted, "Eric, don't give him any more chances! Finish him off swiftly, or we'll face endless trouble!"Eric was well aware of this logic. As he fought, he said, "He's incredibly strong. Taking him down quickly isn't possible! We must fight to the death!"Eric had never feared battle. Besides, this might very well be his final fight.Their fists clashed fiercely.The 'God' also noticed that Eric was growing more formidable as the battle progressed."How do you have so much strength? Wouldn't it be better if we joined forces to control the world? We could have anything we desire!"All the world's wealth, women, and resources would be ours to enjoy. Why won't you listen to reason?" he roared.Eric's momentum didn't falter. "I don't share your grand ambitions. I just want a simple life with a job that pays 1,000 dollars a month and a warm home with my wife and kids. But you, you've disturbed my peace!"The 'God' was fu
The 'God' grew more courageous as the battle raged on, causing Stealthbane to worry incessantly.In another high-stakes clash, Eric and his opponent both retreated. Eric sensed his opponent's growing strength, finding it rather peculiar.The 'God' clenched his fist. "I must thank you! My techniques were slightly incomplete, but I've managed to fill the gaps through this battle!"Eric marveled at his opponent's genius. To mend something incomplete was indeed a rare talent.Despite Eric training with the complete manual, he could only match the 'God' blow for blow. This person was terrifying!The opponent's confidence soared. Although Eric had trained with the full manual, the 'God' felt his innate talent far surpassed Eric's. If he could match Eric with an incomplete manual, now that he had perfected it, wouldn't he be unbeatable?"I thought you had potential and considered inviting you to share this world with me," the 'God' said, his tone turning icy. "But now, I see it's unnece
Stealthbane even felt that Eric might not be a match for the "God."The power was overwhelming.The terrifying aura was enough to crush everything. To an ordinary person, this was a real deity—the strength possessed had already transcended human limits.Eric made his move with a burst of speed. The clash of their fists created a thunderous explosion, and the sound was so intense that Stealthbane felt his eardrums might shatter.This was a battle of the highest caliber, one that even a legend like Stealthbane could not hope to join.Seeing the two evenly matched, Stealthbane sighed in relief. At least there was a chance that the strongest combatants were neutralizing each other. The outcome was still uncertain.Eric shook his aching fist, his expression grave. The opponent's strength was as he had anticipated. If the ultimate boss of the Luminous did not possess such combat power, it would be absurd.Clearly, this "God" had also gauged Eric's strength.He extended a hand toward
Stealthbane knew that the figure facing them must be the ultimate leader of the Luminous.Suddenly, he no longer wanted to die. If he could hold on just a little longer, it would all be over."Mr. Johnson, these people don't seem ordinary. Could that leader be the ultimate figure of the Luminous? Are we about to complete the game?" he whispered.To him, this mission to the Ark felt like a game: defeat the final boss, and victory is achieved."If I'm not mistaken, it should be. This person gives me... a sense of danger," Eric said.Upon hearing this, Stealthbane felt reassured.Just a sense? That meant the problem wasn't too grave!The leader on the opposite side turned to Eric. "I didn't expect you to make it this far. I underestimated your strength, believing my Ark was impregnable, that no enemy could breach it. But why are you so persistent? Why such determination?"He suddenly screamed in a fit of hysteria, "I have so many people! Such a grand scheme! It has all succeeded!
Brent shouted desperately, "After you get on your knees, they'll kill you all, and we won't survive either! Kill them! Kill them all!"He understood the situation with stark clarity. Kneeling meant certain death. If they had to die anyway, fighting back would be their only chance of survival.Eric sighed. "Mr. Rogers, in the end, it was we who implicated you. But this place must be eradicated, and the Luminous must be destroyed as well! Everyone, attack!"As the battle commenced, the masked man immediately struck Brent with a punch.Eric charged in. "Die!"He knew that Brent was unlikely to survive. This punch was his way of avenging Brent.The masked man spun around, trying to block Eric's punch. But the speed of the blow was too much—the gust of wind from the punch arrived before the fist did.It was an instant kill.The masked man had no time to react before Eric's punch collided with his chest. The terrifying force shattered the mask on the man's face, revealing an unfamili
Stealthbane was blinded by rage. He was killing anyone in sight, his fury unrelenting. They had ventured deep into enemy territory, where every encounter seemed to be with an adversary.Eric and his team from the Combat Department showed no mercy.Yet even Stealthbane's resolve was wearing thin."I can't kill them all! It feels like every master in the world is concentrated here!" he shouted in frustration.He felt the number of people he had brought was insufficient. If he had brought a few thousand more, he might have been able to overrun the place.Stealthbane was overwhelmed by the sheer horror of their situation. Fortunately, they had arrived. If anyone else had come, they would have met their end here.The numbers of the masters seemed endless."Damn it!" Stealthbane cursed angrily. "There are too many of them, and they're all exceptionally powerful. What kind of game is this?"He was tempted to retreat, but where could he go?Eric sent an enemy flying, pushing forward
"I was opposed to coming in from the start, but as you all know, the Rogers family is extremely complex. If we hadn't entered, I might have ended up dead. At least if the virus isn't a threat, that's something!" Brent poured himself a cup of coffee and continued. "These people are ruthless! They want to kill everyone outside the Ark and establish a new order, managed by a select few. It's insane!"You don't need to tell me—I know you're here to kill them."He then pulled a small token from his pocket. "This is our Rogers family's privilege here. It allows us to move freely between different levels. With this, you can go anywhere!"Stealthbane grabbed it eagerly. "Why didn't you mention this earlier? Things will go much smoother with this!"Brent sighed. "Once you've handled everything, could you take me out with you? I really don't want to stay in this dreadful place any longer.""Sure!" Eric nodded. "We'll definitely call you when we leave. For now, we're heading out."Brent e
Everything was ready, but they couldn't just walk in.Ruth instructed the Combat Department to conduct a three-day intensive training for everyone, focusing on coordinated combat.-After three days, the forces led by Stealthbane moved out, first dismantling the outer defenses of the Ark. This was their specialty!A large group of several hundred arrived in front of the Ark's entrance. At first glance, it resembled a mountain.Jack scratched his head and said, "Is this the gate? I don't see any door."The Holy Templar's people arrived as well. St. Pius said, "Everyone, don't rush. Wait for two minutes. Once the gate opens, we need to get in quickly. I have other plans inside, but once we're in, it's going to be a life-or-death battle! No one should show any mercy!"Stealthbane flexed his fists and replied, "Do I look like a good guy to you? Just watch me deal with them!"No sooner had he spoken than there was a tremendous roar. The ground shook, and the door of the Ark swung