Slyvia glanced at Sylvester and asked, "Seraphine, how's it going with my big brother these days?"Seraphine stifled a smile and said, "Things are looking good. He can never escape from me. Did you notice that aggrieved look on his face? It's so satisfying to look at. I thought he was some unapproachable prince charming, but it turns out that he isn't. In any case, he's mine." Sylvia was rendered speechless. She gazed at Sylvester, who indeed appeared just as Seraphine had described.Only now did Sylvester grasp that he had fallen right into Seraphine's scheme, yet he found himself powerless to change the situation. He approached Eric and asked, "Eric, it's been quite some time. Why hasn't Sylvia's face improved?"Over half a month had passed, and Orion had performed the Blossom Needling thrice, but Sylvia's face remained unchanged. It displayed slight improvement, but Sylvester began to doubt whether the treatment was effective.Eric met Sylvester's gaze and replied, "Blossom
Eric fully understood the difficulties and hardships his birth mother had faced. He realized that love had reasons, and hatred had causes. Any lingering resentment he had toward Grace had now dissipated.Eric had never met his biological father, and Grace had never mentioned him. Consequently, Eric treated him as if he simply didn't exist.As for Grace's health, it remained manageable. All she needed to do was take her medicine on time and get plenty of rest.-In the early morning, Eric began preparing her medicine. His newfound expertise in prescribing medications was clear evidence that he had learned a great deal.After breakfast, Eric and Sylvia visited Orion's place as usual. There was still so much for Eric to learn. Orion had plans to pass on his medical legacy to Eric after his retirement, and Eric was determined not to disappoint him.-Upon the completion of Orion's fifth Blossom Needling session, it was Eric's turn to carry on. He nervously glanced at Sylvia."Stay
Orion gestured and said, "You can leave early tonight. I've taught you all you need. Return next Tuesday and arrive a bit earlier."Next Tuesday marked Orion's retirement announcement. On that day, he planned to introduce Eric as his sole apprentice.At first, he hesitated. If Eric hadn't learned enough, the introduction could lead to problems. But now he had changed his mind. Eric's application of Blossom Needling put him at the top of holistic medicine. No one could harm him, so there was no reason not to introduce him.-As Orion's retirement date neared, people buzzed with excitement.Meanwhile, at the Montgomery residence.Sylvester asked, "Do you have any siblings?"He was warming up to Seraphine after spending time with her."I have an older brother," Seraphine said. "Do you think our family only does business in the country?"Sylvester understood. The Montgomerys had business in various industries, including overseas ventures. Seraphine's brother handled international
The Pleiades had arranged a special hall for Orion. The guests began arriving early in the morning. Naturally, Astrid and the Hernandez representatives were among them.Javier started a conversation. "Hol. Silver, I heard today Hol. Thornfield will announce his apprentice. I'm curious who it'll be."He had some guesses and wanted to see Astrid's reaction. Over the past month, only Eric and Sylvia had been seen going in and out of Orion's place, so who else could it be?Astrid glanced at him and chuckled. "Does it matter who it is? I just hope Orion doesn't forget what he owes me."He added, "Those two everyone talks about have barely been with Orion for a month. It makes me wonder if he has lost his mind with old age. Why pick an apprentice whom he has known for just a couple of months? I doubt they are anything special. They might not even match up to my own apprentices in skill."He had gathered info and knew that Orion's apprentice was probably Eric or Sylvia. But he didn't rea
It was not a good sign.Sylvia emerged from backstage and took a seat beside Sylvester and Seraphine. Seraphine chuckled and remarked, "Eric is on the path to fame today. The attendees at Hol. Thornfield's retirement ceremony are all influential figures in King City. Have you seen those dignified middle-aged men? They all hail from super elite families in King City, surpassing even the Montgomerys by a significant margin!"Sylvia was taken aback. She thought the Montgomerys were one of the top families in King City, but there were even more powerful ones!"It's not always good to be overly famous," Sylvia said. "In fact, I don't wish for him to become too famous. It might make me feel undeserving of him."Seraphine was at a loss for words. She sighed and said, "Vee, your beauty is your greatest asset. Plus, Eric loves you deeply. You deserve him."Sylvia smiled, knowing Eric's love for her.While they spoke, Orion and several assistants made their entrance. Orion appeared elder
Orion gazed at Astrid and sighed. "Astri, why must you do this? You're my junior, after all. Shouldn't you respect my decisions?"Everyone was left perplexed. Little did they know that Astrid and Orion shared the same mentor.Today's retirement ceremony took an unexpected turn. Not only did Orion introduce his apprentice to the world, but the hidden connection between the two renowned holistic physicians of King City was also unveiled.Orion remarked, "You're overly competitive. It's not healthy."Astrid scoffed. "It's not about competitiveness. I'm simply concerned for you. After all these years without taking on apprentices, why start now? Are you afraid I'll covet your knowledge? Do you truly believe I want to take what's yours?"Orion was rendered speechless. He didn't wish to argue with Astrid, given their senior-junior relationship.With this in mind, he retrieved the acupoint technique manual and offered, "You've always wanted this, haven't you? I'll give it to you."Astr
The crowd fell silent in shock.Before anyone could gather their wits, Seraphine sprang to her feet, exclaiming, "You've gone too far, Hol. Silver!"Alexander attempted to restrain her, but she brushed off his hand, insisting, "Dad, let me talk! Kindness doesn't equal weakness, Hol. Silver. You want a match, right? Eric, accept his challenge! Show him what you're made of!"Eric let out a sigh.Sylvia swiftly pulled Seraphine back, cautioning her, "Seraphine, please, enough! Eric prefers to stay low-key."In this regard, Eric resembled Orion quite closely."I just can't stand him!" Seraphine vented her frustration.Astrid scoffed at Seraphine and remarked, "Look, even a woman has more courage than you!"Orion wore a puzzled expression as he looked at Eric. "Do you want to accept his challenge? It seems like he's testing your skills. Maybe you should give him a taste.""Sure!" Eric nodded with a smile. He understood Astrid's intentions—he aimed to humiliate Orion through him."
Seraphine clutched Sylvia's hand on the seat, her voice quivering with anxiety as she asked, "Vee, can Eric do it?"She worried about Eric. If she had known, she wouldn't have said those words. What if Eric lost to Hudson? Wouldn't it embarrass them in front of everyone?Sylvester gazed at her and advised, "So now you know it. You should consider the consequences before saying anything."To be honest, he was concerned, too. Eric had only trained in holistic medicine under Orion for a little over a month. Despite his talent and the praise surrounding him, Sylvester understood that Hudson was genuinely skilled.Sylvia smiled and assured, "Don't worry. Eric's got this. He'll definitely win."Sylvia had seen Eric perform acupoint techniques at Orion's residence. Eric's precision and range seemed to surpass Hudson's by a significant margin.On the stage, Orion glanced at the silver needle on the black dot and told Eric, "Take it easy. Spare his pride."Astrid overheard and chuckled.
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