James returned home. Before he could exit the elevator, his phone rang. It was Henry.“James, news from the Blithe King. He sent his men to deliver the Callahans their invitation.”“Okay, got it.”James hung up.He knocked on the door only to be greeted by Alyssa Myers, David’s wife. “Pathetic loser, are you not embarrassed enough to still come home—”James walked past her, entering the house. As soon as he saw Thea on the couch, a smile bloomed across his face. “Thea, I already got people to send us an invitation.”Thea was in disbelief, as she asked, “Those are men from the Western Border Patrol. How did you get those guys?”James laughed. “Did you forget that I was a soldier? I have some connections in the military higher-ups.”“But your resume said you served in the Southern Plains. What does the South have to do with the army at the West?”James explained, “We aren’t related directly, but my ex-superior has ties with a big shot at the western border. Anyways, I managed to
“The Oswalds are the best.”“That goes without saying. Their business, Grandeur Pharmaceuticals, is one of the biggest in Cansington. Colson’s father Stefon Oswald is a social butterfly. He has a lot of connections.”“Thank god Colson is with us, or else we would never get an invitation.”“Megan got herself the right boyfriend. Look at how he’s helping her family.”The Callahans were flattering Colson, almost making him trippy. “It’s just a small contribution.”Just when everybody was bathing in the celebratory mood over getting an invitation, James and Thea entered the house, followed by Gladys, Benjamin, David, and Alyssa.Their presence made the atmosphere drop to a low.Megan stood up, rather bothered. “What are you doing here?”Thea called, “Megan, sis…”Megan screeched and berated her, “Don’t regard me as your family.”Lex’s wonderful mood was spoiled by seeing Thea’s family in his mansion, especially when he saw James, this arrogant son-in-law that dared to disrespect
All James wanted was to make Thea happy. He asked the Blithe King for an invitation, but he had not expected someone else to take the credit for it and cause Thea to misunderstand the situation.He ran after her when his call with Henry ended.“Thea.”He caught up to her and grabbed her arm. “I wasn’t lying to you,” he tried to explain. “I had someone send that invitation, but I wasn’t expecting them to take the credit for it.”“You’re still trying to steal credit? You’re useless!” Gladys snapped. “Haven’t we been humiliated enough?!”“Sis, he’s just a retired soldier,” David said to Thea. “There’s no way he’s as capable as he says. Just divorce him!”“Enough, James,” Thea said, tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. “I’m grateful for how well you treated me, and I’m forever grateful you healed me. But I don’t want to see you right now! Please leave!”With that, she turned around, sobbing as she ran.James panicked.He had never felt so helpless, even when he faced thousan
“Hm?”“Buy that newly built trade center in Cansington.”“What?”Henry stared at James in shock.The Trade City Center was a newly built trade center. In it, there were over 50 buildings that were 50 floors tall, as well as a night market, a pedestrian zone, and an antique street.The Trade City Center was complete. It was a joint effort from several real estate tycoons to turn it into the grandest trade center in the country.“What? Do we not have enough money? Then use our connections to do so.”Henry stared at James. “Just what are you planning, boss?” he could not help but ask. “We have around two hundred billion if we added our funds together, but do you know how big that trade center is? Just the land it’s built on is worth a fortune! I heard the real estate tycoons invested around five hundred billion into the place. It took them five years to finish construction.”James did not care for the details. “Just tell me how much it’s going to cost.”Henry thought about it. “W
The bank had liquidated the Xaviers’ other villas, so now they were homeless and had to rent houses to live in. This remaining villa was Rowena Xavier’s personal property.Trent’s plan to heavily inflate the prices of worthless artifacts and sell them off to people had worked. Most of the attendees had spent money in that auction and bought something from the Xaviers, intimidated by Trent’s power.Trent may have died, but the money fell into Rowena’s hands. Rowena was a woman, but she became a pillar of hope after Warren and Trent’s deaths. The Xaviers all turned to her, in hopes of her pulling them back up into wealth.An old man, around 50 years of age, lay on the bed in a room on the second floor of the Xaviers’ remaining villa.Beside him was a woman clad in a white dress.That woman was Rowena Xavier. She was in her 30s but looked no older than 19 thanks to her high-maintenance lifestyle.She was slim and had delicate facial features. She was an attractive woman in every
Rowena’s expression darkened. She finally knew who destroyed her family.“What the hell do you want, James?”“Haha…”James started laughing, but there was no humor in it. His laughter was terrifying.“You’re asking me what I want, Rowena?“You’re the reason my grandfather was falsely accused and turned into the laughingstock of the entire town.“You’re the one that caused my father to have a heart attack, then pushed him off the third floor and lied to everyone that he committed suicide.“You, and the rest of The Great Four, tied my entire family up and set fire to our home. You killed more than thirty people, and you’re asking me what I want?!”James was like a tiger that had escaped its cage. Bloodlust emanated from him.He roared, making Rowena’s ears ring and stunning her.She was afraid now. She had never been so scared.Rowena was a smart woman. James killed her father and brother, but the news about it had been suppressed. She knew the man standing before her was no l
James’ roar was like cracking thunder, making Rowena’s ears ring and leaving her in a daze.All she could do was sob, not knowing how else to respond.After a while, she finally calmed down enough to say something, her face a look of despair. “I don’t know… I really don’t... I-I think Trent took the painting to the Capital as a gift for someone.”Slice!James picked up the switchblade from the bed and swung it at Rowena’s hand, splattering blood everywhere.Rowena opened her mouth in agony, but no sound came out. Her expression twisted hideously in pain and she trembled.James casually pulled out some silver needles and inserted them into Rowena’s body.Rowena could not die yet. Not without the painting back in his hands.Her palm stopped bleeding after the needles were inserted, but the pain was still there. It was an unbearable kind of pain.Right now, all she wanted was to die.James was right. Living was worse than death, yet she was unable to die.James sat back down
His power was beyond comprehension.Not only that, he was an exceedingly talented doctor, too.She had never in her wildest nightmares imagined James would gain such a terrifying identity. It was no wonder that the Blithe King did nothing when Trent was killed. The person that killed Trent was the Black Dragon, someone that not even the Blithe King could touch.Charles only started calming down when James left.His entire body was drenched in sweat. He trembled again when he caught sight of the wound-laden Rowena, turning away to run.“Don’t… Don’t go. S-Save me. Send me to the hospital… I… I have money, I’ll pay you.”Earlier, Rowena wanted to die, but now that James was gone, her will to live returned.Charles stopped at the mention of money.He weighed his options.James said he would leave Rowena alive before he left. If he left and Rowena died, he would have nowhere to run if James decided to blame him for it. Besides, if he saved Rowena, he’d get money for it.With that
The sky was a brilliant blue, accented by white clouds. Vast plains stretched out with rolling peaks, rivers, and seas crisscrossing the expansive land, while an aura of Spiritual Energy permeated everything. This was a new world, brimming with life and vitality, existing independently from the myriad realms.Countless cultivation resources awaited discovery here. Unending adventures beckoned the brave, and limitless opportunities awaited those with exceptional talent.This was the new world James had created, based on the Forty-Nine Daoisms and merged with his own Daoism, to resolve the Leere Tribulation and save countless beings across the myriad realms.In this world, there was no powerful Heavenly Path, no hierarchy of races, no strict rules or oppressions, and no fate governing everything. Instead, actions were judged by karma. Fortune and misfortune, as well as success and failure, were determined by karma.Though it adhered to the principle of survival of the fittest and res
“No wonder,” Lord Goyo finally understood after an extended contemplation.He distinctly remembered that back at the Yin’s Void, Jacopo, the incarnation of Waitara Path’s Soremsia, had abruptly ordered him to move all foundations out of the Dark World. In hindsight, everything now made sense. It was likely that Jacopo had foreseen all of this.Realizing this, Lord Goyo felt a chill run down his spine as cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Despite doubting Jacopo’s identity as an incarnation of Waitara Path’s Soremsia, he had followed his advice. Otherwise, the consequences would have been disastrous.Snapping back to reality, Lord Goyo looked down at the Yang governor and Gladwin from his elevated position.“You fool, do you realize your mistake?”The Yang governor and Gladwin looked up simultaneously, their faces full of fear.“Lord Goyo, I truly didn't notice this. I had no idea when the Dark World was separated.”“Lord Goyo, there is something fishy about this. If James has
At the peak of Mount One in the myriad realms, the Yang Governor, disguised as James, descended with Gladwin. Both looked deathly pale, as if they had just escaped a life-threatening disaster. They were filled with panic.They stopped simultaneously upon arriving beneath a massive platform in a grand dojo.“We need to sort this out first,” the Yang Governor glared fiercely at Gladwin. “Who's going to explain this later, you or me?”Gladwin swallowed nervously. “Of course, it should be you.”“Why should it be me?” the Yang Governor scoffed. “Haven't you always claimed to be Lord Goyo's top confidant and meddled in our alliance's affairs? Now you're chickening out when there's a major issue?”Gladwin's face twitched. “This has nothing to do with cowardice. It's your duty as the leader of the Path Guardian Alliance.”The Yang Governor laughed in exasperation. “You've always been the one gathering intelligence across the myriad realms, boasting that you're better than Yegor from Skyn
That was the first thing he asked after surviving a monumental battle. James patted his shoulder. "The twenty thousand men…" "As long as it's broken," Wyot interjected, staring into the emptiness. "It's a pity the Dark World is gone forever."James wanted to respond, but the other survivors gathered around them. After the battle and the aid of the path source, they had ascended to Path Emperors, becoming top powerhouses in the myriad realms.James nodded, then waved his hand, summoning a path pearl that gleamed with holy light. The light and aura it radiated were enough to make any living being kneel before it.Just as James was about to act, Wyot knelt on one knee, followed by his warriors.James frowned. "Wyot, brothers, you have the right to stand…""We will not be Deified until the Leere Tribulation is broken!" Wyot declared loudly, clasping his fists. His warriors did the same."We will not be Deified until the Leere Tribulation is broken!"Their voices were unified, echo
Then, the Formation of Perception shook violently. When he snapped out of it, he realized that the twenty thousand Doom Race warriors led by Xezal had almost all perished.Among the remaining ones, three were losing their bodies. Hastily, James tossed three path sources into the formation, but it did not stop their bodies from crumbling."Move them out, quickly," urged Zella. "They're under immense pressure inside."James waved his hand and broke the Formation of Perception.Xezal and his remaining warriors—just three of them—appeared in the void. They were tattered and covered in blood. Their hair was unkempt, and they were barely recognizable. These were heroes who had experienced hell.Though wobbling, they stood in battle stances. Their valiance and undying will moved James. He turned his hand and covered them with four path sources, then told them to sit and heal."That's the Doom Race for you. The fact that they survived this titanic battle says a lot about their talent," Z
"Fourth, I have left some treasures for the Yaneiri Clan. They should be enough to establish yourselves in the new world. Fifth, do not be Deified. Never, ever do that. You must keep the Yaneiri Clan safe."Wynton's body contorted, plunging him into further pain. Cracks spread across his skin. "You owe me, James! You owe my clan!" he roared for the last time in his life before crumbling into dust.The light strips that imprisoned him shattered as well, and purple flames lunged at James' light wall, the shockwaves splintering it into fragments before rampaging toward the inconsolable Zella.James flew to Zella, scooped her up, and they took off. The shockwaves from Wynton's self-destruction rapidly spread, obliterating the surrounding formations.But that wasn't the end. Once freed, the shockwave rippled across the Dark World, annihilating everything in its path. Countless universes met their demise.Meanwhile, James protected the remaining Doom Race warriors within the formation,
Wynton was hysterical, but James merely shrugged. “Wynton, they say the last act people do before they die is to be kind. I see none of that in you, and you lost to me.”“And so what?” Wynton roared. “You’re just luckier than me, James! You have a Yin governor as your wife, and she has your back all the time! You would never have come this far otherwise!”James smiled. “Keep going.”“I know you don’t want to owe me any favors.” Wynton glared at him angrily. “You gave me three free attacks to repay me for sparing you in the River of Time.“Now, I’ve given you your children’s past selves back, and you owe me once more. You’re waiting for my terms, aren’t you?”James looked resigned.“Wrong,” Wynton sneered. “I won’t ask for any promises, nor will I give you any chance to repay this debt. Now, you shall owe me a favor you can never repay!”James sensed something was wrong and was shocked. “Wynton!”Wynton, imprisoned, began to burn, flames flickering and licking his body. He roare
"That’s…" The sight of that token filled Wynton with shock. "Y-You’re working with the Shadowborns?""Will you give it to me?" James shot him a threatening look.Wynton shivered, taking a deep breath. Then, a flash of purple light burst forth, and a brilliantly shining mirror flew out from the top of his head.James released Wynton and grabbed the mirror. It resonated with the token, and both items shone blindingly, responding to each other.'It’s true,' James thought. 'The Shadowborn token the master gave me before he left can sense the Nothingness Path Mirror. But why?' Questions swirled in his mind."That mirror will do nothing for you," Wynton said. "I can’t control it, so you can’t either. The only one who can is the Yin governor."He looked at James. "And she’s cleaved in two. Unless you can merge them together, the mirror will not work. However, with just your wife’s half-self, finding Wuia’s current and future selves will be a nigh impossible task."James tucked the mirr
James remained silent. He couldn't muster a response. Now, he finally understood why the Leere Tribulation had been orchestrated and the role his wife played in it.He had initially thought that by destroying the past version of Wuia concealed within the River of Time, he could hurt Wuia. Even if he couldn't stop the Leere Tribulation, he could at least delay it.With more time, he planned to gather additional clues and eradicate all three versions of Wuia, permanently solving the problem. However, his conversation with Wynton had changed his plans.Wynton observed James standing in silence and smirked. "Of course, there's a way to do this."James furrowed his brow.Wynton, brimming with glee, continued, "Kill your wife and the Light Heavenly Path. If they vanish entirely, Wuia will never obtain the Void Spiral. Even if the Leere Tribulation materializes and he returns, his strength will be no greater than before his reincarnation. You'll have enough power to fight him."That was