"Of course!" Matthew assured. "Then, Mr. Seymour, why don't you bring your copy of the contract over so we can destroy it now?""Sure thing!"Arnold was more than happy to comply. Destroying both contracts meant the Seymour family business was back in his hands, finally putting his mind at ease."Oh, by the way, Matthew, about the money we invested in you…" Arnold probed tentatively.What had already been swallowed cannot be spat back out.Matthew was prepared for this and explained, "Mr. Seymour, the invested funds have been filed and deposited into the public account. It's genuinely impossible to return them to you."It's not just the Seymour family. Other families' investments are also with me. Please rest assured."Gathering these funds shows my capability to Rachel, demonstrating my value. This way, Rachel will hold me in even higher regard."If each of you were to pull your investments out, it would be like stabbing me in the back. However, if you're absolutely set on tak
"Ella, Mrs. Seymour is right. It's boring driving alone. Come keep me company and chat with me." Matthew gestured for Elara to get in.Marion was overjoyed and quickly nudged Elara."Alright, then." Elara hesitated for a moment before stepping into the car and leaving the neighborhood with Matthew. Thrilled, Marion planted a few kisses on Arnold's face. "Arnie, we're going to make it big!"Arnold frowned and asked, "What are you talking about?""The Carter family is on the rise! With our connection to Matthew, how can they not help us? Besides, with Ella going home with Matthew tonight, she surely won't be coming back.""What?" Arnold's face darkened.Marion scoffed. "What's with that reaction? Don't tell me you're upset about this!"Do you realize how many heiresses from prestigious families will be chasing Matthew in the future? If we don't act quickly to solidify this relationship, we'll end up with nothing.""But Ella and Gideon haven't divorced yet. They're still in the
The villa was decorated in a nightclub style. After all, it was meant to be a place for indulgence, so the ambiance fit perfectly."Ella, take a seat," Matthew said, motioning to a chair. He grabbed a bottle of Louis XIII cognac, poured himself a glass, took a sip, and smacked his lips in satisfaction."I never imagined I'd have such an opportunity. Truly, the heavens are looking out for me."In no more than a month, I'll be establishing my own company. With Avila Group's support, families and corporations from all over will scramble to work with me."I'll make sure to share some clients with the Seymour family. That way, your family's business can quickly grow to the next level.""Matthew, you're so kind!" Elara said happily."Silly girl." He ruffled her hair affectionately, looking at her tenderly. "We've known each other for so many years. Don't you know how I feel about you by now?"Her cheeks flushed red upon hearing this."Ella, trust me. When I make it big, I won't for
After placating Marion, Arnold suddenly received a call from Gideon.Knowing that Marion didn't like Gideon, he stepped out of the villa and answered the call in the yard. "Gideon, what's the matter?" "Mr. Seymour, has Matthew already canceled the contract with you? Is Seymour Corporation back in your hands?"Gideon was asking because Rachel had informed him, and he wanted to verify the situation to ensure that Matthew wasn't pulling any tricks.Arnold was surprised. "Yes. Matthew came by and voided the contract just now. Gideon, how did you know about this?"Gideon replied, "This was something I arranged through Rachel. Without giving Matthew some benefits first, he wouldn't have been willing to cancel the contract.""You asked Rachel to do this?" Arnold was stunned.Gideon chuckled. "Mr. Seymour, whether you believe it or not, the important thing is that Seymour Corporation is back in your hands, and you can finally be at ease."As for the money you invested in Matthew, I wo
Matthew was carrying Elara onto the bed."Perfect! Her figure… I've been craving it for so long. Unfortunately, this girl has always been so proud, never giving me a chance to make a move. And now? She's mine!" He let out a sinister, almost perverted laugh.He stripped off his clothes in a few quick moves, licked his lips, and teased, "You're still legally married to Gideon, aren't you? So, doesn't this mean you're cheating on him with me?"He laughed. "Unbelievable! Gideon, the former Four Elites of Goldspire and the eldest son of the Snow family, is getting cheated on, with me being the third party, nevertheless! How entertaining!"As he finished speaking, he lunged toward Elara.Just then, the sound of shattering glass filled the room as a figure burst through the window and kicked Matthew with tremendous force. Matthew was sent crashing into the wall and fainted instantly.Gideon glanced disdainfully at Matthew, who now lay unconscious like a beaten dog.Without a word, he p
Matthew stumbled into the living room, flustered and unsure how to face Marion. He had taken Elara home, but now, she was missing. This was a complete disaster.If anything had happened to Elara, he would be done for. Rachel would certainly be upset, leaving him with a terrible reputation and enormous losses."Mrs. Seymour, what brings you here?""Matthew, about last night…""Mrs. Seymour, let me explain. Ella probably wasn't ready, and I may have been a bit impulsive. It upset her, and she ran off. I don't know where she went, but don't worry. I've already arranged for people to search for her."Marion was momentarily taken aback. So, Matthew still had no idea what had actually happened last night.She rolled her eyes and told him through gritted teeth, "Matthew, listen to me. It was Gideon who ruined your moment with Ella last night.""Gideon?""That's right. That jerk broke in, took Ella away, and dropped her off at my house. I'm telling you the truth.""Fuck!" Matthew flew
"Alright. Here's the deal…" Matthew briefly explained the situation.After listening, Fisher stroked his chin and said, "Are you sure the Snow family doesn't have any real backing from the Horne family? If that's true, I can step in. But if…""Fisher, what's there to fear? I've got this under control! Even if the Horne family gets involved, I can appeal to Rachel. "Wouldn't the Horne family have to show respect to Rachel? The bottom line is, there's no real risk. If you're not up for it, I'll just find another big shot in the underworld.""Hey, hey. There's no need for that, Mr. Carter! I didn't say no."Fisher had always regarded himself as above Matthew because the Carter family was only a second- or third-tier family, while he was a respected figure in Goldspire's underworld scene.However, things were different now. The Carter family was poised to rise, and Matthew had the potential to become Goldspire's top bachelor.Fisher needed to maintain this relationship carefully.
"What are you here for?" Gideon asked as he entered the living room. Seeing Elara leisurely sipping coffee and seemingly in good spirits, he was somewhat surprised. Was she not here to complain?Elara set down the coffee cup and said calmly, "I heard from my dad that you went to Matthew's villa last night and brought me back.""That's right. Don't get the wrong idea. It was your father who reminded me that we're not officially divorced yet. If you and Matthew were to get involved, it would look like I got cheated on."It would affect my reputation. Once the cooling-off period ends and our divorce is finalized, you can do whatever you want. It won't concern me anymore."Elara frowned slightly.What was Gideon doing? Shouldn't he be trying to reconcile with her? Why did it feel like he couldn't wait for the divorce to happen?Was this some kind of reverse psychology? It had to be.Thinking of this, she felt more at ease. She lifted her chin and huffed coldly. "Either way, I came
"Go check it out," the chief ordered.The squad rushed forward. Immediately, they were scared out of their wits."Sir!""This… This is…""It's Brightbane Sect's Francis… and Giles!""How is that possible?"Everyone was stunned.Francis and Giles were monstrous talents known throughout the entire eastern plains. Even as rogue cultivators, they had heard of them.But now, they had been killed!Who had the audacity to do this?"Sir, what do we do? Should we retreat? This is serious. We can't get involved.""No, fortune favors the bold. We're not far from Brightbane Sect. We must report this to their higher-ups immediately. That way, they can track down the killer in time. Maybe we can even get a reward, or better yet, a chance to join Brightbane Sect."The subordinates hesitated for a moment, then came to an agreement.They quickly chopped down trees and crafted two simple coffins, placing the bodies and heads inside. Carrying the coffins, they rushed toward Brightbane Sect.
The ground trembled.Giles' eyes widened. "This is bad. Francis is about to use that move!"That scared him so much that he immediately retreated.At the same time, Francis had finished gathering his energy. He slashed downward with his blade. At first glance, it seemed like an ordinary strike, but it sent a chilling sense of danger through Gideon."It's Bane Sabre's fifth form, the Soul Severing Slash!"Just a moment ago, he was only using the second form, and now, he suddenly jumped to the fifth. It was no wonder the power skyrocketed!Gideon's morale flamed on. His mighty frame trembled, unleashing the raw power of his flesh and blood. He showed Francis' attack the respect it deserved. "Doombringer Knuckle!"At that moment, both the fist and sword energy collided, shaking the earth.The shockwave blasted Giles, leaving him covered in blood. He collapsed unconscious on the spot.Just then, a figure shot out of the battlefield, diving into a descending military aircraft."Tr
Gideon's declaration left Francis momentarily stunned. Overcome with anger, he let out a laugh. "You want to take our heads? Fine. I hope you have the strength to back up such claims and aren't just making empty threats!" He stomped hard, causing the ground to crack, and launched forward like a cannonball."Francis, be careful! Don't underestimate him. He defeated the Shadowgnaw Overlord with a single punch!" "What?" Francis' heart skipped a beat. His momentum waned, and in that instant, Gideon struck with his palm, sending him flying. Francis flipped in the air a few times and landed awkwardly, stumbling back more than 30 feet away. His expression turned grim. "What did you say!" "Francis, he took down the Shadowgnaw Overlord with one punch, and this inner core is from that beast." Francis was furious. "Why didn't you mention that earlier?"Naturally, Francis was aware of the Shadowgnaw Overlord. Over a year ago, he had faced it in battle but had retreated in a miserab
Gideon declared coldly, his voice void of any sympathy, "That's not something I can allow. I'm afraid this is the end for you." The instant the young man clad in black stole the inner core, his fate was sealed."No!" The man screamed in desperation, his face contorted with unwillingness.Suddenly, a fighter jet roared into view, and a startled voice called out, "Giles, what are you doing here?"The young man in black, Giles Terrell, looked up to see a figure dressed in purple standing at the jet's cabin door. Hope surged within him, as if he'd found a lifeline.Giles cried out, "Francis! Help me!"However, Francis Hurst's eyes were riveted on the inner core, a greedy gleam flickering within them.Francis thought that it was fate for him to stumble upon the alpha beast's inner core. If he seized it and used it for his cultivation, he'd surely surpass the young leaders of factions like Martialgarde and Warbringer Gate. Giles had truly given him a wonderful opportunity.Wi
"Why are you pursuing me so persistently? Whoever reaches the inner core first should rightfully claim it. You were careless, so consider this a learning experience. Isn't that reasonable? Must we really end in a situation where both of us lose?" the young man taunted. "A learning experience? That's truly amusing. You steal my inner core and have the nerve to call it a lesson. You certainly have a lot to say," Gideon retorted coldly. He extended his hand, and a massive shadow hand materialized from above. It was the Clausum Palm. The alpha beast, ridden by the young man in black, sensed the immense power of the handprint and froze in fear, dropping to the ground. "Blast it!" The young man in black was so furious that he nearly coughed up blood. Forced to leave the alpha beast, he continued fleeing on foot. He retaliated with a punch, smashing the hand. "Oh? You still have the energy to fight back. Impressive. You're quite the young talent. What a shame you chose to seek you
Out of nowhere, a chain shot up from below, snagging the inner core and swiftly dragging it away. "What?" Gideon erupted in fury. Who would dare snatch from a tiger's jaws? This person had some guts. "Stop!" he roared. With a thunderous force, he cut through the toxic miasma, reaching for the chain. But the thief was no ordinary being. They were a formidable opponent, retracting the chain with remarkable speed. Gideon caught a glimpse of a flickering figure in the jungle. "The inner core I captured isn't something just anyone can take. Let's see if you can escape my clutches," Gideon threatened, his voice resonating with intensity. The figure in the jungle hesitated, a chill running down their spine, yet they didn't relent and fled with the inner core.The fighter jet descended rapidly. But with the dense canopy of ancient trees in the jungle, aerial navigation was not possible. Gideon landed a backhand strike on Kori, rendering him unconscious to prevent any interferenc
Jake let out a terrified scream. He quickly adjusted the fighter jet's course, but just then, a tentacle burst forth from the dense, poisonous fog. The tentacle was black and moved with alarming speed, reaching the jet in mere moments as if intent on tearing it apart. "Fire!" Jake activated the attack system, and over a dozen missiles were launched. The attack was successful, as the tentacle was blown into a gruesome mess. In the distance, a thunderous roar echoed, shaking the heavens and earth—the Shadowgnaw Overlord had felt the pain. Suddenly, more than 30 black shadows emerged from the toxic cloud."Damn it!" Jake swore. He struggled to continue operating the fighter jet amid the overwhelming number of tentacles. Their firepower was no longer enough. Desperately, he called out, "Sir!" At that moment, Gideon sprang into action. Rather than destroying the tentacles, he reached out and seized the one lunging at them. With a powerful yell, he unleashed the strength of
Luckily, Gideon's fighter jet was a state-of-the-art model, so flying through the poisonous haze wasn't a significant problem. Suddenly, a piercing scream reverberated inside the jet, making it shake violently. Kori's face went white as he yelled, "This is bad! It must be the Shadowgnaw Bug. They're venomous creatures that can survive in this toxic fog. An adult Shadowgnaw Bug can reach the size of a lion or tiger, and the Shadowgnaw Overlord is even scarier, being as big as an elephant." Just as he finished speaking, another high-pitched cry sounded. The fighter jet shook uncontrollably and began to dive. Jake did everything he could to keep the jet stable. If the jet had been a regular aircraft, it would likely have broken apart by now. Kori looked deeply concerned. "Based on the strength of that cry, it seems we've run into the Shadowgnaw Overlord." "What's the big deal about one bug? Can it really be that dangerous?" Gideon scoffed, signaling Jake to open the cockpit door.
Gideon trusted Kori completely, as Kori's life depended on him, leaving no room for hidden agendas. The fighter jet soared eastward at high altitude. Gideon was immersed in studying the Book of Medicamentum. He vaguely remembered Titus once mentioning the pure-essence physique and other rare physiques, such as the pure solar physique. These were subtly referenced in the Book of Medicamentum. His current task was to uncover information about the pure-essence physique in the latter part of the Book of Medicamentum. If successful, he might learn how to harness the methods concerning the pure-essence physique himself, enabling Elara to fully awaken and transform. Silence enveloped the entire fighter jet.That evening, the jet touched down on the summit of a large mountain. The pilot, Jake Clythe, was weary from hours of flight, was instructed by Gideon to take a one-hour break. Gideon and Kori also disembarked from the aircraft.The landscape was filled with overlapping mountains