From the aircraft, an elderly man with white hair stepped down. Though advanced in years, his face was radiant, and his energy was strikingly vigorous."Sir!" The old man hurried to Gideon, dropping to one knee."Stand up," Gideon said with a faint smile. "Geoffrey, you look like you've been living pretty well. Last year in Oasis Vale, you weren't exactly pulling your weight."The white-haired elder looked visibly awkward.If anyone discovered that the master of Healers Valley, the legendary Medicine Sovereign, was kneeling so humbly, they would likely be utterly shocked.This elderly man was none other than the Medicine Sovereign, Geoffrey Howell.Gideon led Geoffrey toward the palace as he asked, "What brings you to Goldspire?"Geoffrey replied, "Sir, it's nothing major. I've been developing a new elixir, but it still feels like something is missing. I hoped you could provide some guidance.""What concoction have you come up with this time?""This." Geoffrey retrieved severa
"Is Draconis Sanctuary really the largest medicinal herb market in Emberstone?" Geoffrey was skeptical, feeling the place seemed rather modest."It should be. I haven't been here before, but don't compare Draconis Sanctuary to Healers Valley. That's a whole different level."Gideon checked the time and said, "I won't be joining you. Go find the herbs on your own."After Geoffrey left, Gideon headed toward Draconis Sanctuary.At the end of the street stood Mount Dragonback, atop which an ancient temple known as Draconis Sanctuary resided. During festivals, the temple was packed with worshippers, and it often attracted the wealthy and influential who came to give offerings.Not long after he started walking, Gideon found his path blocked.A crowd had gathered ahead, and it wasn't clear what was happening. He was about to take a detour when he overheard a conversation."That girl is really bold. She actually dared to disrespect Mr. Yates!""No kidding. This is going to be trouble.
Could Ruby really be someone important?Tanner wasn't a fool. As one of Goldspire's rising stars, he was already considering backing down.However, the crowd was watching. To make matters worse, some troublemakers in the audience began stirring things up."Mr. Yates, this girl's got a fiery temper. You should put her in her place!""Yeah! Mr. Yates, are you really going to let a woman get the better of you?""Come on, Mr. Yates. Don't disappoint us!""Just take her down already!"The jeers grew louder, escalating by the moment.Tanner found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place.One of his personal bodyguards spoke in a low voice, "Mr. Yates, she's just a girl. Even if she has some kind of background, the Yates family has nothing to fear. We are about to make a big move, and we need to build our reputation. "The family will be a laughingstock if you back down in front of so many people today!"Tanner seemed thoughtful.Recently, Goldspire had been rife with activit
Gideon's words struck like thunder. Everyone in the crowd was stunned.That was Tanner, the eldest son of the Yates family and a figure of considerable status in Goldspire.Yet, he had been struck! And… so miserably at that!The crowd watched as Tanner's face swelled on one side, looking like a pig's head, with blood streaming from his nose."Ah!"After the initial shock came the searing pain.Tanner screamed in agony. Then, he flew into a rage, roaring with a ferocious expression, "How dare you hit me! I'll kill you!""What's with the aggression? It's not like this is the first time I've hit you. Tanner, I used to knock you around quite a bit back in school. Don't tell me you've forgotten?" Gideon said with a teasing smirk.As kids from wealthy families, they had both attended the prestigious Goldspire Academy. Back then, Tanner had been arrogant and loved bullying female classmates, often ending up being beaten down by Gideon.Tanner froze, staring at Gideon for a moment bef
Although Draconis Sanctuary was ancient, it was quite expansive.Finding a serene bamboo grove, Ruby sat on a stone bench. Her playful demeanor from earlier was gone, replaced with an aloof and haughty air.With a serious expression, she said, "I've heard that you have a marriage agreement with my sister?""I knew it would be about this nonsense." Gideon sighed in exasperation. "I've already called off the engagement, so don't worry. I won't stoop to clinging to the Mosleys. Are you satisfied?""It's good you have some self-awareness, but even though you've annulled the engagement, the matter isn't resolved yet!""What do you mean by that?"Ruby didn't know how to respond for a moment.Should she tell him that her father wholeheartedly supported this marriage and intended for Lavinia to bring him into the family for the wedding?If she said that, Gideon might change his mind and shamelessly insist on marrying Lavinia.Ruby's eyes darted as she thought, then she said, "Here's t
Ruby was stunned. Earlier, it had taken her a while to confirm what the Jadeblood Herb was.But now, Geoffrey had identified it as the best quality Jadeblood Herb the moment he got his hands on it. His sharp eyes were truly impressive.Geoffrey glanced at Ruby and snorted coldly. "Where did this little girl come from? She lacks manners!""Old man, who are you calling rude?" Ruby retorted arrogantly.Gideon interjected, "She's the daughter of the Mosley family in Drammore. Her sister is the only female war hero in Dasovia, Lavinia Mosley.""Is that so?"Ruby smirked smugly. "Old man, do you still think I'm rude now?"Geoffrey snorted. "The little Mosley family, with just one war hero, means nothing in my eyes!""You!" Ruby was furious.What was it with Goldspire? It seemed to be full of people pretending to be all high and mighty.First, it was Tanner. Now, Geoffrey came along spouting nonsense and acting so arrogant."Don't bother with her." Gideon then asked, "What treasure
Meanwhile, Gideon and Geoffrey returned to Beaker Island, and the process of refining the Rejuvenation Pill began.Considering it was an ancient formula, refining it was exceedingly difficult. With such a limited amount of precious herbs available, extreme caution was required. Any mistake, like an explosion in the furnace, would mean losing everything.Fortunately, Geoffrey's skills were solid. With Gideon's timely guidance, they finally succeeded in refining a batch of Rejuvenation Pills after a full day and night."It's done! It's finally done!" Geoffrey was overjoyed.Succeeding once meant succeeding a second, third, or countless more times. It was easy to imagine the impact. Once this long-lasting Rejuvenation Pill was introduced to the world, it would create a storm!Who didn't want to look good? Not just women—men, too. The entire world would go crazy for it. Endless wealth would pour in."Sir, since this ancient formula for the Rejuvenation Pill came from you, I've decide
"Sir, something terrible has happened!" The butler's panicked shout brought the entire crowd to a standstill.Caspian's face darkened.This was the critical moment of the apprenticeship ceremony, and someone dared to cause a scene. Outrageous!"You insolent fool! Can't you see Timothy is in the middle of the ceremony? Who allowed you to shout like this? Someone, drag him out and give him a hundred whips!""Sir, it's a major issue!"Caspian's eyebrows twitched.The butler had served him faithfully for over a decade and was usually calm and composed. For him to lose his cool like this, the matter had to be serious.Hanson was equally displeased. He said coldly, "What could be so major? What could possibly happen to the Yates family? Does anyone in Goldspire not know that I am accepting Timothy as my disciple today? Who dares create trouble at this moment?"In the audience, toward the back of the crowd, Ruby sneered. "Lav, that old man with the goatee is truly arrogant!"Lavinia
Even Luna was shaken to the core."Activate!"It wasn't over yet. Gideon clenched his fists tightly and let out a thunderous roar toward the sky. His raw physical strength exploded, causing the palace to tremble violently and forcing Luna to step back.In everyone's sight, Gideon's hair whipped around wildly. His expression was cold and imposing, and his eyes seemed as if they could steal one's very soul."Ms. Lumen, how does it feel? Tell me. Do you still think I don't have the power to bring disaster to Naesbrey Fortress?" Gideon's voice was as firm as iron.Luna's heart pounded wildly, and her face was filled with disbelief.How could Gideon be this strong? How old was he?Among the younger generation of the eastern plains, the strongest was Umbra, who was only 28 years old. Yet, Luna had a feeling that even Umbra wouldn't be able to stop Gideon.Despite Umbra's young age, she had become the leader of Naesbrey Fortress, standing as an equal to the head of Martialgarde and th
As soon as Gideon finished speaking, Luna's expression darkened.She sneered. "Mr. Snow, you're being far too blunt. That's not good. I really don't want to turn against you. To be honest, I don't quite understand."You know that Umbra has a pure-essence physique, yet you still bring Ms. Seymour to Naesbrey Fortress? Do you really think you alone can protect your wife against all of Naesbrey Fortress?"Gideon said, "Indeed, I'm not arrogant enough to believe I can single-handedly take on all of Naesbrey Fortress. But I assume that Ms. Crescent is righteous and would never resort to such despicable acts. She shouldn't have any plans on using my wife's negative energy."That's why I suspect that this decision was made by you alone and has nothing to do with Ms. Crescent. My guess is that something has happened to Ms. Crescent. Am I right?"Luna's expression changed for a bit. "Mr. Snow, you are truly perceptive. I won't hide it from you. Umbra encountered some complications in her c
Naesbrey Fortress stood tall in the middle of Glass Sea. The sea was truly dazzling, filled with brilliant colors that painted the entire sky in breathtaking hues, making it look like something straight out of a comic book."Mr. Snow, I wonder, what urgent matter has brought you all this way to seek an audience with Umbra?" Luna asked."Well… This matter is quite complicated, and it might disgust you," Gideon stated."Mr. Snow, please speak freely.""Let me introduce him first. This old man here is the Grand Elder of Moblathos from the outside world.""Moblathos?" Luna's expression changed.Decades ago, when she was still a child, she had heard of someone from Moblathos sneaking into Naesbrey Fortress to prey on women. It was shameless, vile, and despicable."Ms. Lumen, I told you this would disgust you, but calm down and hear me out first." Then, Gideon turned to Kori. "Get out and wait outside."Kori was both embarrassed and furious, but he had no choice.After Kori left,
"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