Marion shouted at Gideon, "Shut up!" Her face turned ashen with fury as she pointed a trembling finger at him. "Nothing decent ever comes out of your mouth, you disgusting man! You don't want to see the Seymour family succeed, do you? "Let me tell you, Gideon. You'll go to the courthouse and divorce Elara immediately. You're unworthy of being my son-in-law. Who do you think you are?"Gideon's face darkened. Marion's insults had come at him time and time again, and though he'd brushed them off, her relentless disdain was starting to wear on him. If it weren't for Arnold's kindness, he would have left long ago.Turning to Elara, Gideon asked, "What do you think?"Elara hesitated, caught off guard.Marion urged, "Ella, what are you waiting for? Get a divorce. Soon, you'll be the heiress to a respected family name, and there are plenty of eligible young men out there. Besides, you like Matthew, don't you? I know you two would be perfect together."Arnold pounded his fist on the ta
Joseph quickly reassured, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "Mr. Seymour, please don't be upset. I mean no harm. I'm here to bring you some gifts."Arnold narrowed his eyes, suspicion lacing his tone. "Gift? What kind of trick are you trying to pull?"Flashing an apologetic smile, Joseph insisted, "Mr. Seymour, you really misunderstood me. I just wanted to make up for my previous offense to Ms. Seymour. Although I've already apologized, I felt it wasn't enough. So this time, representing my father, I came personally to deliver a grand gift."He gestured with a wave of his hand. "Bring it out!"Two men approached, carrying a bright red chest to the front door. They set it down and opened it, revealing a breathtaking sight.Arnold and his family stood frozen, wide-eyed and speechless.Inside the chest were stacks of cash, a green sea of money exuding the unmistakable allure of wealth.Joseph grinned. "Mr. Seymour, this is 9,999,000 dollars as a little token of our appreciati
"The gifts that Durans gave have nothing to do with Matthew," Gideon said flatly.Marion scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. "You idiot, you still don't get it? The Seymour family is about to rise alongside the Carters and might even get the Avila family's favor. We're set to become a major power in Goldspire."She sneered, clearly enjoying herself. "Nino is just scared. That's why he's come bearing gifts, apologizing, and trying to curry favor with us."Shaking her head in disdain, she continued, "Five years ago, you were considered a capable man in Goldspire. But now, it seems those five years of farming have fried your brain. You've let the Snow family slip into your hands, and you're doing a terrible job." Marion scoffed. "I wouldn't be surprised if you ran the whole thing into the ground. It'd have been better off in Cormac's hands."She then sneered. "Here's an idea. Why don't you just merge Snow Corporation into Seymour Corporation?"Gideon's eyes darkened, his patie
However, things didn't turn out as Arnold had hoped. Gideon and Elara remained silent throughout the entire drive, leaving Arnold visibly frustrated. Upon arriving at Goldspire Hotel, Arnold had reserved a modest private dining room and ordered a feast of exquisite dishes—a splurge for the family. Before long, the dishes were served. "Wow, this is amazing! I'm going all in tonight. Forget about dieting for now," Elara exclaimed enthusiastically, her eyes lighting up at the spread before them. Elara wasn't overweight, but like most young women, dieting was an ongoing project for her. Just as they were about to dig in, the doorbell of the private dining room rang. A sharply dressed man—clearly the hotel manager—stepped into the room, his expression apologetic. He said, "I'm terribly sorry to bother you all, but I must ask you to move to a different private room." Arnold frowned slightly and asked, "What do you mean?" The manager adjusted his tie and explained, "A
"Mom, why don't we just switch to another private room? We should at least show Mr. Horne some respect," Elara urged softly.Marion, already hesitant after learning it was the heir of the Horne family, caught the disdainful look on the hotel manager's face. Her temper flared instantly.She snapped, her arms crossing defensively, "No! We're not switching! I don't care if it's the Horne family or even the city mayor. They're not getting this room!"Arnold and Elara stared at her in shock. Had she lost her mind?Marion's voice cut through their disbelief as she pointed toward the door. "Now, get out of here and stop interrupting our meal."Damian's expression darkened. As someone firmly established in Goldspire's upper circles, it was rare for anyone to defy him, especially over something as trivial as a room.He spoke again, his tone restrained but icy, "Switch to the room next door. I'll even cover your bill for tonight's meal. How does that sound?"Marion's voice rose, brimming
Damian immediately understood John's intention.This was a test—a way for John to gauge the Horne family's influence. Damian smiled faintly and said, "I was only worried about keeping you waiting, Mr. Tedd. But if this interests you, then let's see how it plays out."With a wave of his hand, he ordered the guards, "Let them go."Turning to Marion, he added coldly, "You said you wanted to make a call? Go ahead. I'd love to see who you think can stand against me.""Just wait!" Marion sneered, her expression fierce as she dialed Matthew's number.At that moment, Matthew was busy negotiating a deal with another minor family, using his usual underhanded tactics to pressure them into signing a contract.When his phone rang, he answered it casually, "Mrs. Seymour, what's the matter?"Marion's voice was sharp with anger. She said, "Matthew! I've been assaulted. Come to Room 666 of Goldspire Hotel now!"Matthew's eyes gleamed with a mix of greed and opportunity. "What? Someone dared t
Matthew felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. Asking Damian to apologize and pay a million dollars in compensation? That was practically a death sentence for him!Damian's expression was ice cold. He said, "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? She says I should apologize and pay her a million dollars in compensation. What do you think? Should I?" Matthew's forehead was slick with sweat. "Well... This..." Marion interjected, her voice sharp, "Matthew, what are you afraid of? You have the Avila family behind you. Didn't Ms. Avila herself say she values you? Just call her!" Damian raised an eyebrow, his tone curious. "Ms. Avila? Rachel Avila? She values you?" Marion tilted her chin up, pride gleaming in her eyes. "That's right! Ms. Avila has taken a keen interest in him. She even transferred 30 million dollars to his account to support him. She plans to invest in his new company in the future." She crossed her arms smugly. "Damian, the Horne family may be stronger than
With his tone firm, Matthew said to Marion, "Here's the deal. Either you apologize or our partnership ends. I'll retrieve the contract and tear it up right in front of you. The choice is yours." Marion was at a loss. If the deal fell through, her dream of living as a wealthy socialite would vanish into thin air.Arnold's face darkened, his frustration barely contained. It was Elara who finally spoke, her tone soft but persuasive, "Mom, honestly, you were being arrogant and overbearing. Matthew is right. You should apologize to Mr. Horne. It's not that big of a deal." Not that big of a deal? Marion's face burned with humiliation as the hotel manager barely suppressed a smirk in the background. Still, she had no choice. No matter how much she loathed the idea, she had to swallow her pride. "Mr. Horne, I'm sorry," she muttered, her voice low. Damian asked, stepping back, "What was that? You called yourself a woman of high status. I'm not sure I can bear the weight of you
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
Kori was overwhelmed with fear. "What are you doing? What have you done to me?" he exclaimed. Gideon smirked. "Don't worry. I've just set up three 'fuses.' As long as you behave, nothing will happen. But if you try anything funny, I can make your head explode with just a thought. And don't think about removing the golden needles. I won't be responsible for what happens if you do." Kori's expression flickered between anger and resignation. It was deeply humiliating for someone who had traveled the world all his life to be treated as such in his later years. However, he had no other options. Taking a deep breath, Kori calmed himself and dismissed his hostile thoughts, turning his focus to assess Elara's condition. Gideon observed from the side. No one could tell what secret method Kori was using, but gradually, the air temperature rose. This was due to the contraction of pure essence energy. Half an hour later, Kori wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled. "It's done. The
"Do you want me to be honest with you?" Kori prodded. "What? Can't you solve it? Then, you're destined to fail." A fierce, murderous intent flashed in Gideon's eyes. Kori quickly responded, "The pure-essence physique is extremely rare. If it were a martial artist with a robust constitution, I could safely help them awaken it. But your wife is just an ordinary person. Her body is too fragile, and I can't take that risk. "Though your medical skills are impressive, you can't guarantee her safety. The only solution is to find Mr. Ruggeweyn or Mr. Warth. They possess secret techniques that can awaken the pure-essence physique without risk. "However, I'm not entirely helpless. I can use a secret technique right now to suppress the essence, preventing any leakage of pure essence energy. This could safeguard your wife's body and possibly help her regain consciousness. Do you want me to proceed?" Gideon asked, "Where are Mr. Ruggeweyn and Mr. Warth? If you can reach them, do so qu
"Who on earth are you?" Kori asked. His face twisted with fury as he ran desperately, with Gideon relentlessly pursuing him like a hawk after its prey. It was both insulting and disgraceful! "Argh!" Eventually, Kori couldn't bear it any longer. He stopped and bellowed, "I'd rather die than be shamed. Kid, I'll fight you to death!" Kori spat out a mouthful of blood, unleashed a secret technique, and launched a powerful attack. Gideon's expression turned serious at that moment. He calmly extended his fist and declared, "Doombringer Knuckle!" The brilliant glow of his fist surged forward with determination. Kori's attack was instantly destroyed, and he was sent flying, his body nearly breaking apart. He crashed hard into a dirt pit and couldn't rise again. "Sir, watch out!" Harper yelled with all her strength just then. Gideon raised an eyebrow. More and more advanced weapons were being launched. Several missiles sped toward them. In fact, the high-tech weapons had been re