"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
As Gideon left Goldspire Hotel, his thoughts lingered on the person Damian had mentioned. He knew exactly who he was referring to. Zane Farrell, the eldest son of the Farrell family in Goldspire. Back in the day, Zane was one of the Four Elites of Goldspire, just like Gideon. However, their relationship had been far from friendly. It was marked by tension, even outright animosity. Goldspire wasn't just known for its Four Elites. There were also the Three Beauties of Goldspire. Among them, Waverly Tate of the Tate family was the most stunning. Zane had been infatuated with Waverly, pursuing her relentlessly, but she had always ignored him. Instead, she gravitated toward Gideon—a closeness that planted the seeds of Zane's envy and hostility. The situation escalated when an incident spread like wildfire. Gideon and Waverly had spent a night together on Dragon Peak. Rumors swept through Goldspire, claiming the two had solidified their relationship. The Tate family, catching
Gideon smiled. "It's not that. It's just that five years have passed, and things have changed. I was just asking."At that moment, Anna spoke up, "Mr. Snow, the Tates aren't in a good situation."Gideon raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"His frown deepened as Anna explained, "Over the past three years, the Tates have been hit hard with setbacks and sanctions. Rumor has it that the Farrell family has been pulling the strings behind the scenes."Anna added, "Now, the Tates are on the brink of collapse. It's likely that their conglomerate will go bankrupt soon."Gideon's face hardened, and the temperature in the room dropped with his cold demeanor. He muttered to himself, a fury building up within him, "Zane, that bastard!"Anna continued, "Also, Ms. Tate's reputation is getting bad. There are rumors circulating that she's been living recklessly. On the surface, she pretends to be prim and proper, but behind the scenes, she's been involved in questionable behavior."She added, "
"Sir, it's here." Lysander pointed at a hospital on the map.As he gestured toward the psychiatric hospital ahead, he said, "But Mr. Snow, this place appears to be fully secured. Are you planning to break in directly?"Gideon considered it for a moment. Causing a commotion in broad daylight wasn't ideal. He pulled out his phone and made a call. "Gideon, so you finally remembered me! Where on Earth have you been these past few days?" Rachel's voice came through, laced with irritation. "Rachel, I need you to handle something for me," Gideon said, cutting to the chase. "Oh, I see how it is! You only remember me when you need something. When there's nothing, you vanish like a ghost! You've got some nerve, Gideon!" Rachel's tone was filled with mock frustration.Despite her complaints, Rachel harbored complex feelings toward Gideon. She was still in awe of the man who single-handedly stormed the Yovarian Guild headquarters and wiped out their leaders in just one fateful night
Waverly had once been full of life and beauty, but now, she was locked away in a psychiatric facility.Rachel recognized Waverly by the silhouette even from behind. After all, she herself was one of the Beauties of Goldspire. Though she'd heard rumors of Waverly's stay in the facility, seeing it in person was different.Rachel's emotions swirled in conflict as she stood there. She remembered vividly how years ago, Gideon and Waverly were lovers on the brink of engagement. Now, Gideon was here, searching for Waverly.Was he here to rekindle their relationship?The thought stung. Rachel felt a pang of discomfort, but she quickly pushed it aside. She was a capable businesswoman who was far above petty jealousy.Gideon walked slowly toward the bed.Waverly didn't react. She sat still, her gaze vacant as she stared out the window. Her face was pale."Waverly," Gideon called softly.He knelt by her side and gently held her frail hand. "Waverly, it's me. I'm back."At his words, her
"Hm?" Pacino was taken aback.With a meaningful look, he asked, "Ms. Corthopp, what do you want to learn that for? The Hellrend Severance Technique is a vicious and sinister art. As a member of The Light Council, how could you study something like that?"Orabella smiled. "No technique is inherently good or evil. It all depends on how it's used."Pacino was no fool. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Ms. Corthopp, are you planning to strip Elara's pure-essence core?"She replied, "If the opportunity arises, I will.""For Gideon? Tsk! It seems Gideon holds quite a lot of weight in your heart." A strange smile spread across Pacino's face.Orabella asked again, "Mr. Albe, would you be willing to teach me? Consider it a favor. I'll repay you in the future."Pacino laughed and said, "Ms Corthopp, you hold a prestigious position in The Light Council. Having someone like you owe me a favor, that's a deal well worth making. I'll teach you the Hellrend Severance Technique right now.""I'd ap
They had actually suffered a setback at the hands of some snot-nosed kid. If word got out, people would die laughing."How much farther are you planning to retreat?"At that moment, Gideon stopped in his tracks, took a deep breath to steady himself, and spoke in a detached tone, "Honestly, we're not even enemies. Ivo is dead. Why make an enemy of me for his sake?"Think about the consequences of crossing me. I could just leave Bandit's Hollow, but from that moment on, none of you would ever know peace again."Pacino's face darkened. "Are you threatening me?"Gideon shook his head. "I'm simply stating a fact. Making an enemy of me over a dead man is not a wise move."Besides, I have means of dealing an irreversible blow to you all. Initially, I intended to take you by surprise, but since I've already mentioned it, let me show you. Be careful!"Gideon waved his hand, and immediately, a mist began to spread.In an instant, the hooligans were horrified. They frantically retreated.
"No!" Mea screamed hysterically.The broken blade was pulled out. Ivo's corpse collapsed to the ground like a pile of rotten flesh, making Mea dizzy, her vision going black."You're not dead! How is that possible?" Pacino was in disbelief.His aged eyes flashed with sharp light as he scrutinized Gideon, realizing that not only was Gideon alive, but his energy was still as powerful as ever, too.It was as if the past half hour inside that eerie mist hadn't affected him in the slightest.How could this be?Gideon sneered. "What? Disappointed? That mist is indeed strange, but unfortunately, it has no effect on me.""Impossible!" "Nothing is impossible. There's a lot you don't know." Gideon was full of mockery, but his face quickly turned cold. "Now, I'll give you a chance. Hand over Elara, and we can go our separate ways peacefully. Otherwise… suffer the consequences!"Pacino sneered. "Gideon, so what if you're still alive? Do you really think you can escape?""Pacino, kill him
"This eerie mist, once it invades the body, brings unspeakable disaster and doom. Some die sudden and violent deaths, while some melt into puddles of pus. Some wither away entirely."The variety of deaths is truly horrifying. If Gideon has been in that mist for half an hour, he will have already reached his limits. He's doomed," Pacino explained.Orabella said, "If the mist is so powerful, and you can control it, doesn't that make you unbeatable?""No, no, no." Pacino shook his head and explained, "We can't control the mist. But we can control that stone gate, sealing Bandit's Hollow. And once the gate is sealed, or rather, once it falls shut, the mist naturally emerges."Orabella suddenly understood.So, as long as the stone gate was opened, the mist would disappear.Pacino said, "Ms. Corthopp, are you thinking of opening the gate to dispel the mist and save Gideon? Don't even think about it."She retorted, "Aren't you after Gideon's Solar Titan Body? That's a rare treasure. If
Ivo used the last of his strength to unleash an attack, successfully blocking Orabella. In doing so, he also shattered Gideon and Orabella's final chance at negotiation."Gideon, you're as good as dead. You destroyed Moblathos. How could I not take revenge? Killing you won't be enough."Once you fall, I'll head to Goldspire and butcher every last man in the Snow family, hacking them to pieces while they're still alive. As for the women, they'll all become my cultivation furnaces, used and discarded until they die."As for Umbra… That wretched woman dared to side with you? Unforgivable! Once I obtain Elara's pure-essence core and ascend to the next level of power, I'll crush Umbra beneath my feet and make her my obedient slave!"Ivo's face twisted with malice, his sinister laughter never ceasing.Gideon had already made up his mind. Ivo had to die.Orabella retreated to Gideon's side, her expression grave. "This is bad. Escaping Bandit's Hollow won't be easy."Seeing that Gideon
Pacino's eyes darkened. He actually discarded his serpent-headed staff and engaged Gideon in hand-to-hand combat.What shocked Gideon was that Pacino's strength was terrifying. Every punch was devastatingly heavy.Most crucially, Pacino's combat skills were extraordinarily refined. Out of ten punches, he could land eight on Gideon, whereas Gideon could only land two or three in return.The difference was clear."Heh! Kid, how does it feel? You might have raw power, but you don't know how to use it. Your fighting technique is pathetic. And you think you're fit to brawl with me? What a joke!"The moment those words fell, Gideon took a heavy blow. Pain shot through his entire body, and he crashed straight into the ground.The other hooligans unleashed a flurry of deadly attacks, bombarding the massive crater."Gideon!" Orabella cried out.Just then, a brilliant light shot skyward, slicing through the hooligans' attacks.Gideon burst out of the crater, looking battered. He panted
"Go!" After throwing that punch, Gideon decisively chose to retreat. Orabella also pulled Elara along with her.Ivo lunged forward in pursuit. "Do you think you can escape? Did you even ask for my permission?""Why the hell would I ask you? Get lost!" Gideon raised his hand and slapped Ivo midair, sending him flying.Orabella struck with Ex Cathera.However, it wasn't aimed at Ivo. He was nothing more than a minor obstacle. The real target was the seven hooligans chasing them down."This…""Woman, you're from The Light Council!"Orabella remained silent.The seven hooligans scowled. If The Light Council was getting involved, things were about to get troublesome."Even The Light Council has no right to act recklessly in Bandit's Hollow.""The Pope himself came here once, and he even treated us with respect. You, a mere little Episcorprie, think you can pull this off?""Hold them back!"At that moment, the seven hooligans finally unleashed their full strength.They moved lik
Blood splattered across the sky.Gideon struck again, aiming to obliterate Ivo. The sight sent Ivo into a panic, scaring him out of his wits."Stop!" Mea shouted in fury.The Hellrend Severance Technique was broken. The villains knew full well that Gideon was a ruthless force to be reckoned with. At this point, there was no way to seize the pure-essence core anymore. They had to deal with Gideon first.On the sacrificial altar, the pure-essence had also stopped its rampage and fallen into a state of calm. The condensed pure-essence energy transformed into a massive shield, wrapping itself around Elara.In the dense jungle, Orabella let out a long breath."That Ivo guy is such a waste of space. He couldn't even take a single hit. If only he had held on a little longer, the seven hooligans' Hellrend Severance Technique would have successfully stripped Elara of her pure-essence core!"Orabella felt a deep sense of regret. She was well-versed in the ways of the world. Gideon might n
"Hellrend Severance Technique… Damn, these hooligans have some seriously bizarre methods. If I could even learn a little, it would be enough to last a lifetime. But…"A trace of resentment flashed deep in Ivo's eyes. "These old bastards won't teach me a thing! It's utterly infuriating."Ivo felt disgusted, especially with Mea. To win their support, he had forced himself to roll in the sheets with her, nearly scarring himself for life.Regardless, once he became a ninth-tier peak transcendent, crushing these old farts and taking their ultimate techniques will be effortless.Ivo plotted in silence.What he didn't know was that, in the distant woods, two figures were secretly watching—Orabella and Gideon. With such a huge commotion in Bandit's Hollow, it was impossible for them not to notice and rush over."We can't wait any longer. We need to act!" Gideon was anxious.He had arrived just in time to witness this scene, but he had no idea it was the Hellrend Severance Technique. All