"Sir!" Lysander burst into the room with urgent news. "There's a massive force moving in Goldspire tonight. Two well-coordinated groups, and they're clearly targeting someone.""Oh, really?"Gideon leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled thoughtfully. "Hmm… could be the Farrell family," he mused. "But no… They are more likely from the Yelverton family from Drammore. Yovarian Guild's destruction must have enraged them. They wouldn't let it slide. "By now, their forces would've arrived, and splitting into two teams sounds like their style—especially if they're gunning for Leopold and Nino."Gideon wasted no time and summoned Drake.Moments later, the cloaked figure entered, his demeanor more respectful than usual. "Sir, what do you need?""No more grunt work for you tonight." Gideon smirked. "I've got something much more interesting. You'll be coordinating with Lysander on this. He's the deputy leader of the Cipher. Lysander, meet the King of Venom—the undisputed mast
The four thousand elite soldiers of the Yelverton family had endured a nightmare. First, the poison mist left them debilitated. Then, came the venomous insects, whose bites brought chaos and suffering. Their combat strength had been severely drained."Now's the time to charge," Leopold declared."Take it slow." Drake held up a hand, his expression calm and confident. "Give it a few more minutes. The venom from the bites needs time to fully kick in."Ten minutes later, the battlefield echoed with screams of agony. The effects were gruesome. Some soldiers' skin turned black as their bodies stiffened, blood seeping from their eyes, noses, and mouths. Others emitted a putrid stench as their flesh began to rot. A few simply dropped dead where they stood, their hearts stopping without warning.The most horrifying cases were those who succumbed to madness. Poisoned and delirious, they turned on their comrades, attacking with frenzied violence."This is… monstrous," Leopold mutter
Ellis felt a chill run down his spine. A deep, primal sense of danger gripped him as he faced the cloaked figure before him. This man in a black robe radiated an air of death."Who… Who are you?" Ellis demanded, his voice trembling.Drake's lips curled into a condescending smile. "You're not worthy of knowing my name. Show me your strength, you little kid.""Have it your way!" Ellis wasted no time. His bulging muscles tensed, veins popping as he channeled all his might into a ferocious punch aimed at Drake's head."Watch out!" Leopold shouted from the sidelines.But Drake didn't flinch. With an almost lazy motion, he raised a hand and deflected the punch effortlessly, redirecting its force into nothingness."Are you using softness to counter hardness?" He sneered, his lips curling into a predatory grin. "That's your trick? Let's see how long that works. Power always trumps finesse!"Ellis lunged again, this time with even more ferocity. But once again, Drake neutralized the bl
"Mr. Yelverton, we've lost all contact with Ellis!" "What?" Harry's face darkened. The ominous feeling in his gut was now an unbearable weight. "Send out search teams. Find him." "Understood!" An hour later, his bodyguard returned, visibly shaken. "Mr. Yelverton, we couldn't find them. Not Ellis, and not even the eight thousand soldiers. It's like they vanished into thin air.""That's impossible!" Harry's voice thundered, his disbelief painted across his face. "Mr. Yelverton, there's chatter in the underworld about a major battle tonight. It could have involved our forces against Leopold's and Nino's men, but there's no confirmation. What's certain is that none of our men returned, and no messages were sent. It's… unsettling.""'Unsettling'?" Harry's frustration boiled over. "This is beyond unsettling! Eight thousand elite soldiers gone without a trace!""Mr. Yelverton, Goldspire is far more complicated than we anticipated. For your safety, I recommend you return to Drammo
"Such an eyesore," Marion muttered under her breath as the family gathered in the living room.Arnold cleared his throat and addressed Gideon, "Gideon, I called you back because we're expecting guests soon—Marion's sister, Maisy, and her family.""Understood," Gideon replied with a nod.The sisterly competition wasn't new to Gideon. He knew this was another chapter in their ongoing rivalry.Marion cut in sharply, "Gideon, you overheard what I said earlier, didn't you? I suggest you quietly step aside. I'll have Matthew come over. There's no way you can compete with Maisy's son-in-law."Gideon smiled faintly. "How can you be so sure before I've even met him?""You're all talk!" Marion sneered. "Their son-in-law is a government official with real connections and a promising future. "And you? A so-called head of a failing family with a company on the brink of bankruptcy? What could you possibly bring to the table? Please enlighten me!"Gideon leaned back casually. "Even world lea
The atmosphere grew tense, with awkwardness hanging in the air. Elara didn't know how to respond. Saying Gideon was the head of a family sounded impressive, but anyone who looked deeper would discover the truth—he was leading a declining household on the brink of financial ruin. It would be mortifying.Noticing the hesitation on Elara's and Marion's faces, Maisy's spirits soared. Her instincts told her that Gideon was no match for Sebastian. Feeling smug, she couldn't help but revel in the moment.Maisy had spent her entire life competing with Marion and losing. When Marion married Arnold, the Seymour family was prosperous and prominent, making Marion's marriage a glamorous affair. In contrast, Maisy had married Kristian, who was then a lowly salesperson. Though she'd been frustrated by his lack of status, Kristian's unwavering devotion won her over, and she chose love over status.Over the years, Kristian's fortunes turned. With the help of a well-connected benefactor, he built
Sebastian set down his coffee cup, a polite smile on his face. "Mom, as a matter of fact, I do have two friends here in Goldspire."One is in the business world and runs a sizable company. The other comes from a powerful underworld family and is the heir to a prominent faction."His words instantly elevated the room's atmosphere. Maisy and Kristian beamed with pride. Sebastian's connections bolstered their social standing, after all. Even Arnold couldn't help but feel impressed—Sebastian truly lived up to his reputation, rubbing shoulders with the elite from both business and underground circles.Meanwhile, Marion seethed silently, her frustration aimed squarely at Gideon. She could barely contain her disdain for Gideon, who had embarrassed her to no end. Her anger boiled alongside Elara's. Their thoughts aligned—Gideon was dead weight. Divorce was the only option to save their family's dignity.Arnold, oblivious to the tension, praised Sebastian, "Sebastian, you're quite rem
Arnold noticed the tension brewing and quietly pulled Gideon aside. "Gideon, this doesn't look good. I think Sebastian's trying to stir up trouble. You should just leave. There's no point staying here."Gideon smiled faintly. "Dad, don't worry. I'm not so useless that I'd let them walk all over me. Besides, what's the worst they can do? Eat me alive?"Arnold sighed heavily, unsure of what to say.Moments later, a commotion sounded outside the private room. A young man's voice rang out, loud and confident, "Sebastian, I'm here!"Sebastian rose and opened the door, greeting the newcomer with a broad smile. "Dawson! It's been a while.""Sure has," Dawson Hobbs replied with a laugh. "You've been so busy lately that I didn't think I'd catch you here in Goldspire."Turning to Kyla, Dawson grinned. "And this must be your wife. Stunning, as expected! You're one lucky guy, Sebastian.""Greetings, Mr. and Mrs. Seymour and Mr. and Mrs. Morin," he added, greeting the elders in the room with
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