"Time sure is unforgiving. Abraham was such a stickler for rules, and yet he's having a difficult time at this age," Xavier said as he patted Abraham on the shoulder. "We've both become older, Abraham. My memory isn't what it used to be. I forgot we agreed to meet. Uh, this shop isn't the best place to discuss your friend's transfer to the Academy, is it?""She wants to transfer to the Academy?" Lily exclaimed in surprise. "She can't, Mr. Lowe Senior. Not with her abysmal grades. She's always been a student in your vocational school, hasn't she?"Many of the academics present turned to look at them. However, Xavier didn't stop Lily.Abraham, understanding the situation, felt a deep sense of resignation. He looked apologetically at Aria, for he had repeatedly assured her that everything would be alright—this wasn't the Xavier he remembered."Mr. Lowe Senior," Aria, ever perceptive, recognized the potential humiliation Abraham would face regardless of his response. To steer the conve
"It's certainly been a long time since we last met in Mr. Carver Senior's office, Mr. Watson." Xavier was trying hard to ingratiate himself with Keith, who he didn't even deign to shake his hand. Keith acknowledged Xavier with a brief glance, but Xavier remained unfazed and continued the conversation. "And what brings you here, Mr. Watson?""I'm here to pick up Mr. Lowe," Keith explained, aware of what Aria wanted him to do. He walked past Xavier and directly addressed Abraham. "Mr. Lowe Senior, Mr. Carver Senior learned about your meeting with an old friend and asked me to pick you up and drive you to the Carver residence afterward. He's been eager to see you after he left Southbury."A hush fell over the room. Keith's respectful demeanor toward Abraham was a slap in the face to Xavier, who was visibly stunned.Oswald, who'd been going on about how Aria and Abraham were lying to make themselves look good, was now flushed scarlet. Keith would deal with Xavier later. For now, Osw
Even Lily, with her exceptional acupuncture skills, couldn't heal every illness. There were bound to be times when her diagnoses were inaccurate.Xavier suspected Abraham was exaggerating Aria's abilities to facilitate her transfer to the Academy. He couldn't resist a sarcastic quip. "While I appreciate your attempt to bolster a young doctor, Abraham, there's no need to let Aria take credit for your work just to help her out.""You think I'm letting her take the credit? Mr. Watson is right here. As if I can do that!" Abraham said righteously, looking at Lily, who was trying hard to stay unnoticed, "Lily was Salome's student. She should know who treated Mr. Carver Senior."Abraham hadn't wanted to cause trouble for Lily, so he'd remained silent when he saw her. However, every word out of Lily's mouth seemed designed to sabotage Aria and paint her as incompetent. He'd had enough.He said, "Aria is the most skilled doctor in Southbury. It's baffling that her vocational background lead
Just then, a sense of unease gnawed at Cameron. Unbeknownst to him, Lily, who he thought was innocent, had publicly shamed his grandfather.…Given Abraham's stature, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to engage further. Continuing the argument would be unbecoming.Lily was confident that Abraham wouldn't continue the dispute. As a respected figure in the medical field, he took pride in his knowledge and reputation, which she leveraged against him. However, she overlooked Aria's tenacity."So, you're implying you were forced into becoming Salome's student?" Aria smirked. "Lily, I'm offering you a chance to come clean. Otherwise, the whole of Janovin Medical University Academy will learn about your association with Salome's misdeeds."Aria popped a piece of candy into her mouth. "By then, the shame won't be confined to this room. Remember, everything's on the internet. It just takes someone determined to dig it up."Lily, who was crying, suddenly got choked up. She glared at Ari
If Lily's reputation were ruined today, it would be difficult for the Layne family to continue manipulating the situation.That was why Dominic stood out. He glanced at Keith before looking at Aria. "If the Kent family did help you, you should at least show some mercy. After all, you should exercise some compassion as a doctor. You can't ruin another doctor's career just because you saved Mr. Carver Senior."Aria was sharp. The information she had gathered allowed her to recognize him.Seeing the Layne family's sudden anxiety, Aria found it amusing. "Here I was, wondering who had dared speak up for Dr. Gunther's student. It's the Laynes."Dominic's expression turned grim. "You must speak with evidence, young lady.""Lily's mother has the same surname as you," Aria said lazily. "She's already in jail for bribery. Isn't she your distant relative? Mr. Layne, don't tell me you forgot."Dominic had never met such a difficult opponent before. He narrowed his eyes and shot back, "There
Lily had always portrayed herself as an orphan in the circle. It was her way to flaunt her talent. Even when Marshall, who she introduced as a distant relative, came to find her, she maintained this façade. Marshall even managed to secure a reputable job by using Lily's name.Lily cultivated an image of a humble and polite woman, evoking pity from those around her. After all, surviving in Janovin as a young woman wasn't easy. This act convinced some of the older scholars to consider helping her.However, the truth was far from what anyone suspected. The Layne family was secretly backing her. Now, fearing entanglement with the Gunther family, the Laynes discarded Lily like she was trash. The scholars exchanged silent glances and began to distance themselves from Lily. Salome was still under investigation in Southbury. Galen, once influential in Janovin, couldn't even leave his courtyard now. The storm was far from over. The authorities were still investigating the case.A corrupt
Xavier elaborated, "Aria needs to become a peacemaker to convince the Layne family to let her off the hook. Eventually, the Carver family will tire of being indebted to her. When that happens, she'll be in a difficult position!"The scholars found merit in Xavier's argument.A scholar remarked, "Well, we need to regard her highly now. After all, she should be quite skillful to be able to save Mr. Carver Senior."Xavier disagreed. "It's just luck."Compared to Aria, Xavier was more concerned about getting his hand on the "Needle's Codex" in Lily's possession.Acquiring the book would solidify his position. After all, he witnessed Lily's inexperience during the needle insertion.However, the chances of Xavier acquiring the "Needle's Codex" seemed slim. Perhaps the Layne family had already secured it.Lost in thought, Xavier furrowed his brows.…Meanwhile, Lily's face was ashen as she hurried back to the university.She had tried calling Dominic multiple times, but he didn't pi
"Even so, it's best to avoid mentioning her and that man," Lily replied. "Public opinion is what truly matters.""I know that. I'm just saying this because it's a phone call between us," Evelyn sighed. "Her company issued a PR statement to warn people not to defame her, but the rumors online are relentless."Some media outlets are still waiting outside the hospital, eager to know if she was pregnant since she was hospitalized for so long. Even worse is that my friend's image has always been innocent and pure. She needs something to clear her tarnished name," Evelyn said, standing up straight.Evelyn quickly added, "If you can solve this, I'll reward you handsomely!"Lily, though moved, remained modest. "There's no need for a reward. I'm just helping you because of how stressed you are over it lately.""Lily, you're truly my best friend." Evelyn blew kisses at the screen. "Honestly, do you have a gift for fortune-telling? Everything you predict always comes true."Lily replied cry
They only believed others were worth helping if there was something to gain.The last time, the crow and Landon witnessed an elderly man fall. A passing student helped him up, even calling an ambulance, concerned for his well-being.However, when the elderly man's family arrived, they insisted the student stay, demanding to know if the man had fallen because he was bumped into. The student initially believed that everything would be cleared up once the old man regained consciousness.But no one expected that when the man opened his eyes, he nodded and firmly claimed that someone had indeed bumped into him, causing him to fall.As a result, the student not only lost his time but also had to prove that he wasn't responsible for the fall. The complexity of the situation was beyond imagination.They said that heaven was blind, but perhaps it wasn't—maybe heaven's eyes were open, and human actions shaped the world. Eventually, even heaven might grow disappointed.The crow flapped its
"Oh?" Landon's expression remained indifferent, clearly unconvinced by Aria's words.Her credibility with him was low. Back on the mountain, she had claimed she wasn't interested in the sect across from them, yet in the end, she still ended up in his backyard.Landon knew he shouldn't carry that kind of emotion with him, but sometimes, it was inevitable. As his past memories grew clearer, he found himself wanting her to look at him—and only him.A man like Landon was like lava flowing from a mountain—calm on the surface, but beneath, a constant simmer. His deep eyes, impeccably tailored suit, and red rosary bracelet on his wrist drew attention, projecting a cold, ascetic aura. No one could guess what he was thinking.But the truth was, someone as burdened with karma as he was couldn't escape being affected by those he cared about. Once he became attached, his possessiveness grew stronger than anyone else's.Simon could sense the change in him. Upon meeting Landon for the first t
If Percy were here, his reactions would have been even more exaggerated.Everyone in the family had a protective streak when it came to Aria. Even Stephen, who wasn't keen on seeing her marry so early, believed that a man like Landon was indeed worthy of Aria."Ms. Carver specifically mentioned to me that Mr. York's stomach handles noodles better," Stephen said warmly as he placed a bowl of chicken noodle soup in front of Landon.Aria, mid-bite of her braised pork, froze momentarily upon hearing this.Landon turned his gaze toward her, his voice calm but probing. "You specifically told Mr. Warsaw that?"Aria glanced between Stephen and Landon before nodding. "Of course, I mentioned it." Whether or not it was "specific" was up for interpretation, and she decided to let Stephen manage that narrative.A faint smile tugged at the corners of Landon's lips, and he murmured just loud enough for her to hear, "At least you still have some heart."Stephen chuckled knowingly. He understood
Aria didn't notice the subtle shift in Philip's expression. The influx of information was overwhelming, and she needed a moment to sort through it.Philip being possessed wasn't a surprise to her, but Ashton's behavior left her unsettled and full of questions."Leon, contact Ignatius and let him know you're taking me to visit the Furler family," she instructed.Philip immediately grasped her intent. He lowered his head, appearing calm, yet a shadow of unease lingered as though he was hiding something."Now or tonight?" Leon asked.Aria wanted to go right away but noticed Philip's apprehension. "Tonight is fine," she conceded.Assuming Philip was still shaken, Leon instructed, "Mr. Warsaw, arrange for Philip to get some rest."Stephen entered the room carrying a tray of tea. "Leon, no need to worry. Mr. Wagner's room has already been prepared; it's right next to yours."Turning to Aria, Stephen added, "Ms. Carver, you've been busy all day. Please, have some tea. The kitchen has
Tobias had always said Aria was a once-in-a-millennium prodigy in spiritual cultivation, but Leon's ability to effortlessly channel the power of the Five Emperor Coins was both baffling and unsettling.Although Aria had marked the coin with her imprint to serve as a protective charm for Leon, the outcome had far surpassed her expectations.Because he was her relative, Aria had attempted to deduce more about him based on his facial features, but nothing came to her.As she touched the now-charred coin, the lingering heat revealed the intensity of the force that had been exerted upon it.No one knew what exactly had happened.Aria didn't believe Leon was lying to her. He truly didn't understand these matters and had his own dreams and ambitions. Perhaps it was from his past life unless the Leon in this life had tapped into the power of the Five Emperor Coins.Ever since her experience in the manifestation, Aria had been driven by an urge to uncover more about the Carver family's
Philip added, "Aria had warned me to be careful because of my constitution. That's why I didn't reveal myself. I pretended not to notice anything. If Ignatius hadn't been hogging the bathroom, I wouldn't have had to use the restroom in the Furler residence's family hall."The strange thing was that it wasn't even very late, but there wasn't a single servant in sight at the Furler residence. It was as if they had all been deliberately sent away. I was already uneasy, but after I finished in the restroom and came out, I saw that scene."The memory of that moment was seared into Philip's mind.He had tiptoed back, heart pounding as though it might burst, terrified of being discovered.When he returned, he immediately asked Ignatius if Ashton had been acting strangely lately.Ignatius, still engrossed in his game, barely looked up. "What could be strange about my grandpa? The old man just keeps nagging me to hang out more with the Carvers boys. Do you think I'm cut out for that? Oh, r
At that moment, it felt as though something had seared his hand.Philip's eyes flickered wildly with disbelief as he stared at Leon, the one who had thrown the copper coin."How could this ordinary man—mediocre in both fortune and fate, even marked for a short life—know how to wield the power of the Five Emperor Coins?" he thought.The black mist clouding Philip's gaze retreated swiftly, recoiling in fear. He realized that the Five Emperor Coins would incinerate him beyond recovery if he lingered even a second longer.It had been years since he had endured such agony.This wasn't just any force. It was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. Not even the Dracotigris Order had delivered a power so unrelenting, so consuming. If he stayed, he wouldn't merely suffer—he would be obliterated.The Carvers weren't as straightforward as they seemed.Even someone he thought he understood, someone as seemingly inconspicuous as Leon, could wield the Five Emperor Coins.Leon, who ap
It was as if Philip had sensed a shift, a hostile energy directed at him. His neck twisted sharply, and his gaze snapped to Leon.Philip's eyes locked onto the copper coin in Leon's hand, filled with a peculiar mix of hatred and wariness. His fists clenched tightly as though restraining himself.Fergus noticed the tension immediately, his brow furrowing.Leon raised an eyebrow, unperturbed.The two brothers exchanged a glance, their silent understanding unspoken but clear.Fergus was the first to move, stepping slightly forward.Philip's expression remained unnervingly stiff, but the corners of his mouth curled into a sinister smile."Even if it's one of the Five Emperor Coins, you'd still need to know how to use it, and do you know how to use it?""One of the Five Emperor Coins?"Fergus' eyes widened slightly. For the first time, he realized the significance of the coin in Leon's hand.He had seen such items at exclusive auctions, where their rarity and historical significan
Leon found Philip's demeanor deeply unsettling.Having spent so much time by Aria's side, Leon had witnessed how she handled truly sinister situations."Fergus, I think Philip might be dangerous," he murmured.Fergus was in the middle of a meeting. He had one earbud in and was busy issuing orders in his usual concise and precise manner.Leon arrived just as Fergus finished his conversation with the marketing department head. "Inform the Norwood family that the Carvers operate with integrity. If they're unwilling to collaborate, we don't need them."Ever since Barron's urn had been unearthed, Fergus had been contemplating expanding into Ludwiten.The Carvers had originally risen to prominence in Ludwiten before relocating to the north. For Fergus, Ludwiten wasn't just strategic; it was a city he had always admired.His expertise in finance would flourish there, offering him greater opportunities. More importantly, it was a critical move for the future of Carver Group.Among the