During the dispute, there were many unpleasant insults thrown. It almost reached the point of a physical altercation. The surrounding onlookers maintained the expected level of civility for spectators and didn't intervene to determine right or wrong. They simply enjoyed the show.However, Adrian was different from most bystanders. He liked to delve into the intricacies of such matters. While the two men argued, he quietly observed. One person was aggressive, and the other was evasive. Just by looking at their expressions, it was challenging to determine who was right or wrong.His intuition told him that the young alchemist was probably not at fault though. Perhaps an instinctive desire to protect the underdog led Adrian to think this way."Return to me all the herbs that you stole! Otherwise, I will make you compensate a hundredfold!" the robed man roared, throwing out insult after insult.A cold light flashed in his hand, and a sword emitting a chilling glow appeared. He aimed th
While speaking, Adrian kept his gaze fixed on the robed man. He was trying to discern some flaws in the robed man’s story.After the robed man finished speaking, Adrian's smile became even more pronounced. "I think things may not be as straightforward as you say. If certain people use inferior goods to frame others, then…” His tone carried a hint of ambiguity.The robed man suddenly tensed. "Are you suggesting that I’m lying?""I didn't say that." Adrian shrugged. "Until the truth comes to light, anything is possible. But, in the end, there are no impartial witnesses in this matter. You two are arguing your sides, and I don't know who's telling the truth.""What do you suggest then? This matter can't end this way," the robed man insisted.Adrian seemed to have been waiting for this response, and his smile became even more profound. He suggested, "How about the two of us have a little competition? If you win, you can demand whatever compensation you want, and I'll pay you on his be
Morok said to Adrian, "I never expected you to be so eager to seek defeat. Well then, I'll fulfill your wish.”As he spoke, he waved. In an instant, a delicate small cauldron appeared before him. He said, "I'm ready. To avoid accusations of me being unfair, let's have you decide the rules of the competition.""Sure," Adrian replied, "Don't cry over losing later!"He already had a whole plan figured out.Adrian said, "I'm too lazy to come up with complicated rules. Let's keep it simple. We'll set a time limit of one hour. During this time, you're free to make any medicinal pill. At the end of the hour, we'll judge the outcome based on the completeness of the pill and the grade of the pills. How about it?""Deal!" Morok agreed.Afraid of appearing at a disadvantage, Morok took out some herbs from his storage pouch and threw them into the cauldron. He activated his techniques and began making his pill.Adrian, on the other hand, remained unhurried. He took out some herbs he had col
"Well, I won't hold back then." Morok smiled and slowly lifted the lid of the cauldron. Just gently opening a small slit released a refreshing fragrance that wafted through the air."Wow, it smells so good. What kind of pill is this?""It's the Enchantix Nectar!"Those who recognized it exclaimed in awe. The Enchantix Nectar was a rare pill. It was known to cleanse impurities in the body, improve energy flow, and was a valuable supplement. Such pills were usually only crafted by skilled alchemists.The crowd was filled with envy and jealousy when they saw the Enchantix Nectar. When the pot was fully opened, everyone saw a single pill lying inside. A complete set of Enchantix Nectar should yield nine pills, but Morok managed to produce only one, which fell short of the expected count. But though it was just one pill, the onlookers were still in awe. Such pills were extremely rare, and most present had never even seen one, let alone produced one.Adrian was not impressed though. He
The crowd began to whisper among themselves. Even Morok noticed the peculiar fragrance emanating from Adrian's cauldron. He recognized the unique qualities of the fragrance and frowned. It was the first time he felt a sense of unease, worrying that Adrian might outmatch him.Adrian proceeded to open his cauldron fully, and the intoxicating aroma filled the surrounding air. Even the passersby in the distance could not resist the allure of the fragrance."Hehehe! What's wrong with all of you? Are you just going to indulge in the fragrance? Take a look at my pill," Adrian said as he observed the crowd lost in the scent. To him, it seemed like they were captivated by a multi-talented beauty, fixated on the person’s beauty alone and neglecting their talents.Upon hearing Adrian's words, the crowd snapped out of their trance and turned their attention to his cauldron. Inside, sat only one pill, but it was perfectly round, brightly colored, and exceptionally pretty. With a single look, eve
Adrian merely smiled at the approaching energy surge. He waved, causing his energy shield to transform into a massive vortex and swirl toward Morok, catching him off guard. As the vortex was about to engulf Morok, he squinted and retorted, "Hah! Do you think I'm a pushover? Don't underestimate me!"Morok leaped into the air, his clothes fluttering even though there was no wind. White light emanated from him and formed into waves of energy that shot toward Adrian. Noticing a faint shadow appear around Morok, Adrian frowned. The shadow resembled a white snake and emitted an ominous aura. It evidently was Morok's beast familiar.Spirit summoners like Morok could control creatures known as familiars. These creatures were formed by capturing the souls of slain beasts and then refining them into servitors.However, Adrian was unfazed by the appearance of the snake familiar. He fashioned his energy into a spear and hurled it in Morok's direction. The snake had just been manifested, and i
Despite his brutal assault, Adrian did not go for the final kill. The air blades shattered Morok's defenses and knocked him to the ground. Even with this, Morok looked battered. His clothes were torn and blood lined his mouth. The crowd was shocked by Morok's defeat, questioning how someone as formidable as him could lose."What? Morok lost? How is that possible?"Others in the crowd were equally shocked to witness Morok's defeat at Adrian’s hands. Despite the astonishment, Adrian did not flaunt his victory and said with a smile, "Morok, do you want another round? I'm ready anytime.""Why you…" Morok wished to get even with Adrian, but he knew when to draw the line. He snorted and left with a threatening remark, "Fine, I acknowledge you. Remember this, you little brat. This will not be the end!" Everyone was shocked. Morok was known for his prowess, and seeing him lose to Adrian was hard to digest. Adrian had become accustomed to such situations and thus remained composed.He lef
Vardala reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial. He then poured out a pill. It looked like a Dragon Prime Pill.Adrian took the pill and examined it closely. Soon enough, he discovered that there was indeed a problem with the pill."This isn't a Dragon Prime Pill," Adrian commented.Vardala was astonished. "It isn’t? What is it then? I followed the recipe for the Dragon Prime Pill to the T. How could it turn into something else?"Adrian continued, "Do you have any remaining ingredients from when you were making the pills? If you do, please show them to me.""Yes, I do." Vardala nodded and began searching through his belongings.After a while, he pulled out some ingredients used for making the Dragon Prime Pills and handed them over. Adrian took the ingredients and examined them closely. With just a glance, he identified a clear issue among the ingredients."These ingredients might look like those used to make Dragon Prime Pills, but there's a significant problem with
The Daemon Emperor was startled."What is happening? This power..."Formless energy was surging forward, pressuring his nerves and senses.Below, Andy and the others trembled uncontrollably."Who is it?" Finnian stared into the crimson mist.Even Andy was horrified, his gaze locked on the unfolding scene in disbelief, and asked, "What is this? What exactly is happening?" At this moment, Adrian abruptly opened his eyes.Apparently, the Daemon Emperor had once conspired with Adrian's subordinates to ambush him.However, Adrian had managed to annihilate the traitors and sealed this Daemon Emperor. Now, fate had brought them together again."If I killed you once, I can kill you again." Adrian stood tall, his white robes fluttering in the air.The Daemon Emperor was stunned into silence."This is impossible! You're not that mortal boy!""Is that so? In this life, your end has come, and so has the era of the daemons." Adrian's voice was calm yet resolute. He stretched out his han
Adrian's face hardened at the words. He despised threats above all else. While he understood what the mysterious entity desired, he couldn't yet fully comprehend its implications or find a way to counter it. His only choice was to focus on growing stronger.Within the hot spring, waves of raw, terrifying power surged and crashed violently against Adrian's body.The force, though beneficial, was brutal and overwhelming. Adrian's body struggled to endure, cracking as though it were disintegrating."Arghhh!"A heart-wrenching scream echoed as Adrian's flesh was torn apart and his aura gradually dimmed."Ahhh!"His agonized cries echoed once more. He could no longer withstand the pain.In the distance, a towering figure appeared and sneered. "What's this? Can't take it anymore? Pathetic. Humans are truly the epitome of stupidity."Suddenly, Adrian erupted with an explosive surge of energy, and in that instant, he broke through to the pinnacle of the Void Stage."Hmm? He actually b
At that moment, the crowd was speechless.Adrian had ascended as if it were the easiest thing in the world.Faced with such a sight, no one could say much beyond admiration. Even if the Holy Son claimed Adrian had cheated, many secretly wished they could cheat the same way.Lacking Adrian's means, all they could do was envy him.Finnian chuckled. "Haha! You really caught us all by surprise, kid. Still, I'll count this as you repaying me a favor."For Finnian, the outcome couldn't have been better. With a broad smile, he seemed to have achieved his desired result. Adrian's successful climb was all that mattered to him.Once Adrian had vanished, the focus shifted to the rest of the group and their trials.When Adrian opened his eyes again, his entire body ached, but an oddly comforting sensation flowed through him. Surveying his surroundings, he realized he was now in a pond."Where am I?" he asked.Though uncertain about the place, Adrian knew he had cleared the trial and arriv
The onlookers stared in bewilderment, their faces etched with confusion as they struggled to grasp the unfolding events.Meanwhile, Adrian seethed with barely contained rage. This wasn't his first encounter with such torment. Every few steps he ascended, another trial awaited.To Adrian, the relentless punishments felt suffocating. Yet he pressed on—this was the final stretch of the climb. "Adrian, hang in there!" Andy shouted, urging him to conquer the last step. To Andy, reaching that final step symbolized Adrian's growth. He had witnessed Adrian's remarkable resilience countless times and held unwavering faith in his potential. In Andy's eyes, Adrian was destined for greatness. Adrian's expression turned cold as he locked his gaze on the steps ahead. Determination flickered in his eyes. "If reaching the top guarantees a reward, it doesn't have to be me up there. As long as someone makes it, that's enough." With that, he shifted his focus to the void above and formed
Adrian felt as if every nerve in his body was beyond his control. A deep sense of grievance filled his heart as the divine thunder from the void relentlessly crashed down.Rage surged within him, but under the onslaught of endless forces, he felt weak and constrained.Still, he had no choice but to press forward. He knew victory was within reach if he could endure a little longer—giving up now would mean death.If he fell, the shame and humiliation would crush him.Below, the Holy Son and others waited, eager to see him fail and mock him. This left Adrian no option but to push forward, striving toward the void above and his ultimate goal.The violent forces continued to bombard him from the sky.With every step, the thunder's impact intensified tenfold. His soul, already battered from a fierce battle with a horde of beasts, now felt as though it was dragging his exhausted body forward.Anyone else would likely have succumbed to despair. After all, under such immense pressure, ev
The oppressive forces descending from the void seemed determined to halt Adrian’s ascent up the staircase.Yet he refused to yield. To him, these overwhelming challenges were merely obstacles to conquer.He pressed forward with relentless determination.Thunderbolts continued to rain down, but the ominous red light from before did not return—a relief, as he never wished to endure its crushing weight again.The memory of that light still haunted him, leaving a lingering sense of helplessness. Its suffocating pressure had drained his strength, reducing him to a gasping, powerless state.Despite the toll on his body and mind, Adrian remained singularly focused on reaching the final step. His burning desire for greater power drove him forward, unwavering and resolute.Step by step, he ascended, reaching the 95th step in what felt like an instant.Only five steps remained. His gaze locked onto the summit, and a wild glint lit his eyes. A daring idea sparked within him, consuming his
Adrian pondered his situation, his cold gaze reflecting simmering frustration. Yet deep down, he recognized that whoever had designed the staircase was far from ordinary.Creating such a formidable trial required unimaginable power.Even a pinnacle Void Stage expert—or perhaps someone of the Multiply Stage—might bow in reverence before the ladder's creator."He won't last much longer. The divine lightning in this void is utterly destructive. In moments, he'll be reduced to ashes," sneered the Holy Son, his sharp eyes gleaming with malice.To the Holy Son, Adrian's demise was inevitable. Adrian had dared to offend him, and he was certain such audacity could only lead to death.Adrian caught the Holy Son's words and cast him a frosty glare. His intent to kill was unmistakable, though now wasn't the time.The staircase was no place for personal vendettas—eliminating him here would require careful planning.He also knew the Holy Son carried seals of immense power. A reckless move co
Finnian's sharp gaze reflected a hint of admiration. "Kid, you owe me a big favor this time. You'd better treasure this opportunity."Adrian remained silent, unsure how to respond. His cold eyes revealed no emotion, though he fully grasped the challenges ahead.Fear was a luxury he couldn't afford—he'd come too far to back down now.Suddenly, a streak of red light surged from the void, hurtling toward Adrian with terrifying speed. His eyes widened in shock as the crimson beam struck him, slamming him against the staircase.Caught off guard, Adrian collapsed, sprawled helplessly on the steps.The crowd below watched in astonishment. No one had expected his seemingly indestructible body to be overwhelmed so easily.The Holy Son sneered. "Haha! It seems he's triggered some kind of taboo. Let's see how arrogant he is now!"His voice dripped with schadenfreude, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction as he relished Adrian's struggle.Despite the crushing force, Adrian refused
"What exactly is up there pulling me so strongly?" Adrian's expression hardened as he pondered the mysterious force drawing him upward.A surge of violent energy erupted across the sky, crashing down like a raging storm.Adrian advanced cautiously, each step deliberate and precise.Gone were the reckless strides of before—now he moved with steely determination, fully aware of the lurking dangers.He'd learned that the void's formidable forces seemed to target him directly, compelling him to proceed step by step. Any attempt to bypass its unseen barriers would provoke a devastating strike."Ridiculous," Adrian muttered. "If I've chosen to climb, nothing will stop me."The void's relentless power intensified.Bolts of thunder hammered down mercilessly, battering Adrian's body. Yet fear never crossed his mind.What was there to be afraid of?To him, the divine thunder wasn't an obstacle—it was a crucible, a tool to temper his body and strengthen his resolve.Despite the storm, A