Howard was grateful to Adrian for saving Lucy the first time. If he were an ordinary person, Howard would probably reward him with something and send him away. However, Adrian not only saved Lucy twice but was also favored by Everett. He could tell from Larissa and Marc’s flattering attitudes that they were starting to waver regarding his and Lucy's marriage. As for Lucy, she showed no interest in him. Howard had planned to marry her to infiltrate the Wainwrights and then discard her after a couple of years. He had not expected Adrian to appear at this time and thwart his plan. Larissa remained silent, sensing the underlying meaning in Howard's words.Desmond quickly interjected. "Mr. Howard, Mr. Adrian may have been the one who brought the ghost onto the ship, but the ghost truly is difficult to deal with. I encountered the ghost earlier, so I understand. I suggest we dock first. Drifting aimlessly at sea is quite dangerous." Desmond was scared since his unique skill did not af
The atmosphere in the luxurious hall seemed to have iced over, but Howard did not seem to be affected. He knew things would turn out this way, but he had wanted to put Adrian in a difficult position.However, Adrian paid them no heed. He maintained an indifferent demeanor, leaving Howard feeling exasperated. That being said, Howard was brimming with confidence. In his eyes, this was his territory, and his family was currently enjoying great success. Even if Adrian was a favorite of Everett, his family had no need to fear Adrian or Everett.The crowd exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to respond to this unexpected turn of events.Larissa glanced at Adrian and noticed he was expressionless. She turned and signaled to Marc, who saw this and stepped forward."Ladies and gentlemen, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the ghost, since Mr. Adrian has saved my daughter twice, he is my family's benefactor. Therefore, we will stand by Mr. Adrian's side,” Marc announced.It w
The upper deck passengers were all worldly-wise individuals, but those from the middle and lower decks appeared more worried. Adrian stood isolated from the crowd after dismissing those who tried to curry favor with him due to his connection to Everett. Those people caught on to his personality and realized he had no interest in socializing. Disheartened, they left as they felt like they were wasting their time. However, the Wainwrights remained determined. They stayed with Adrian for at least two hours to figure out his relationship with Everett under the guise of gratitude. Adrian occasionally responded, but never told them anything of value.After two hours, the Wainwrights started to feel hopeless when they realized they could not glean anything about Everett from Adrian. However, they did not give up entirely. After all, they knew that Adrian's strength would undoubtedly grant him significant influence on Everett. As long as they could establish a good relationship with Adria
Sammy was stunned for a moment. "Out of line? What exactly counts as out of line?" Lucy shook her head. She raised her hand and patted Sammy's head. "Just don't tell my parents about what I discuss with that guy when we get back, understood?" "But—"Sammy wanted to say something, but Lucy interrupted, "If you tell them, I'll jump into the sea again! When that happens, you and I will both suffer!”Lucy walked straight to Adrian, leaving Sammy bewildered. Although Sammy did not want to agree, she had no choice. After all, she knew that Lucy would jump into the sea if she leaked her secret.The two of them arrived at the corner where Adrian was. Lucy walked up to him and said, "Your name is Adrian, right?" "Yeah. What do you want?" Adrian responded indifferently.Lucy felt a bit dissatisfied with his indifferent attitude, but she did not dare to show her temper since she needed his help. "You saved me twice, and I haven't expressed my gratitude to you yet," she said and sat do
Lucy felt crestfallen and scowled.Adrian continued, “You know some things, but it’s far from enough. Although I saved you twice, the first time was a coincidence. The second time was because of your parents' pleading, plus I did it in Everett’s name. I did him a favor, but you don’t have a close relationship with him. So tell me, why should I continue helping you? Do you think I’m a martyr or something?" He smiled, appearing somewhat indifferent and contemptuous.Lucy knew what he was getting at. She racked her brains to find anything about the Wainwrights that might help attract Adrian’s favor to them."I’ll give you everything I have if you help my family and save me from marrying Howard. My family, The Wainwrights, will provide you with whatever you want, and we have many means to get what we want," she offered.Although Lucy thought hard, upon deeper reflection, she realized she didn't actually know much about her family's affairs. She didn't even know where their problems lay
As the night wore on, the once tumultuous hall gradually fell silent. It had been some time since Autumn, ensnared in Desmond's Vital Energy net and struck by Adrian's blade, had last made an appearance. Over two hours had passed, and exhaustion had subdued not only the upper deck but also the previously chaotic lower deck.Adrian sat quietly in a corner, resting on a stool with his back against the wall. He could sense Autumn lurking somewhere nearby, but pinpointing her exact location proved challenging. This posed the greatest obstacle; if only he could locate her, Adrian believed there might still be a chance to vanquish her with a decisive blow. Yet, despite his efforts, she eluded him. Adrian scanned the crowd, pondering if Autumn might be concealed among the people.A sudden chill then crept up behind him. “There you are,” he said.Adrian sensed that despite Autumn's spectral presence, her demeanor bore a resemblance to that of a human—or perhaps to the twisted minds of some
Although Sammy served as Lucy's maid, the two had grown up together and considered each other like sisters. Recently, Lucy had been neglecting Sammy due to her affairs, which left her feeling guilty. Seeing what had happened to Sammy sparked Lucy's anger toward Adrian. After scolding him, she knelt, straightened Sammy's disheveled clothes, and led the latter aside.Nearby, Larissa and Marc looked at Adrian with clear astonishment, while others around them also stared at him with similar expressions. Despite being upper-class nobles, many had a history of exploiting their power, particularly in their treatment of women. Yet, Adrian's shamelessness exceeded anything they had witnessed before.Howard, accompanied by a group of crew members, stepped forward and fixed Adrian with a stern stare. "I never imagined His Highness Everett's confidant to be such a man." Meanwhile, Lucy provided comfort to Sammy, who was on the verge of tears.Adrian's gaze met Howard's, and he said in a low,
"You're remarkably thick-skinned, Mr. Adrian," Howard said coldly, his intention to humiliate Adrian evident in his tone.Adrian tightened his grip on the hilt of the Divine Frost Slayer Blade. Observing this, the people around him adopted wary expressions. This guy had a record of violence. The deep scars on the rear hull of the ship served as evidence.Howard smiled and said, "Since you refuse to leave, then stay. However, the occupants of our first-class rooms hold noble status. Should any incident occur, we'll face significant trouble. I urge you to relocate to the lower-class cabin, Mr. Adrian."He then added silently in his head, ‘I'll make sure you're put in your proper place! How dare you lowly worm from the lower class steal my spotlight! Do you even comprehend whose territory you’re in?!'Howard couldn't fathom why Adrian would behave in such a manner, but everyone present had witnessed what happened. Adrian had indeed acted inappropriately toward Sammy, right here in thi
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