Clara genuinely believed that she was the only one entitled to criticize others and that no one had the right to criticize her. She considered herself to be perfect from every possible angle.When Samantha accused her of being ignorant, Clara became furious. She fixed her gaze on Samantha and retorted, "You’re still unaware of who the ignorant one between us is. You’re simply jealous that I have a villa in Jewel Road. What do you have that can possibly compare to mine?"I have a much better life than you!" Clara boastfully declared.Clara's only aim was to demean Samantha and make her feel inferior. She could not tolerate the idea that Samantha was doing better than her. To her, Samantha would always be beneath her.Samantha could not be bothered to argue with her and said, "You know yourself best. There's no need to come here and flaunt your villa because you don't deserve it.""What? I don't deserve it?" Clara sneered. "You’re clearly envious that I live in Jewel Road. So, why a
The price of One Jewel Road was equivalent to two villas.Clara felt so embarrassed. She had just boasted about living in Jewel Road and claimed that Samantha was deeply envious of her. But now, she realized that Samantha had moved in before her, and into the most luxurious villa on the street.Envy, jealousy, and embarrassment raced through Clara's mind.The number one villa of Jewel Road was so luxurious that even Seth might not have the means to buy it.‘How can she afford to live at One Jewel Road?’ Clara stood there enviously. Her mind raced, searching for a reasonable explanation for this unexpected news. Alas, nothing came to her.Seth was also astonished. At the alumni gathering, he too had come to believe that Adrian's deed was fake. But now, standing in front of their opulent villa, he realized it was true.Clara had never felt as embarrassed as she did at that moment. Her face flushed with shame. She looked around, hoping for an explanation, but none came.Feeling emb
Adrian's words left Samantha and Joanna slightly spooked. Could something have really happened to Simon?As they thought about it more, both women shuddered. Seth's unruly temper, coupled with Clara's shameless character, made it possible that Simon was really in trouble. This was a reasonable assumption.Despite Samantha's concerns, she worriedly reprimanded Adrian for his comment, "Dear, please refrain from making these baseless claims. Simon is Mr. Danton's son, and Mr. Danton has always been kind to me and accommodated me in our collaborations."Adrian nodded, realizing he had made a casual remark and it was not something he should be too concerned about.Samantha decided not to delve into this topic any further.Shortly after, they arrived at the night market. Samantha and Joanna walked hand in hand toward a food truck, with Adrian following closely behind.When Samantha noticed Adrian trailing behind, she stopped and waited for him. As he caught up to them, Samantha extende
She turned to Samantha and said, "Come, Sam, let us toast to our friendship. And to Adrian, for being here and being able to toast with you."Samantha got to her feet as well and said, "Jojo, just so you know, I can't drink too much. I'm preparing for pregnancy.”"Pfft… You're going to have a baby?" Joanna asked in surprise as she sputtered a bit of her drink. She never imagined that her best friend would be preparing to have a child at this very moment.Samantha nodded shyly as her cheeks reddened. "Adrian and I have been married for seven years, and we're not getting any younger. My mother-in-law has been urging me to have a child, and I want to have one as soon as possible while Adrian is still here."Joanna asked, "From your tone, does that mean he has to leave soon?"Samantha looked at Adrian and smiled. "Although he’s my husband, his heart doesn’t belong to me alone. The warriors of Wyvern Peak will always be a part of him."With the outlands being in a state of high tensio
Adrian was referring to Isla Zabel.Isla may have gotten married to a hero, but her life had not been as happy as she had imagined it to be.Samantha and Joanna could tell what Adrian was trying to say, so Joanna said, “Are you saying you don’t agree with women marrying warriors like yourself? Wouldn’t that mean many warriors will end up being bachelors then?“Still, the way I see it, there are loads of women who wish to marry them.”Adrian did not object to this statement. After all, it was true that many young and naive girls desperately wanted a warrior as a partner. However, history has proven that many spouses of such heroes would end up suffering a lot more torture than not. Putting aside the fact their homes would be empty and lonely, there was a huge chance they might end up becoming widows.Adrian shook his head and said, “It’s every person’s right to dream of an ideal life, but they shouldn’t indulge themselves in something unrealistic. I’ve seen too many deaths over the
“Gloria Thompson.”“Gloria Thompson…” Samantha quietly mumbled to herself.She felt that there was something strange about the name but was not able to quite put her finger on what it was. She asked, “Where is she now? Is she still at Wyvern Peak?”Joanna butted in and said, “I knew you’ve slept with another woman. Still, it’s no big deal, and I know Sam will forgive you if you come clean.“So, tell us… Where is she? Do you still miss her?”Adrian shook his head. “She’s buried on a nameless island to the northeast of Seatum. Her tombstone is made from a pile of rock. It’s been many years since she passed. In March last year, Imperial Capital built her an official mound. They also gave her a posthumous award for her achievements and the honorary title of Valkyrie.“She created a legend for herself and all her merits are recorded in Imperial Capital’s history books. However, nobody in the world knows who she is, nor will anyone hear of her. Just like that, she was silently laid to
A sense of gloom invaded the atmosphere.Samantha never once thought that she had another friend in the world whom she had never met and that she would never be able to catch up to everything Gloria had done for Adrian.They then lost all mood to enjoy their beers, probably because of how tragically Gloria went out.Samantha seemed to be in turmoil but nobody knew what she was thinking.Even Joanna, who was usually a huge talker, remained silent.How many people would actually be able to fathom that the decent lives they were living at that moment were due to the sacrifice of others?***The dinner ended in silence.Joanna was initially planning on getting dead drunk that night but ended up leaving without even finishing her beer.The trio then returned to their villa at Jewel Road, where Rue and Juno were already asleep. Joanna took a bath and then retired to her room while Adrian and Samantha returned to theirs.Adrian lay in bed and played a game on his phone while Samanth
Adrian replied, “I did think about going to the afterlife to accompany her, but as I said, there are many things in the world that I’m unable to change. I still had all of you waiting for me back home, which is why I was ultimately able to cast away those thoughts.”“Do you still miss her?” Samantha asked in a gentle voice.“Sometimes.” Adrian nodded.Seeming to have suddenly thought of something, Samantha left Adrian’s embrace and asked, “Do you have a photo of her? I’d like to see it.”Adrian pondered for a moment before nodding once more. He then took out his bag from the closet. It was the very same bag that he had with him when he returned from Wyvern Peak. He had never opened it ever since he returned.Samantha knew about the bag’s existence but she did not dare open it up without Adrian’s permission.He placed the bag on the bed and pulled open the zip before pulling out a makeup box from within and passing it to Samantha.“This was her favorite makeup box,” Adrian said.
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