Yet, this was his first time encountering people who indulged in such a high degree of self-glorification.The Cowells were useless and yet were completely unaware of it. They even described themselves as if they were exceptional.Liam could tell from the Cowells’ words that all of them combined would be inferior to Samantha. She was the most outstanding of Channing’s grandchildren.Meanwhile, June prepared a cup of coffee for Liam. He took a sip and said, “So, you’re all here to tell me that you’ve kicked Samantha out of Bailar and the company belongs to you now?”“That’s right.” Violet nodded. “Samantha isn’t capable of managing such a huge business. She’s the worst of all my grandchildren.”Clara, Francis, and the others expressed their pride when Violet praised them.However, Liam said, “Violet, if Samantha is useless, why did Bailar suddenly make enormous progress two years ago? In fact, under her management, the company is on the verge of becoming a listed company.“Afterw
The Cowells blushed in shame as they were confronted by Liam’s unexpected inquiry.Violet’s face was scarlet in color. She claimed that Samantha had failed to pay back the money she owed and had pledged her company. Yet now, Liam had exposed her lie.Francis, Clara, and the others expressed their embarrassment too.Noticing that the Cowells had gone quiet, Liam smiled and said, “Judging by your expressions, I believe that I’m right about this.“Madam Violet, I’m not trying to criticize you. Mr. Channing has plenty of grandchildren, but the vast majority of them are useless. Samantha is the only Cowell who inherited Channing’s capabilities.”Liam shook his head. Any person with discerning eyes could see this.Violet was displeased by Liam’s remark and said, “Liam, this is our family’s private affair. Why are you meddling with other’s family affairs? Which one of my grandchildren is less capable than Samantha?”Francis said, “She’s right. Any of us is far more capable than her. To
Immediately following Liam’s orders, someone went up to slap Francis in the face, leaving the latter with a deep bruise.The Cowells were shocked, while Francis began to tear up like a child. In a panic, he said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Liam! Please forgive me!”Liam ignored his pleas and had his subordinate slap Francis another nineteen more times, creating an even bigger bruise on his face.“Get them out of here.”“We’ll give you ten seconds to get out of here. Otherwise, we’ll throw you out,” one of the bodyguards warned.None of the Cowells dared to stay any longer. All of them rushed out of Liam’s office immediately. Never did it cross their minds that something like this would happen. Even Violet herself was left speechless.At first, they were confident that they had become very important people. Alas, Nine Kings proved them wrong by terminating the contract with Bailar.Right at that moment, Violet received two phone calls—both from the newly-appointed management staff she had p
Samantha had prepared a small gift for Cassey that was worth about three hundred dollars.The gift was considered to be a very significant one, especially when Samantha’s financial status was below standards.Cassey simply smiled and said, “You didn’t have to prepare me a gift. I’m happy enough that you’re here.”Cassey accepted the gift and passed it to Mario. “This is a gift from Sam, Mario. Could you please take care of it for me?”Mario smiled and hurled the gift into the trash bin without even looking at its contents, leaving Samantha stunned.She thought Cassey would come up with all sorts of ways to try and gain her attention, so she had not expected Mario to throw away her gift so casually.Next to her, Adrian was frowning away. He already knew that Mario was a downright *sshole the moment he threw their gift away.Cassey pulled at Samantha’s hand and said, “Come on. Let’s go inside. All of our classmates are already here.”Samantha allowed Cassey to pull her along with
Seeing Samantha frown, Cassey said, “Come on. Can’t you show Sam a modicum of respect, Dickson? Go take your seats, everyone.”And with that, everyone took their seats.Samantha remained silent the whole time and was just about to find a place to sit when Mario suddenly walked over and announced, “Everyone, there are some rules to your seating arrangements today. I had a few tables prepared for our former classmates who are doing quite well, you see.“Those with a net worth of a hundred and fifty thousand dollars will sit here while those with seventy thousand dollars or below will sit on the other table over there.“As for the poor peasants, well… They’ll have to sit at the table by the corner.”Mario pointed at a table in the corner of the hall, which was not only really small but also extremely short. It was no more than a few inches tall. Anyone who sat there would still find it too short even if they were to sit on the floor.Many of their former classmates began laughing ou
Everyone was left flabbergasted by Adrian’s statement while Dickson and Mario looked at each other.Samantha too looked at Adrian in confusion, not understanding what he had just said.Everyone took a moment to process his words, and what followed was a huge round of laughter. They laughed so hard that they started tearing up.Mario even pointed at Adrian while laughing and said, “Hahaha! Did he just call us all poor little sh*ts? Does he have a few screws loose? How could we possibly be poor when we’ve got so much wealth?”“Bzzt, bzzt, bzzt…!”Mario’s phone instantly started ringing after he said that.Cassey said, “Your phone’s ringing, Mario.”With a nod, Mario fished it. He felt curious when he saw who it was. “It’s my father… Isn’t he here welcoming his friends and family?”“He must be looking for you for something important,” Cassey said.Mario knew something important had indeed happened, so he answered and said, “Yes, Father? Why are you—”“Where are you, you little r
Meanwhile, Cassey stood frozen to the spot as she watched her friends and relatives leave the venue.Dickson and the others were all shocked, still unable to apprehend what had just happened.This included Samantha, who looked at Adrian for a while before turning to look at Cassey.At that moment, Dickson let out a sigh and shook his head. “I’m sure Mario has somehow offended a very important person due to his arrogance. It caused the Pykes to go bankrupt.“I, on the other hand, am quite confident in my good character, so I’m safe.”Hearing this, Adrian smiled and said, “You seem really confident in yourself, Dickson. However, I’m willing to bet you’re going to end up exactly like Mario in less than a minute. Your father will be calling you very soon too.”“Hahaha!” Dickson let off a hearty laugh. “Do you think you’re the one who caused the Pykes to go bankrupt? You just got f*cking lucky back there. You dare to say my father will call me?”Dickson was filled with endless confid
None of them were able to utter a single word.Just a moment ago, they were all boasting about how they had a net worth of either a hundred and fifty thousand dollars or even seventy thousand dollars. But now, both Mario and Dickson had been plunged into bankruptcy.Most importantly, Cassey’s wedding had to be canceled since the Pykes could not afford to pay the hotel for their wedding.The entire place fell into an awkward silence as every single one of Samantha’s former classmates’ faces turned red. This was especially true for Cassey, who could only look at Adrian like a fool.Amidst their silence, Adrian slowly sat on the sofa and said, “Does anyone else have a net worth of a hundred and fifty thousand dollars? Hmm?”Everyone felt a chill run down their spine, not daring to utter a single word.Adrian found this laughable and continued, “You guys were all flaunting your wealth earlier, so why the sudden silence? Are you all chickening out already? Where did all that gusto go?
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
The beast vanished from the sky without a final scream, its demise sudden and gruesome. The sight left everyone stunned and bewildered.The remaining beast roared in fury, its blood-red eyes blazing with rage and emitting a palpable aura of terror.Crimson light pulsed from its massive claws, spreading an ominous glow.The beast's deafening cries filled the air.Alarmed, Adrian muttered, "Damn it! It's going for mutual destruction!"The beast was preparing to self-destruct—unleashing its full power would annihilate the entire small world.Realizing the impending disaster, Adrian turned and fled, reinforcing his protective barrier as he raced away. He had no other choice. The beast's self-destruction was inevitable, beyond anything he could stop.As he sped into the distance, Adrian felt the beast's furious intent pursuing him. Amid its wrath, faint echoes of despair and unwillingness seemed to resonate.A blinding red light erupted from the beast, shooting skyward and staining
As Adrian battled on, a wave of blood-red energy spread across the sky, forming an enormous formation.With a cold smile, Adrian's eyes glinted with icy resolve. The blood-red energy in his hand trembled and expanded.The chaotic power erupted, and everything fell into place. All that remained was the final spark.Adrian sneered as he faced the two approaching beasts. His cold voice echoed. "It's my turn now."At that, the world seemed to fall silent.The two beasts found themselves trapped within the vast blood-red formation, which loomed overhead like a colossal barrier.Adrian remained calm and composed, drifting into the void as he observed the beasts. "I don't know who's behind this, but let me make it clear: don't push your luck."No sooner had the words left his mouth than Adrian waved his hand, releasing an overwhelming pressure. A series of blood-red divine lightning bolts shot toward the two beasts, crashing into their bodies with devastating force.The divine lightni
Adrian appeared almost insane, with each of his reckless attacks sending shockwaves of terrifying power through the air.The Soul Devouring Sword in his hand resembled a blood-red instrument of slaughter, painting the world with its violent energy.Each strike seemed to amplify Adrian's emotions. Though the beasts at the peak of the Void Stage were formidable, they would never force Adrian to submit.Even if he had to die lying down, he would never kneel to survive. The blood-red power he wielded radiated outward, illuminating everything in its path.Violent surges of power rampaged across the area, each one seemingly capable of shattering the very fabric of existence.Adrian exuded a terrifying, unyielding aura. The coldness and killing intent in his gaze revealed that he had no choice but to slay these two beasts. If he didn't, he would never escape this place.Adrian understood that the celestial ladder was testing him, and only by overcoming it could he gain the strength to b
Suspended in the void, Adrian watched as three ferocious beasts charged toward him.It seemed they had received a command, their eyes burning with murderous intent. Determined to kill him on the spot, they closed in.Adrian couldn't help but wonder what he had gotten himself into.Why had he insisted on climbing this celestial ladder? Entering here felt like a death wish.At that moment, helplessness filled him. He hadn't anticipated these demonic beasts would be so formidable. There was no way he could fight them.But regret was futile now. He was already inside.Adrian had no choice but to face the inevitable. His only option was to fight for survival, even if that meant death in this strange space."Hmph! You want me dead? It won't be that easy," Adrian remarked coldly. "If I've stirred up these monstrous creatures, then I'll show some respect. Let's see who's stronger."Without hesitation, Adrian hurled a punch toward the Red Feather Divine Bird, targeting the weakest oppon
What had initially appeared to be a dense swarm of beasts now seemed far less daunting.Adrian smiled slightly, satisfied. This was the result he had hoped for.At that moment, the Soul Devouring Sword glowed even more intensely.Adrian smiled faintly again. The sword was growing stronger, and that worked in his favor.He let out a cold chuckle. "Now, let's see what can stop me."As his words fell, a powerful, terrifying roar reverberated in the distance.A violent sound, full of rage, tore through the air. It seemed an even more fearsome beast was approaching.Adrian's eyes gleamed coldly as he sensed the change.From the distant horizon, a massive creature emerged from the void.It was an ancient beast—a bird, to be precise.Adrian's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected it to be an ancient beast, let alone one as powerful as the Red Feather Divine Bird.The bird's greatest strength lay in its wings, forged from mystic iron. A single blow from those wings could infl
As soon as Adrian spoke, he made his move. The terrifying beast at the peak of the Void Stage posed a serious challenge.Adrian, currently an intermediate Void Stage warrion, faced a formidable opponent in the beast's immense size and power.Without any command from Adrian, the Soul Devouring Sword charged into the swarm of beasts, cutting down everything in its path with ruthless ferocity.Each time Adrian killed a beast, the sword rapidly consumed its blood and soul energy.In the blink of an eye, Adrian and his sword wreaked havoc across the battlefield, showing no signs of slowing down.Despite the bloodthirsty beasts surrounding him, Adrian remained calm.His fierce struggle only intensified their madness, and they relentlessly tried to kill him. It was clear they wouldn't stop until Adrian was destroyed.The battle had become frenzied.Adrian's movements grew faster and fiercer, while the air around him shook violently, as if the world itself quaked under the battle's int