Dean's face shifted between emotions for a while before he finally spoke, "This is Echo Cavern we're talking about, and Dragonspine is already full of mysteries. There's no record of anyone ever escaping the cavern, so how do you expect me to predict what'll happen?"He turned to Kendrick and added, "Let's move. After what happened, the Maximus family needs to relocate immediately.""Relocate?" Kendrick frowned. "Elder, are you really that worried about Ezra?"Dean let out a cold snort. "What kind of question is that? Do you think Ezra is a pushover? We already warned him last time. "Now we've driven Felix to his death—of course, he's going to lose it. And don't forget Madam Goddard. She'll throw every resource she has into hunting us down for revenge."If I stay back, maybe I'll survive. But you guys? Not a chance." Kendrick could only grit his teeth in frustration. All this effort, all these sacrifices, only to end up on the run. If they had truly seized control of Dragonspin
As night fell over Westville, Janet stared at Nerissa in shock after hearing her story. She exclaimed, "Oh, my God! Nerissa, are you out of your mind? I know you're respectful and empathetic, but the Resonance Bell is a life-saving treasure Westley gave you—how could you just use it like that?"Before Nerissa could even respond, Janet kept going. "And you were way too reckless! I admit Felix seems like a decent guy, but you haven't even spoken to him, let alone built a relationship. You should've walked away in that situation—what if something had happened to you?"Nerissa frowned, sadness clouding her eyes. Despite having no real emotional connection with Felix and only a formal encounter between them, she already found herself mourning him. She wondered if this was what people meant by destiny."Stop it," she snapped. "I've already decided he's my man, so how could I just stand by and do nothing?"Seeing that Nerissa was upset, Janet sighed. "I get it... but he's in Echo Cavern n
Not long after, Nerissa arrived at Harmony Clinic. Deborah had a feeling that something serious was indeed going on."Well, well, Ms. Xavier. This is our first official meeting," Deborah said with a smile. "Given your reputation as one of the Top Ten Menaces, I guess I should feel honored. So, what's the urgent matter?"Nerissa respectfully clasped her hands and gave a slight bow before speaking. "Madam Goddard, after returning to Westville, did you make contact with Felix?"Deborah narrowed her eyes slightly and chuckled. "Oh? Don't tell me the heiress of the Xavier family, with a fiancé already lined up, is interested in my precious apprentice? I mean, I can't blame you. He's exceptional, no matter where you put him."Deborah's affection for Felix was clear in her words and expression."Please, Madam Goddard, contact Felix first," Nerissa urged.Though still puzzled, Deborah did not sense anything unusual. She pulled out her phone and dialed Felix's number. However, the call we
Nerissa could clearly sense how deeply Deborah cared for Felix. Even though most people in Martial City would let things go for the sake of political alliances and self-interest, Deborah was not one of them."Madam Goddard, please try to stay calm," Nerissa urged gently. "Before you returned, I kept an eye on the Maximus family. They're already gone—Dean lost control and killed several people before fleeing. No one knows where they are now."Deborah clenched her teeth in rage. Of course, Dean would plan ahead, knowing full well that after driving Felix to his death, both she and Harmony Clinic would retaliate.Deborah replied, "Thank you for the information. I'll handle the rest from here."…Two days later, Deborah sat cross-legged outside Echo Cavern. Dickson and Shepherd stood silently beside her, keeping her company as she stared into the cavern's dark entrance.Ezra, the head of one of Harmony Clinic's branches, approached. He asked, "She's still not leaving, huh?""Yeah,"
In Denverville, Jared maniacally laughed as he read the latest news. "Harmony Clinic put out a massive bounty on the Maximus family!"That means Felix is dead for sure! Serves him right! Suddenly, I don't feel so bad for being punished by Dad!" "Wow, Jared, what's got you laughing like a lunatic?" A woman sauntered into the room. She was stunning, dressed in short, tight-fitting shorts that showed off her curves. The way she walked, with her hips swaying hypnotically, could steal the breath of anyone watching from behind."Oh, Joanna! Nothing major, just in a good mood."The woman was Joanna Yorker, the eldest daughter of the Yorker family, who was a dominant power in Denverville. Jared was clearly no match for her in terms of status."I'm here to ask about Nerissa. Where's the person I asked for? The deadline was three days ago. You're not usually late like this," Joanna said, her voice laced with impatience.Jared scratched the back of his head awkwardly and leaned in to w
Felix noticed that the oppressive darkness around him seemed to thin ever so slightly. It was such a subtle change that an ordinary person would not have sensed it, but with his heightened awareness, he picked up on it immediately."Finally, some progress. Let's keep going," he muttered to himself, determination flaring in his eyes.…Time passed, and three months slipped by in the outside world. The frenzy surrounding Harmony Clinic's bounty on the Maximus family began to die down. Despite the massive search effort, no one could find any trace of them. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.Rumors circulated that the Maximus family might have fled to the capital. After all, how else could they avoid being discovered by so many skilled trackers? Regardless of the speculation, Deborah's health rapidly deteriorated.The loss of her beloved apprentice, coupled with her inability to avenge him, had broken her spirit. Bern personally diagnosed her condition and could only sigh i
Felix muttered, "Let's hope this thing is worth it. Otherwise, all that suffering wasn't worth it."He sighed and looked around again before chuckling bitterly. "But how the hell do I get out of here?"Suddenly, a flash of white light illuminated the cave. A new opening appeared in the stone wall ahead, glowing softly."It's Lumen!" Felix exclaimed in shock. The light had come from Lumen, confirming its presence.He stepped through the newly formed entrance without hesitation. The moment he passed through, his vision blurred, and he instinctively shut his eyes.When he finally adjusted to the brightness and opened them again, he saw something he had not seen in what felt like an eternity—the sun."Am I really out?" Felix whispered in disbelief.Turning around, he saw the entrance to Echo Cavern. As soon as his eyes landed on it, the entrance began to collapse, sealing itself shut within moments."It looks like Echo Cavern only existed because of Lumen. Now that Lumen has merged
Nellie quickly covered her mouth. If it weren't for Felix's reminder, she might have screamed out loud.However, she soon regained her composure and demanded, "Evidence!"After all, this was a person who had been dead for over three months. Since he had reappeared via a phone call instead of in person, Nellie had every reason to be skeptical. After all, Felix had entered Echo Cavern, one of the Three Forbidden Lands—surviving that was almost impossible.Felix had anticipated this reaction, so he gave his answer without hesitation. "Back when I first arrived, Nellie, you tried to... do something to me. Does that count as evidence?"How could Nellie not believe him? That kind of thing was something only the two of them knew. No one else could possibly be aware of it.Suppressing the wave of emotions inside her, Nellie said urgently, "Then hurry back!"Even though she had a million questions, she knew this wasn't the time to ask."Nellie, I know Madam Goddard is worried about me,"
Naturally, Felix saw Dave as well. He immediately stopped his horse. The fact was that he didn't overthink the situation. "Mr. Abbott." Dave's heart was also filled with emotions as he looked at Felix. After all, the latter also cured his family of a complicated condition. "Dr. Zeller, there's nothing I can do for you except to see you off." Be that as it may, Dave knew that Felix's chances of survival were slim at best. This would be the last time he saw him in person. The Green King was actually quite pissed off at Felix. He had made it clear about what was at stake here, and yet Felix still foolishly threw his life away for a bunch of villagers. It was stupidity—plain and simple. "I appreciate it, Mr. Abbott. I'll be taking my leave now," Felix said.Joaquin, who hid in the dark, let out a sigh of relief after Dave saw Felix off. At first, he thought the Green King was actually going to intervene in this matter.Eira was also standing nearby the city gates. If Felix ha
Leandre?Felix chuckled bitterly. "Does he want me to stay away from the village as well?"Eira nodded. "That's right. Mr. Campbell has been through a lot of stuff in his life. Naturally, he could tell that Caesar didn't intend to let anyone survive. Your presence wouldn't make a difference. They're all dying."Felix had something different to say about this. "Their death is certain if I don't show up, but they will stand a chance to survive if I do."Eira sized him up solemnly. At that moment, it dawned on her that he was unexpectedly noble and heroic. People on Aquamarinus were constantly running schemes and setting each other up. Most of them cared only about themselves. Even so, someone as altruistic as Felix still existed. To drive the point home, he wasn't even doing this for his own family. "I've passed his message on. It's up to you what you want to do with it." Eira was about to leave, but something popped into her mind, and she added, "Does The Recovery Association se
A dozen villagers had been killed?Felix's face darkened. He made a careless mistake and underestimated just how far Caesar would go to avenge Justus. "Felix, the man said he'd slaughter everyone in Innswood Village if you didn't get back there!"Felix rubbed Lincoln's head and said in a comforting tone, "I'll return to the village first thing in the morning. Don't worry. I won't let anyone die."He was about to get up, but Lincoln didn't let him go. The latter lowered his head and said, "Actually, I know that the man deliberately let me out to tell you about what happened, Felix. "Eventually, I made my way here, but I did it for a selfish reason. The man is terrifyingly powerful, and I know you're not a match for him, but I truly have no other options left."Felix forced a faint smile. "You did the right thing. I'll handle it. After all, it is my responsibility to begin with."When he walked out of his room, Gras and the others were already waiting for him. "Dr. Zeller, this
Three days came and went, and Felix felt a little helpless. "Do you guys have to do this?"Ever since Caesar returned, Ginny and Ryker had been on his heels. Ryker even guarded the door during nighttime, cutting off any chances of his escape. "My dad did this for your safety. Caesar is only allowed five days in Cloud City. Just bear with it for two more days, and he'll be gone by then."Felix felt helpless. He wasn't a fool. Why would he go beyond the city walls and give Caesar the perfect opportunity to kill him?A guard ran in from the yard. "Ms. Longstone, a beggar is at the entrance, asking to see Dr. Zeller. He said his name is Lincoln."A beggar? Ginny was wondering who the person was when Felix got up and said with a smile, "He is my friend. Bring him in here."From the looks of things, Lincoln was here in Cloud City. It wasn't an impossible feat either, but it was an incredibly troublesome one. Ordinary folks like them had to stay in town and travel for over half a day
Days went by, and Felix had nearly combed through the entire Cloud City. He spent most of his time at places like restaurants and coffee shops. Regrettably, he was still no closer to finding out the Flame Monarch's fighting prowess. He couldn't get any information about souls as well. Virtually no one had talked about it.Felix was also aware that Gras was setting him up with Ginny, but she had made it clear to him that she was just patronizing Gras. So, she merely asked him to go along with it a little.After all, her dreams had never changed. She still wanted to become a martial artist, and nothing would sway her from going down that path. Things had been so quiet at The Recovery Association that it made Felix wonder if he was actually one of them. Eira had never appeared ever since the last time he saw her. Just like that, two weeks came and went. But then, someone's return to Cloud City disrupted the peace and uneventful life that was meant to go on. That day, Felix was e
The reason Edmond dared to question Felix at all was that he was holding onto that one sliver of arrogance—he assumed Felix had only cured Christopher by pure luck, just because it happened to fall under his area of expertise.Otherwise, would he have even dared speak up? Not a chance.Once the silk threads were tied and tension filled the air, Felix spoke calmly after only a short pause. "Her Grace has a mild seasonal chill. It's nothing serious. I'll prescribe her some herbal blends—she'll recover within five days. Or, if she prefers a quicker route, acupuncture will do the trick."The Green King blinked, clearly stunned by the response. "You mean you can heal her without medication?""That's right. No medicine necessary." At the same time, a soft, melodic voice floated from behind the curtain. Sydney Haye said, "My love, that sounds perfect. You know I hate taking medicine. Please, Dr. Zeller, come in and begin the treatment."...15 minutes later, Felix stepped back out in
Joaquin was on the edge of madness. He wanted nothing more than to kill Felix right there, but he didn't dare risk the entire Goldstein family just to satisfy that rage. Disobeying a royal summons meant immediate execution—there was no bluffing around it.After taking a deep breath, Joaquin forced himself to put on a smile. "Dr. Zeller, then tell me—what exactly do you need in order to head to the Green King Manor?"Felix had seen this kind of groveling far too many times before. "Gras is right outside your estate. Go talk to him. The sooner you two reach an agreement, the sooner I'll leave for the manor.""What? Gras is here?" Only now did Joaquin realize just how thoroughly he had been played. Everything had been a setup from the beginning, and he had walked straight into the trap.Time ticked by, and eventually, Gras strolled into the courtyard. He said, "Dr. Zeller, the talk went well. How's the view treating you so far?" From the smile on Gras's face, it was clear he hadn't
Not far away, Wagner silently prayed with all his might. "Come on, Felix, don't back down now. Keep acting like a hothead—because only then will you die."As for any retaliation from the Longstone family, he wasn't the least bit concerned. Things had already gone too far, and Joaquin clearly wasn't about to back down. He would definitely find a reason to escalate the fight, and if that weren't the case, Wagner wouldn't have dared tag along tonight.Maybe his prayer actually worked, because Felix shook his head. "Sorry, I came here just to cooperate with your investigation. Anything beyond that… I won't do."Just as Wagner thought Felix had sealed his fate, someone suddenly rushed in, holding something in his hand. "Mr. Goldstein! We've got trouble—Green King Manor just sent a royal summons!""What?" Joaquin's expression twisted as he snatched the letter. A summons from one of the nine Minor Kings was no small matter—when it was issued, compliance was mandatory. Ignoring it meant
In the past, no one dared provoke a family war so openly as it would've been a blatant slap in the Green King's face. But this time, the Goldsteins had the upper hand. After all, Justus was dead, and the Longstone family was a prime suspect. Hence, even if blood were shed, it could still be justified.Joaquin knew this well. He also understood that Gras would never give up Felix for the sake of the Longstones' reputation, so even forcing the standoff served his purpose.Just as the tension reached its peak and a battle was about to break out, Felix stepped forward on his own. "You're the head of the Goldsteins, right? I'll go with you."Joaquin narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected Felix to boldly step forward."Dr. Zeller, please step back," Gras said.Felix glanced at Gras and said, "Thank you for everything, sir. But the truth will speak for itself. Once the investigation is done, I'm sure they'll let me return."Gras stayed silent, but Joaquin chuckled coldly. "Return? Do you