Callum didn't take Wendy's warning seriously at all. "Let it be. It's time you both met some of the connections my father has. Maybe this will help spark some chemistry between Hugo and Wendy," he muttered confidently. He knew very well what gave Wendy her confidence—Felix's connection to Kane. But could Kane really dominate all of Avesburgh? The answer was obviously no.…Meanwhile, night had fallen at Tabiner Bay, and Wendy was sitting on the couch in Felix's villa, her face tense."What brings you here tonight?" Felix asked, genuinely curious. He knew her visit wasn't about the herbs this time."Felix, I'm sorry," she said suddenly.Her unexpected apology made him frown. "What do you mean?"For Wendy to show up personally, Felix knew it had to be something significant."It's about Hugo. I couldn't stop him, and now, he's made his move. I only just found out when my father and I went to talk with his father, Callum. Unfortunately, it didn't help. They seem to be relying on
Earlier, everyone had been at the entrance to welcome the guests.To be honest, Hugo couldn't see anything particularly special about the elderly man. He was sitting in an 80-thousand-dollar Cadillac CT6, accompanied by a middle-aged man and a beautiful woman.Unexpectedly, the elderly man was actually so formidable."I'm not sure about Mr. Holt's status, but he's undoubtedly significant. Dealing with Lord Kane should be a breeze for him. Even your grandpa said that Mr. Holt maintains ties with our family because of your great-aunt."After saying that, Callum suddenly became serious. "Have you developed feelings for that young lady?"Although Hugo didn't respond directly, his eyes spoke volumes."Keep your feelings in check! You're not in a position to touch that woman. The gap between you and her is too vast to bridge. Focus on dealing with Wendy. That plan is critical, and we cannot fail."Was it that serious?Before Hugo could process his thoughts, a Mercedes G-Wagon drove i
Seeing Callum's confidence, Kane shook his head and waved his hand, signaling Stinger and his team to release Hugo and step back."Very well, Callum. I'm curious to see what kind of backup you have to defeat me."Felix had ordered this task, and Kane needed to handle it thoroughly with no loose ends. Any hint of trouble reaching Felix would be seen as a serious dereliction of duty."Ha! You're indeed someone of great stature, Lord Kane. Your action now might help you avoid some blame."At this moment, four people emerged from the house behind them—two elderly men, a middle-aged man, and a beautiful woman."Kane, is it true that you're here to take Hugo?" Once they stopped, Callum's father, Edward Lambert, was the first to speak. His tone carried a certain air of authority."Indeed. He has crossed the wrong people. What problem could there be with me taking him away?"After saying that, Kane shifted his gaze to Ernest, who was standing next to Edward.Despite Ernest's plain appe
Felix was satisfied with this outcome. Ernest did not immediately drive Kane out because of Hugo."Felix Zeller? How dare you show up?" Hugo sneered upon seeing Felix."The Lord Kane you were so proud of will leave defeated. Do you really think you can turn things around? What a joke!"Before Hugo could continue, Callum slapped him across the face. "Shut up! This is not your place to speak."What a foolish son! With Ernest present, Hugo should be trying to make a good impression as an innocent party. His provocation only served to bring momentary pleasure and greater loss."Sir?" Ernest, recognizing Felix, immediately stepped forward to stand in front of him."Mr. Holt Senior, it's a surprise to see you again so soon," Felix greeted.Following behind, Sherlyn had a surprised expression."Are you the one with a grudge against Hugo?" Ernest, being an elder, could quickly discern the situation.Before Felix could respond, Edward was already anxious. "Do you know him, Mr. Holt Sen
Upon receiving Felix's assurance, Hugo leaped up. "No, no! Thank you, Mr. Zeller, for this opportunity. Thank you!"Hugo grasped Felix's hand with both of his, showing immense gratitude. When he realized Felix was Ernest's savior, he thought his fate was sealed. To his surprise, the situation took a dramatic turn."Are you happy with this result, Mr. Holt Senior?" Felix asked as he prepared to leave.Ernest's eyes gleamed with a brief flash of insight, and he nodded. "Yes! Perhaps life's destiny is truly preordained."Felix smiled. As expected of someone who had survived the battlefield, Ernest saw through the essence of the handshake.On their way back, Kane couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Zeller, are you really letting Hugo off the hook? Regardless of your Dragon Lord status, you could have done whatever you wanted after saving Mr. Holt Senior's life."Felix shook his head. "No, Kane. You're still too caught up in the underworld mentality and seeing things narrowly."With Mr. Holt
The sun rose. Felix had finished his morning routine and was pacing back and forth in his room.He was debating whether he should approach Warren and seek forgiveness. Hugo's troubling actions toward Warren weighed heavily on Felix's conscience.He remembered clearly from his childhood that even Matthew had said more than once that Warren had a straightforward personality and would never let himself be taken advantage of. Yet now, because of him, Warren was trampled by Hugo and didn't dare say a word.Even though Felix had already dealt with Hugo, and Hugo's time was running out, he couldn't openly acknowledge it.Just then, Kane's call came through. "Mr. Zeller, I've found out that Warren left early this morning and is at the office of Concord Bank's deputy manager."Unable to contact Warren directly, Felix had asked Kane to find out."Got it." After hanging up, Felix made up his mind and drove to Concord Bank.…Half an hour later, in the office of Concord Bank's deputy manag
Alex was terrified. He immediately shouted at Warren, "Warren! Are you out of your mind? How dare you speak to Mr. Zeller like that? You're the one who should get out!"Then, he hurried over to Felix, his attitude groveling. "I'm really sorry, Mr. Zeller. This is one of my clients. Please don't mind him."However, Felix only looked at Warren. His eyes were full of guilt. "I'm really sorry, Uncle Warren. I'll wait for you outside. I owe you an explanation."After saying this, Felix turned and walked out, leaving Alex standing there, dumbfounded.Uncle Warren? Felix, the holder of the Supreme Black Card, was addressing Warren as "Uncle Warren"? What was going on?"Humph! I'd like to see what kind of explanation you think you can give," Warren muttered.Seeing Warren head for the door, Alex quickly came to his senses and grabbed hold of him. "Warren! Y-You know Mr. Zeller? Why didn't you say so earlier?"Consider your loan approved. No, I'll get you a one-billion-dollar loan right
Before leaving, Warren added one last condition. "If you can't make this happen, publicly declare that we have nothing to do with each other. Make it a clean break, and don't come near me again."Warren mentioned the partnership on purpose. Stellar Group's visit to Avesburgh and their plan to build a city within a city in the suburbs were genuine. Everyone in the business world knew about that.However, their prestige was unmatched. Ranked tenth in Dragonia, Stellar Group was far beyond Kane's reach. For Felix, it was an impossible task.Warren's real aim was to sever ties with Felix completely to prevent any potential danger to his family in the future.Money was secondary to him. As long as he had enough to get by, it was sufficient.Having accepted the deal, Felix wasted no time and rushed to Kane's place. "Kane, have you heard of Stellar Group?"Kane nodded. "Yes, I've heard of them. They're the tenth-ranked company in Dragonia. You can probably imagine just how significant t
"Mr. Hoffman?" Felix muttered. No wonder Delilah had shown up in person."Why didn't Mr. Hoffman just call me?" he asked.Delilah shrugged, raising both hands. "Because it's not convenient. If you make one choice, I can report back and be done with it, saving everyone the time."Felix nodded, finally curious about this big choice. Then, Delilah asked, "Zara, the one with Twinshade Body, came to see you, didn't she?"That caught Felix off guard. "How do you know about that?"Delilah rolled her eyes with a little smirk. If one of her fans saw her like this, they would probably faint from the shock.She explained, "It's not like I'm psychic. Mr. Hoffman told me. Ever since you left Martial City and came back, he's had Ophelia keeping an eye on Zara the whole time, so of course he knows."Ophelia? That explained why he had not seen her around since coming back. "So, what's the choice Mr. Hoffman wants me to make? Is it really about Zara?"Delilah nodded firmly. "Exactly. Mr. Hoff
Donna said, "Felix, Specter's the kind of guy who'll stop at nothing. I'll hold back and observe for now, but if you really prove you've got what it takes, I'll act like I never even saw that woman."…Later, Zara was resting her chin in both palms with a sweet, innocent smile on her face. She hummed, "Mhm!"Felix let out a groan and rubbed his face. "Don't just say 'mhm'! Did you even understand what I just told you?"After piecing together everything Donna had said, Felix laid it all out for Zara. Since Specter could strike at any time and Zara still did not know what Malevolent Phantoms even were, he figured she needed to hear it all."Of course I understood. Relax, honey. I'm not stupid," Zara replied casually. Since she got it, Felix finally let himself relax, too. A weight lifted off his chest, and for the first time in a while, he really looked at Zara's flawless face. He thought, "Yeah—there's no way I can hold back anymore."He said, "Let's take care of something… imp
Felix finally snapped out of it. Just moments ago, Donna had looked so grim, claiming something big was about to happen. Yet now, after her whole speech, it was all about the benefits of Zara being a Hollow Soul.Donna said, "Hollow Soul has a unique trait. If consumed, it can greatly boost your chances of success.""Consumed?" That one word made Felix's face darken instantly. "Success in what exactly?"Donna had tried to be vague, but there was no way Felix did not get the implication. To put it bluntly, she was talking about eating Zara's soul."Whether you're stuck at a plateau in your cultivation, your soul is mutating, or you're trying to master powerful soul-based techniques—offensive or defensive—if it's soul-related, Hollow Soul can drastically increase your chances of success."Felix's expression shifted as something came rushing back to him. Billy had once told him that when the Mystical Explosive Orb absorbed enough soul essence to reach capacity, it could be used to re
Donna added one more thing, her tone grave, "All of S-tier Malevolent Phantoms build our defenses entirely with soul energy. You've clashed with Specter twice now—you should know this already. "So, if your wife ever charged straight at one of us, those terrifying, nearly impenetrable defenses we rely on would shatter like cheap glass in front of her. Hollow Soul breaks right through."That was when it all finally clicked for Felix. Hollow Soul was not just rare—it was a natural-born nemesis to any soul cultivator. Anyone with even a hint of alternative strength could put up a fight, but for beings like Malevolent Phantoms, who relied purely on soul energy, the only real option was to run.Moreover, Zara was not just some non-combatant with a powerful trait. She was the real deal—peak of Grandmaster Realm. With that in mind, Specter's retreat made perfect sense.He asked, "She can't sense the Hollow Soul trait herself, right?"Donna nodded. "Yeah. Unless someone actually explains
Felix urged, "What do you mean by that? Can you not talk in riddles right now?"He was practically squirming with anticipation. It was the first time he had ever seen Donna—an S-tier Malevolent Phantom—so hesitant to speak."Can I say this in front of her?" Donna asked, glancing toward Zara.Felix nodded without hesitation. If it were anyone else, maybe he would have kept them out of the conversation, but Zara was not like other people. Right now, the only thing that seemed to stir her emotions was Felix—absolutely nothing else.Seeing his response, Donna finally spoke up, "Hollow Soul can completely ignore all soul-based attacks, including soul-bound weapons.""What?" Felix stood frozen. He honestly was not sure he had heard her right. The possibility of something being immune to all soul-based attacks sounded ridiculous. And then, a memory flashed—Specter had tried to obliterate his soul, and the attack had clearly been launched. However, the moment Zara showed up, it all ju
Donna said, "Alright. I agree to your terms. And don't worry—when Malevolent Phantoms give our word, we mean it. Specter showing up like that was a complete surprise to me, too. I never imagined he'd go that far off the rails."Seeing that Felix had finally cooled down, Donna spoke again, "Take out the Mystical Explosive Orb. The imprint Specter placed on it has a time limit. If you wait too long, it'll fade."Felix thought that made sense. If anyone could just take someone else's Mystical Explosive Orb and casually absorb their soul essence, the entire system would have collapsed a long time ago. With that in mind, he pulled out the orb and gripped it in his right hand. Donna leaned forward and tapped Specter's orb against it. In an instant, a surge of soul energy shot straight into Felix's soul. The rush was just as satisfying as killing a Malevolent Phantom directly, and the amount was no joke."I'll be heading out now," Donna said, turning to leave.Felix called after her, "W
At the edge of Zuera, near the city border, Felix met with Donna. For now, he kept Zara in the car and did not ask her to step out.Felix teased, "I'm guessing S-tier Malevolent Phantoms like you are too proud to ever say 'sorry' to someone like me, huh?"Donna nodded. "This time, it was my mistake. I didn't expect Specter to be bold enough to pull something like that."To say Felix was not angry would have been a lie—he had nearly lost his life because of this. Of course, he had every right to be furious.He argued, "A mistake? Do you even realize that your so-called 'mistake' almost got my soul erased from existence? Then again, judging by how Specter behaved, "It's clear he wasn't interested in the Mystical Explosive Orb, which means you didn't lose a damn thing. You can just move on and pick your next partner like nothing happened."Donna knew she was in the wrong and did not try to reason.Felix continued, "I just don't get it! Zuera's S-tier Phantoms wouldn't let you in,
Terrence's eyes were surprisingly clear as he gave Felix a faint smile. He said, "I'm a dead man anyway, so why worry about all that? Even if I hadn't told you, I doubt you would've fallen for the trick. I could tell from the way you fought—you're too sharp for that."He looked at Felix, his gaze distant with a hint of nostalgia. He added, "Felix, I believe you're one of the few who'll truly shake the world in the days to come. Let me go in peace. If you can, cremate me. I've never liked the idea of rotting underground."Felix pressed a finger to Terrence's forehead, and the latter closed his eyes.Felix still did not dare use soul search on any of Eight Guardians—mainly because of the Ancient Sage. Just thinking back to Bonnie was proof enough that the Ancient Sage's expertise in soul techniques ran deep. There was no saying what kind of protections or traps were in place, and one misstep could backfire in ways Felix could not afford. Besides, the Guardians were not going around
Felix finally felt relaxed once they arrived in Zuera. For now, it looked like Specter was not coming back—at least not anytime soon. Still, he needed to check with Donna to know for sure.He said, "Zara, give me a minute."Right now, the priority was getting some answers out of Terrence. That mattered more than anything else. Otherwise, Felix would have already killed him instead of dragging him back here.In the hotel suite, Terrence lay half-dead on the bed, barely conscious. Yet, when Felix walked in, he actually smiled.He said calmly, "Getting killed by someone like you? Honestly, I've got no regrets. Ask whatever you want. I'll tell you what I can. But if it's something I'm not supposed to reveal, not even a soul search will get it out of me."Felix did not doubt that at all. After all, Eight Guardians served directly under the Ancient Sage—a figure whose power and methods were far beyond anything Felix could predict or afford to mess with. Especially since that exact figur