Arriving at the tunnel entrance, Felix glanced at Paul. "Alright. Since Holden knows the way, you don't need to come. If things get dangerous, having an extra person to protect only increases the risk."Paul understood. He had poured enormous manpower and resources into this search, yet they still had not found anything. That alone proved that ordinary means would not work, and there was always the possibility of real danger lurking below."Mr. Zeller, please… protect Holden. He's my only child."Felix gave a small nod, and Paul pulled Holden into a tight embrace as if he were sending him off to war. Holden assured Paul, "Don't worry, Dad. Mr. Zeller's with me."The underground tunnels had electric lighting, a clear sign of just how much effort had gone into this excavation. Paul had even hired guards to keep watch, ensuring no outsiders wandered in. Though the area was remote, with only vineyard workers nearby, he had not taken any chances.Felix walked forward, keeping his eyes
Holden quickly ran over. "Mr. Zeller, what do you need me to do?" Felix was still deep in thought, frowning. This was not just an adventure—it was something Francis had left for his descendants. Why would he make it difficult for them?If the goal was to ensure the survival of his bloodline, there were a few methods they needed to try first. Forcing their way in might trigger some hidden trap Francis had set, putting even Felix in danger. Despite his immense power, Felix knew better than to underestimate the most extraordinary alchemist of the Bronze Age, and caution was key.Felix said, "Here's what we'll do. I'll make a small cut on your finger and let your blood drip onto the soil." Though confused, Holden extended his hand. "Whatever you say, Mr. Zeller."After the cut was made, blood dripped onto the ground. At first, Holden did not think much of it, but seconds later, his face paled as he watched the blood vanish without a trace. It was as if the soil had swallowed the b
If it were not for Felix being there, Holden would not have had the courage to approach the stone table. As he got closer, the ancient text began to appear on the wall behind it. Holden could not read most of it. "Mr. Zeller, can you understand what this says?"Felix nodded, a smile forming on his face. "This is definitely Francis' work. It's safe, and there's no danger. The serum is in the box. Go ahead and take it. Then, drip your blood on the two statues. They'll obey your commands."Having encountered living statues in Astoria, Felix was not surprised by Francis' creations. They were likely meant to protect his descendants.Upon hearing Felix's reassurance, Holden relaxed and managed a weak smile. But just as he was about to step forward, a loud crack echoed through the chamber, startling him. "Get back!" Felix extended his right hand, pulling Holden behind him with a swift motion.The two statues began to crack, the sound growing louder as fissures spread across their surf
Holden held up a tiny transparent vial filled with a black liquid. The eerie part was that the liquid seemed to writhe and move as if it were alive. Even Felix felt uneasy looking at it, let alone Holden, who was just an ordinary person. "It should be," Felix said, trying to reassure him, though he was not entirely sure himself. "Let's take it up and show your dad first." Just as Holden was about to put the vial away, he paused. "Wait a second, Mr. Zeller. Did they even have transparent glass like this in the Bronze Age?" Felix frowned. "I'm pretty sure they didn't."To modern eyes, a transparent vial might seem ordinary. Yet, over 2000 years ago, such a thing would have been impossible in the Bronze Age. Felix continued, "Don't overthink it. Francis wasn't an ordinary man, and his creations defy logic. Besides, the text on the wall said to throw the vial away after drinking the liquid."Holden did not know that his question had sparked Felix's interest in the vial. If Franci
"Mr. Zeller, the inkstone is yours now," Paul said as he handed the inkstone over in the car. Felix smiled and replied, "Give me your account details, and I'll transfer the 100 million dollars to you. Also, if Holden doesn't change after having the baby, reach out to me. I'll return the inkstone. You can trust my integrity, right?"Paul did not hesitate for a second. "Of course, I trust you! Just the fact that you'd say that is beyond anything I could have imagined. Besides, without you, Holden would have been dead already."…Back at the hotel, Felix was too excited to sleep. He immediately placed the inkstone and the small vial on the table. But when he looked at the vial, he was stunned. He distinctly remembered Holden drinking every last drop of the black liquid two hours ago, yet now, there was a tiny amount of the liquid pooled at the bottom again."Could the black liquid regenerate itself?" Felix was thrilled by this discovery. It confirmed his suspicion that the vial wa
Felix arrived at the Rossum residence once again, where he found Paul sweating profusely, his eyes filled with worry "Mr. Zeller! I know you have connections and power. Please, you have to save Holden!" Paul was on the verge of tears, his voice trembling. After all the hardships they had endured, they had finally found the serum, only to face another crisis."Calm down first. Tell me what happened," Felix said, though he was equally frustrated. Everything had been going so smoothly, and now this? Someone had to interfere, and it left him deeply annoyed. Truthfully, Felix did not have to get involved, and Paul could have handled the land deal on his own. Then, if things went south, Felix could have stepped in later. But his conscience would not let him walk away. The Rossum family had given him enough benefits, and abandoning them now felt wrong."After we returned, Holden and I had a couple of drinks, then went to bed. I felt like I'd just fallen asleep when Holden's wife woke
Paul stood at the edge of the desert, his eyes fixed on the horizon, filled with anxiety. Zuera was a place of stark contrasts—to the east, endless vineyards stretched as far as the eye could see, while to the west, where he now stood, lay a barren desert area with uneven terrain, some spots rising as high as several dozen yards above the flat ground.The desert was home to nothing but an abandoned fertilizer factory, long shut down and left to decay. The area was desolate, with no signs of life, not even a single tree. The note specified the meeting point as this very factory, and Felix went in alone, instructing Paul to set up an airbag here. The plan was to throw Holden from a distance, ensuring he landed safely on the cushion.To be honest, Paul had initially thought Felix was joking. The idea of throwing someone that far seemed impossible, let alone ensuring they survived the fall. However, Felix had insisted it would work, so Paul had no choice but to trust him. Meanwhile
Felix glanced around, noticing two figures standing on rooftops about a hundred feet away on either side. Both were expressionless and had their eyes locked on him. They had appeared when he arrived, doing nothing but watching him intently."Two early-stage Transcendent Realm martial artists? This is your big gift for me? I thought the Eight Guardians didn't need help, and even if they did, it wouldn't be from these amateurs," Felix said, his tone mocking.Honestly, he could not see how two early-stage Transcendent Realm fighters could pose any threat to him. Even if they attacked him nonstop for three days, they would not be able to scratch him.Terrence let out a cold laugh. "Normally, the Eight Guardians wouldn't need help to deal with someone like you. But what they offered me was too good to refuse. The Ancient Sage never said outsiders couldn't be involved, so why not?" He shrugged and added, "Think of them as spectators. They won't be lifting a finger."He then gestured to
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
Specter looked calm and uneventful on the surface, as if nothing happened. However, Felix knew the truth. That strike was far worse than the one before—it had gone straight for his soul.Just as he was about to summon all his soul-bound weapons and activate spells from the Phaeron Codex to counter it, someone suddenly appeared in front of him. Yes, a person—just like that. The person had long hair flowing, no warning, no presence, and no sound. It was as if they had just teleported right in front of him, shielding him without hesitation."Hollow Soul? No way!" Felix gasped.Before he could make sense of it, he heard Specter's voice crack a little as if something shocked even him. Then, the figure turned around."Zara?" Felix blinked in disbelief. He felt like he was dreaming. That gentle smile and that familiar face—it was unmistakably her."Hi, honey." The sound of her voice, calling him the way she used to, brought Felix crashing back to reality. It finally dawned on him tha
Terrence was completely baffled. Forget the abandoned fertilizer plant—at this point, even the area surrounding it for miles had turned into a nightmare. No regular person, not even a Transcendent Realm martial artist, would dare get anywhere near it. They would be running for their lives.And yet, right now, this man who called himself Specter had shown up—calm and unbothered.At the same time, Felix also spotted Specter, and his expression instantly turned dark. He snarled, "Donna! What the hell is going on with you? Weren't you supposed to take care of Specter? So, how the hell is he back in Zuera… and how did he even find this place?"Felix did not believe for a second that Specter came just to catch up and have a friendly chat."What a shame," Specter said with a faint smirk. "I didn't think Donna's method would actually work. No—guess she just found the right person."Felix tried to stall for time. He was already injured, and even if he were at full strength, going up agains
As Terrence launched his final strike, the phantom images of a serpent, grizzly, saber, and panther flickered around him, each one adding to the overwhelming power of the attack. Even before the blow landed, Felix could feel the sheer intensity radiating from it."Your last move?" Felix frowned, sensing another wave of soul energy attacks coming his way. This time, the two streams of soul energy merged mid-air, forming a single, devastating force that descended upon him from above.Without hesitation, Felix summoned the Mountain Mover, a powerful soul-bound weapon he had recently acquired, and hurled it at the merged soul energy. At the same time, he unleashed his Dragon Punches, clashing head-on with Terrence's attack.Soul energy attacks were always faster than any martial technique, so Felix knew he had to neutralize that threat first. He remembered his fight with Bonnie, where he had not had the chance to use his martial skills because of the relentless soul energy assault. He
Everything seemed to move in slow motion, but in reality, it all happened in the blink of an eye. Felix's full set of Dragon Punches was lightning-fast, but something unexpected happened just as he was about to complete the sequence."Damn it!" Felix cursed as two waves of soul energy suddenly surged toward him from both sides, targeting his very soul. Distracted, he halted the Dragon Punches and summoned the Infinite Shield, which barely managed to block the incoming attacks. Based on his assessment, these soul energies were at least at the Iron Spirit Realm level, making them a serious threat."This isn't Terrence's doing," Felix realized. He was sure Terrence had no expertise in soul energy, so who was behind this? When he first arrived, he had scanned the area and sensed only three living beings besides Holden—Terrence and two early-stage Transcendent Realm fighters. Could it be them?Felix quickly focused his senses and was shocked to find the two early-stage Transcendent R
Felix's lips curled into a slight smirk as he launched his fists forward, moving so fast that even afterimages were hard to see. His punches collided violently with Terrence's serpent, grizzly, saber, and panther-like energy forms. The sheer force of their clash instantly reduced the entire fertilizer plant to rubble, as if it had never existed in the first place.Terrence's excitement grew, and he laughed maniacally. "This is exhilarating! No wonder the Ancient Sage has taken notice of you. Now that the warm-up's over, let's get serious."He suddenly bit his finger and muttered something under his breath. Then, the four gray energy arms surrounding him swelled in size and speed.Terrence, who had kept his real hands idle until now, finally began to move them. His power had skyrocketed, forcing Felix to bring out his Dragon Punches to keep up. "Impressive! You're actually pushing me back a bit," Terrence admitted after a few minutes, genuinely shocked by Felix's strength. As o
Felix glanced around, noticing two figures standing on rooftops about a hundred feet away on either side. Both were expressionless and had their eyes locked on him. They had appeared when he arrived, doing nothing but watching him intently."Two early-stage Transcendent Realm martial artists? This is your big gift for me? I thought the Eight Guardians didn't need help, and even if they did, it wouldn't be from these amateurs," Felix said, his tone mocking.Honestly, he could not see how two early-stage Transcendent Realm fighters could pose any threat to him. Even if they attacked him nonstop for three days, they would not be able to scratch him.Terrence let out a cold laugh. "Normally, the Eight Guardians wouldn't need help to deal with someone like you. But what they offered me was too good to refuse. The Ancient Sage never said outsiders couldn't be involved, so why not?" He shrugged and added, "Think of them as spectators. They won't be lifting a finger."He then gestured to