Xena relaxed in that instant. She'd thought Felix was secretly some powerful medical practitioner—if that were the case, she wouldn't have known how to feel about the situation. Now, the secret was out.She herself was a martial arts master, so she understood what Winston meant. "So, that's what it's like. You guys have taken the wrong path over the years, so it's no wonder your wife hasn't gotten better. Indeed, that's not something a doctor can cure. Only martial artists can do it."Winston went along with her and said, "Yes, exactly. I didn't expect Mr. Zeller to be a martial arts master at such a young age."Her gaze turned disdainful. "A master?"How could ordinary people understand the world of martial arts? Perhaps Felix had actually reached the level of a martial artist, but how powerful could he be? In her eyes, he'd only gone from being a small-town doctor to a martial artist who wasn't half bad. It didn't make him that much worthier."Where's the Miracle Card?" she as
Felix's expression became odd. Xena was quite narcissistic, wasn't she?"You're insane." He hung up, not caring how furious Xena would be over his response. He continued resting.He and Wendy arrived at the auction venue Sunrise Bids had set up near Avesburgh, which was at a farmhouse of sorts. They got out of the car and followed someone into the venue. It had to be said that things were much more convenient with Wendy around.The farmhouse looked old on the outside, but it was well decorated on the inside. The person who greeted them was a somewhat feminine-looking middle-aged man. "Long time no see, Ms. Kinsley." "Long time no see. This is Mr. Zeller, the one I mentioned to you before. Mr. Zeller, this is Louie Storm, Sunrise Bids' person in charge for Avesburgh," Wendy said.After shaking hands, Felix got down to business. "I'm sure Ms. Kinsley has already informed you of my needs. How long will it take for you guys to acquire everything?"Louie chuckled. "I wouldn't dare
Hugo wasn't someone in the medical field, but he needed to get Bluesand to give it to Xander. His grandfather had ordered him to do so. After all, Xander was one of Dragonia's top ten healers. It went without saying why they needed to be on good terms with him.The starting price for Bluesand was 500,000 dollars, but it had now shot up to two million dollars. It had scared off a number of people, but that didn't mean everyone backed down."2.3 million dollars!""2.7 million dollars!""2.9 million dollars!"Hugo's disdain grew. He raised his hand again. "Four million dollars!"This time, no one dared to raise the bid. It was evident that Hugo had plenty of money at his disposal and wasn't afraid of spending it. There was no point in following his bid."Five million dollars."Hugo heard the voice ring out behind him, but he couldn't be bothered to see who it was. "Six million dollars."Some people's expressions shifted at that. Bluesand was only an herb. Was it really worth such
Felix found it hard to believe. After all, he'd diagnosed Curtis himself and was positive that he'd been poisoned by the Phantom Poison. Even he needed those rare herbs to help him, let alone other master healers.Still, nothing was absolute. The world was huge—who could say that they understood everything about it? Perhaps a miracle had happened. At the very least, Xena wouldn't lie about her grandfather's condition.Felix urged the driver to speed up. When he arrived at Silverwood, he hurried inside. Once Curtis gave him an answer, he wouldn't need to bother about the marriage contract anymore.He was almost reaching Xena's villa when a light breeze blew past him. Four men suddenly appeared about five yards before him—they were obviously there to stop him."What do you want?" He frowned. He was in a hurry to see Curtis and didn't want anything to be in his way."We know you won the auction for Bluesand, brat, and it's definitely still on you. Hand it over."They'd come after hi
The Menacing Four exchanged another look, and one snarled, "You think you can use us to claim credit or something? Dream on! Let's see whether you survive this!"In the next moment, the four men stood up, and they looked very weird. Their bodies were all straight as rods."Be careful." Felix didn't know what was going to happen, but he had a bad feeling and reminded Xena to be careful. However, the latter remained as disdainful as before. Her gaze turned icy.Since the Menacing Four were so stubborn, she had to take them down on the spot. But before she could do anything, the four men stretched out their arms as blood spurted from their hearts. The blood merged before shooting toward Xena.Everything had happened so suddenly, and the blood moved too quickly. Xena didn't have time to react. Oddly enough, the blood disappeared as soon as it came into contact with Xena's arm. It was as if it hadn't even existed.The Menacing Four collapsed on the ground again. This time, they were de
The scream of pain had been heartwrenching. Knowing what a powerful martial artist Xena was, it was easy to imagine how much pain she was in.When Felix darted over to her, she'd already passed out from the pain. He checked her pulse, and his gaze changed. Her heart had almost stopped beating. Was it because of that move the Menacing Four had pulled?Whatever it was, his priority was to save her. Felix didn't want to be a doctor who could save the world, but now that this had happened before his very eyes, he couldn't allow Xena to die just like that.After over ten minutes, he exhaled deeply. "You're lucky you met me!"The move the Menacing Four had pulled was indescribably evil—the blood they'd spurted out had somehow enveloped Xena's heart. She would've been doomed if Felix had been just a minute later. In hindsight, how could they possibly have used their lives to pull such a dumb move?Felix had already laid Xena down on the couch. As he looked at her, he couldn't help feelin
"Don't worry. I'm here." Jordan couldn't tell what was wrong with Xena, but he could make her heartbeat return to normal. With his skills, it was a small matter.About half an hour later, Xena woke up. "I…"She was surprised when she saw Belle and Jordan. "Joe? What are you doing in my house?"Belle hurriedly explained, "I can't imagine what would've happened to you if not for Jordan being here, milady. Who knows what would've happened if we hadn't saved you in time?"Xena's expression turned ugly at Belle's words. She suddenly recalled what had happened—the Menacing Four's last move had been powerful enough to harm her. If she had to describe how she'd felt, she would say the pain was literally heart-wrenching.Damn that Felix! Xena silently cursed him, her hatred for him surging. He might not have been able to help with his meager medical skills, but couldn't he have called an ambulance? She couldn't believe he'd left as if nothing was wrong with her. He'd left her to die!"T
Wendy's expression became odd on the other end of the line. This was her first time being asked to do something like this. "How would you guys like me to prove myself?"She didn't know what else to say. In fact, she found the whole thing outrageous. How was she going to prove she was herself?In the next second, Sasha burst into laughter. "You really are the most shameless person I've ever met, Felix! You were worried we would ask you about this as soon as you got back, so you found an actress to put this show on with you, didn't you?"Nattie's expression became uglier. "You've really bought yourself a one-way ticket to hell now. I have to kick you out today!"Just then, Warren appeared. Felix immediately hung up because he knew he could finally go to sleep. There was no need to continue arguing with Nattie and Sasha. Even though he'd already decided not to expose anything before Sasha, sometimes, he just had no choice but to do so."Why are you guys just standing there?" Warren
"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