Finnley laughed. "Hah! You're quite well-informed. You even know about my brother's wedding! But you're overestimating yourself. Did you think I'm all talk because I haven't struck you in our previous encounters?" He stepped forward with eyes full of contempt. "That's only because Xena warned me. She said she'd blame me if anything happened to you—proof or not—and never give me another chance. Otherwise, you think you'd still be standing?" Felix's eyes narrowed. He had wondered why Finnley—the Walsh family's heir—had been so restrained. So, Xena had intervened."Fine! One last chance. If you can make me kneel and apologize at my brother's wedding, it's over. Otherwise, you'll write a suicide note and end it. Deal?" Suicide? Felix chuckled. "Sure. What if I back out?" Turning away, Finnley left a final threat. "Then, everyone connected to you dies. You know I can do it." After learning Finnley's identity, Felix deduced that Yvonne's fiancé had to be his brother. There was onl
Felix watched as the brute took Michelle away. He wanted to move but was paralyzed by the man's overwhelming presence. After a minute, his face darkened. "Damn it!" Even his encounter with Madam Spring had not left him feeling this powerless. If anything were to happen to Michelle, Felix wouldn't have the heart to face Karina. 30 minutes later, the bar was empty except for Felix. Andrei rushed in with a handsome young man. "Mr. Zeller." Andrei kicked the young man to the ground after speaking, trembling with rage. "Tell Mr. Zeller how you mistreated Michelle, you fool!"It was his son, Ryland. After Felix's last intervention, Andrei had warned him not to hurt Michelle or risk trouble for their entire family. Yet, here they were. Ryland looked at Felix in panic and confusion. "Dad! Mr. Zeller! I swear I didn't hurt Michelle!" Felix raised his hand to stop Andrei's beating. "Michelle was just kidnapped in front of me by a powerful martial artist. She was just a real estate a
Outside the bar, members of the Earthen Hall were waiting. Vivian had returned to the headquarters of Dragon Alliance hours ago to handle urgent matters, so these guards had been reassigned from Yardley Dining.As they drove, Theodore suddenly spoke up, "Now I remember why Meadowspring sounded familiar." "What do you mean?" Felix asked. The address the brute left was called Meadowspring, an oddly named place. "It's a branch village of the Saphira family. We need to be extremely careful." His voice alone showed how wary he was of the Saphiras."Are they that dangerous?" Theodore gave Felix a strange look, wondering how someone important enough to mobilize Dragon Alliance could be so ignorant. "Eight ancient martial arts families have survived in modern Dragonia, with one in each province's capital. We have one in Canraville, which is the Saphira family." Seeing Felix's blank look, Theodore continued, "These eight families have maintained their power for thousands of years. H
Ryland's face paled as his eyes widened. "She... She's alive?" Max grinned. "Watch your mouth, kid. How could my boss possibly have died? You disappointed her, and those who disappoint must pay." Pointing at Felix, he continued, "The original plan was to drug him and Michelle and film their affair to crush you emotionally before dealing with you physically. But he seemed to be a traditional medicine practitioner, so he noticed the drugs. We had no choice but to attack first." Ryland looked devastated. "No, I waited! She never appeared. I couldn't possibly wait forever. It's not my fault!" "Let's go," Felix cut in, knowing this wasn't the time. "Going somewhere?" Max threw a knife into the ground before Ryland. "Kill your girlfriend Michelle, and all is forgiven!"Ryland stood frozen, clearly shaken by the mention of that woman Pearly. "What if he refuses?" Felix asked. Max traced a circle in the air. "Then, you all die. This is Meadowspring's burial ground. Without the c
From that observation, Felix could tell how incredibly powerful the Saphira family had to be as one of the ancient martial arts families. Once in the car, Felix paused before saying, "Was the chief pointing at me?" Ryland was too distracted, and Michelle was still unconscious, so Theodore nodded. "Yes. He meant you." Theodore was still stunned. The village chief was practically a Martial Emperor, and he actually owed Felix his life. What other secrets did Felix hold? Felix fell silent as he recalled the scene just now. Under the torchlight, he remembered the chief had tanned skin, average height, and a small goatee. "It's him!" Felix suddenly remembered who he was. When Felix had just started studying medicine with Gerald years ago, he had found the chief unconscious while gathering herbs. The man was close to dying, and Felix's limited skills could only slow the decline. It was impossible to save him. In the end, Gerald had stepped in. He cursed Felix's do-gooder nature
After settling Michelle in, Felix headed to the living room. He hesitated for a bit before calling Karina. Max's authority over Meadowspring villagers was beyond his current powerless state. But with Michelle's safety at stake, he had no choice. Soon, the call was connected. "Felix, what's wrong?" Felix felt guilty about failing his promise. "Karina, about Michelle..." After hearing the story, Karina said, "Pearly? I don't know her, but I'll look into it. Don't worry. I'll make sure she never troubles Michelle again." She added, "Don't blame yourself. I know your situation is complicated." It was complicated indeed.…Two peaceful weeks passed. Felix continued his daily ritual of cultivating Dragonspine at Yardley Dining, undisturbed by the Elders' Council or others. True to Karina's word, the threat vanished. If not, Max would not have waited this long given his menacing attitude earlier. His only frustration was Xena. Even Alistair confirmed she had been swamped since
Was Yvonne really trying to send a reminder to Felix? It was unnecessary. He had not forgotten his promise to her at Ernest's birthday party. Though Felix would not dare claim Yvonne as his, they had been intimate, and her feelings were obvious. If he could not marry her, he could at least let her choose her own happiness instead of being controlled by Nala. They reached Aleshire at sunset. George led Felix to a nightclub. "Yartford is the political center of the country, so certain things have to be done discreetly there. But Aleshire's different. Tonight, you'll see real entertainment." Felix was not particularly interested, but he had time to kill. "The Nightowl is Aleshire's finest club. No one dares claim second place." Inside, hostesses with curvy legs lined the entrance. "Mr. Zimmerman! It's been too long!" A youthful-looking older woman approached. Her light makeup showed how confident she was about her appearance rather than courage. "Ah, Calista! Still stunning
What? Calista, who was about to tell the three hostesses to sit down, froze mid-smile. Felix's words carried an unmistakable challenge.Ryan and George exchanged knowing looks. Of all the people to clash with in Aleshire, it had to be the Walsh family. They knew Felix's true purpose here. "Do you... still want Sadie?" Chewing watermelon, Felix crossed his legs. "Yes, only Sadie. Pass a message to Mr. Walsh. If he's smart, send her over."As Calista hesitated, George's cold voice cut in, "Are you deaf or lame?" "Right away!"The manager knew her customers well. Some big shots could be managed, but others were untouchable. George and Ryan belonged to the latter category. "Do you need backup, Mr. Zeller?" George asked after Calista left, making the other girls hold their breath. In Aleshire, few dared cross the Walsh family. The girls could not believe they met people who dared to do so today."We're civilized, aren't we? But can you guess which Walsh it is?" Ryan answer
The moment the topic came up, Felix's gaze flickered, avoiding direct eye contact. No matter how you put it, even though Xena would also benefit from it, it still felt somewhat unfair. It felt that way, especially since they weren't in a relationship. If they were married or at least dating, it wouldn't be an issue at all."I'm exhausted. I need another two days to rest," he said.Billy scoffed. "I know your soul energy is depleted, but trust me. Your fatigue will disappear instantly once your souls merge. The feeling is beyond words. I'm sure you've heard from the Malevolent Phantom how irresistible Soul Binding is, even for those who've already experienced love and passion."Wait, what? Felix was speechless. It seemed that there was really no way out of it."Oh, one last thing. After you and Xena… you know, your soul energy will be completely absorbed and stored away. That means you won't have any left to wield a soul-bound weapon or use any soul attacks. Are you sure you still
There was only one explanation—Felix really could heal soul damage."Of course, I healed him. Let me rest for a bit. Wake me up when the sun comes up."Felix was utterly exhausted. Even if an S-tier Malevolent Phantom appeared beside him, he couldn't be bothered to care. If Donna had truly wanted to kill him, she would have done it long ago. There was no reason for her to wait until now.As Donna watched Felix slip into a deep sleep almost instantly, her expression grew more complex.What kind of ridiculous joke was that? Even though Leonardo was a crossbreed, his soul had already inherited the traits of a Malevolent Phantom. While it wasn't exactly the same as a true Malevolent Phantom, the essence of his soul had changed.And yet, Felix had still managed to heal him. If word of this got out, it would shake the entire Malevolent Phantom world to its core.It was like finding out that some miracle doctor could cure any disease in the human world. People would go absolutely crazy.
Leonardo's body suddenly started convulsing, and with foam spilling from his mouth, even a fool could tell something had gone wrong.Damage to the soul was entirely different from physical injuries. If one got a cut, even without treatment, their body would eventually heal on its own. However, the soul wasn't like that. Any damage was permanent and had widespread consequences. Even if just a fraction of an inch of the soul was harmed, the physical reaction could be extreme.Felix let out a long breath. "Finally got it out. It sounds easy, but doing it was incredibly difficult. Even with my soul energy, I nearly couldn't hold on."The level of precision required to make such an impossibly fine cut was beyond imagination. To do it without causing any collateral damage would require soul energy beyond comprehension.Of course, Leonardo's soul had been damaged. There was no avoiding it."At least he's alive. You've done all you could," Donna said.However, Felix just smiled. "That'
At that moment, Felix turned to Norman. "Step outside and say the lines you've rehearsed. Then, I'll take your son with me. He'll be back by dawn."Norman was beyond relieved. If Leonardo could survive, nothing else mattered.He had long anticipated this day. Living on Earth, even if it wasn't intentional, he had killed more than one person. There was no way he'd be let off the hook.In the living room, Lina was in tears, bombarding him with questions, while Steve kept sighing heavily. No one could have imagined that a once-happy family would fall apart overnight."I'm taking Leonardo for treatment. I won't say it again."Seeing the scene unfold, Felix spoke up. With Norman's cooperation, things were going more smoothly. Since he had been assured that Leonardo would return safely, there was no reason for further resistance.The situation had to be handled strictly. There was no room for defiance.Just then, Xena arrived. She had actually been in Zuera since the day before but ha
Norman looked into Felix's eyes and knew there was no room for negotiation. He lowered his head in silence.Seeing this, Felix dialed Donna's number."What's up?" she asked."I found a crossbreed.""A crossbreed? Oh, you mean a hybrid? What about it?"Felix had no choice but to ask Donna for help. No matter how he looked at it, he also wanted to protect Leonardo."This crossbreed is only three years old and seems to have inherited a soul-related trait. He just killed someone out of pure instinct."Before Felix could finish, Donna had already guessed the situation. She let out a chuckle, her tone carrying a hint of eerie amusement. "Let me guess, you want to save the kid?"Felix didn't bother denying it. "That's right. I want to know if there's a way."After a long pause, Donna's voice came through again, "There is! But I can only assist. Since he's just three years old and hasn't developed much yet, I can mark the part of his soul that drives his instincts. "You'll need to
A trace of sweetness flickered in Norman's eyes, and he couldn't help but smile."Yeah, I never imagined it, either. Me, an A-tier Malevolent Phantom, actually falling in love with a human. I'm completely, hopelessly in love."Felix froze as he hadn't expected it to be true."You probably don't believe me. No other Malevolent Phantom would, either. But it's real. I truly love Lina. After experiencing what you humans call love, I was completely consumed by it. Maybe that's why, when we were together, our souls intertwined, and that's how Leonardo was born."Norman grew emotional as he spoke."Do you understand? When I realized that Leonardo had inherited the unique traits of a Malevolent Phantom's soul, I was overjoyed beyond words."But I regretted it instantly when I remembered where we were. Because it meant that if Norman was ever discovered, he would be in danger of being killed at any moment."And now, with your arrival today, I knew that moment had come. I just didn't expe
The existence of crossbreeds was classified as top secret by headquarters. If word got out, even if the general public remained unaware, just the knowledge reaching certain members within headquarters would cause mass panic.Would you dare to question whether your partner might be a Malevolent Phantom? Would you risk wondering if your child inherited some of its traits and became a crossbreed? No one wanted to shoulder that responsibility.Take Johann and his team, for example. They had absolutely no knowledge of crossbreeds, and their resistance right now stemmed entirely from their own moral convictions."Sir!"Johann didn't dare stop Felix outright, but he raised his voice to make his stance clear. The others followed suit, not to mention Lina, who was still sobbing uncontrollably, and Steve, whose eyes were red with fury as he glared at Felix without a hint of fear."Mr. Zeller! If you're really going to take my grandson, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"Tears st
"So what?" Lina asked. "Even if I lied, what does that person's death have to do with my son?"Felix suddenly roared, "Are you telling me that when you opened the door, your son never left your sight for even a second?""I—"Lina opened her mouth but suddenly found herself at a loss for words. That instinctive hesitation was the most telling of all."Get the car ready. Take her with us. We're going to Lina's house.""Yes, sir!"The convoy arrived at a luxurious mansion in Zuera. The moment Felix and his team rushed inside, they saw Steve sitting in the living room, holding a three-year-old boy in his arms."Mr. Zeller, why are all of you here?"Lina, restrained by Felix's men, screamed in a frenzy, "Dad! Save Leonardo! They're trying to take him away!"Then, she turned to Felix, shouting in fury, "You monsters! He's just three years old, and you suspect him of murder? I'll expose you! I'll take you to court!"By the time she finished, she was sobbing uncontrollably."Mr. Zel
Even though Lina knew Felix held an unimaginably high status—so high that even Steve feared him—his continued questioning and the direction of his suspicions pushed her to the edge. The mere idea that her son might be involved sent her into a silent rage.She was a mother, and when it came to her child, she did not care who the hell the other person was."I'm just asking questions," Felix said flatly. "Just answer them. Don't make me start quoting laws and rights to get you to cooperate."His voice was so calm. For a moment, Lina wondered if she had overreacted, so she took a breath and continued.She explained, "He wasn't in the stall. It's way too small in there. I left the door cracked open so he could see me, and since I had the tether on, plus the nanny and driver waiting outside, I wasn't worried about him wandering off."Felix did not say anything right away. He stood there, clearly deep in thought.Silvercrest Restaurant might have been an upscale dining place, but it was