Chapter 457: Chapter 483 Wang Hu Confirms His Love
Xiao Hong felt that something was suspicious. She was ambiguous, certainly having committed a serious mistake. Wang Hu should not be dragged into it. Wang Hu nodded; he thought the same.
Bai Fanglan was both ashamed and angry, almost to the point of bursting with rage. But she couldn’t leave in a huff and kneeled before him, choking up, "What’s the point in discussing past events? I promise this will be the last time I trouble you. Please don’t be so heartless; consider the child we lost..."
Xiao Hong interrupted her, "Hasn’t Wang Hu compensated you? Everything has a limit. Once it’s too much, it’s fake. You’re not disabled. You’re healthy, young, and have a college education. What’s so difficult about finding a job? You simply don’t want to work hard yourself and want easy money, but how is that possible?"
"Shut up," Bai Fanglan shouted angrily, "Who asked you to mind our business? Matters between Wang Hu and me are not yours to interfere with!"
Xiao Hong slightly frowned and became silent.
Wang Hu said, "Xiao Hong is right; I won’t help you find a job. If you want to kneel, you can just keep kneeling."
After saying this, he took Xiao Hong’s hand and walked away quickly. Xiao Hong’s entire arm felt stiff, and turning back, she glanced at Bai Fanglan left crying on the spot, then at Wang Hu.
Wang Hu chuckled, "Stop looking. No matter what happens to that woman, I won’t care."
"Hmm, but you’re still holding my hand."
"Is it wrong for me to hold your hand?"
Xiao Hong blushed, "But... but you said it was fake."
"It’s real now. Can I really hold your hand now?" Wang Hu smiled as he looked at her.
Xiao Hong lowered her head, rarely shy.
Wang Hu said, "I need to ask for your forgiveness. I’ve been divorced because I was immature in handling emotions and lacked empathy, like a wooden post, which hurt some people."
"I also dated before, but we broke up due to personality differences," she was quick to say, "Those romantic things aren’t suitable for us soldiers; we’ll be a fitting pair. Don’t ask about the past, but cherish the present!"
Though Wang Hu had a cold temperament, he was quite lenient with his own, giving Xiao Hong confidence that she’d have a good life with him.
Wang Hu laughed out loud, deciding to forget the pretensions. Together, they walked hand in hand.
Thus, Xiao Hong, once just helping out, became truly involved in the relationship, though Wang Hu’s parents weren’t aware.
A few days later, Wang Hu’s father’s lung examination results came out, just a minor inflammation from excessive smoking, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. Wang resolutely banned his smoking and incidentally pressed Wang Hu to finalize the marriage plans.
Both families highly approved, hastily setting their wedding for New Year’s Day, intending to relocate quickly. Otherwise, in such a remote area, how could Xiao Hong be pregnant? The parents were worried.
Thinking it over, Wang Hu agreed; he had been away long enough.
Things were joyous in their circle, but Bai Fanglan was miserable. Pleading with Wang Hu yielded no results, so she sought out other acquaintances. However, her grandfather, now retired, led these people to be extremely perfunctory towards her. Furthermore, Bai Fanglan’s affairs had become widely known, making hospitals reject her due to her poor medical skills.
Soon after her expulsion, she was forcibly discharged and returned home, only to find Bai Chuan had prepared a purchased train ticket for her.
Infuriated to the point of liver pain, Bai Fanglan bit her lip, "Grandfather, are you really giving me no way out? Just driving me away like this?"
Bai Chuan sighed, "It’s for your own good! Staying here no longer holds any meaning. I’m getting old, truly cannot withstand the stress anymore. Don’t worry; every month when my salary comes, I’ll send you fifty bucks."
Bai Fanglan coldly laughed, standing up abruptly, "Fine! Since you dislike me so much, I’ll leave! You’ll get your wish!"
She returned to her room and slammed the door.
Bai Chuan shook his head and went to care for his great-granddaughter. The child was pitiable; Bai Fanglan never cared while working, and even now unemployed, she remained indifferent.
The next morning, Bai Chuan woke up to find Bai Fanglan’s room in disarray. Everything was thrown about, yet she was gone.
Bai Chuan was puzzled; what happened? Then on the table, he found a letter.
Bai Fanglan said she’s left, gone south to find work, aiming to return once successful. The child was left for Bai Chuan to care for temporarily. Besides her jewelry and savings, she also took four thousand bucks from Bai Chuan’s drawer.
Bai Fanglan left in a fit of anger, refusing to believe she wouldn’t succeed! She vowed to get revenge! Against everyone who looked down on her and ignored her!
Bai Chuan worried, struggling to catch his breath, almost fainting. What on earth is Bai Fanglan trying to do!
The child from the next room cried out loudly, and Bai Chuan couldn’t neglect her, so he went to take care of her. Seeing her dark, gaunt face, Bai Chuan sighed deeply too, poor child. No father, and a mother who’s always negligent.
Bai Chuan’s previous grand ambitions were wiped away, leaving him with only taking care of the child daily.
Meanwhile, Sun Chan’s situation gradually returned to calm. Yuan Bing, due to his indecency and attempt at intentional homicide at their camp, faced serious charges. Coupled with Gu Junming’s thorough investigation, a raft of Yuan Bing’s business misconducts came to light.
Including tax evasion, engineering fraud, and bribery, among others, these evidences ensured Yuan Bing likely wouldn’t come out for life. People all around talked about it extensively, mostly cursing Yuan Bing and Bai Fanglan, some discussing Sun Chan.
Zhuang Lin was jumping up and down vigorously, but her husband knew and suppressed her decisively.
Later, the camp erupted with another scandal, overshadowing this one. It turned out Liu Gang secretly wrote reports, intending to falsely accuse Gu Junming!Chapter 645
Timothy shrieked in pain and turned in the direction where the branch had come from. His eyes were filled with fury as he asked, "Who ambushed me?"
There were only trees in sight, and nobody was there. Mad and flabbergasted, Timothy knew that the attacker was strong. A person who could pierce through his palm and then a tree with a branch must be a divine grandmaster.
Hence, he hurriedly summoned his ride-Hurricane Eagle. When Hurricane Eagle arrived, he jumped on it in a hurry and escaped.
Kaitlyn sighed in relief and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your help, sir. Please step out so I can thank you in person."
Obviously, she wasn't going to receive an answer. Just then, Sebastian walked out of the forest next to her. Thinking that the hidden expert had revealed themselves, Kaitlyn twirled around and found Sebastian instead.
"It's you? Why are you still here?"
"Didn't you ask me to be your pretext? I can't leave just like that," Sebastian said.
"Aren't you afraid that I'm going to kill you?" Kaitlyn said dangerously.
Smiling, Sebastian shook his head. "You would have killed me already if you wanted to. Why did you wait until now?"
"It's because you still have some use. Once you lose your value, I'll kill you," she said coldly.
Sebastian smirked without a word. Finally, he realized that Kaitlyn was a kind person. She was tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Although she kept saying she'd kill him, she never meant it.
"I'm returning to the sect. Don't forget your promise earlier to help me find that old man within a month. If you can't do it, I swear I'll kill you," Kaitlyn uttered and left.
"Hang on," Sebastian stopped her.
"What else?" she asked, looking back at him.
"Do you know how to leave this world?" Sebastian implored.
Besides the advanced third stage technique, this was currently his other big concern. Many people were waiting for him and they must be worried since he had been missing for such a long time He must
find his way back as soon as
possible.
s
"Leave this world?" Confusion was written all over Kaitlyn's face. "I have no idea
what you're talking about. I'm going now if there's nothing else."
Sebastian nodded and left the spot as well because he could sense people heading this way at a high speed. They must be the experts from Netherworld Sect who had heard squads of the fight from earlier. s
He planned to make a trip to Holton and find out from a few more people about ways to leave this world.
Unbeknownst to him, a young man was leading a group of people to Jenna's house. His name was Sean Knott, Martin's nephew and Heather's cousin.
With a loud bang, Sean kicked and broke the wooden door before marching into the yard aggressively. "Sebastian Wilder, get out here!"
Jenna and Fressia rushed out after hearing the commotion. "Who are you?"
Sean's mouth opened to say something, but he suddenly saw Fressia and was smitten by her beauty. "What a gorgeous woman! Are you Sebastian Wilder's wife?"
"Yes. Do you know my husband?" Fressia asked.
"Damn it. That bastard is really lucky to marry such a beautiful woman." Sean's face was full of jealousy. "Where's SebastianChapter 646
Upon Sean's command, a group of hitmen charged at Jenna and Fressia. One of them kicked Jenna so hard that he broke her legs, then they rained punches and kicks on her.
"Jenna! Stop it!" Fressia wanted to save Jenna, but she was helpless and couldn't even save herself.
A few men dragged her into the house. Despite having cultivation, she didn't know how to put it to good use.
"Remove all her clothes! I'll be the first, and the rest of you can queue up after me." Sean was losing patience, starting to undress after stepping into the house.
Fressia was so scared that she turned pale. She pleaded with them miserably, but they had no compassion at all. Instead, they were even more excited.
Lying in the yard, Jenna didn't even have the strength to get up. Besides cursing loudly, there was nothing else she could do.
Although the neighbors heard the commotion, they didn't dare to stick their noses into this because someone recognized that these people were from the Knott Estate.
...
Holton was a bustling city, and the streets were full of people. Suddenly,
hoofbeats echoed from the front. It turned out that a carriage was out of control, rampaging on the street. Terrified, the pedestrians jumped out of the way in panic.
Sebastian stood at the side of the road as well, but a little girl's cries in the middle of the road caught his attention.
Seeing that the carriage was about to hit her, the little girl froze on the spot in fright and continued crying. Without hesitation, Sebastian stood in front of her in a flash and placed a palm on the horse's head.
The big and tall horse fell from the huge impact, flipping the carriage to the side as well.
"Ah!" A woman in the carriage shrieked, and two people dashed out of the carriage.
They were a middle-aged man and a gorgeous young lady. The moment she stood up, she turned to Sebastian and said in a huff, "How dare you flip our carriage! The nerve of you!"
"I did it to save a life." Sebastian pointed at the little girl.
When the young lady wanted to say some more, the middle-aged man stopped her. "Abigail, it's alright. He didn't do it on purpose. Moreover, we almost hit someone earlier."
"How are you doing, Father?" the young lady, Abigail Watson, asked in concern.
"I'm fine. I can still take it." The middle-aged man seemed frail and left with Abigail's help.
"You're in a terrible condition now. If you don't receive treatment on time, you'll pass away in half an hour," Sebastian said.
"How dare you cure my father!" Abigail was enraged.
Sebastian chuckled softly. "I'm merely telling the truth. Your father sustained a hidden injury when he was younger and has been dragging it way too long. It's a miracle he's alive until now." s
that
ghat
"How do you know that my father has a hidden injury from his early years? Who are you?" Abigail asked warily.
"I'm a doctor. Your father's illness is clearly written on his face, and I can tell with just a look," Sebastian explained proudly.
"Since you're so amazing, do you have a way to treat it?" she asked with a hopeful face.
All these years, they had visited
many famous doctors and even
whonet
asked help of the
the help of the alchemist
from
fort
otherworld Sect, button
avail.
s
"It's a piece of cake to me. He'll be as good as new with one pill," Sebastian answered.
Abigail grabbed his arm anxiously. "What pill is that? Let me have it! I promise to
pay you handsomely as long as it can save my father."
"The pill is very precious," Sebastian explained.
"That's not a problem. My father isChapter 647
"Do you know how to leave this world?" Sebastian asked.
"Leave this world?" Abigail wore a look of confusion.
Hendrick Watson suddenly interjected, "Mr. Wilder, do you mean leaving Coreland?"
"Do you know about it?" Sebastian was exhilarated. His biggest fear was that no one knew about it.
"So, the records in the ancient books are real! Honestly, I didn't know about it. I've only seen some records in an ancient book," Hendrick explained.
"Where's the ancient book?" Sebastian asked anxiously.
"Wait a minute. I'll ask someone to bring it." Then, Hendrick ordered a worker to bring the ancient book.
Hendrick soon found the part where Coreland was recorded. After checking it carefully, Sebastian finally found a clue. "The Abyss!"
If the records were accurate, the way out of Coreland was through The Abyss.
"Mr. Wilder, The Abyss is a death zone. Anyone who goes in there will die. Don't act recklessly," Hendrick advised.
Abigail nodded in agreement. "Yes. The Abyss is one of the three forbidden areas. For thousands of years, no one has walked out of there alive.
"The records in the ancient book may not be correct. I think it's just a myth. It's impossible to have another world. That's all nonsense."
Sebastian merely smiled without a reply, feeling even more confident that The Abyss was the exit. Although it was a forbidden area, he had to take the risk in order to get back and only after he obtained the advanced stage three technique.
The stage three technique must be within the doors of Netherworld Sect. There were three ways to get it. The first method was very straightforward robbing.
With his strength, not even a thousand men from the Netherworld Sect were his opponent. In spite of that, it was ethically wrong to rob so brazenly.
The second method was stealing. Although it was also ethically wrong, it was slightly better than robbing.
Last but not least was trading. He had the techniques for the first and second transformations. They would probably agree if he traded one of them with them.
Sebastian was a man of his word. He asked Abigail to get him a brush and paper and wrote dozens of herbs in one shot.
These were the herbs needed to produce the Ultimate Nourishing Pill. This pill could strengthen the body and increase the cultivation. In the meantime, it could also heal injuries.
As the largest commerce
association in the county, the Holton Chamber of Commerce had all sorts of herbs. Some herbs had a different name as the ones in the surface world but
dese after Sebas
Abigail
knew which ones he meant.
belongs to s
After the herbs were prepared, he started making the pill right away. The chamber
of commerce had a place dedicated to making pills, and there was also a mini
Spirit Gathering Formation.
Beneath the cauldron was magma,
which could save a lot of energy
during the refining process. In addition, Sebastian's cultivation had greatly increased, so it didn't the him at af to refine the Ultimate
Nourishing Pill. s
In less than half an hour, it was ready. Hendrick was stunned when Sebastian presented the pills to him.
"Goodness, this is a second-grade medication. I didn't expect that you're a second-grade alchemist, Mr. Wilder. It's an honor to meet you." Hendrick politely bowed down low toward him, full of respect.
The way Abigail looked at Sebastian took a change as well, her eyes filled with admiration. There was even an odd light in her eyes, and her face blushed unwittingly.
"Are second-grade alchemists amazing?" Sebastian asked, puzzled.
As there were only a handful of alchemists in Coreland, he never found out his alchemy level.
Hendrick replied, "Of course, they are. It's incredibly rare to find an alchemist, and every one of them are very noble.
"All bigger sects and families are spending a lot of money to recruit them, and they enjoy generous benefits if they work for the royalties.
"Furthermore, second-grade alchemists are even harder to find. The head alchemist of Netherworld Sect is their fourth great-elder, Bertha Erikson. She's a second-grade alchemist."
"There's only one third-grade alchemist in Starfire Empire, and he's the imperial chaplain. His status is high, and even the king has to respect him," Abigail added.Chapter 648
Now that Sebastian already knew where the advanced stage three technique was and the way back home, he planned to return home and explain everything to Fressia.
Before he even reached the door, he already sensed something amiss. The door was missing, and pieces of wood were scattered around.
His instinct told him that there was trouble, so he bolted over as fast as he could.
Upon entering the yard, he saw blood on the ground, and the unease in his heart amplified.
"Jenna! Fressia!" he shouted while dashing into the house.
One of the rooms was a complete mess, and there were also bloodstains. There was even a large hole on the roof.
"Jenna! Freesia!" He dashed back to the yard and continued shouting their names, but nobody answered.
Hence, he utilized his spiritual senses. The next second, he turned to the haystacks nearby and was over there in a flash. Parting aside a bunch of dry weed, he found Jenna.
Her face was covered in blood, and her breathing was barely noticeable. She already slipped into a deep coma, and her life was hanging on a thread.
Hurriedly, Sebastian pressed his palm against her and injected his spiritual energy into her to treat her injuries.
His spiritual energy had strong healing effects. In seconds, Jenna's breathing gradually stabilized, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"You're back, Sebastian." Jenna's voice was very weak, but her expression took a great change the next second. "Sebastian, run! The men from Knott Estate want to kill you!"
"Don't worry, Jenna. They can't do anything to me. Tell me what happened. Where's Fressia?" Sebastian implored anxiously.
Although he and Fressia were from different camps and were even enemies, they were husband and wife before she recovered her memories, and they have feelings for each other.
"I don't know where she is, either." Jenna briefly told him what happened.
The men dragged Fressia into the room with indecent intentions, but Jenna had
no idea what happened later. There was a fight, and then, she heard a loud bang.
Jenna was in the yard and only heard someone saying, "After her!"
Afterward, everything was quiet.
Later, she crawled into the house, dragging her exhausted body, but there was nobody inside. All she saw was a hole on the roof Worried that the men from the Knott Estate would return, she hid between the haystacks and passed out unwittingly. s
"Martin and Heather Knott, I'll make sure you die a horrible death!" Sebastian clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming coldChapter 649
"Don't cry, and rest assured, Jenna. I won't strike unless I'm confident, but I can promise you that I'll bring Fressia home," Sebastian assured.
Time was crucial in saving a life, not to mention that Fressia was gorgeous. In the hands of those inhumane men, it wasn't hard to imagine the torture she'd have to go through in their hands.
Therefore, she must be saved as quickly as possible. Any minute later meant that she would suffer more.
For now, Jenna's condition was stabilized. Unfortunately, her legs were broken. Even after Sebastian had given her an Ultimate Nourishing Pill, she'd still need a few days to recover.
Sebastian was ready to return Jenna to the room and then save Fressia when he heard sounds of hooves from outside the door. He looked outside and saw dust rolling as a group of stocky bandits headed toward his house on galloping horses while carrying weapons in their hands.
The chief was a tall and burly skinhead. With a chubby face and eyes as big as golf balls, he looked ferocious and intimidating.
At the sight of them, Jenna's face fell. "Oh, no! They're the bandits from Mount Blitzen, and their chief is Brork Gantz. Run, Sebastian!"
In this world, many bandits claimed mountainous areas to be the chiefs, and Mount Blitzen was the closest bandit lair to this village.
To the kind and innocent villagers, bandits were more terrifying than the nobles. Although the nobles would also intimidate them and even steal the virginities of brides, they would usually return the women to their families after they were done with them.
However, bandits were different because they often murdered and plundered. It was common for them to violate young women and abduct the pretty ones to be their wives. Once they were bored of them, they would kill them.
Due to this, bandits were akin to devils in the villagers' eyes, and the fear they held for bandits was deeply instilled.
Undoubtedly, Sebastian wasn't afraid of the bandits, and he waited for their arrival silently.
Their house was not located at the entrance of the village, but the bandits headed straight for them and entered their yard.
"I heard that there's a beautiful bride in this house. Bring her out here and show me," Brork directly announced the reason that he had gone there.
Although Fressia had only been there for a short time, everyone who saw her would be stunned, and her beauty was already known far and wide.
After hearing news of her, Brork had brought his men here to bring her back for their own enjoyment.
Anxiously, Jenna fell to her knees. "Mr. Gantz, the men from Knott Estate have abducted my goddaughter-in-law."
"You're lying! Search the house!" Brork wouldn't be taken in so easily. Upon his order, the bandits behind him hopped off their horses and headed for the house. s
"Stop right there!" Sebastian bellowed out of the blue, and everyone froze.
"Don't be rude, Sebastian. Apologize to Mr. Gantz now!" Jenna berated sternly Then, she flashed Brork a smile, "Mr Cantz hChapter 650
"Get on my knees for him? He doesn't deserve it. Get up, Jenna. There's no need to be afraid of them," Sebastian said.
The bandits were enraged, charging at him ferociously. Some even raised their swords, ready to cut him to pieces.
Jenna couldn't bear to watch and could already imagine Sebastian's terrible death.
On the other hand, Sebastian didn't move a muscle or dodge. Brork simply thought that he was too frightened to move and sniggered.
The next second, swords landed on Sebastian, but there was no bloody scene.
Everyone merely heard a loud boom as a terrifying energy erupted from Sebastian's body. In an instant, the terrifying energy shattered the swords, and the bandits were thrown off, spewing out blood and dying before even hitting the ground.
"What?" After seeing this scene, Brork was flabbergasted, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
The men he had brought with him were the elites amongst his henchmen, and they were all warriors, including the second-in-command of the bandits, who was a pinnacle warrior.
Sebastian had killed all of his men solely by releasing his energy. This was a fearsome strength, and Brork reckoned that not even a grandmaster might be capable of it.
"You're a grandmaster!" Brork's face was full of shock. "Why is there a grandmaster in a small village?"
Sebastian raised his head at him and said indifferently, "You've successfully enraged me, and the price to pay is death."
"What arrogance!" Brork snorted. "So what if you're a grandmaster? I've been the king at Mount Blitzen for more than two decades. The Knott Estate has tried to take me down many times but to no avail. Why do you think I could achieve this?"
Suddenly, he jumped and gave Sebastian a palm through the air.
A huge wave of energy blasted toward Sebastian, who was unfazed and composed. With a wave of his hand, an even greater energy erupted from him.
Along with another loud bang, Brork's attack was repelled, and the remaining force struck him without stopping.
As though struck by lightning, Brork was blasted away by the energy and threw up blood, his eyes filled with shock.
There was a thud as Brork landed heavily on the ground after he was blasted off more than 30 feet away. The impact was so strong that it created a concave in the ground.
Sebastian's eyes were impassive, and with a flash, he was right in front of Brork. Quick and silent, he moved like a ghost.
Brork almost wet his pants as he begged for his life on his knees in panic. "Please spare me. I was wrong. Please let me off."
"Bandits have done all kinds of evil, violating women, plundering, and many other heinous deeds. You deserve death, and I'll rid the people of such a wicked many today Sebastian said. s
Right before he struck, Brork said anxiously, "Please hold on and listen to me, sir. Although I'm a bandit and have done many wrong, I usually plunder and rarely kill.
"Furthermore, I rob the rich and hardly harass the villagers. Please let me off. I promise I'll never do it again."
"I'm missing a henchman now. Are you able to obey me unconditionally?" Sebastian asked.
"Y-Yes, master!" Brork didn't dare to disobey. He had succumbed to Sebastian's strength and had no thoughts of defying him.
Meanwhile, Jenna was utterly flabbergasted by the scene before her eyes. She knew that Sebastian was strong because he coChapter 651
"You can refuse, but I'll kill you right now," Sebastian said coldly.
"I'll go! I'll go, okay?" Brork almost cried. Not going meant death, but going also meant death. It was just supposed to be a simple mission, so how did things get so unlucky for him?
The two of them rode their horses at full speed and soon entered Holton, heading straight for the Knott Estate. Upon arriving at the entrance, they dismounted and barged right in.
"Hold it!" the guards immediately shouted harshly.
Sebastian acted as if he hadn't heard them and continued walking straight ahead.
"How dare you trespass on Knott Estate? You're courting death!"
Enraged, the guards drew their swords and slashed at Sebastian.
Sebastian ignored them, leaving Brork no choice but to intervene and send the guards flying.
The fallen guards were both shocked and furious, and they quickly called for help. Hearing the commotion, more people from the Knott Estate rushed out.
"Sebastian Wilder!"
Many recognized him immediately since Heather had been seen showing him around Knott Estate not long ago.
However, they were also aware that Sebastian had fallen out with their young lady, so they angrily shouted, "How dare you barge into Knott Estate?"
"Tell Martin to get out here!" Sebastian shouted fiercely.
"How dare you disrespect the city lord! You're asking for it! Seize him and bring him to Mr. Knott for punishment!"
The leader of the guards commanded, and a group of them charged at Sebastian. Sebastian stood still, making no move to fight back.
Brork was internally groaning. He knew all too well that if he didn't act, Sebastian wouldn't hesitate to kill him. So, he reluctantly braced himself and joined the fray.
He was a grandmaster. Even though he was injured, he was more than capable of handling these guards. Each strike sent several flying, and not a single one could get close t Sebastian s
The leader was furious. "You're Brork Grant, chief of the bandits from Mount Blitzen, aren't you?
"How dare you cause trouble at the Knott Estate! You've got some nerve! Guards, kill him!"
The Knott Estate guards were ranked by level. The ordinary guards weren't even considered warriors; only the squad leaders had that status.
In addition, there were silver-armored guards, all of whom were warriors, with the squad leaders being mid to advanced-level warriors among them.
At the leader's order, a group of silver-armored guards charged at Brork. But a grandmaster was still a grandmaster, even wounded, he was not someone regular warriors could match. s
They quickly fell one after another.
"You're courting death!"
The leader was enraged. He suddenly leaped into the air and struck down at Brork with his palm.
Brork was caught off guard and hurriedly raised a fist to block the attack. A resounding bang followed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying.
It was clear that the leader was also a grandmaster. He then approached Sebastian with an air of arrogance.
"So, you managed to get Brork on your side. That's impressive, but if you think you can storm the Knott Estate by relying on him, you're far too naive."
"Rely on him?"
Sebastian smirked. "I have never relied on anyone but myself. Brork is merely my slave."Chapter 652
Heather had just joined Netherworld Sect and was still a newcomer. Nevertheless, she often wasn't present at the sect, which somewhat surprised Sebastian.
What he didn't know was that Heather joined the sect mainly to have Bertha help treat her illness. As for cultivation, she didn't really need to rely on the sect because she had a family-legacy technique that was nearly as good as what the Netherworld Sect offered.
Moreover, she had been practicing it since childhood, so switching to a new technique would be more trouble than it was worth.
Heather stormed over, brimming with fury. "Sebastian, you've got some nerve! How dare you trespass into Knott Estate and show disrespect to my father! Today, I'll personally chop your head off!"
When Sebastian saw Heather, his eyes flashed with a hint of anger.
Heather had drugged him. While he was unconscious, she had used evil methods to extract his spiritual energy, blood essence, and even bone marrow, all before throwing him off a cliff.
If not for his strong cultivation and resilient body, he would have died. He had not forgotten this grudge.
He hadn't immediately sought revenge on Martin and Heather because he was still searching for the third stage of his technique and a way home, so he endured it for the time being.
But to his shock, this father-daughter duo had crossed the line by targeting Jenna and Fressia. They had simply pushed him beyond his limits.
"Heather, it was one thing for you to harm me, but why go after Jenna and my wife? They're just ordinary people," Sebastian demanded sharply.
Heather sneered. "They're just two lowly commoners. I was already merciful enough to not kill them."
At that moment, Martin also walked out. "Heather's right. Sebastian, I'm surprised you're still alive after everything, and you don't even look injured.
"If I were you, I'd have found a place to hide long ago, but here you are, handing yourself over."
Sean and others followed behind Martin. He turned to Heather and said, "Heather, there's no need for you to dirty your hands. Just stand aside and watch-I'll kill him myself."
"Fine, but don't let him die too easily. I won't be satisfied unless he suffers," Heather said coldly.
"Don't worry. I promise he'll enjoy every bit of it!" Sean assured with a cruel grin. He then looked at Sebastian and said, "If you kneel down and beg for mercy now, maybe I'll let you keep your corpse in one piece, you brat."
"The ones who should die are you
people! Release my wife
immediately, or I'll slaughter
everyone in knott Estate!"
wel
sebastian's voice was filled with
murderous intent. 's
Heather scoffed. "You're really delusional. A mere ant like you talking about wiping
out Knott Estate-you don't know your place!"
Martin sneered wickedly. "So, you're here for your wife, huh? Too bad you're too late; we already played her to death."
"What did you say? She's dead?" Sebastian was stunned. If Fressia hadn't lost her memory and married him, her fate would have been irrelevant to him. He might have even celebrated her death s
But now, it was difficult for him to accept that she was gone.
།
Martin smirked triumphantly. "That's right. I have to admit, your wife was really beautiful. She was such a joy to play with. We took turns, dozens of us, one after another, untilshe died from the sheer pleasure of it." s
shea
"You're asking for it!" Sebastian could no longer suppress the fury within him, and
a terrifying killing intent erupted from his body.
In an instant, everyone present felt a chill of fear, and even Martin was taken aback.
At that moment, Sebastian suddenly moved, grabbiChapter 653
Sebastian acted as if he hadn't heard anything and broke Sean's other leg with another kick.
Sean was in so much pain that tears were streaming down his face. "Please, spare me! I was lying earlier! Your wife isn't dead, and we didn't hurt her."
"Then, where is she? Let her go immediately!" Sebastian demanded, his voice dripping with murderous intent.
Martin quickly added, "I don't know where she is! We never captured her in the first place."
"You're still lying to me!" Sebastian snarled as he crushed Sean's shoulder blade.
Sean almost passed out from the pain. "I'm not lying, I swear! We planned to do something to her, but she suddenly went wild! She broke through the roof, and escaped. We chased her for a long time but couldn't catch her.
"I'm telling the truth, please, spare me."
Sebastian let out a sigh of relief, trusting Sean's words. Fressia's memory loss hadn't affected her abilities; it was entirely possible she escaped through the roof when in danger.
Heather shouted angrily, "Sebastian, I advise you to release my cousin immediately, or I'll have you cut into a thousand pieces, leaving you without a complete corpse!"
Sebastian ignored Heather and looked at Sean. "Even if you didn't hurt my wife, you still harbored evil intentions toward her. Not to mention, you nearly killed my godmother.
"You deserve to die!"
With that, Sebastian snapped Sean's neck with a loud crack.
"Sean!" Martin rushed forward to check, but Sean was already lifeless.
"He actually killed Mr. Sean! The nerve of him!"
Everyone at Knott Estate was filled with rage, and Heather's murderous aura surged as well. "How dare you kill my cousin? I'll have you torn to shreds!"
Heather immediately advanced toward Sebastian, unleashing a terrifying aura. "She's a pinnacle warrior!"
"Ms. Knott is truly remarkable! As expected of Holton's number one
prodigy. She's reached the pinnacle Warrior level at just
She now has
a real chance of becoming
20
grandmaster before she turns 18." s
"That's right. Her talent is unparalleled, rivaling even that of Ms. Kaitlyn from the Netherworld Sect Her future achievements are limitless!" s
Everyone was full of admiration, their eyes brimming with fervent worship.
"Die!" Heather shouted, clenching her fist as she prepared to strike Sebastian. Just then, a commanding voice rang out from a distance.
"Hold it!"
།
The voice wasn't particularly loud, but it carried an undeniable authority that shook everyone to their core. Heather feft a jolt of fear and instinctively halted. fo s
They all turned toward the source of the voice and saw a middle-aged man
striding forward, accompanied by a young girl.
"It's Mr. Watson!" someone exclaimed.
The man was none other than the chairman of Holton Chamber of Commerce. He was accompanied by his daughter, Abigail.
"Mr. Watson, what brings you to Knott Estate?" MartChapter 654
Hendrick knew that Sebastian was no ordinary person. Since Sebastian wanted to handle things himself, it was clear he had confidence in himself, so Mr. Watson stepped aside with a sense of relief.
However, he remained ready to intervene at any moment. Sebastian had given him a new lease on life, and he was determined not to let anyone harm him.
Heather stared at Sebastian coldly and said, "I don't know why Mr. Watson is protecting you, but anyone who goes against Knott Estate is as good as dead!"
As she spoke, she unleashed her aura again, making the guards around her feel incredibly oppressed.
Heather smirked smugly. "Do you see this? This is my power. It won't be long before I become a grandmaster. In my eyes, you're nothing more than an insect. If you kneel and apologize now, I might consider leaving your corpse intact."
Sebastian responded with a mocking smile, "Even grandmasters are nothing more than ants to me. You don't even qualify as one, yet you dare spout nonsense in front of me? How laughable."
"You're asking for it!" Heather shouted furiously. She raised her hand and struck Sebastian with a powerful blow.
Sebastian merely stood there, not moving an inch, appearing as though he was paralyzed with fear.
Hendrick was startled by this and was about to step in to save him when he noticed something strange.
Heather's palm had already connected with Sebastian's chest, but he remained completely unaffected, as if nothing had happened.
On the other hand, Heather's expression changed drastically as she was filled with shock and disbelief.
Sebastian showed her a disdainful smile and then extended his hand, pressing it in her direction from a distance.
An invisible force immediately bore down on Heather. She had no strength to resist and collapsed to her knees with a loud thud while her eyes filled with terror. "What?"
Everyone present was stunned. Heather was a pinnacle warrior, yet after hitting Sebastian with a palm strike, he remained completely unharmed.
With just a distant press of his hand, he had forced her to her knees. This kind of power was just too terrifying.
Heather struggled to stand, but the invisible force was too overwhelming, rendering her unable to move.
"This can't be! How is your strength so formidable?"
"It's not that my strength is formidable; it's that yours is too weak," Sebastian replied, delivering a slap to Heather's face.
A loud smack echoed as Heather was sent flying nearly 20 feet away.
"How dare you hurt my daughter? I will make sure you die without a burial!" Martin
roared in fury as he charged toward Sebastian.
"The city lord himself is stepping in!
This kid is done for," the Knott Estate people exclaimed excitedly, as seeing a divine grandmaster take action was a rare sight. s
Sebastian smirked with disdain, ready to retaliate when Hendrick suddenly stepped in, positioning himself in front of Sebastian.Chapter 655
Although he was a grandmaster, Brork was nothing more than an ant in the face of a divine grandmaster like Martin.
Since he had come with Sebastian, he knew that once Martin killed Sebastian, he wouldn't be spared either.
Brork desperately wanted to flee, but Knott Estate's guards surrounded him on all sides.
"You can go ahead and try!" Hendrick stepped forward, releasing a similarly terrifying aura, one that matched Martin's intensity.
"He's a divine grandmaster! Mr. Watson is also a divine grandmaster!"
Everyone was astonished. Divine grandmasters were the most formidable beings
in the world, capable of single-handedly opposing entire armies.
However, such powerful individuals were exceedingly rare.
In all of Holton, excluding the Netherworld Sect, Martin had been the only divine grandmaster.
Now that Hendrick had also ascended to the Divine Realm, it was no wonder everyone was so shocked.
"You actually broke through to the Divine Realm!" Martin exclaimed, clearly surprised.
Hendrick smiled and said, "Indeed, not only did I fully recover from my injuries, but I also broke through the bottleneck and entered the Divine Realm. Do you still think I can't protect Mr. Wilder now?"
Martin's expression turned cold. "Mr. Watson, even though you've entered the Divine Realm, you've only just broken through. You're no match for me, so I suggest you think it over carefully."
Hendrick snorted. "There's nothing to consider. I won't allow anyone to harm Mr. Wilder."
"Then, you've brought this upon yourself. Don't blame me for being ruthless," Martin growled before launching a punch at Hendrick.
Hendrick quickly countered with a punch of his own.
A deafening explosion echoed as a terrifying force erupted from the clash of their fists. The shockwave hit those nearby, stinging their faces and sending them scrambling back in fear and astonishment. s
At the same time, Hendrick was forced back a few steps by the powerful energy, while Martin only wavered slightly, clearly demonstrating who was stronger.
This outcome was inevitable, given that Martin had entered the Divine Realm long ago, while Hendrick had just recently broken through. It certainly left a significant gap, between them. s
Vol
Martin snorted and pressed his advantage, throwing punch after punch, leaving Hendrick with no chance to counter. Martin then. seized an opportunity and struck Hendrick squarely in the chest, sending him flying with a terrifying force. s
Hendrick immediately spat out a mouthful of blood mid-air.
"Father!" Abigail cried out in shock, rushing forward to support him.
Martin smirked with satisfaction. "I told you before that you're no match for me, but you wouldn't listen!"
Hendrick wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said coldly, "Even if I'm not your match, if you insist on killing Mr. Wilder, I will fight to the death!"
"Mr. Watson, sacrificing yourself is pointless. I won't stop you if you leave right now, but that kid is doomed." Martin sneered, then turned to Sebastian.
"Brat, now I see why you dared to make trouble at KChapter 656
Upon hearing this, Martin smirked mockingly. "I really don't know where you get your confidence from, brat. You're at death's door, yet you still talk tough!"
Heather approached, her eyes filled with fury as she glared at Sebastian.
She spat venomously, "No one has ever laid a hand on me since I was a child. You're the first. I will make you wish for death over life! As for your wife and godmother, I'll ensure that they suffer fates worse than death too!"
The moment she finished speaking, a terrifying killing intent erupted from Sebastian, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet. Everyone present felt a chill of fear run down their spines.
Almost instantly, Sebastian moved aside.
His figure blurred like a ghost. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Heather, gripping her neck tightly.
Heather's face instantly turned pale with fright; she never expected Sebastian's strength to be so terrifying. What confused her even more was that she had cast a forbidden technique on Sebastian, which should have killed him, but he remained completely unscathed.
"Let go of Heather, or I'll ensure you die a brutal death!" Martin shouted, both shocked and furious. He was startled by Sebastian's power, especially his incredible speed.
Still, he remained confident that he could easily subdue Sebastian. After all, no matter how talented Sebastian was, he was still young-his strength couldn't possibly be that formidable.
Sebastian could be a grandmaster at most. As a divine grandmaster himself, that was merely a slightly stronger ant.
Sebastian's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he stared at Heather and said icily, "You have some nerve, Heather, threatening me with my wife and godmother!"
As she was both frightened and enraged, Heather tried to maintain her composure as she said, "Let me go now, or my father will tear you to pieces!"
"Your father is nothing but an ant in my eyes! He's not even worth fearing!" Sebastian scoffed.
"Damn, this guy is way too arrogant! He actually dared to call Mr. Knott an ant. He has no idea what he's up against!"
"Exactly! The divine grandmaster is one of the most powerful beingsan existence, and he dares to call a divine grandmaster an ant? What a joke! Knott Estate's people sneered, mocking Sebastian. s
Even Hendrick and Abigail thought Sebastian was being too arrogant. It was fine
to boast, but there needed to be a limit; otherwise, it would just make him a laughingstock.
Martin laughed angrily, "You brat, if you think I'm just an ant, then let Heather go and face me in a duel. Let's see what you're really made of."
"As you wish!" Sebastian responded. He continued to grab Heather by the neck
and throw her over 30 feet away. She landed heavily on the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Heather was furious, nearly
exploding with rage. She struggled to her feet and shouted, "Father, don't just kill him outright! I want to torture him slowly for days. Only then will be satisfied!" s
Martin glared at Sebastian and said coldly, "You heard Heather. I'll first cripple your cultivation, then break your limbs. After that, Heather can take her time tormenting you to death!" s
Sebastian stood with his hands behind his back, his face full of disdain. "You're just an ant, yet you dare to boast in front of me. How ridiculous."
"Then, I'll show you the strength of this ant!" Martin roared, charging at Sebastian with incredible speed.Chapter 657
Martin was shocked and horrified. It felt as though his punch had struck an indestructible metal, making his fist go numb. He tried to retreat upon realizing something was terribly wrong,, but it was already too late.
Suddenly, a terrifying surge of energy erupted from Sebastian. With a deafening sound, the energy blasted Martin away.
He immediately spewed a mouthful of blood mid-air as his eyes filled with disbelief and fear.
What!
Everyone was stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing.
Martin was a divine grandmaster; he had punched Sebastian, but Sebastian was unharmed and instead sent Martin flying. The sheer strength was just astounding.
"What incredible power! I knew Mr. Wilder was a genius at pill refinement, but I never imagined his combat prowess would be so profound!" Hendrick exclaimed in awe.
Abigail was in awe, and her eyes sparkled as she watched, momentarily entranced.
Heather, however, was paralyzed with fear. She never expected that her father, whom she had believed to be nearly invincible, would be so easily overpowered by Sebastian. His strength terrified her.
"This can't be happening! How is it possible? You're so young, how can your strength be this overwhelming?" Martin gasped, struggling to comprehend the situation. His eyes were filled with terror as he stared at Sebastian. "Who the hell are you?"
Sebastian sneered. "Who I am is of no consequence to you. All you need to know is that you are nothing but ants in my eyes, something easily crushed at my whim!"
If he had said this earlier, everyone would have thought he was boasting. But now, not a single person doubted his words.
Martin, the divine grandmaster, couldn't even withstand a single move from Sebastian. To the rest of them, they weren't even worthy of being called cannon fodder.
Sebastian then turned his gaze toward Heather, who instantly paled. Terror was evident on her face.
"Sebastian, what are you planning to do?" Heather stammered, trying to sound defiant. "I'm warning you. I'm an apprentice of the Netherworld Sect. My mentor is Bertha Erikson! If you dare to touch me, she will hunt you down and kill you!"
Sebastian sneered at her words. With a flick of his wrist, Heather was unable to resist and was suddenly pulled toward him.
Everyone present was stunned. They knew that a divine grandmaster could manipulate objects from a distance, but usually no further than 10 feet and not with heavy objects. However,
Heather was over 15 feet away, and Sebastian still managed to pull her toward him effortlessly. This display of power was far beyond their comprehension.
Sebastian grabbed Heather by the neck once more.
"What are you doing, Sebastian?" Heather asked, both angry and terrified. Her eyes betrayed her fear.
With a loud smack, Sebastian slapped her hard across the face and sneered. "What can you do now that I've laid a hand on you?"
Heather was both furious and panicked. "My mentor will never let you get away with this!" she yelled.
Sebastian gave a mocking smile. "I thought you had some brains, but it seems that you're incredibly foolish."
"What do you mean by that?" Heather asked while bristling with anger. Sebastian's cold laugh echoed. "Even now, you don't understand what kind of being you've provoked. You keep threatening me with your mentor-how stupid can you be?
"Let me make it clear for you. Even if your mentor Bertha were here, she wouldn't be able to save you because, in my eyes, she's nothing more than an ant."
"You're delusional! My mentor is one of the Grand Elders of the Netherworld Sect! She has unfathomable power andChapter 658
Heather had pleaded for help from her mentor, Bertha, while Sebastian stood there waiting.
He already knew by now that Fressia hadn't been captured. With her level of skill, ordinary people wouldn't pose a threat to her even with her memory loss. So now he had no reason to worry about anything.
Today, he was determined to make this father-daughter duo taste despair, bit by bit.
Hendrick approached Sebastian and whispered, "Mr. Wilder, the Netherworld Sect is full of experts. They have five divine grandmasters, and Tyler's power is beyond comprehension. Are you confident you can handle them?"
"They're just ants," Sebastian replied dismissively.
"Just don't underestimate them, Mr. Wilder," Hendrick cautioned.
Sebastian remained unfazed. It wasn't arrogance but confidence, confidence rooted in his strength.
The Netherworld Sect wasn't far from Knott Estate. With the speed of carrier pigeons and their giant birds that people could ride, they should have arrived within an hour.
Yet, two hours had passed, and still no sign of them.
"It seems your mentor won't be coming," Sebastian remarked.
Fear filled Heather's eyes. "Sebastian, you can't kill me. I'm the Netherworld Sect's once-in-a-millennium genius apprentice. If you kill me, the Sect will never let you go."
Sebastian responded calmly, "If I were afraid, I wouldn't have let you call for help, nor would I be standing here waiting.
"If the Netherworld Sect doesn't come after me, fine. But if they do, I'll just wipe them out."
He spoke of destroying a powerful sect as casually as if he were talking about slaughtering a chicken.
Everyone around was stunned-what kind of confidence was this? How strong did one have to be to have such unwavering self-assurance?
If they had heard him before, they would have dismissed it as bluster, and not even credible bluster at that.
However, they had just witnessed him severely injured Martin in a single move-it was terrifying.
"Heather, do you have any last words before you die?" Sebastian asked.
Heather was trembling so much that her legs gave out. She fell to her knees before Sebastian. "Sebastian, please don't kill me. For the sake of the one night we shared as husband and wife, spare my life. I'm still so young. I don't want to
die."
Sebastian let out a cold chuckle. "You still dare to mention our one night together? You drugged me, used wicked means to steal my energe essence, and marrow and then tossed me off a cliff ff thadn't been lucky, I wouldn't be standing here now." s
Heather pleaded, "I'm just still too young and made a terrible mistake in a moment of weakness. I truly know I was wrong now. Please give me a chance to change. I'll devote myself to you and serve you well as your woman." s
Sebastian sneered. "You should've gone into acting with those skills. Let's set the fact that you harmed me aside for now.
"You also sent people after my godmother, had her beaten severely, and even tried to humiliate my wife. Such malice-how could I ever forgive you?"
"That wasn't my doing! It was Sean acting on his own!
"He was driven by lust. It had nothing to do with me," Heather quickly tried to distance herself from the blame.
Martin chimed in, "She's right, I can vouch for her. When it all happened, Heather was at the Netherworld Sect. She didn't know anything about it."
"Sean deserved to die, but I don't believe he acted alone. If it wasn't her, then it must've been you." Sebastian turned his gaze te Martin, his eyes full of killing
intent.
belongs to s
Feeling a wave of fear, Martin quickly denied, "It wasn't me! I had nothing to do with it."
"Hmph!" Sebastian scoffed. "Well, it's definitely either one of you. So, you can choose who will die."
"Are you trying to turn us against each other? How vicious!" Martin shouted angrily.
The onlookers silently agreed, thinking that forcing them to choose would be more
cruel than simply killing them both.
After all, the survivor would live with the guilt forever.
"Enough talk. I'm giving you one minute to decide. IfChapter 659
"Father." Heather's eyes were full of fear and helplessness.
Martin was at a loss for words. He didn't want to die, but he also couldn't bear to lose his daughter.
"Sebastian, maybe we can negotiate. Let us go, and just name your price- anything you want."
Sebastian thought for a moment and said, "Alright. I'll give you a chance. I want one million gold coins!"
"What? One million gold coins? Why don't you just rob a bank?" Martin nearly jumped up in anger.
Just ten thousand gold coins were enough for someone to live comfortably for a lifetime. One million gold coins was a huge sum even for him.
Sebastian sneered. "If you're unwilling to pay one million, that's fine. I can just kill your daughter, and you won't have to pay for anything."
"Fine. I'll pay!" Martin gritted his teeth, feeling as if his heart was bleeding.
Due to the large amount of gold, Sebastian only asked for gold notes.
Not long after, Martin handed Sebastian ten notes, each worth 100 thousand gold coins.
Sebastian kept his word and left after receiving the notes.
He hadn't intended to kill Martin and Heather-not because he was merciful, but because he wanted to take his time to destroy them.
After leaving Knott Estate, Sebastian followed Hendrick to the Holton Chamber of Commerce.
"Mr. Watson, I'd like to ask you for a favor," Sebastian said.
Hendrick quickly replied, "Mr. Wilder, there's no need to be so formal. Just tell me what you need."
Hendrick's respect for Sebastian had grown even deeper. Sebastian not only healed his wounds, which saved his life, but also helped him break through his cultivation bottleneck.
It was a debt that Hendrick considered a second chance at life.
Moreover, Sebastian was at least a second grade alchemist, with immeasurable strength to boot. Such a person was worth cultivating a good relationship with.
"I need your help to find someone." Sebastian requested paper and a pen, then drew an image of Fressia.
Although Sebastian wasn't a professional artist, his drawing was remarkably lifelike.
"Mr. Wilder, is the woman in the picture your wife?" Abigail asked.
"Yes," Sebastian nodded.
A trace of disappointment flashed in Abigail's eyes. It was hard not to admire a man as exceptional as Sebastian.
Abigail had always been confident in herself, but after seeing the portrait, her confidence wavered-the
woman in the drawing g
easily matching her own beauty. s
Sebastian then explained the circumstances and timing of Fressia's disappearance.
"Don't worry, Mr. Wilder. I'll send people to find her immediately. I'm sure we'll have news soon," Hendrick assured him with conviction.
Then, Sebastian stayed at the chamber, waiting for updates. He also asked
Hendrick to arrange for some people to take care of Jenna.
Additionally, he assigned Brork to protect her in secret.
Having witnessed Sebastian's terrifying power first hand, Brork didn't dare to utter
a single word of refusal. He was completely subdued, with no thoughts of escaping.
Meanwhile, at Knott Estate.
"Father, I just can't swallow this humiliation!" HeatheChapter 660
Martin looked at Heather and asked, "Are you willing to marry the Stonebrook's heir?"
Heather replied without hesitation, "Mr. Camden is an outstanding man. Of course I'm willing."
"Alright then. We'll settle this marriage today and then ask the Stonebrook family to deal with that little bastard!" Martin said coldly.
The father and daughter then stepped out to greet their guests.
Meanwhile, the Stonebrook family had arrived in large numbers, bringing an abundance of betrothal gifts.
Leading them was a dignified middle-aged man, Denzel Stonebrook, the head of the Stonebrook family and one of the top powerhouses of the southern region.
Beside him was a young man of about 26 years old. Though his appearance was average, he had an impressive presence; this was Camden Stonebrook, the heir to the Stonebrook family.
"Mr. Denzel, Mr. Camden, your arrival truly graces our humble Knott Estate," Martin said with a flattering smile.
Denzel smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Knott, you're too kind. Please forgive our unannounced visit."
"No need for that; it's our honor. Please, come in." Martin led the father and son into the sitting room and had them seated.
Denzel got straight to the point, saying, "I've long heard that your daughter is as beautiful as a goddess, and today I see the reputation is well-deserved."
"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Stonebrook." Heather appeared slightly shy. But the more reserved she acted, the more captivated Camden became; his eyes never left her, like they were practically glued to her every move.
Denzel quickly reprimanded, "Camden, it's impolite to keep staring at Ms. Knott. Apologize immediately."
Camden snapped out of his daze and quickly stood up, saying, "I'm sorry, Ms. Knott, I was being rude."
Heather showed him a bashful smile. She was not angry at all. In fact, she felt quite pleased inside.
The Stonebrook family was one of the southern region's four major families. If Heather could become the young mistress of the Stonebrook family, it would be like a shortcut to soar to higher places.
With access to the Stonebrook family's cultivation resources, her strength would surely advance by leaps and bounds, making it only a matter of time before she surpassed Kaitlyn.
She might even secure a place among the four great ladies in the future.
Denzel smiled a
and said, "My son saw
Ms. Knott once not long ago, and it
was love at first sight for him. Since
then, he lost his appetite
his appetite and many.
nights of sleep over her. As his father, I became anxious, soove brought him here to propose."
Cóntent
After Denzel was done speaking, he clapped his hands, and the servants immediately opened the boxes.
The first three boxes were filled with gleaming gold coins. They were followed by a box of jewelry, a box of gemstones, a box of medicinal. herbs, a box of antique paintings, a box of aged wine, and a box of pills.
The pill box, though smaller, contained dozens of bottles.
"The Stonebrook family's betrothal gifts include 880 thousand gold coins, a box of top-grade gemstones, a box of premium medicinal herbs, some antiques..."
One had to admit, the Stonebrook family had truly gone all out. The gold coins alone amounted to 880 thousand, which was Chapter 661
Due to their rarity, even internal consumption was not enough, making them extremely scarce in the market. When Martin and Heather heard about the Purification Pills, their eyes lit up with excitement.
Purification Pills could cleanse the body, improve physical constitution, extend life, and greatly enhance a warrior's physique.
When consumed by warriors, these pills significantly improved their constitution, accelerated their training speed, and even helped them break through bottlenecks.
Denzel said proudly, "Mr. Knott, are you satisfied with the Stonebrook family's betrothal gifts?"
"I'm very satisfied. Extremely satisfied, actually," Martin quickly replied.
"So, does that mean you agree to their marriage?" Denzel asked.
Martin responded, "Of course. Mr. Camden is a remarkable man. For him to be interested in my daughter is an honor for us. How could we possibly disagree?"
Heather was feeling shy, but she was overjoyed inside. With the future title of daughter-in-law of the Stonebrook family, who would dare disrespect her?
Both parties quickly settled on the wedding date, setting it for a year later. Martin then mentioned Sebastian to Denzel.
"Mr. Stonebrook, we've recently provoked someone whose strength is formidable and who is extremely arrogant. It's infuriating."
"Oh? In the southern region, there aren't many people who could cause trouble for you. Who might this person be?" Denzel asked curiously.
Heather interjected, "It's a scoundrel named Sebastian Wilder. He's just a lowly
commoner.
"I fell ill with a strange disease once. Despite consulting many renowned doctors, none could help me. Later, when my illness flared up, that scoundrel saved me.
"But he took advantage of the situation and insisted I take off my clothes before he would treat me. At the time, I was powerless and had no way to refuse. I'm telling you this not just to reveal how despicable he is, but also to be upfront about it.
"If you mind, we can call off the engagement, Mr. Camden."
A flash of cold light crossed Camden's eyes. "I heard about this incident too, but I didn't know the full story.
"Don't worry, Heather. I don't mind. It wasn't your fault."
"Mr. Camden, thank you for understanding," Heather forced out a couple of tears.
This was part of her clever strategy; many people already knew about Sebastian seeing her naked. Given the Stonebrook family's resources, they likely knew as well.
By bringing it up herself, she hoped to handle the situation better.
She continued, "To protect my reputation, I agreed to marry him. But what I never expected was that the scoundrel was nothing but a beast. He's worse than an animal.
"As soon as we got engaged, he demanded that I sleep with him."
"I'm not that kind of woman and naturally refused him. He then tried to force himself on me, but luckily, I managed to escape."
"That bastard!" Camden was furious, smashing the table in front of him. "Heather, don't worry. Anyone who dares to bully my woman will die by my hand!"
"Mr. Camden, that scoundrel is very strong. Even my father couldn't defeat him," Heather warned.
Camden replied, "I heard he should be under 30 years old. How could he be stronger than Mr. Knott?"
improve their skills, their lifespans increase. There are also herbs and
look like he's in his 20s, but his real age could be far
cultivation is at least at
real age is definitely well
"Isn't he just an
of Heather and Camden's engagement spread quickly,
the heir of the Stonebrook family, one of the four major families of the southern region, Camden would typically only marry into one
Heather had a decent status as the daughter of Holton's Knott Estate, it
didn't seem that odd. Although Heather's family background wasn't on par with the daughters of the
her talents were remarkable. The Netherworld Bell test showed her potential at five rings, placing her on the same level as Kaitlyn and
boundless potential and unimaginable future
beauty and talent compensated for her
of Heather. After all,
who secretly admired Heather, were equally disheartened, with their hopes seemingly
was beautiful, her cruelty overshadowed everything else;
from Martin, Sebastian invested in a vast amount
was to find Fressia, secure the third stage of the cultivation technique- whether by stealth or
to boost the cultivation of those around
took breaks periodically to rest. One day,
are getting engaged tomorrow at Knott Estate. They've sent over an invitation,"
them is for me,
"Yes,
nothing more than an attempt to use the Stonebrook
Wilder, are you planning
invitation, so if I don't go, wouldn't I be letting them down?" Sebastian replied with a
quickly said, "Mr. Wilder, I think it's best if you don't go. Martin and Heather both hate you to the core and their invitation is definitely
nodded in agreement. "My father is right. You mustn't
walking right
just a bunch of petty clowns. There's nothing to fear," Sebastian
strong, but the Stonebrook family has many powerful figures. If
Hendrick warned.
to .net
unmoved. "I appreciate your
just clowns. They're not
If
ie
Stonebrook family is one of the four major families in the southern region, even stronger than the Netherworld Sect. They shouldn't be underestimated
"Mr. Wilder, please listen to us
avoided. If they're out for revenge, they'll cook up something else next time even
them sooner rather than later,Chapter
the entrance of Knott Estate, a woman
a colorful gown, with a veil partially hiding her stunning beauty-it was
from me?" Sebastian asked. "Are you heading to the engagement banquet?" Kaitlyn
Sebastian nodded.
at the banquet. Going there now
here just to tell me
to run into you and thought I'd give you a friendly warning," Kaitlyn
about me. Could
Kaitlyn scoffed and
if Ms. Gardner says so, then it's surely true. Why don't we turn
you're alive. With your talent, you're destined to become a peerless force in the future. Just bide your time,"
made up. No
thinking Sebastian was marching to his doom. All
Estate, the atmosphere was festive and filled with
powerhouse, the Netherworld Sect had shown great respect by sending
the end of today, she would be
and his face was beaming. To have Heather a woman both stunning and neredibly talented was something that would inspire envy in
seen and touched by Sebastian So the only way to remove that thorn was
Sebastian.
on Sebastian's
at that moment, "Mr.
down all the exits once he enters. Make sure he doesn't escape," Camden ordered
able to get away, even if
nodded in satisfaction. "By the
"Mr. Denzel head ran into some issues and likely won't make it today. But with the family's third elder and the seventh
again in
that moment, Sebastian and
exclaimed
already warned Sebastian about the Stonebrook family's plan, yet he still
had the guts to
lightly and said, "This place isn't exactly a
you've come today, don't expect to
"Brat, today
give you a chance. If you kneel down, admit your mistakes, gouge out your own eyes, and break your own
invited me to your engagement party. I came here to congratulate you, so I'm your guest. Yet, here you are, shouting threats. Is this how you treat
you out of your mind?" Camden sneered. "I invited you here just to kill
is such an idiot. He thinks that just because he came to congratulate the couple, Mr. Camden would let him go. He
reputation. Mr. Camden would never let him live. I can't tell if
hurl insults. Among all the people present, aside from Hendrick and Abigail, only Kaitlyn seemed worried about Sebastian. Despite
at Camden and said, "Today is your engagement party. Killing someone might bring bad luck, don't
things. If you want to live today, the only way is
Sebastian laughed and his
immediately grew furious. "What are you laughing at,
laughed and said, "Mr. Camden, I really don't get it. There are so many good
You've got
it. This guy must
had done as Mr. Camden asked, he might have had a slim chance to live. But insulting Ms. Knott? Now he's probably wishing for death to be
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Septimus Stonebrook stood up. They were looking ready to strike Sebastian down at any
me out. I was simply speaking the truth. You
been practicing an
cultivation technique, one that
energy
day, shevited
Estate, lured me into her room,
"Shut up!"
Sebastian while snapping, "Stop spouting nonsense and tarnishing my
slandering Heather on purpose. You can't believe a
don't believe him. This guy has slandered my
do you have?" Camden
absorb male energy through a sinister technique and tried
"Camden, he's lying! He's just upset that I broke off the engagement with him, so
No matter what he says, I won't
couldn't resist and ended up sleeping with her. But what I didn't expect was that she was using an evil cultivation technique to absorb my essence and even my bone marrow. Afterward, she
laughed angrily. "To slander my woman right in front of me... you've
first time was with me. If you don't believe me, you can have her checked. If I'm lying, you can do with me as you wish," Sebastian
don't listen to him! He's making it all up! Even if an examination
quickly chimed in, "Camden, this guy has ulterior motives. Don't fall for his
moment, and she began to feel uneasy under his gaze. Doubts crept into his mind
coldly. Whether Sebastian was telling the truth or not, he had
to verify everything as soon as the engagement banquet
approached Sebastian, releasing a powerful aura that felt as vast and overwhelming as the sea, making it hard
enough to make me almost suffocate. This is truly impressive," the onlookers said
Korbin and Hendrick felt apprehensive. While they were also divine grandmasters, there were clear differences
stage, whereas Septimus was a middle-stage
fear. He smirked mockingly and said, "Camden, I originally thought you had some sense in you, but you're a fool Youre allowing this
wish you were dead!" Camden snapped angrily. Sebastian taunted, "You tell me to shut up, but
a few scratch marks on her chest because I got a bit
instinctively covered her chest with her hand. In truth, Sebastian was just bluffing; those marks would have healed by
However, Heather's reaction
everyone stunned. Upon
Heather
I'll cut
wasn't a fool, and he was infuriated
the four major families of the southern region, with all their
divine grandmaster.
move, the pressure from his released aura alone made it hard for anyone nearby to
eyes flashed with worry. But there was little they could
his hand reached out to grasp Sebastian's neck. Just as it seemed he would succeed,
a resounding sound,
let out a pained scream and
him down and
"What?"
A powerful middle- stage divine grandmaster like Septimus had been defeated in
was beyond
long ago, Sebastian had participated in the Netherworld Sect's
all, if he were
underestimated you. If you
and she yelled, "Sebastian, he's from the Stonebrook family! If you dare to kill him,
also approached Sebastian, his eyes
forward. "Mr. Camden, can you do me a favor? I'll have him release Septimus, and in return, you
the start. Although her face was hidden, she
this close distance, Camden found her even more enticing than he had imagined. He nodded and said, "I'll
Gardner Astong asterele Monet
gouges out his own eyes, and breaks
out his eyes and breaking his hands
consider myself rather kind for offering this. This is my bottom line!" Camden declared in a tone that left no room
whispered, "Didn't I warn you? Why
some death trap. Why shouldn't I come?"
realize your strength
The Stonebrook
breaking your hands is the best
and replied, "Ms. Gardner, I appreciate your kindness,
not in the habit of
know it's hard
miserably than to die. IfChapter
to say something, but in the end, she only gave a
was a fate worse than death. Rather than living worse than a dog, it was better to fight to
were slim, at least
"Septimus!"
members of the Stonebrook
rage as he shouted, "Sebastian Wilder, how
I won't be satisfied until
his cultivation
was
step forward, his presence intensified. Every footfall left a deep
a powerful aura. Trey's cultivation must be truly unfathomable. He's probably at the late-stage divine
stage of divine grandmaster, but it's said that Trey has the ability to fight beyond his level, comparable to a late-stage
struck so quickly before; this is definitely going
Everyone nodded in agreement.
shouted, tossing a long sword
the sword and immediately drew it from its sheath. A sharp,
the air, unleashing
an instant, the surrounding temperature seemed to plummet, leaving everyone feeling as though they had fallen into an icy abyss. Their hearts were
be the Godslayer Blade of the Stonebrook
roamed the world with this sword, and with it, they rarely met an equal. As long as one wields the Godslayer Blade, their combat strength instantly rises a
stunned. They hadn't expected Camden to carry
With the added power of the Godslayer Blade, not even late-stage divine grandmasters could stand against Trey Defeating
a renowned magical artifact, said to be a top-tier weapon that could slice through iron like it was
was Sebastian, empty-handed-what chancChapter
eyes, unable to bear
deeply resented the man who had taken her virginity, but after calming down and reflecting, her hatred
she found herself preferring it to be Sebastian. At least Sebastian was young and handsome, and he had acted to save her. That
getting to know Sebastian a bit more, she even started to develop some feelings for him. This was why she would always instinctively step
she had come to realize that Sebastian's strength far surpassed hers, and he didn't need her protection at
were the Stonebrook family. Not even her entire Netherworld Sect would dare provoke
his sword, a blinding white blade aura was charged
the energy within a few miles surged violently, creating an oppressive atmosphere that weighed down on
with weaker cultivation slumped to the ground
so his sword's target was
strike, Sebastian
filled with cruelty. To try and stop the Godslayer
made contact with Sebastian's palm. However, instead of the expected sight of blood and mangled flesh, the sword stopped
"How is this possible?"
with shock and disbelief. Everyone present was equally stunned as they
my god! He caught the Godslayer Blade with his bare hand! This is insane!" "What level is this
Godslayer Blade out of Sebastian's grip. He exerted all his strength, but it didn't
said calmly. With a slight exertion of his spiritual energy, Trey instantly let go
if he was jolted
while nodding in satisfaction. "This sword is not
sword back!" Trey shouted in a mix of anger and panic, clenching his
trembled as he pointed at Sebastian. "You actually dared to kill
you can kill me, I
the heir to the Stonebrook family. Do you dare to kill
They are filled with masters of unparalleled skill. My future father-in-law is one of the top experts in the Southern Regions, so killing you would be a piece
pair of idiots. You two really are made for each other," Sebastian said
Your whole
about to die, yet you still dare to shout at me. If that's not foolishness, I don't know what
to kill us?"
as he said, "Sebastian, if you dare to kill me, our family will never let
seem powerful to others, but not me. You're nothing more than clowns. If you send one person to me, I'll kill that person. If you send two, I'll kill both of them. If you send a whole army, I'll wipe them out. If your entire family comes at me, I'll exterminate every last
end, his voice was
one could believe how brazen Sebastian was, declaring his intent to
had said this before, everyone would have looked down on him and thought that he was lying. However, after witnessing Sebastian's terrifying strength, everyone was very
truly are full of yourself! Our family has stood strong for over
think you can fight us alone? Hand over the Godslayer Blade technique and come to my house to admit your wrongs. Perhaps then, we
up in a grave, you won't
you dare!" Camden
gathered all the experts from the
He took a step forward, releasing an
force weighed down on everyone present. Those below grandmaster level collapsed to
struggled to remain standing,
Kill him!" Camden commanded
the Stonebrook family were filled with terror, they had no choice but to
the fray. Instead, he used the chaos
a tremendous energy burst forth. There was a deafening boom, and the grandmasters coughed out blood as
very shocked. The grandmasters from the Stonebrook family had been
The
was terrifying.
collapsed to the ground, and
toward Heather.
air, attempting to
the way little Jonathan stepped forward to shield the nervous clerk and decided to let
Nathaniel said, his voice
absolutely," Elodie blurted, nodding so hard the tight bun at the
away did Elodie finally breathe. Relief spread through her limbs
on someone else's whim. Grateful, she offered a quick, thankful
Ivy hadn't stepped between danger and the child, the day would
posture unexpectedly shy. "Thank you," she murmured, sincerity softening every line
almost grown-up, impossibly composed
Ivy, I should be the one thanking you," he
hand into the miniature pocket of his blazer and drew out a sleek matte card. Holding it up, he added, "Every outfit you
a clap of thunder. Jaws dropped, eyes widened, and the boutique fell into
started at well over ten thousand, yet this child intended to buy the
uncertainty flickering across
this scale required his guardian's
entire rack of adult clothing, yet
course," she said, nearly breathless with
velvet hangers into
the other employees watched, envy shining through their
large could cover the down payment
more.
understanding precisely why Jonathan was buying, no one dared steal Ivy's
guided Nathaniel
she leaned down, voice barely above az whisper “Everything's packed but it really is a mountain of clothes. Should we put one or two pieces back? Together they total
over eight million." s
Elodie hadn't asked her, Ivy would never have taken a job
firm as bedrock.
gaze flicked to Nathaniel. When he offered no objection, she finally swiped
the numbers in disbelief. The wealthy, it seemed, spent money the way others breathed
us." Ivy presented the card with both hands, as though
courtesy. "Ms. Ivy,
clerk finally set the
worthy of a stage magician, he indicated a slate-gray
to
wonder, then alarm. A quick shake of her head sent her ponytail swishing across her shoulders. "Oh, no, I
apairof
low, effortless baritone. “You protected Jon today. Compared with that, a jacket is nothing. If
delivered a
two bodyguards trailed them like silent shadows, arms loaded with crisp shirts, tailored trousers, and ribbon-tied shopping bags that bumped
a downward glance at Jonathan, who still wasn't tall enough to reach his thigh, and asked, "What business did you have in a men's boutique in the first
a beat. “Oh. Ms. Kennedy wanted me to pop in and pick out a few outfits for Uncle
knows Ms. Kennedy, and Mom's best friend would never check up on this, so the story is
expression unreadable. "Your Ms. Kennedy
chest. Vivian remembers to buy clothes for
like a sky before
around Nathaniel's larger finger, and gave a reassuring tug. "Dad, Mom actually asked me to purchase a
fib, it was only because Vivian's eccentricity
Nathaniel, Jonathan appeared more like an adult
She would never delegate adult shopping
"You've figured
Jonathan blinked, performing innocent
a quiet breath. “When it comes to social-grade lying, you're still rough
so fast, and the realization
theatrical sigh. “Are you feeling unhappy?” he asked, dark lashes lifting so his wide
a civil smile. "Why would
for you. She skipped you completely. That proves
opened, then snapped shut.Am I showing it
throat. “And exactly where did you pick up
Jon
landed like a weight on his chest. If even a child could read him, how had Cecilia
uneasy when the restroom door stayed shut
hard, she went searching
belongs to s
almost collided
the bodyguard trailing behind them, arms loaded
have you two been? And what on earth is all
stepped forward, intent on inspecting the loot, but Nathaniel spoke
he said smoothly. "Holiday tokens,
Nathaniel was patching the hole
have been nice. I was starting to wonder
utterly bewildered. When have I ever
shot Jonathan a pointed look. Understanding flashed
resigned himself to carrying the constipation story
I've been skimping on water lately," Jon
arm around Jonathan's small shoulders and drew him into a full- bodied embrace
take you to a doctor, all right? You're
colic and fevers, knows how a single twitch of discomfort in
heat rush to his cheeks until his whole face burned as brightly as a
imagining the confession would buy him this
ages since Cecilia
Mommy, really. I'll be fine if I drink more water. It
the model child, obedient,
"That won't do. Maybe we should
gravity, the way
sc*mbag daddy. Of all lies you could invent, you picked constipation. Now Mom
but honestly, Mommy, I don't need them,” he whispered, the words
with pity for the boy and a glimmer
phone, tapped at lightning speed, and ordered
home, a courier stood at the gate like a summoned
you're not sure how to
the plastic-wrapped suppositories, despair dropping like a stone in
battlefield. He shook his head so
can manage on my
his hair, every gesture
pitying him. So young, already forced to endure the stubborn ache of constipation. If it lasted, a doctor's visit
you," she said, voice low and
"Okay."
clutched the box like contraband and bolted down
a plate of sliced fruit. He watched his brother's retreating and, though he didn't quite know why,
he really constipated? He sure doesn't look it," Elliot muttered around a
him with a mild but warning stare. "Don't tease your brother. He's having a
a small hand against his chest, trying to calm the little jolt of surprise inside. "Jon is really kind of pitiful," he breathed, each
with an exaggerated burst of cheer, Cecilia clapped her hands. “Come on," she said, "let's try the outfits we just bought today,
take
clothes in bright cascading layers. One by one, she handed them to the
photoshoot ended, she pinged the
kept polite smiles fixed in place,
of her life, including short clips of the boys chasing sunlight
return, video-called often to check on the children
seemed to
and the children be able to
belonged to the Rainsworths, so her priorities were
the keyboard. "Nathaniel and I have decided. We'll come right after the New Year
I will prepare every one
chatted with Bethany for a good while longer, then finally ended
outfit change, Jonathan and Elliot collapsed onto their beds, fast
only Cecilia and Nathaniel amid scattered
drooping, intent on stealing five minutes of calm when Nathaniel suddenly shifted
"Ceci."
jerked in surprise. "What
this all we're doing today?" His question
you mean?" Confusion
Nathaniel's eyes.
weight of his displeasure sit plainly on his face. Cecilia finally read the room. Something inside Nathaniel was storming, evident
to his, worry eclipsing her earlier cheer. "What's the matter?
took a single step closer, the scent of cedar from his freshly pressed shirt drawing
could speak
long arms swept out
swift, possessive motion,
her against his chest, as though staking a claim no
really have to
velvet-edged with gravel, every syllable vibrating through the scant
Color flared across Cecilia's face. Her blush deepened as she tried
me go! If Elliot or
her hair as if the
holding each other? They're not babies anymore. They should understand,"
"Not babies? They're only
I moved overseas on my own," Nathaniel replied,
past her irritation. "You left the
coddle them. Let's arrange for Elliot and Jonathan to spend time abroad to build some resilience. It'll give us
little, Nathaniel. Besides, Elliot's just regained his health, and Jonathan still keeps Old Mr. Sinclair company
།
As for Jonathan, let him stay with Old Mr. Sinclair for
pad of his finger brushing her burning cheek. “You're being
"Hmm?"
the kids, yet you're perfectly fine leaving me on the sidelines.” He paused, drawing a steadying breath. "Remember, it's you
then did it click. Her proud, composed husband was jealous of his own
it. "Of course, the kids outrank you. I risked my life
darkened, a storm
and bolted down the hallway, bare
it, then sprang up and covered the distance in long,
to swing the door shut, Nathaniel planted one hand against the
door. "There are plenty of spare rooms
gentle shove, he slipped inside, scooped her up again, and
the deadbolt turned, and darkness enveloped the
white light, snow glare slicing through the curtains
less than an inch away. She could count the fine stubble dusting his
her trace a finger over that faint roughness, then
Nathaniel's brows twitched.
fluttered open, hazy
murmured, drawing her even closer until her breath mingled with
Her voice came out in a whisper,
closed his eyes again, and sighed. "Stay. Just a little longer."
promised her best friends a full
mumbled, "Give me a few more minutes. Keep me
realize how clingy he could be, warmth and weight wrapped around her like
you this attached? I never noticed
mouth. "I was younger. Didn't
dark strands springing up beneath her
moving. I have a busy day ahead," she said, trying to
after you hit the mall with your friends, that's all,
her head. "That's
you buying?” he asked, still unwilling to release
New clothes for Mom, and something nice for Grandpa
carried a note
"Nope."
with a puzzled tilt of her head. He had never shown the slightest interestin which dress of coat she bought yet this
her fingers loose, voice low and
the cause. He just hates it when I leave too quickly. With that familiar assumption, she let the
even smaller once the door clicked shut behind her. Nathaniel lay staring at the ceiling until the silence felt
rose, padded through quiet hallways, and
1.
and Elliot off to RaiChapter
because you're an idiot-half a brain short of being human!" Conrad shouted, his voice cracking with rage.
only a complete fool like Alex could think the Wolfsbane family had any chance of working with the
called you an idiot with half a brain for daring to
face went pale, then burned red. He spun toward
Her face darkened with fury and humiliation. Her own kin had mocked her-Beatrix and his husband, Conrad and then Annabella, her
Alex-the outcast,
never liked the girl. But seeing Sofina step forward with quiet resolve,
least this one had
"You're cowards! Every last one of you! From this moment on, Sofina
The room fell silent.
worry, Grandma," she said.
arms, flashing Beatrix a smug grin that
"Go on, Sofina -try all
a thousand of you. She's fighting to lift this family up,
of this family! You think Sofina's some kind of miracle worker? That she's going to
the Eden Group will want
Beatrix-what's your real problem? Do you not believe
and waved her hands fast. "No! That's not what I meant! I just think it's impossible for Sofina to make that
you're not being realistic-you're being a coward. You've already surrendered before the fight even started. That's not
"You're a fool if you
that filled the room. "Then let's make this interesting. What if she does succeed? Want to
her arms. "Fine. You think I'm scared? Name
estate. If Sofina pulls this
said through clenched teeth. "But if Sofina fails, I want both of you out of the
said, leaning back with a half-smile. "Then let's see who
chimed in, "Count me in too! If I win, I want Nikolaus's
on her, raising a brow. "Alright. But what
her arms, chin lifted. "I won't lose. But
you love calling me a half-slave, how about this—if you
laughing. "Ha! You're really digging your own grave, loser! Fine-I'll take that
me in too," Felicia said. "If you lose, I want you
win, you'll accept our marriage- no more insults,
really think you can win this? I've already recorded the bet and sent the document to
smirked. "Perfect," he said. "I like it when everyone
didn't even glance at them. She couldn't care less about their childish
family could actually
have three days to negotiate and close the deal. That's all.
home, Sofina frowned, glancing out the window. "You really think Grandma
"Trust? No. Desperation?
shot him a look. "That's supposed to make me
you want comfort, talk to someone who hasn't met this family."
I bet on your victory. Isn't
"You really think this
"It'll show who's got guts and who's
crossed her arms. "And
chuckled. "Then I'll finally fit right in
next morning, Sofina sat in the passenger seat, clutching a thick file of proposals she'd spent
drove the sleek black luxury car they'd won from Nikolaus-a machine so rare in Winchester that it turned heads
across the car's polished hood, “we should return this car. It's too extravagant
chuckled, one hand casually resting on the wheel. "Maybe it's too fancy for a gardener like me,"
grandmother and mother wouldn't dare buy you one, so let's enjoy it while
can."
"You
our way up. And when this is over, maybe we'll
head, half anxious, half amused.
said, his grin widening. "You've got me. That's enough. Come on, Sofina. Shoot for the moon; even if you
toward the Eden Group's towering headquarters, its glass walls gleaming
me luck," Sofina whispered as the
already doubled," he said lightly "Remember I'm the gardener of the
QUMS
help but laugh. For a moment, her nerves eased. She wished she could carry that same unshakable
under the shadow of the two-hundred-story tower and felt something empty out inside
the sky like a polished god. The idea that the Wolfsbane family—old, fractured, scandal-scarred—could sit at that table
them was like a beggar asking a banker to lend him
she'd promised her grandmother. She'd accepted the challenge in front of the whole house. There was no
by nobles
voices low but tense, each waiting for their turn
The sight said
all every one
of them was hono
same thing: a coffaboration with power.
What on earth are you doing
Heinrich standing with Katarina Rosenheim,
hawks. Katarina's lips tightened the way a judge's did before
sentence.
bowed his head like a man forced to swallow bile. "I'm sorry, Katarina. I tried. I truly did. I don't understand how she keeps turning up. I'll make her leave." He pushed forward and grabbed Sofina's wrist in a rough. "You're here to attract attention," he hissed. "I told you I won't give you any.
thick with mockery. "You? Who the hell are you trying to fool? Even
was still buttoning up his Eden Group gardener uniform when a security drone glided into the room, humming softly as its sensors locked onto
just shoved by a guest-he forced her out into the entrance area. Do you want us
me the footage," Alex
the recording. Heinrich's hand clamped around Sofina's arm, dragging her down the hallway while papers scattered
straightened his collar, pulled on his gloves, and strode out toward
the floor, gathering a pile of
her pick them up. "What
No matter what I say,
Alex asked, gently lifting her
nothing serious," she
last sheet. "You know, you don't need to print everything. The digital files are
I like the
"The same way I like
"You really are
for me, you looked at me like I was more than data in a
walked back
a voice cracked
I told you to
froze. The color drained from
that still tied her
control doesn't vanish overnight. Her body tensed, eyes
placing himself between
this is Eden Group," Alex said. "You're a guest. You have
me how to behave? I'm a guest here-l expect to be treated
out a low, sharp laugh. "Keep dreaming. You're not a king- you're just another arrogant fool. A
The chairman of Eden Group personally sent me an invitation—said I should run this place. You're a gardener. When I'm finished, you'll be out of a job.” "You can try," Alex said,
Don't give him anything. He brings
smile while extending a hand. "Mr. Schiller. What an honor
yes. But somebody in your place had the nerve to try and
professional courtesy. "Sir, no one here would deliberately offend you. If someone attempted to remove you, tell me their
said coldly. "That's the man. Your gardener. He
Group gardener uniform. His brow furrowed. "I've never
know all of them—same as↑
seem to forget your place. I'm Dietrich Wedell,
Human Resources. I can fire you anytime
Kneel and beg for his
"Why should I? He's the one who tried to throw out another guest, and he doesn't even belong to Eden
snapped. "Do you have any idea who Heinrich Schiller is? He's one of the brightest minds in Winchester-soon to join the Eden
not joining?" Alex
he doesn't, he deserves your respect. You're nothing compared to him! Now kneel
said calmly, shaking
if you don't!"
Alex. We've known each other a long time. Just kneel and bow three times, and maybe I'll let you keep
"How about this, Heinrich-you kneel to me. Three kowtows, then maybe I'll
by the rising tension.
to stand up
voice joined in. "That gardener's got a name. You
"Who?" someone asked.
"Alex-the dunce himself."
of Winchester? No wonder he's mouthing off. He's too stupid
and
desperate for my attention,
it. Your husband's a fool who doesn't know his place.
bows, and I might forgive
Alex's arm,
make sure everyone in Winchester hears about
I'll have the
name you'll be nothing outcasts. And you know I can make that
s
stepped forward, but Sofina grabbed him tighter and
was soft but steady.
her face. She met his
Sofina stepped forward alone.Chapter
red as a boil. "You hit me, bitch-" He
curse.
in God's name do you think you're doing, bitch!"
inside Eden Group! Security robot - fetch her, give
supporting him with a hand at the small of
Heinrich. I've called security. Twenty lashes. She won't be standing after that her flesh will tell
a command.
Dietrich. "You'd better cancel that order,"
"The one who'll get hurt is
jabbed his communication bracelet. "Security — attend. Punish
tilted his head. "I
crowd began
she hit
you know Heinrich's
her!" another voice
its routine: ID scan, threat assessment, authorization
threat to her, an
the room expected-Eve, the household robot Sofina had left at home, came
her into his
monitored Alex's accounts and every linked node. Any device that touched Sofina reported to Eve
snapped into the network. "Override the previous command. Secure Dietrich and
security robot optical
produced a taser and slammed it into Dietrich's chest. The shock hit him like a thrown
anyone could process it, security robot drew an electric whip from a holster and
followed. Dietrich's shout cut the air. "Stop! Not me
from triumph to alarm.
is already the most
of confusion moved through the
robot didn't stop until Dietrich
it hauled him to his feet and kicked him out, shoving
frozen, her mind struggling to catch up with
clutching his bleeding nose. He wiped the blood
low and venomous.
toward her, his hand swinging
time. Heinrich had struck
endured it, not because she was weak, but
his arm. "Find someone
— let go of
kept his temper under a hard lid. The
until Heinrich screamed like an animal, pain
knees, clutching at a hand that felt
dare you let me go!" Heinrich gasped, tears wet on
Eden Group meeting room like a storm breaking loose. Her heels struck the marble floor with sharp precision, aides trailing
-
presenting their offer - a bid to replace the Krugers, who'd been kicked out of
become the next family
they were desperater
promised Eden that Heinrich would cooperate
Katarina emerged into the main hall, the polished calm
down, and Heinrich bled and
stormed over and slapped Alex hard.
to my Heinrich? Let him go this instant. How dare you strike him until he bleeds-I'll call
released Heinrich's arm. "Calling the police won't help you," he said
that true?" Katarina
hit my nose." Heinrich
and held herself steady. "So what? You're not a noble. You're a coward wearing someone else's name. Sue
real power. The law
struck a noble, the punishment
the penalties were severe and swift. More often than not,
law protected rank, not
most people just accepted it. That was the
power didn't need
turned her sharp
Alex. I know why you married Sofina — to make me jealous, to get my attention. Well,
"No. I won't divorce her. Go ahead and
have
for you and for your Sant Claire family. When im
hardening his face.
you? That everyone just
me like that, Alex!" Katarina snapped. "It's already a blessing that I'm even willing to marry you. How dare you disobey me! I command you divorce that woman and
Alex muttered. His patience with her was long gone. Just the sound of
voice cracked with fury and desperation. She
discovered something she wouldn't admit — she
him.
haunted her - the nights Alex cooked for her, the way he shielded
Heinrich, everything was
dreading this moment. He didn't
them, but before he could take
at him, fierce and cold, while his other arm still held
told you to stop, Alex,"
Now. Before I lose my temper." She stepped closer. "Remember when I made you kneel in the rain for three days
owe you a damn thing. I don't answer to your orders. We're strangers now-so let go of my
hand whipped across his face. The slap cracked through the hall like
beneath it something else trembled — a flash of tears she fought to
I command you
this bitch!"
front of Alex without hesitation. Her eyes were quiet, but they held
tightened on Alex. Sofina caught it in one swift move and
of my husband," Sofina ordered. "You're his ex- don't touch him again. He isn't
She had been treated
the whispers
Rosenheim title was
their barony by stabbing their own marquis, the Saint- Claires,
and titles
shouted to the room, her voice shaking with fury. "She's spitting on my family name! Slap her-make her remember who she is! And who
some Rosenheim retainers shuffled forward, eager to prove
could raise a hand, a silver Eden security robot glided between them, its mechanical voice cutting through
violence is permitted on Eden Group property," it
would-be attackers jerked,
No violence," the security unit repeated. "Please remain calm and
robbed, for
Sofina grabbed Alex's hand.
here,"
about love! You said you loved
to give me your
begins to rot and fade, it hides behind forced gestures-empty rituals,
another android
interview for the collaboration. Please proceed to
squeezed her hand.
she asked,
to the garden. Only workers and authorized personnel can access it. These people won't be able to follow." He smiled faintly, calm despite
door and bowed slightly. "Please wait here. The person in
poised woman in a
follow me. Miss Von Adler would like to meet you
blinked. "Miss Von Adler?
She's expecting
still dazed, and followed the woman through the long,
Group headquarters. Her thoughts
Adler-the most powerful woman in Eden-want to
family. She wasn't supposed to meet the chairman, only the
It didn't make sense.
come twice. She followed the assistant through the long corridor, her heels echoing off the marble floor, until they
gestured her in. Inside, Marlena Von Adler-the legendary chairwoman of Eden
extending her hand. "I'm Marlena Von Adler,
the most powerful
voice trembled slightly as she answered, but she
met
me," she said. "I came to discuss the collaboration proposal. I know the Wolfsbane Group isn't as large or as influential as
but we
never disappoint."
to .net
"This is
take a look."
smiled—a calm, knowing smile and
a few pages, then closed
her voice soft but sure, "I've already reviewed your documents. I
mean... it's approved?" Her words
out.
too quick-too easy. She had spent
possible question, expecting a long negotiation.
in seconds.
back, her expression unreadable but
meet our usual standards. But our founder hold's your very nigh regard. He personally requested this partnership be
caught. "Your founder?" she
"May I know who your founder
lips curved into a faint smile. “Our founder," she said softly, "is the most handsome man I've ever
unsure
understand when the
believes in you. And that's why he's giving you this
gently, but her tone carried weight. Alex had instructed her not to reveal
with a professional calm. "Now, Miss Scheinwald, according to your
straightened, nervous. "Yes, that's right," she said, her voice small. "Is... is that
said easily. "In fact, it's
slightly. "What do
to increase the contract value," Marlena said
at one
her breath catching. "One... hundred
repeated, barely believing it.
and slid it across the polished desk toward
the agreement-one hundred million dollars in
at the document in disbelief. Her
corporations in Winchester-had not
out his cane and brought it down hard on Finnian's back. "I forbid you from seeing her! If you dare
his age, Mr. Everly's arm was still strong; after just a few blows, Finnian's crisp white shirt was already stained
"I'll beat you to death!" and from the look in his eyes, he almost
Everly's arm, her voice soft but steady. "Grandpa,
and gasping for
her expression calm. "You should go. I'll talk to Grandpa," she said
a long, searching look, then turned and
his mind. Can't you see? He insists on being with that actress, as if he's
threatened to fall as he squeezed her hand,
her lips together, unable to respond. She didn't even know what she felt anymore. Just yesterday, Finnian had confessed his feelings to her; today, he was determined to be with Liliana. Thinking back on the words he'd spoken to her before, Amara couldn't help but feel the whole thing
her head, her voice clear. "Grandpa, there's something I've never told
"What is it?"
Qu
always hoped Finnian and I would end up together. You wanted that because you thought Finnian cared about me, but the truth is our relationship has never
nearly said outright that she had no interest
Mr. Everly listened, utterly exhausted, guilt weighing on
blame Amara for not wanting
l.ne
was at fault. After all the ways Finnian had treated her, how could she possibly like him? For years, it had been Mr. Everly Finself, swallowing his pride and pushing for them to be together-he knew that all too well.
hand wearily. "Ama, I'm tired. I need to
well, Grandpa. I'll
and he'd always dreamed She'd stay with
dwell on it, and finally closed his
He'd
Chapter 365
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glanced at him briefly before looking away, steeling herself as
leave. But Finnian spoke up.
"That's not necessary-"
just want to talk to you," he added quickly, sensing
knew it was time to put things to rest between them. She nodded, walked out to his car, and let him drive her home.nly accepted
can't be real," she murmured, her voice
thought of her grandmother, who had dreamed of a collaboration like this
come with such generosity. Now they
they had been
looked up at Marlena, eyes
and awe.
she whispered. "Thank you so
word was a deal, every touch a performance. He
way - a man who didn't need to be
that warmth
a crisis, she thought bitterly. It's the ordinary
mornings, the silence at dinner, the ache
life out of pride
cracked as she screamed, desperate and trembling, "Alex, I'm
your husband keep his job. And if you take off your clothes while you're at it, might
a moment,
Sofina smiled.
could blink, her fist shot forward and cracked across his
square on his nose with a sickening
splattered. Heinrich stumbled back, clutching his face, howling in shock
the crowd gasped.
u are."
this is about business. We both know why you're here. You came chasing my attention, and I've got none
sight
the entrance like a man hauling
in here again. I'm done with
over."
doors. Sofina hit the ground, landing on her backside as the folder burst open, papers scattering across
you
together. What mattered was that she could finally pull herself out of the pain Dorian
moved on quietly after she got back. A few days later,
of a house. Liliana's arm was looped
but anyone could tell he was the CEO-no, now the
you." It looked almost exactly like
it feel so
Finnian, whispers of their relationship, speculation they'd get married someday. But the Everly Group had never acknowledged anything publicly, and there'd never
Liliana's post either. Their silence was approval enough-everyone understood now
suddenly flooded with messages,
around her, eager to curry favor. Some even
had been ages since she'd been the center of attention like this. Maintaining her graceful
?
that ever since word of her suicide attempt had gotten out, people whispered behind her back, saying she'd forced Finnian to stay by her side with her life on the line. Now, with everyone falling over themselves to flatter her, she couldn't tell which words were
But so what?
was doing just fine now. Someday, she'd be the only woman in Finnian's life. When that day came, these same people would rush to curry her favor all
“Hey, I heard you had a rough time a few days ago.
had spent over a week in the hospital after his accident, and another few days recovering at home.
"I'm alright. Things were tough for a while, but it's over now. How
just told me to eat well and get my strength back," Hogan replied casually, dropping
they'd even had dinner
the only member of
at hiding her emotions. Even if she was uncomfortable, she'd never
on the other hand, couldn't pull off Liliana's easy grace. After a few meaningless exchanges, he cut the conversation short. "I'm heading out. Let's catch up another time," he said, already halfway to the
hadn't called her "sis- in-law." She couldn't tell if he'd done it on
smile didn't falter. "Alright, go home and get some rest. If you're not feeling
her dressing room, his brow furrowed, thoughts tangled up like a
Amara coming down the
he'd seen Amara's real face, but every time he ran into her unexpectedly, her
and strode over to her, blurting out, "You know
why he'd suddenly brought this up. "Weren't they already together for ages?" she replied, her
hesitated, about to correct her, but Amara cut him off. "Does it even matter?
He frowned, frustrated.
actually been a couple. All that intimacy had been just an act Liliana put on
knew-there shouldn't be anything left between them He'd wanted to explain this to Amara, but
Liliana had posted that tweet, despite not having a child anymore, suggested
actually wanted to know: "Nothing,
real reason he'd come to
looked puzzled. "Why would I
completely moved on from Finnian, and yes, the news had stung at first. But she'd
was lying.
Amara answered without hesitation.Chapter
thought made Liliana clench her fists, her eyes
of activity. Everyone's workload had doubled or even tripled, but no one complained. The sooner they finished, the sooner they could rest; the
into the night. This evening was no different-she was still
he owned the place, flopping
"Have you noticed?
then resumed typing, her eyes on the screen. "Weren't they always joined at the hip?
can't quite put my finger on it," Keith replied, shaking his head. “It's just..... Finnian's gone the extra mile for Liliana these past few days. You
there a time someone joked that Finnian took better care of Liliana than I take care of you?" Amara recalled, her chest tightening for a split second as she
it with a casual tone. "What's the big deal? Didn't Liliana just have
"True enough."
kept a close eye on Amara's expression, only relaxing when he saw no trace
baby?" he asked, trying to sound offhand. "If you want, after it's born, you could put my
was mid-sip and
splattering water all over her keyboard, Grabbing a
wiped the keys and
put your name down? How are you ever going to find a wife if you pull a stunt like that?"
to marry
and drawled, "Who says I want
on my case about being single, but if I have a kid on paper, that'll keep them
rolled her eyes.
worried about the stigma of being a single dad and had come up
and rapped him on
walked over and rested her hand on his shoulder. “I know you've always worried about me," she said, her voice light, "but there's really
look out for her-Elysia with her warm, attentive gestures, Keith with his gruff but steadfast support.
Keith's suggestion tonight had completely blindsided her, she could still sense his good intentions and, in
realized she was still utterly clueless. He sighed, clearly giving up hope that she'd catch on to what
rapped his knuckles lightly against her forehead. "Alright, alright, have it your way. My offer still stands-if you ever change your
already." Amara gave
there was still one more scene to shoot-an important one, at that: the first kiss between the male and
Keith and Liliana were already
took a step apart, and
about to call "action," Keith suddenly raised
Cedric
"I think we
fell
requested it. Having the male lead bring up first, especially with someone like Lillana, was unusual enough to make everyone glance curiously at Keith.
the one to request the camera trick. This time, with Keith bringing
would only look worse. She curved her lips
at Amara and covered her mouth as she laughed.
furrowed immediately, her
but the last thing she wanted was for people to get the wrong
sentence leaving her rooted to the spot. Sensing the awkwardness, a crew member-someone who'd been fawning over Liliana ever
over.
kissing scene before, didn't he? Must've been back when he first started out. He didn't seem to care much about that sort of thing at the time. Now that he's a big star, I guess he's more
a lifeline, and she quietly let out a
With a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, he shot back, "That's not it.
silence that followed
been a subtle game of chess, this was Keith upending the board in front of everyone. His words landed like a
balled into fists at her
were ever so openly ruthless. Most played it safe-after all, today's golden child could be tomorrow's nobody, and vice versa. You learned to leave people a little dignity, in case you had
shred of dignity. Was
spoke up. She shot Keith a cool glance and said,
attitude shifted in an instant.
he spoke to Amara was so stark
wrapped. It was a little after midnight when Finnian
the entrance, as if searching for someone but the place was deserted.
Finnian's fleeting glance. Who had he been looking
and forced a smile. "Finn, something happened on set today. We were supposed to film a kissing scene, but Keith insisted on
instead And when
it out, but it's pretty obvious-he likes her.
comment. Sensing she'd said enough, Liliana deftly steered
arrived at the old manor. He handed his coat to a maid at the door and was just about to head upstairs when Amara stepped out of
Instinctively, she glanced his way, then quickly looked ahead and pretended not to notice him, striding
Finnian called out to
in her
the set tonight. She hadn't planned to come to the Everly estate, but then she saw the text Lisa had sent her half an hour earlier: Mr. Kevin Everly hadn't had much of an appetite, barely touched his dinner,
over.
about his condition, and only felt at ease when she learned the family doctor had
Liliana's attempted suicide, when Finnian had told Amara he'd be staying by Liliana's side from now on-Amara had felt like she and Finnian had nothing more to do with each other. She
Finnian called her name, and she stopped. "Is
nearby. They quietly filed out of
over to Amara. "What's going on between you and Keith?"
"Why are you asking
strongly opposes. That fells you a lot about how controlling his relatives are Getting involved with someone from a family like that
belongs to s
the blue. She and Keith were
into it. What on earth was
She remembered at Jessica's birthday party, Dorian had hosted the whole group, and Finnian had insisted that
say this one more time: Keith and I
assumptions," Amara said,
added, "even if I did want to be with Keith, I wouldn't
don't need
almost heavy. "You really can't tell how he
until she was pressed against the window
moved even an inch nearer, he'd have
night. The grand hall lay deserted,
across polished wood. Amara felt
"He's just a friend, nothing more. I don't know why you keep insisting he has feelings for me, Mr.
his hand, forcing her to
twisted her face from his
I know my friends. I don't know why you keep misreading things between us, but I'd
him, her anger bristling, and
on her retreating back, unable—or unwilling to
left did Hogan, who'd been hiding in the kitchen, quietly slip out. He replayed the
wasn't a recent thing-Finnian had been smitten even before Amara took off her mask. If he loved her then, when she was still hiding her scars, it had to be the real deal. What on earth was it about
Hogan was certain of that. But now Finnian was with Liliana. Was it
ch
it about
never had?
s
he remembered that the baby had never existed, yet Finnian was still in the dark. The urge to come clean-to tell
next morning, Hogan made
"You told me you wanted to explain the truth about your fake
to greet Hogan as usual, polite and charming, but his blunt
forced herself to think fast,
"Hogan, I know I promised to tell Finn the truth, but I just couldn't go through with it. I kept
if Finplan ever finds
busy lately-maybe
the truth before filming ends. If you
words sounded polite on the surface,
her whole body; she smashed several
nothing more than to get rid of
a second try. She clenched her jaw so hard it hurt, her
good reason. She'd always been a consummate professional, so this behavior was completely out of character.
apart: Hogan's threats haunted her. Whenever she thought about what he'd said,
strained after Emma's miscarriage, but gradually
far as to find some old home remedies to help Liliana recover,
Emma had her reasons. If Liliana didn't marry into the Everly family, Finnian might end up
to check on Liliana. Afterward, instead of leaving the studio, she changed course and headed straight for Amara's
to seek her out, but she greeted her politely. "Is there
around the modest dressing room, then fixed her gaze on Amara, her eyes openly
didn't say a single word. Her silence was a clear attempt to put Amara
She said coolly, "If you don't have any
opened the door, motioning for
this by anyone but Andrew, was instantly enraged. "What is wrong. this how you
with you
even said a
already kicking me
Read Clinging to Devoted Fiancé, Heiress Slays the World! Chapter 493
Novel Clinging to Devoted Fiancé, Heiress Slays the World! has been updated Chapter 493 with many climactic developments What makes this series so special is the names of the characters ^^. If you are a fan of the author If bunny, you will love reading it! I'm sure you won't be disappointed when you read. Let's read the novel Clinging to Devoted Fiancé, Heiress Slays the World! Chapter 493 now HERE.
Reading Novel Clinging to Devoted Fiancé, Heiress Slays the World! Chapter 493
Chapter 493 novel Clinging to Devoted Fiancé, Heiress Slays the World!