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.

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"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 pills that extend life and

may look like he's in his 20s, but his real age could

in agreement. "That's right. That brat's cultivation is at least at the early pinnacle stage of diving grandmaster, strongerthan the eight great

is definitely well

an early-stage divine

Heather and Camden's engagement

family, one of the four major families of the southern region, Camden would typically only

Heather had a decent status as the daughter of Holton's Knott Estate, it

wasn't on par with the daughters of the four

her potential at five rings, placing her on the same level as Kaitlyn and the Netherworld Sect's founding

boundless potential and unimaginable future

her beauty and talent compensated for her

engagement, many women felt envious and even jealous of Heather. After all, becoming the Stonebrook family's

secretly admired Heather, were equally disheartened, with their hopes

mind. Though Heather was beautiful, her cruelty overshadowed everything else; he wouldn't want her even

a million gold coins from Martin, Sebastian invested in a

to find Fressia, secure the third stage of the cultivation technique- whether by

pills now to boost the cultivation of those around him once

refinement was an exhausting process, so Sebastian took breaks periodically to rest. One day, after

tomorrow at Knott Estate.

is for me, I assume?"

"Yes, you're

saw through Martin's intentions-it was nothing more than an attempt

"Mr. Wilder, are

wouldn't I be letting them down?" Sebastian

Martin and Heather both hate you to the core

nodded in agreement. "My father is right. You

right

just a bunch of petty clowns. There's nothing

the Stonebrook family has many

Hendrick warned.

to .net

remained unmoved. "I appreciate your concern, but those people

clowns. They're not

they leave me alone, fine. If they dare provoke me,

ie

is one of the four major families in the southern region, even stronger than the Netherworld Sect. They

Wilder, please listen

for revenge, they'll cook up something else next

confront them sooner rather

the entrance of Knott Estate, a woman suddenly blocked

a colorful gown, with a veil partially hiding her stunning beauty-it was Kaitlyn, the distinguished lady of the

something you need from me?" Sebastian asked. "Are you heading to

Sebastian nodded.

Stonebrook family plans to kill you at the banquet. Going there now is like walking into a

waiting here just to tell me

to run into you and thought I'd give you

to care so much about me. Could it be that you've fallen for me?"

scoffed and turned to

said, "Mr. Wilder, if Ms. Gardner says so,

With your talent, you're destined to become a peerless force in the future. Just bide your time,"

No more

both sighed and shook their heads, thinking Sebastian was marching to his doom. All they could probably do now was

atmosphere was festive and filled

local powerhouse, the Netherworld Sect had shown great respect by

one of the main figures of the day, Heather was overjoyed. After all, by the end of today, she would be the future daughter-in-law of the Stonebrook family-who

pleased, and his face was beaming. To have Heather a woman both stunning and neredibly talented was

thorn in his side-Heather's body had already been seen and touched by

Sebastian.

keeping tabs on Sebastian's

report just at that moment, "Mr.

once he enters. Make sure he

is in place. He won't be able

nodded in satisfaction. "By the way, has my

reported, "Mr. Denzel head ran into some issues and likely won't make it today. But with

again

Sebastian and his companions

Korbin exclaimed in surprise

also taken aback. She had already warned Sebastian about the Stonebrook family's plan, yet

actually had the guts to come. I can't decide if I should praise your bravery or call

place isn't exactly

snorted coldly. "Stop playing dumb. Since you've come today, don't expect to leave here

today next year will be

If you kneel down, admit your mistakes, gouge out

I came here to congratulate you, so I'm your guest. Yet, here you are,

your mind?" Camden sneered. "I invited you here

came to congratulate

Mr. Camden would never let him live. I can't tell if

aside from Hendrick and Abigail, only Kaitlyn seemed worried about Sebastian.

Camden and said, "Today is your engagement party. Killing someone might bring bad luck,

want to live today, the only way

his smile was

grew furious. "What are you laughing at,

There are so many good women out there. Why on earth did you choose someone as

my woman? You've got some nerve!" Camden fumed

it. This guy must

he might have had a slim chance to live.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

stood

Hear me out.

practicing an

cultivation technique, one that

energy to

One day,

her room, and

"Shut up!"

quickly interrupted Sebastian while snapping, "Stop spouting nonsense

on purpose. You

"Of course, I don't believe him. This guy has slandered my woman-this is

you have?"

wanted to absorb male energy through a sinister technique and tried

upset that I broke off the engagement with him, so he's trying to slander me. You can't

and said, "Don't worry. No matter what he says,

was using an evil cultivation technique to absorb my essence and even my

"To slander my woman right in front of me...

you don't believe me, you can have her checked. If I'm lying, you can do with me as you

to him! He's making it all up! Even if an examination proves my innocence,

this guy has ulterior

and she began to feel uneasy under his gaze. Doubts crept into his mind as he wondered, "Could this guy be telling

him!" Camden ordered coldly. Whether Sebastian was

for Heather, Camden planned to verify everything

as vast and overwhelming as the sea,

power of a divine grandmaster? Just the aura alone is enough to make me almost suffocate. This is truly impressive," the

apprehensive. While they

early stage, whereas Septimus was a middle-stage

you had some sense in

to shut up,

the way, I left a few scratch marks on

hand. In truth, Sebastian was

However, Heather's reaction

everyone stunned.

Heather

you're spouting lies! I swear I'll cut out your tongue and feed

he was infuriated by the

Stonebrook family was one of the four major families of the southern region, with all

divine

move, the pressure from his released aura

and even Kaitlyn's eyes flashed with worry. But there was little they could do; they were powerless to stop the Stonebrook family from

as his hand reached out to grasp Sebastian's neck. Just as it seemed he would succeed, Sebastian suddenly countered, reacting faster and landing a punch

sound,

pained scream and

a swift movement, Sebastian chased him down and grabbed Septimus

"What?"

was utterly stunned. A powerful middle- stage divine grandmaster like Septimus had been defeated in a single move by

was

were the most shocked. Not long ago, Sebastian had participated

person, perhaps at most a warrior. After all, if he

you. If you release

she yelled, "Sebastian, he's from the Stonebrook family! If you dare to kill him, you won't even have

Sebastian, his eyes filled

"Mr. Camden, can you do me a favor? I'll have him release Septimus, and in return,

already noticed Kaitlyn from the start. Although her face was hidden, she had

found her even more enticing than he had imagined. He nodded and said, "I'll grant

Gardner Astong asterele Monet

and breaks both

gouging out his eyes and breaking

this. This is my bottom line!" Camden declared in a tone that

whispered, "Didn't I warn you?

death trap. Why

said, "I didn't realize your strength was so formidable, but you still

Stonebrook

imagination. Gouging out your eyes and breaking your hands is the best outcome

smiled lightly and replied, "Ms. Gardner, I appreciate your

in the habit of

know it's hard to accept,

five miserably than to die.

say something, but in the end, she only

worse than death. Rather than living worse than a dog,

the chances were slim, at least Sebastian

"Septimus!"

of the Stonebrook family

as he shouted, "Sebastian Wilder, how

be satisfied until I torture you

cripple his cultivation for

didn't need Camden's order. He was already walking toward Sebastian, his aura

each step forward, his presence intensified. Every footfall left a deep imprint on the hard diamond-stone

powerful aura. Trey's cultivation must be truly

grandmaster, but it's said that Trey has the ability to

so quickly before; this is

Everyone nodded in agreement.

the sword!" Camden shouted, tossing

drew it from its sheath. A sharp, clear

through the air, unleashing

leaving everyone feeling as though

this be the Godslayer Blade

our Stonebrook family's Godslayer Blade. Our ancestors once roamed the world with this sword, and with it, they rarely met an equal. As long as one wields the Godslayer Blade,

They hadn't expected Camden to carry

is doomed now. With the added power of the Godslayer Blade, not even late-stage divine grandmasters could stand against

The Godslayer Blade was a renowned magical artifact, said to be a

was Sebastian,

closed her eyes, unable to bear

her virginity, but

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 in whenever he was in danger—she simply

strength far surpassed hers, and

Sebastian were the Stonebrook family. Not even her

swung his sword, a blinding white blade aura was charged with thunderous power. It seemed as though it would split the earth in

that instant, the energy within a few miles surged violently, creating an oppressive

slumped to the ground

capture Sebastian alive, so his sword's target

the blade was about to strike, Sebastian suddenly moved, reaching out to grab

To try and stop the Godslayer Blade technique with one's bare hand was utterly

Sebastian's palm. However, instead of the expected sight of blood and mangled flesh, the sword stopped

"How is this possible?"

widened, filled with shock and disbelief. Everyone present was equally stunned as they were unable to

the Godslayer Blade with his bare hand! This is insane!" "What level is this guy? How can

Blade out of Sebastian's grip. He exerted all his strength,

said calmly. With a slight exertion of his spiritual energy, Trey instantly let go of the s go

he was jolted by

Blade while nodding in satisfaction. "This sword is not bad. From now

back!" Trey shouted in a mix of anger and panic, clenching his fists and throwing a

shocked. His finger trembled as he pointed at Sebastian. "You actually dared to kill two of our family's elders! Do you

kill or be killed. If you think you can

both afraid and angry. "Sebastian, I'm warning you. I'm the heir to the Stonebrook family. Do you dare to kill

can imagine. They are filled with masters of unparalleled skill. My future father-in-law is one of the top

pair of idiots. You two really are made for each

idiots? You're the idiot! Your whole family is!"

shout at me. If that's not foolishness, I don't know

kill

dare to kill me, our family will

me, I'll kill that person. If you send two, I'll kill both

he spoke. By the end, his voice was thunderous,

could believe how brazen Sebastian was, declaring his intent to

have looked down on him and thought that he was lying. However, after witnessing Sebastian's terrifying strength, everyone was very afraid

yourself! Our family has stood strong for over a thousand years, with countless

you can fight us alone? Hand over the Godslayer Blade technique and come to my house to admit your wrongs. Perhaps then, we might let you live. Otherwise, I guarantee you won't

I end up in

you dare!"

was already afraid of him. He gathered all the experts from the Stonebrook family around him as they were

him with disdain. He took a

on everyone present. Those below grandmaster level collapsed to the ground, trembling

the grandmasters struggled to remain standing, their legs quivering

Kill him!" Camden commanded

Stonebrook family were filled with terror, they had no choice but to obey Camden. Gritting

didn't join the fray. Instead,

was a deafening boom, and the grandmasters coughed out blood as they were

grandmasters from the Stonebrook family had

cake. The sheer ease

was terrifying.

ground, and her face became

rushed toward Heather. He

leapt into the air, attempting to

the nervous clerk and decided to let the

like this will ever happen again," Nathaniel said, his voice quiet

nodding so hard the tight bun at the back

Relief spread through her

she

hadn't stepped between danger and the child, the day would have ended in chaos

Jonathan, her posture unexpectedly shy. "Thank you," she murmured, sincerity softening every line

practiced smile-courteous, almost grown-up, impossibly composed

one thanking you," he replied, voice clear

drew out a sleek matte card. Holding it up,

clap of thunder. Jaws dropped, eyes widened, and the

over ten thousand,

fingers hovered around the card, uncertainty flickering across her eyes as

was still a minor. A purchase of this scale required his

wanted an entire rack of adult clothing, yet he trusted

flared in Ivy's expression. "Of course,"

garments from velvet

other employees watched, envy shining through their fixed

could cover the down payment on a

more.

standing nearby and everyone understanding precisely why Jonathan was buying,

guided Nathaniel

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 a

over eight million." s

her, Ivy would never have taken a job at a

Jonathan said, firm

When he offered no objection, she

the approval tone chimed, she stared at the numbers in disbelief. The wealthy,

you for choosing us." Ivy presented the card

matching courtesy. "Ms. Ivy, I truly appreciate

set

a slate-gray wool blazer on the mannequin.

on to

A quick shake of her head sent her ponytail swishing across her shoulders. "Oh, no, I can't, really It's far too expensive," she blurted, hands rising like a pair of stop

apairof

spoke in his low, effortless baritone. “You protected Jon today. Compared with that, a jacket is nothing.

while paying the bill, Jonathan had delivered a lightning-fast briefing about the

bodyguards trailed them like silent shadows, arms loaded with crisp shirts, tailored

cast a downward glance at Jonathan, who still wasn't tall enough to reach his thigh, and asked, "What business did

wanted me to pop in and pick out a few outfits for Uncle Zachary. This is just a

knows Ms. Kennedy, and Mom's best friend would never check up on this, so the story is

nodded once, expression unreadable. "Your Ms.

small, sour note curled inside his chest. Vivian remembers to buy clothes for Zachary, but Ceci never thinks of

mood darkened like a

He reached out, hooked his tiny pinkie around Nathaniel's larger finger, and gave a reassuring tug. "Dad, Mom actually asked me to purchase a suit a while back. I'm pretty

had believed the first fib, it was only because Vivian's

Jonathan appeared more like an adult

never delegate adult shopping to

sharpened. "You've figured something out,

Jonathan blinked,

let out a quiet breath. “When it comes to social-grade

exposed so fast, and the realization sent

he asked, dark lashes lifting so his wide eyes could study every

"Why would I be?" he countered, voice calm yet edged with

and Elliot, but none for you. She skipped you completely. That proves she doesn't value you," Jon announced,

shut.Am I

where did you pick

face, Dad.” Jon

on his chest. If even a child

door stayed shut

hard, she went searching

belongs to s

in the corridor, she almost collided with

behind them, arms loaded with

two been? And what on

on inspecting the loot, but Nathaniel spoke

he said smoothly. "Holiday

so Nathaniel was patching the hole as fast as he

well, a heads-up would have been nice. I was starting to wonder why you'd vanished."Chapter

Jonathan gaped, utterly bewildered. When

and shot Jonathan a pointed look.

to carrying the constipation story

guess I've been skimping on water

Jonathan's small shoulders and drew him into a full-

me take you to a doctor, all right? You're far too little to struggle with

aloud, Cecilia's chest pinched. Only a woman who has carried a child, nursed him through colic and fevers, knows how a single twitch of discomfort in

rush to his cheeks

merely confessed the problem, never imagining

ages since Cecilia

be fine if I drink more water. It isn't that bad, please

been the model child, obedient, courteous, eager to spare

shook her head, unwilling to yield. "That won't do. Maybe we should buy medicine. Constipation sometimes needs

gravity, the

all lies you could invent, you picked constipation.

I don't need them,” he whispered,

boy and a glimmer of

tapped at lightning speed, and ordered suppositories plus half a pharmacy's worth of gentle

they reached home, a courier stood at the gate like a summoned genie, parcel in hand. Cecilia placed

sure how to use them, I will

the plastic-wrapped suppositories, despair dropping like

anywhere near this particular battlefield. He shook his head so hard his hair

Mommy. I can manage

handle anything." She ruffled his hair, every gesture brimming

she couldn't help pitying him. So young, already forced to endure the stubborn ache of constipation. If it lasted, a doctor's visit would be

with you," she said, voice low

"Okay."

like contraband and bolted down the

of sliced fruit. He watched his brother's retreating and, though he didn't quite know

He sure doesn't look it,"

him, fixed him with a mild but warning stare. "Don't tease your

calm the little jolt of surprise inside. "Jon is really kind of pitiful," he breathed, each syllable

subject with an exaggerated burst of cheer, Cecilia clapped her hands. “Come on," she said, "let's try the outfits we just bought

Mommy, you have to take tons of super-cool photos

by one, she handed them to the excited boy and stepped back while he struck every pose

ended, she pinged

polite smiles fixed in place, but Cecilia saw

root, she sent them daily snippets of her life, including short clips of the boys chasing sunlight across the

return, video-called often

by little, life seemed

the children be able to come back

the Rainsworths, so her priorities were pulled

keyboard. "Nathaniel and I have decided. We'll come right

prepare every one of your favorite dishes," Bethany replied, her delight practically

chatted with Bethany for a good while longer, then finally

and Elliot collapsed onto their

fell into a rare hush, holding only Cecilia and Nathaniel amid

drooping, intent on stealing five

"Ceci."

jerked in surprise. "What

this all we're doing today?" His

follow. What do you mean?" Confusion knitted

Nathaniel's eyes.

read the room. Something inside Nathaniel was storming, evident from the faint tension at

earlier cheer. "What's the matter?

step closer, the scent of cedar from his freshly pressed shirt

could

arms

swift, possessive motion,

his chest, as though staking a claim no one

really have

velvet-edged with gravel, every

face. Her blush deepened as

me go! If Elliot or

embrace, chin settling atop her

married people holding each other? They're not babies anymore.

eyes, she muttered, "Not babies? They're only

was seven when I moved overseas on my own," Nathaniel replied, the words low, laced with a

past her irritation.

idea lit behind his eyes. "Ceci, we shouldn't coddle them. Let's arrange for Elliot and Jonathan

too little, Nathaniel. Besides, Elliot's just regained his health, and Jonathan still keeps Old Mr. Sinclair company

Elliot. As for Jonathan, let him stay with Old Mr. Sinclair

finger brushing her burning cheek.

"Hmm?"

to be apart from the kids, yet you're perfectly fine leaving me on the sidelines.” He paused, drawing a steadying breath. "Remember, it's you and me for the rest of

composed husband was jealous of his

slipped out before she could suppress it. "Of course, the kids outrank

eyes darkened, a storm gathering behind the

arms and bolted down the hallway, bare feet whispering

make a break for it, then sprang up and covered the distance

against the panel, his voice low and teasing. "Why lock me out? Are

pushing harder on the door. "There are plenty of spare rooms in this house. Pick any one

gentle shove, he slipped inside, scooped her up again, and kicked the

latch clicked, the deadbolt turned, and

winter wind hissed against the windows,

glare slicing through the curtains and painting the room

face less than an inch away.

a finger over that faint roughness, then lower to the soft

Nathaniel's brows twitched.

fluttered open,

drawing her even closer until

came out in a whisper, pressed

loosened his hold by a fraction, closed his eyes again, and sighed. "Stay. Just a little longer." "It's already nine.

friends a full day

mumbled, "Give me a

clingy he could be, warmth and weight wrapped around her like

you this attached? I never noticed

tugged at his mouth. "I

laughed and ruffled his hair, dark strands springing up beneath her

get moving. I have a busy day ahead," she said,

"Ceci, after you hit the mall with your friends, that's all,

shook her head. "That's it.

buying?” he asked, still unwilling

New clothes for Mom, and something nice for Grandpa and

else?” His tone carried a note of suspicion

"Nope."

coat she bought yet this morning he fussed over every hanger she touched, as if color and cut

the heartbeat. He gently pried her fingers loose, voice low and

the heaviness under the words but misread the cause. He just hates it when I leave too quickly. With that familiar assumption, she let the moment pass and

behind her. Nathaniel lay staring at the ceiling until the

through quiet hallways, and stepped

1.

Jon and

short of being human!" Conrad shouted, his voice cracking with rage. "If you had even a sliver of sense, you'd

fool like Alex could think the Wolfsbane family had

grin widened. "Baroness Wolfsbane," he called. "Conrad here just called you an idiot with half a brain for daring

burned red. He spun toward the

own kin had mocked her-Beatrix and his husband, Conrad and then Annabella, her so-called pride, had done nothing but disappoint

people, it was Alex-the outcast, the family fool-who

seeing Sofina step forward with quiet resolve, something in the old woman's

least this one had

"You're cowards! Every last one of you! From this moment on, Sofina will handle

The room fell silent.

Grandma," she said. "I'll do

arms, flashing Beatrix a smug grin that

sneer. "Go on, Sofina -try all you

to lift this family up, while you bury it in arrogance and shame.

turned crimson. "You're the half-slave here, Alex -the real embarrassment of this family! You think Sofina's

said. "I think the Wolfsbane family is great enough that even the Eden Group will want that collaboration. I believe

Tell me, Beatrix-what's your real problem? Do you not believe in your grandmother, or are you just like your husband-thinking your own grandmother's got half

not what I meant! I just think it's

being a coward. You've already surrendered before the fight even started. That's

a fool if you think

deep, mocking sound that filled the room. "Then let's make this interesting. What if she does succeed? Want to make

arms. "Fine. You think I'm

Sofina pulls this off, that place is ours foever. You

clenched teeth. "But if Sofina fails, I want both of you out

back with a half-smile. "Then let's see

too! If I win,

turned his gaze on her, raising a brow.

arms, chin lifted. "I won't lose. But fine-I'll play along.

me a half-slave, how about this—if you lose, you kneel ten times and admit you're lower than that

out laughing. "Ha! You're really digging your

Felicia said. "If you lose,

"But if I win, you'll accept our marriage-

"You really think you can win this? I've already recorded the bet and sent the document to the government

smirked. "Perfect," he said. "I like it when everyone

Wolfsbane didn't even glance at them. She couldn't care less about

was one thing-whether the Wolfsbane family could actually

you have three days to negotiate and close the deal. That's

frowned, glancing out the window. "You

"Trust?

him a look. "That's supposed to make me

"If you want comfort, talk to someone who hasn't met this family." Sofina rolled

at least I bet on your victory.

brow. "You really think this bet will

who's got

her arms. "And

"Then I'll finally fit right in with this family-bad decisions and

of proposals she'd spent the entire night refining. Her eyes were tired,

car they'd won from Nikolaus-a machine so rare

“we should return this car. It's too extravagant for us. Everyone's going

on the wheel. "Maybe it's too

of the Wolfsbane Group-it's perfect. Your grandmother and mother wouldn't dare buy

can."

glancing at him. "You

okay. It's a sign, Sofina. We're on our way

half anxious, half amused. "I wish

it," Alex said, his grin widening. "You've got me. That's enough. Come on, Sofina. Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you'll land

smile softened as the car descended toward the Eden Group's towering headquarters, its

whispered as the car

said lightly "Remember I'm the gardener of the Eden Group.

QUMS

help but laugh. For a moment, her nerves eased. She wished she could carry that same unshakable optimism

tower and felt something empty out inside

god. The idea that the Wolfsbane family—old, fractured, scandal-scarred—could

like a beggar asking a banker to lend

she'd promised her grandmother. She'd accepted the challenge in front

slowed her pace. The lobby felt like a courtroom-every seat occupied by nobles from Winchester: barons, viscounts, and

in quiet conversations, their voices low but tense, each waiting for their turn to be judged

The

all every one

of them was hono

thing: a

on earth are you doing here?" a

and found Heinrich standing with

like hawks. Katarina's lips tightened the way

sentence.

told you a thousand times-get this sort of woman away from my sight. How could you let her walk in here?" Heinrich 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

barked, his tone thick with mockery. "You? Who the hell are you trying to fool? Even your grandmother couldn't get a

Group gardener uniform when a security drone glided into the room, humming softly as its sensors locked onto

shoved by a guest-he forced her out

the footage,"

Sofina's arm, dragging her down

pulled on his gloves, and strode out

Sofina crouched on the floor, gathering a pile of scattered papers. He

helping her pick them up.

I say, he just slips back into

Alex asked, gently lifting her chin, checking for

nothing serious," she

sheet. "You know, you don't need to print everything.

"Maybe. But I like the feel of paper.

chest. "The

chuckled. "You really are

than data in a file. You made me feel alive again. Sometimes I think it'd be

as they walked back through the glass corridor of

a voice cracked

doing here? I told you to stay away

color drained

that

doesn't vanish overnight. Her body tensed, eyes flickering, as if waiting for his approval... or his

stepped forward, placing himself between

this is Eden Group," Alex said. "You're a guest. You have no authority

behave? I'm a guest here-l expect to be treated like a king. Where's

"Keep dreaming. You're not a king-

Heinrich's face went hard." 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

Don't give him anything. He brings trouble." Heinrich's eyes found a nearby figure. "Manager Wedell!" he

What an

in your place had the nerve to try and kick

professional courtesy. "Sir, no one here would deliberately offend you. If someone attempted to remove you, tell me their name and I'll

the man. Your gardener. He insulted me

Group gardener uniform. His brow furrowed. "I've never seen you before. Are you pretending to be

know all of them—same as↑ don't

forget your place. I'm

you anytime I want. Now, you've offended

Kneel and

He's the one who tried to throw out another guest, and he doesn't

who Heinrich Schiller is? He's one of the brightest minds in

not

respect. You're nothing compared to him! Now kneel before

calmly, shaking

fired if

long time. Just kneel and bow three times, and maybe I'll let you

this, Heinrich-you kneel to me. Three kowtows, then

by the rising tension. Laughter rippled through them like

jeered. "A gardener trying to stand up to Heinrich? The man really doesn't know who

voice joined in. "That gardener's got a

"Who?" someone asked.

"Alex-the dunce himself."

Alex? The walking mistake of Winchester?

and turned to

my attention, haven't you? Well, now

fool who doesn't

and

Alex's arm, her

don't, I'll make sure everyone

have the

name you'll be nothing outcasts. And you know I can

s

Sofina grabbed him tighter and

steady. "Let

She met

Sofina stepped forward alone.Chapter

face was red as a boil. "You hit me, bitch-" He

curse.

in God's name do you think you're

inside Eden Group! Security robot - fetch her, give her twenty lashes, then throw her

Heinrich upright, supporting him with a hand at the small of his

Mister Heinrich. I've called security. Twenty lashes. She won't be standing after that her flesh will tell

every syllable a

stood toe-to-toe with Dietrich. "You'd better cancel that order," he

who'll get hurt is

his communication bracelet. "Security — attend.

his head. "I

crowd began to close

dare she hit Heinrich," someone

you know Heinrich's the man everyone

her!" another voice

unit glided forward and ran its routine: ID scan, threat assessment, authorization check. Its

a threat to her, an alert raced

nobody in the room expected-Eve, the household robot Sofina had left at

just a home machine. Alex had wired her into his network bridge so she could talk

every linked node. Any device that touched Sofina reported to Eve first-she was

network. "Override the previous command. Secure

security robot optical

The shock hit him like a

an electric whip from a holster and began lashing

skin opened, and dark lines of blood followed. Dietrich's shout cut the air. "Stop!

to alarm. "Is the Eden security unit malfunctioning?"

Group tech is already the most

of confusion moved through

stop until Dietrich had taken

kicked him out, shoving him past the main

catch up with the

bleeding nose. He wiped the blood away with the back of his wrist,

voice low and

her, his hand swinging through

had struck Sofina

not because she was weak, but because she'd once mistaken her submission

on Heinrich and seized his arm. "Find

slave — let go of me!"

under a hard lid. The

his grip until Heinrich screamed like an animal,

hand

gasped, tears wet on

the Eden Group meeting room like a storm breaking loose. Her heels struck the marble floor with sharp precision, aides trailing behind her in

-

had just finished presenting their offer - a bid to replace the

to become the next family tied to

they were desperater

promised Eden that Heinrich would cooperate if

emerged into the main hall, the polished calm

Heinrich down,

went white with fury. She stormed over and slapped Alex hard.

do you think you're doing to my Heinrich? Let him go this instant. How dare you strike him until he bleeds-I'll call the

police

true?" Katarina asked

Sofina. She hit my nose."

not a noble. You're a coward wearing

real

immigrant struck a noble, the punishment

penalties were severe and swift. More often than not, the

protected rank, not

people

— power didn't need to

turned her sharp eyes

attention. Well, you've got it. I think that's enough. Divorce

won't divorce her.

have to be

"I'm doing at this for you and for your Sant Claire family. When im done with Heinrich,

at her, disbelief hardening his

you? That everyone just spins

talk to me like that, Alex!" Katarina snapped. "It's already a blessing that I'm even willing to marry you. How dare you disobey me!

gone. Just the sound of her voice gave him

voice cracked with fury

something she wouldn't admit

him.

her, the way he shielded her from the world, how he cared for her without

Heinrich, everything was cold and transactionaChapter

this moment. He didn't

take another step, her hand shot out and clamped around his wrist like

her staring at him, fierce and cold, while his other arm still held

to stop, Alex,"

"Remember when I made you kneel in the rain for three days and nights? You think I won't do

as steel. "You're not my wife anymore. I don't owe you a damn thing. I don't answer to your orders. We're strangers now-so let go of

husband, you're my dog for life," Katarina hissed, and her hand whipped across his face. The slap cracked through the hall like a

burned bright, but beneath it something else trembled — a flash of tears she fought to hide, gripping him with a desperation that

command

bitch!" Katarina

Her eyes were quiet, but they

hand tightened on Alex. Sofina caught it in one swift move and snapped it

of my husband," Sofina ordered. "You're his ex- don't touch him again. He isn't yours.

She had been treated like royalty, and

the whispers for

Rosenheim title was bought

stabbing their own marquis,

on treachery, that beneath their silks and titles they

this bitch!" Katarina 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 I

few barons who bent to Katarina's will and some Rosenheim retainers shuffled forward, eager to prove their loyalty.

hand, a silver Eden security robot glided between them, its mechanical voice cutting

violence is permitted on Eden Group property," it announced firmly. "Cease

and a pair of tasers snapped out. Electricity flashed. The would-be attackers jerked, their muscles seized, and they

violence," the security unit repeated. "Please remain calm

red-faced and unmoored robbed, for

Sofina grabbed Alex's hand.

of here," she

always talked about love! You

voice rose, trembling with rage. “You promised to obey me, to give me your body, to destroy yourself for me! You

behind forced gestures-empty rituals, hollow vows, or even violence and control-trying to keep alive what's already

answer, another android glided

scheduled interview for the collaboration. Please proceed to Meeting Room 01. I can

froze in surprise. Alex squeezed her hand. “Go,” he

you?" she asked,

it. These people won't be able to follow."

slightly. "Please wait here. The person in charge will arrive shortly." It turned and glided away, leaving her alone in

the door opened and a poised woman in a tailored suit stepped in.

a change in location. Please follow me. Miss

blinked. "Miss Von Adler? The

She's expecting

nodded, still dazed, and followed

Group headquarters. Her

would Marlena Von Adler-the most powerful woman

submitted her proposal yet, the one about working with the Wolfsbane family. She wasn't supposed to meet the chairman, only the

It didn't make sense.

didn't understand why, Sofina knew an opportunity like this didn't come twice. She followed the assistant through the long corridor, her heels echoing off the marble floor, until they stopped in front of

assistant opened it and gestured her in. Inside, Marlena Von Adler-the legendary chairwoman of Eden Group-rose gracefully from behind her desk.

Scheinwald," Marlena said warmly, extending her hand. "I'm Marlena Von Adler, chairman of Eden Group.

pulse race. She was standing before the most powerful businesswoman in Winchester-someone people usually met only in boardrooms

answered, but she

met

Von Adler. Thank you for taking the time to see me," she said. "I came to discuss the collaboration proposal. I know the

but we work hard.

never disappoint."

to .net

neat folder. "This is

take a look."

smile and took the file.

a few pages, then closed

said, her voice soft but sure, "I've already reviewed your documents. I believe you're the perfect

You mean... it's

out.

She had spent weeks rehearsing

expecting a long negotiation. And

in seconds.

leaned back, her expression

she said, "the Wolfsbane Group doesn't fully meet our usual standards. But our founder hold's your very nigh regard.

breath caught. "Your founder?" she asked, her

I know who

into a faint smile. “Our founder," she said softly, "is

blinked, unsure if she'd

worry. You'll understand when

in you.

instructed her not to reveal his identity, and

shifted the topic with a professional calm. "Now, Miss Scheinwald, according to your proposal,

"Yes, that's right," she said, her voice small.

shaking her head. "Oh no," she said easily. "In

slightly. "What

increase the contract value," Marlena

set at one hundred

eyes widened, her breath

repeated, barely believing it.

a crisp contract, and slid it across the

dollars in total. If you have no objections, we can sign it

document in disbelief. Her mind spun.

powerful corporations in Winchester-had not

his cane and brought it down hard on Finnian's back. "I forbid you from seeing her! If you dare bring that woman home

of the cane echoing through the room. Despite his age, Mr. Everly's arm was still strong; after just a few

but Mr. Everly wouldn't listen. He kept shouting, "I'll beat

and gently caught Mr. Everly's arm,

finally stopped, glaring at Finnian and gasping for breath, his shoulders

should go. I'll talk to Grandpa," she

shot her a long, searching look,

he was gone, Mr. Everly's anger seemed to collapse into grief. He clutched Amara's hand, his voice breaking. "Ama, Finnian's out of his mind. Can't you see? He insists on being with that actress, as if he's completely lost

as he squeezed

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,

voice clear. "Grandpa, there's something I've never told you, but I think you need to hear

"What is it?"

Qu

wanted that because you thought Finnian cared about me, but the truth is our relationship has never been good. Finnian rarely

nearly said outright that

listened, utterly exhausted, guilt

blame Amara for not wanting

l.ne

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

wearily. "Ama, I'm tired. I need to lie down for a while. You

Grandpa.

no hope for Amara and Finnian? He really did care for her, and he'd always

to dwell on it,

in the living room. He'd changed his shirt, and his wounds looked hastily

Chapter 365

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him briefly before looking away, steeling herself

Finnian spoke up. "Let me

"That's not necessary-"

talk to you," he

time to put things to rest between them. She nodded, walked out to his car, and let him drive her home.nly accepted Wolfsbane's proposal but had doubled

real," she murmured,

grandmother, who had dreamed of a collaboration

it would come with such generosity.

been given

as she looked up at Marlena, eyes wide with

and awe.

you,” she whispered. "Thank you

Every word was a deal, every touch a performance. He was arrogant, restless, and

different. Quiet. Loyal. Predictable in the best way - a man who didn't need to

that warmth felt like

she thought bitterly. It's the ordinary days that

— the empty mornings, the silence at

of pride

screamed, desperate and trembling, "Alex, I'm warning you! Kneel — and

attention Start kneeling, sweetheart. Maybe I'let your husband keep his job. And if you take off your

moment, everything

smiled.

fist shot forward and cracked

his

clutching his face, howling

the crowd gasped.

u are."

know why you're here. You came chasing my attention, and

get out of Katarina's sight you're fucking

toward the entrance like

in here again. I'm done with you-whatever we

over."

her backside as the folder burst open, papers scattering across the marble steps. Heinrich glared down

make sure you take care

would end up together. What mattered was that she could finally pull herself out of the pain Dorian had caused

on quietly after she got back. A few days later, Liliana set

a photo of herself and Finnian, standing side by side in front of a house. Liliana's arm was

was blurred, but anyone could tell he was the CEO-no, now

photo was captioned: "So grateful to have you."

did it

now, there'd only been rumors about Liliana and Finnian, whispers of their relationship, speculation they'd get married someday. But the Everly Group had never acknowledged anything publicly, and there'd never been concrete evidence they

they didn't try to take down Liliana's post either. Their silence was approval enough-everyone understood now that Liliana and

suddenly flooded with messages, all wishing her

around her,

of attention like this. Maintaining her graceful smile, Liliana answered

?

whispered behind her back, saying she'd forced Finnian to stay by her side with her life on the line. Now, with

But so what?

fine now. Someday, she'd be the only woman in Finnian's life. When that day came, these same people would rush to

before Hogan appeared. “Hey, I heard

a week in the hospital after his accident, and another few days recovering at home. Now he was back on

alright. Things were tough for a while, but

just told me to eat well and get my strength back," Hogan

dressing room. He'd always gotten along well with her, and they'd

Hogan had been the only member of theChapter

no one could tell-she was a master at hiding her emotions. Even if she was uncomfortable, she'd never let it show. She chatted with Hogan as casually as if nothing

he cut the conversation short. "I'm heading out. Let's catch up another time," he said, already halfway to the

first time Hogan hadn't called her "sis- in-law." She couldn't tell if he'd done it on

home and get some rest. If you're not feeling well,

his brow furrowed, thoughts

Amara coming down

every time he ran into her unexpectedly, her beauty still took

out, "You know

eyed him warily, not sure why he'd suddenly brought this up. "Weren't they already together for ages?" she replied,

correct her, but Amara cut him off. "Does it even matter? Did

He frowned, frustrated.

with Finnian's child, they'd never actually been a couple. All that intimacy had been just an act Liliana put on for everyone

anything left between them He'd wanted to explain this to Amara, but she hadn't let him get a word

despite not having a child anymore, suggested things had changed between her and Finnan. Maybe now they really

he actually wanted to know:

real reason

looked puzzled. "Why would I

stung at first. But she'd

face carefully. She didn't look like she was lying. His frown deepened. "You really don't have any

Amara answered

her fists, her

Everyone's workload had doubled or even tripled, but no one complained. The sooner they

into the night. This evening was

like he owned the place, flopping onto the couch and pouring himself a glass of water

"Have you noticed? Lately, Finnian and Liliana seem to be getting even

screen. "Weren't they always

just..... Finnian's gone the extra mile for Liliana these past few days.

Finnian took better care of Liliana than I take care of you?" Amara recalled,

Liliana just have a miscarriage? She's been through hell lately-of course Finnian's going to be extra

"True enough."

a close eye on Amara's expression, only relaxing when he saw

right—what are you planning to do about the baby?" he asked, trying to sound offhand. "If you want, after it's born, you could put my name

was mid-sip and

all over her keyboard, Grabbing

she wiped the

you talking about? Why would I put your name down? How are you ever going to find a wife

marry you, Keith thought

and drawled, "Who says I

on my case about being single, but if I

her eyes. As far

concerned, Keith was talking nonsense-he was probably just worried about the stigma of being a single dad and had come up

and rapped him on

hand on his shoulder. “I know you've always worried about me," she said, her voice light, "but

look out for her-Elysia with her warm, attentive gestures, Keith

tonight had completely blindsided her, she could still

clueless. He sighed, clearly giving up hope that she'd catch on to what he

lightly against her forehead. "Alright, alright, have it your way. My offer

do your job already." Amara gave him a shove toward

was still one more scene to shoot-an important one, at that: the first kiss between the male

brought her laptop and went outside to watch from behind the camera. Keith and Liliana were

a step apart, and Cedric moved behind

about to call "action," Keith suddenly raised his

Cedric

was calm. "I think we should fake

hush fell over

work was pretty standard, but usually it was the actress who requested it. Having the male lead bring up

stranger to filming kiss scenes, and in the past, she'd always been the one to request the camera trick. This time, with Keith bringing it up

to say something-otherwise it would only look worse. She curved her lips into a teasing smile. "What's

covered her mouth as she

furrowed immediately,

thing

Sensing the awkwardness, a crew member-someone who'd been fawning over Liliana ever

over.

to care much about that sort of thing at the time. Now that he's a big star, I guess he's more particular-comes with

she quietly let out a breath she hadn't realized

the matter drop. With a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, he shot back, "That's not it.

silence that followed

was Keith upending the board in

tried to appear, Liliana's hands balled into fists at her sides. She couldn't get a single word out, her face paling with

industry as cutthroat as this, few people 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 to work together again down

Liliana not a shred of dignity. Was he really trying to

Keith a cool glance and said, "Enough. Let's get

shifted in an instant. "Of course, Ama. Whatever you

when he spoke to Amara was so stark

scene wrapped. It was a little after midnight when Finnian arrived to

parked outside the studio and glanced toward the entrance, as if searching for someone but the place was deserted. He quickly masked any sign of curiosity and looked

glance. Who

We were supposed to film

instead And when

didn't spell it out, but it's pretty obvious-he likes her. I think everyone can

offering no comment. Sensing she'd said enough, Liliana deftly steered the conversation elsewhere, though she was certain her words would linger

old manor. He handed his coat to a maid at the door and

to run into Finnian here. Instinctively, she glanced his way, then quickly

Finnian called out to her.

stopped in

tonight. She hadn't planned to come to the Everly estate, but then she saw the text Lisa had sent her half an hour

over.

quietly peeked in through the door, checked with Lisa about his condition, and only felt at ease when she learned the family doctor had already been by and there was nothing serious. She was

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

and she stopped.

Finnian said, addressing the maids nearby.

"What's going

"Why are

which his family strongly opposes. That fells you a lot about

belongs to s

comment seemed completely out of the blue. She and

insisted on reading more into it.

had hosted the whole group, and Finnian

this one more time:

baseless assumptions," Amara said,

she added, "even if I did want to be with

opinion. You don't need to

really can't tell

until she was

inch nearer, he'd have her

hall lay

polished wood. Amara felt a strange, unspoken threat coil between

skin. "He's just a friend, nothing more. I don't know why you keep insisting he has feelings for me,

hand, forcing her to

laugh—sharp, incredulous. She twisted her face from his grip, shaking his hand

not understand men, but I know my friends. I don't know why you keep misreading things between us, but I'd appreciate it if you stopped, Mr.

him, her anger bristling, and stormed

go, his eyes fixed on her retreating back, unable—or unwilling to look

quietly

huh? And from what he'd heard, it 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

of that. But now Finnian was

ch

about

never had?

s

as he remembered that the baby had never existed, yet Finnian was still in the dark. The

morning, Hogan made

"You told me you wanted to

usual, polite and charming, but his blunt words wiped the smile from her

herself to

I know I promised to tell Finn the truth, but I just couldn't go

had no choice if Finplan ever finds out what really happened, he'lHeave me can't bear for it to

lately-maybe you haven't had time

Finnian the truth before filming ends. If

the surface, but the threat behind them

body; she smashed several

She wanted nothing more

no chance for a second try. She clenched her jaw so hard it hurt, her eyes growing darker with each

for no good reason. She'd always been a consummate professional, so this behavior was completely out of

haunted her. Whenever she thought about

had been strained after Emma's miscarriage, but gradually Emma seemed

help Liliana recover, hoping she'd get better soon and maybe even try

into the Everly family, Finnian might end up bringing

Liliana. Afterward, instead of leaving the studio, she

Emma to seek her out, but she greeted her politely. "Is there something I can help you with, Mrs.

around the modest dressing room, then fixed her gaze

single word. Her silence was a clear attempt to put Amara in her

said coolly, "If you don't

the door, motioning for Emma to

this by anyone but Andrew, was instantly enraged. "What is

with you

haven't even

already kicking

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