Under the Veil I Rule
Chapter 375
Chapter 457: Chapter 483 Wang Hu Confirms His Love
Xiao Hong felt that something was suspicious. She was ambiguous, certainly having committed a serious mistake. Wang Hu should not be dragged into it. Wang Hu nodded; he thought the same.
Bai Fanglan was both ashamed and angry, almost to the point of bursting with rage. But she couldn’t leave in a huff and kneeled before him, choking up, "What’s the point in discussing past events? I promise this will be the last time I trouble you. Please don’t be so heartless; consider the child we lost..."
Xiao Hong interrupted her, "Hasn’t Wang Hu compensated you? Everything has a limit. Once it’s too much, it’s fake. You’re not disabled. You’re healthy, young, and have a college education. What’s so difficult about finding a job? You simply don’t want to work hard yourself and want easy money, but how is that possible?"
"Shut up," Bai Fanglan shouted angrily, "Who asked you to mind our business? Matters between Wang Hu and me are not yours to interfere with!"
Xiao Hong slightly frowned and became silent.
Wang Hu said, "Xiao Hong is right; I won’t help you find a job. If you want to kneel, you can just keep kneeling."
After saying this, he took Xiao Hong’s hand and walked away quickly. Xiao Hong’s entire arm felt stiff, and turning back, she glanced at Bai Fanglan left crying on the spot, then at Wang Hu.
Wang Hu chuckled, "Stop looking. No matter what happens to that woman, I won’t care."
"Hmm, but you’re still holding my hand."
"Is it wrong for me to hold your hand?"
Xiao Hong blushed, "But... but you said it was fake."
"It’s real now. Can I really hold your hand now?" Wang Hu smiled as he looked at her.
Xiao Hong lowered her head, rarely shy.
Wang Hu said, "I need to ask for your forgiveness. I’ve been divorced because I was immature in handling emotions and lacked empathy, like a wooden post, which hurt some people."
"I also dated before, but we broke up due to personality differences," she was quick to say, "Those romantic things aren’t suitable for us soldiers; we’ll be a fitting pair. Don’t ask about the past, but cherish the present!"
Though Wang Hu had a cold temperament, he was quite lenient with his own, giving Xiao Hong confidence that she’d have a good life with him.
Wang Hu laughed out loud, deciding to forget the pretensions. Together, they walked hand in hand.
Thus, Xiao Hong, once just helping out, became truly involved in the relationship, though Wang Hu’s parents weren’t aware.
A few days later, Wang Hu’s father’s lung examination results came out, just a minor inflammation from excessive smoking, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. Wang resolutely banned his smoking and incidentally pressed Wang Hu to finalize the marriage plans.
Both families highly approved, hastily setting their wedding for New Year’s Day, intending to relocate quickly. Otherwise, in such a remote area, how could Xiao Hong be pregnant? The parents were worried.
Thinking it over, Wang Hu agreed; he had been away long enough.
Things were joyous in their circle, but Bai Fanglan was miserable. Pleading with Wang Hu yielded no results, so she sought out other acquaintances. However, her grandfather, now retired, led these people to be extremely perfunctory towards her. Furthermore, Bai Fanglan’s affairs had become widely known, making hospitals reject her due to her poor medical skills.
Soon after her expulsion, she was forcibly discharged and returned home, only to find Bai Chuan had prepared a purchased train ticket for her.
Infuriated to the point of liver pain, Bai Fanglan bit her lip, "Grandfather, are you really giving me no way out? Just driving me away like this?"
Bai Chuan sighed, "It’s for your own good! Staying here no longer holds any meaning. I’m getting old, truly cannot withstand the stress anymore. Don’t worry; every month when my salary comes, I’ll send you fifty bucks."
Bai Fanglan coldly laughed, standing up abruptly, "Fine! Since you dislike me so much, I’ll leave! You’ll get your wish!"
She returned to her room and slammed the door.
Bai Chuan shook his head and went to care for his great-granddaughter. The child was pitiable; Bai Fanglan never cared while working, and even now unemployed, she remained indifferent.
The next morning, Bai Chuan woke up to find Bai Fanglan’s room in disarray. Everything was thrown about, yet she was gone.
Bai Chuan was puzzled; what happened? Then on the table, he found a letter.
Bai Fanglan said she’s left, gone south to find work, aiming to return once successful. The child was left for Bai Chuan to care for temporarily. Besides her jewelry and savings, she also took four thousand bucks from Bai Chuan’s drawer.
Bai Fanglan left in a fit of anger, refusing to believe she wouldn’t succeed! She vowed to get revenge! Against everyone who looked down on her and ignored her!
Bai Chuan worried, struggling to catch his breath, almost fainting. What on earth is Bai Fanglan trying to do!
The child from the next room cried out loudly, and Bai Chuan couldn’t neglect her, so he went to take care of her. Seeing her dark, gaunt face, Bai Chuan sighed deeply too, poor child. No father, and a mother who’s always negligent.
Bai Chuan’s previous grand ambitions were wiped away, leaving him with only taking care of the child daily.
Meanwhile, Sun Chan’s situation gradually returned to calm. Yuan Bing, due to his indecency and attempt at intentional homicide at their camp, faced serious charges. Coupled with Gu Junming’s thorough investigation, a raft of Yuan Bing’s business misconducts came to light.
Including tax evasion, engineering fraud, and bribery, among others, these evidences ensured Yuan Bing likely wouldn’t come out for life. People all around talked about it extensively, mostly cursing Yuan Bing and Bai Fanglan, some discussing Sun Chan.
Zhuang Lin was jumping up and down vigorously, but her husband knew and suppressed her decisively.
Later, the camp erupted with another scandal, overshadowing this one. It turned out Liu Gang secretly wrote reports, intending to falsely accuse Gu Junming!Chapter 645
Timothy shrieked in pain and turned in the direction where the branch had come from. His eyes were filled with fury as he asked, "Who ambushed me?"
There were only trees in sight, and nobody was there. Mad and flabbergasted, Timothy knew that the attacker was strong. A person who could pierce through his palm and then a tree with a branch must be a divine grandmaster.
Hence, he hurriedly summoned his ride-Hurricane Eagle. When Hurricane Eagle arrived, he jumped on it in a hurry and escaped.
Kaitlyn sighed in relief and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your help, sir. Please step out so I can thank you in person."
Obviously, she wasn't going to receive an answer. Just then, Sebastian walked out of the forest next to her. Thinking that the hidden expert had revealed themselves, Kaitlyn twirled around and found Sebastian instead.
"It's you? Why are you still here?"
"Didn't you ask me to be your pretext? I can't leave just like that," Sebastian said.
"Aren't you afraid that I'm going to kill you?" Kaitlyn said dangerously.
Smiling, Sebastian shook his head. "You would have killed me already if you wanted to. Why did you wait until now?"
"It's because you still have some use. Once you lose your value, I'll kill you," she said coldly.
Sebastian smirked without a word. Finally, he realized that Kaitlyn was a kind person. She was tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Although she kept saying she'd kill him, she never meant it.
"I'm returning to the sect. Don't forget your promise earlier to help me find that old man within a month. If you can't do it, I swear I'll kill you," Kaitlyn uttered and left.
"Hang on," Sebastian stopped her.
"What else?" she asked, looking back at him.
"Do you know how to leave this world?" Sebastian implored.
Besides the advanced third stage technique, this was currently his other big concern. Many people were waiting for him and they must be worried since he had been missing for such a long time He must
find his way back as soon as
possible.
s
"Leave this world?" Confusion was written all over Kaitlyn's face. "I have no idea
what you're talking about. I'm going now if there's nothing else."
Sebastian nodded and left the spot as well because he could sense people heading this way at a high speed. They must be the experts from Netherworld Sect who had heard squads of the fight from earlier. s
He planned to make a trip to Holton and find out from a few more people about ways to leave this world.
Unbeknownst to him, a young man was leading a group of people to Jenna's house. His name was Sean Knott, Martin's nephew and Heather's cousin.
With a loud bang, Sean kicked and broke the wooden door before marching into the yard aggressively. "Sebastian Wilder, get out here!"
Jenna and Fressia rushed out after hearing the commotion. "Who are you?"
Sean's mouth opened to say something, but he suddenly saw Fressia and was smitten by her beauty. "What a gorgeous woman! Are you Sebastian Wilder's wife?"
"Yes. Do you know my husband?" Fressia asked.
"Damn it. That bastard is really lucky to marry such a beautiful woman." Sean's face was full of jealousy. "Where's SebastianChapter 646
Upon Sean's command, a group of hitmen charged at Jenna and Fressia. One of them kicked Jenna so hard that he broke her legs, then they rained punches and kicks on her.
"Jenna! Stop it!" Fressia wanted to save Jenna, but she was helpless and couldn't even save herself.
A few men dragged her into the house. Despite having cultivation, she didn't know how to put it to good use.
"Remove all her clothes! I'll be the first, and the rest of you can queue up after me." Sean was losing patience, starting to undress after stepping into the house.
Fressia was so scared that she turned pale. She pleaded with them miserably, but they had no compassion at all. Instead, they were even more excited.
Lying in the yard, Jenna didn't even have the strength to get up. Besides cursing loudly, there was nothing else she could do.
Although the neighbors heard the commotion, they didn't dare to stick their noses into this because someone recognized that these people were from the Knott Estate.
...
Holton was a bustling city, and the streets were full of people. Suddenly,
hoofbeats echoed from the front. It turned out that a carriage was out of control, rampaging on the street. Terrified, the pedestrians jumped out of the way in panic.
Sebastian stood at the side of the road as well, but a little girl's cries in the middle of the road caught his attention.
Seeing that the carriage was about to hit her, the little girl froze on the spot in fright and continued crying. Without hesitation, Sebastian stood in front of her in a flash and placed a palm on the horse's head.
The big and tall horse fell from the huge impact, flipping the carriage to the side as well.
"Ah!" A woman in the carriage shrieked, and two people dashed out of the carriage.
They were a middle-aged man and a gorgeous young lady. The moment she stood up, she turned to Sebastian and said in a huff, "How dare you flip our carriage! The nerve of you!"
"I did it to save a life." Sebastian pointed at the little girl.
When the young lady wanted to say some more, the middle-aged man stopped her. "Abigail, it's alright. He didn't do it on purpose. Moreover, we almost hit someone earlier."
"How are you doing, Father?" the young lady, Abigail Watson, asked in concern.
"I'm fine. I can still take it." The middle-aged man seemed frail and left with Abigail's help.
"You're in a terrible condition now. If you don't receive treatment on time, you'll pass away in half an hour," Sebastian said.
"How dare you cure my father!" Abigail was enraged.
Sebastian chuckled softly. "I'm merely telling the truth. Your father sustained a hidden injury when he was younger and has been dragging it way too long. It's a miracle he's alive until now." s
that
ghat
"How do you know that my father has a hidden injury from his early years? Who are you?" Abigail asked warily.
"I'm a doctor. Your father's illness is clearly written on his face, and I can tell with just a look," Sebastian explained proudly.
"Since you're so amazing, do you have a way to treat it?" she asked with a hopeful face.
All these years, they had visited
many famous doctors and even
whonet
asked help of the
the help of the alchemist
from
fort
otherworld Sect, button
avail.
s
"It's a piece of cake to me. He'll be as good as new with one pill," Sebastian answered.
Abigail grabbed his arm anxiously. "What pill is that? Let me have it! I promise to
pay you handsomely as long as it can save my father."
"The pill is very precious," Sebastian explained.
"That's not a problem. My father isChapter 647
"Do you know how to leave this world?" Sebastian asked.
"Leave this world?" Abigail wore a look of confusion.
Hendrick Watson suddenly interjected, "Mr. Wilder, do you mean leaving Coreland?"
"Do you know about it?" Sebastian was exhilarated. His biggest fear was that no one knew about it.
"So, the records in the ancient books are real! Honestly, I didn't know about it. I've only seen some records in an ancient book," Hendrick explained.
"Where's the ancient book?" Sebastian asked anxiously.
"Wait a minute. I'll ask someone to bring it." Then, Hendrick ordered a worker to bring the ancient book.
Hendrick soon found the part where Coreland was recorded. After checking it carefully, Sebastian finally found a clue. "The Abyss!"
If the records were accurate, the way out of Coreland was through The Abyss.
"Mr. Wilder, The Abyss is a death zone. Anyone who goes in there will die. Don't act recklessly," Hendrick advised.
Abigail nodded in agreement. "Yes. The Abyss is one of the three forbidden areas. For thousands of years, no one has walked out of there alive.
"The records in the ancient book may not be correct. I think it's just a myth. It's impossible to have another world. That's all nonsense."
Sebastian merely smiled without a reply, feeling even more confident that The Abyss was the exit. Although it was a forbidden area, he had to take the risk in order to get back and only after he obtained the advanced stage three technique.
The stage three technique must be within the doors of Netherworld Sect. There were three ways to get it. The first method was very straightforward robbing.
With his strength, not even a thousand men from the Netherworld Sect were his opponent. In spite of that, it was ethically wrong to rob so brazenly.
The second method was stealing. Although it was also ethically wrong, it was slightly better than robbing.
Last but not least was trading. He had the techniques for the first and second transformations. They would probably agree if he traded one of them with them.
Sebastian was a man of his word. He asked Abigail to get him a brush and paper and wrote dozens of herbs in one shot.
These were the herbs needed to produce the Ultimate Nourishing Pill. This pill could strengthen the body and increase the cultivation. In the meantime, it could also heal injuries.
As the largest commerce
association in the county, the Holton Chamber of Commerce had all sorts of herbs. Some herbs had a different name as the ones in the surface world but
dese after Sebas
Abigail
knew which ones he meant.
belongs to s
After the herbs were prepared, he started making the pill right away. The chamber
of commerce had a place dedicated to making pills, and there was also a mini
Spirit Gathering Formation.
Beneath the cauldron was magma,
which could save a lot of energy
during the refining process. In addition, Sebastian's cultivation had greatly increased, so it didn't the him at af to refine the Ultimate
Nourishing Pill. s
In less than half an hour, it was ready. Hendrick was stunned when Sebastian presented the pills to him.
"Goodness, this is a second-grade medication. I didn't expect that you're a second-grade alchemist, Mr. Wilder. It's an honor to meet you." Hendrick politely bowed down low toward him, full of respect.
The way Abigail looked at Sebastian took a change as well, her eyes filled with admiration. There was even an odd light in her eyes, and her face blushed unwittingly.
"Are second-grade alchemists amazing?" Sebastian asked, puzzled.
As there were only a handful of alchemists in Coreland, he never found out his alchemy level.
Hendrick replied, "Of course, they are. It's incredibly rare to find an alchemist, and every one of them are very noble.
"All bigger sects and families are spending a lot of money to recruit them, and they enjoy generous benefits if they work for the royalties.
"Furthermore, second-grade alchemists are even harder to find. The head alchemist of Netherworld Sect is their fourth great-elder, Bertha Erikson. She's a second-grade alchemist."
"There's only one third-grade alchemist in Starfire Empire, and he's the imperial chaplain. His status is high, and even the king has to respect him," Abigail added.Chapter 648
Now that Sebastian already knew where the advanced stage three technique was and the way back home, he planned to return home and explain everything to Fressia.
Before he even reached the door, he already sensed something amiss. The door was missing, and pieces of wood were scattered around.
His instinct told him that there was trouble, so he bolted over as fast as he could.
Upon entering the yard, he saw blood on the ground, and the unease in his heart amplified.
"Jenna! Fressia!" he shouted while dashing into the house.
One of the rooms was a complete mess, and there were also bloodstains. There was even a large hole on the roof.
"Jenna! Freesia!" He dashed back to the yard and continued shouting their names, but nobody answered.
Hence, he utilized his spiritual senses. The next second, he turned to the haystacks nearby and was over there in a flash. Parting aside a bunch of dry weed, he found Jenna.
Her face was covered in blood, and her breathing was barely noticeable. She already slipped into a deep coma, and her life was hanging on a thread.
Hurriedly, Sebastian pressed his palm against her and injected his spiritual energy into her to treat her injuries.
His spiritual energy had strong healing effects. In seconds, Jenna's breathing gradually stabilized, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"You're back, Sebastian." Jenna's voice was very weak, but her expression took a great change the next second. "Sebastian, run! The men from Knott Estate want to kill you!"
"Don't worry, Jenna. They can't do anything to me. Tell me what happened. Where's Fressia?" Sebastian implored anxiously.
Although he and Fressia were from different camps and were even enemies, they were husband and wife before she recovered her memories, and they have feelings for each other.
"I don't know where she is, either." Jenna briefly told him what happened.
The men dragged Fressia into the room with indecent intentions, but Jenna had
no idea what happened later. There was a fight, and then, she heard a loud bang.
Jenna was in the yard and only heard someone saying, "After her!"
Afterward, everything was quiet.
Later, she crawled into the house, dragging her exhausted body, but there was nobody inside. All she saw was a hole on the roof Worried that the men from the Knott Estate would return, she hid between the haystacks and passed out unwittingly. s
"Martin and Heather Knott, I'll make sure you die a horrible death!" Sebastian clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming coldChapter 649
"Don't cry, and rest assured, Jenna. I won't strike unless I'm confident, but I can promise you that I'll bring Fressia home," Sebastian assured.
Time was crucial in saving a life, not to mention that Fressia was gorgeous. In the hands of those inhumane men, it wasn't hard to imagine the torture she'd have to go through in their hands.
Therefore, she must be saved as quickly as possible. Any minute later meant that she would suffer more.
For now, Jenna's condition was stabilized. Unfortunately, her legs were broken. Even after Sebastian had given her an Ultimate Nourishing Pill, she'd still need a few days to recover.
Sebastian was ready to return Jenna to the room and then save Fressia when he heard sounds of hooves from outside the door. He looked outside and saw dust rolling as a group of stocky bandits headed toward his house on galloping horses while carrying weapons in their hands.
The chief was a tall and burly skinhead. With a chubby face and eyes as big as golf balls, he looked ferocious and intimidating.
At the sight of them, Jenna's face fell. "Oh, no! They're the bandits from Mount Blitzen, and their chief is Brork Gantz. Run, Sebastian!"
In this world, many bandits claimed mountainous areas to be the chiefs, and Mount Blitzen was the closest bandit lair to this village.
To the kind and innocent villagers, bandits were more terrifying than the nobles. Although the nobles would also intimidate them and even steal the virginities of brides, they would usually return the women to their families after they were done with them.
However, bandits were different because they often murdered and plundered. It was common for them to violate young women and abduct the pretty ones to be their wives. Once they were bored of them, they would kill them.
Due to this, bandits were akin to devils in the villagers' eyes, and the fear they held for bandits was deeply instilled.
Undoubtedly, Sebastian wasn't afraid of the bandits, and he waited for their arrival silently.
Their house was not located at the entrance of the village, but the bandits headed straight for them and entered their yard.
"I heard that there's a beautiful bride in this house. Bring her out here and show me," Brork directly announced the reason that he had gone there.
Although Fressia had only been there for a short time, everyone who saw her would be stunned, and her beauty was already known far and wide.
After hearing news of her, Brork had brought his men here to bring her back for their own enjoyment.
Anxiously, Jenna fell to her knees. "Mr. Gantz, the men from Knott Estate have abducted my goddaughter-in-law."
"You're lying! Search the house!" Brork wouldn't be taken in so easily. Upon his order, the bandits behind him hopped off their horses and headed for the house. s
"Stop right there!" Sebastian bellowed out of the blue, and everyone froze.
"Don't be rude, Sebastian. Apologize to Mr. Gantz now!" Jenna berated sternly Then, she flashed Brork a smile, "Mr Cantz hChapter 650
"Get on my knees for him? He doesn't deserve it. Get up, Jenna. There's no need to be afraid of them," Sebastian said.
The bandits were enraged, charging at him ferociously. Some even raised their swords, ready to cut him to pieces.
Jenna couldn't bear to watch and could already imagine Sebastian's terrible death.
On the other hand, Sebastian didn't move a muscle or dodge. Brork simply thought that he was too frightened to move and sniggered.
The next second, swords landed on Sebastian, but there was no bloody scene.
Everyone merely heard a loud boom as a terrifying energy erupted from Sebastian's body. In an instant, the terrifying energy shattered the swords, and the bandits were thrown off, spewing out blood and dying before even hitting the ground.
"What?" After seeing this scene, Brork was flabbergasted, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
The men he had brought with him were the elites amongst his henchmen, and they were all warriors, including the second-in-command of the bandits, who was a pinnacle warrior.
Sebastian had killed all of his men solely by releasing his energy. This was a fearsome strength, and Brork reckoned that not even a grandmaster might be capable of it.
"You're a grandmaster!" Brork's face was full of shock. "Why is there a grandmaster in a small village?"
Sebastian raised his head at him and said indifferently, "You've successfully enraged me, and the price to pay is death."
"What arrogance!" Brork snorted. "So what if you're a grandmaster? I've been the king at Mount Blitzen for more than two decades. The Knott Estate has tried to take me down many times but to no avail. Why do you think I could achieve this?"
Suddenly, he jumped and gave Sebastian a palm through the air.
A huge wave of energy blasted toward Sebastian, who was unfazed and composed. With a wave of his hand, an even greater energy erupted from him.
Along with another loud bang, Brork's attack was repelled, and the remaining force struck him without stopping.
As though struck by lightning, Brork was blasted away by the energy and threw up blood, his eyes filled with shock.
There was a thud as Brork landed heavily on the ground after he was blasted off more than 30 feet away. The impact was so strong that it created a concave in the ground.
Sebastian's eyes were impassive, and with a flash, he was right in front of Brork. Quick and silent, he moved like a ghost.
Brork almost wet his pants as he begged for his life on his knees in panic. "Please spare me. I was wrong. Please let me off."
"Bandits have done all kinds of evil, violating women, plundering, and many other heinous deeds. You deserve death, and I'll rid the people of such a wicked many today Sebastian said. s
Right before he struck, Brork said anxiously, "Please hold on and listen to me, sir. Although I'm a bandit and have done many wrong, I usually plunder and rarely kill.
"Furthermore, I rob the rich and hardly harass the villagers. Please let me off. I promise I'll never do it again."
"I'm missing a henchman now. Are you able to obey me unconditionally?" Sebastian asked.
"Y-Yes, master!" Brork didn't dare to disobey. He had succumbed to Sebastian's strength and had no thoughts of defying him.
Meanwhile, Jenna was utterly flabbergasted by the scene before her eyes. She knew that Sebastian was strong because he coChapter 651
"You can refuse, but I'll kill you right now," Sebastian said coldly.
"I'll go! I'll go, okay?" Brork almost cried. Not going meant death, but going also meant death. It was just supposed to be a simple mission, so how did things get so unlucky for him?
The two of them rode their horses at full speed and soon entered Holton, heading straight for the Knott Estate. Upon arriving at the entrance, they dismounted and barged right in.
"Hold it!" the guards immediately shouted harshly.
Sebastian acted as if he hadn't heard them and continued walking straight ahead.
"How dare you trespass on Knott Estate? You're courting death!"
Enraged, the guards drew their swords and slashed at Sebastian.
Sebastian ignored them, leaving Brork no choice but to intervene and send the guards flying.
The fallen guards were both shocked and furious, and they quickly called for help. Hearing the commotion, more people from the Knott Estate rushed out.
"Sebastian Wilder!"
Many recognized him immediately since Heather had been seen showing him around Knott Estate not long ago.
However, they were also aware that Sebastian had fallen out with their young lady, so they angrily shouted, "How dare you barge into Knott Estate?"
"Tell Martin to get out here!" Sebastian shouted fiercely.
"How dare you disrespect the city lord! You're asking for it! Seize him and bring him to Mr. Knott for punishment!"
The leader of the guards commanded, and a group of them charged at Sebastian. Sebastian stood still, making no move to fight back.
Brork was internally groaning. He knew all too well that if he didn't act, Sebastian wouldn't hesitate to kill him. So, he reluctantly braced himself and joined the fray.
He was a grandmaster. Even though he was injured, he was more than capable of handling these guards. Each strike sent several flying, and not a single one could get close t Sebastian s
The leader was furious. "You're Brork Grant, chief of the bandits from Mount Blitzen, aren't you?
"How dare you cause trouble at the Knott Estate! You've got some nerve! Guards, kill him!"
The Knott Estate guards were ranked by level. The ordinary guards weren't even considered warriors; only the squad leaders had that status.
In addition, there were silver-armored guards, all of whom were warriors, with the squad leaders being mid to advanced-level warriors among them.
At the leader's order, a group of silver-armored guards charged at Brork. But a grandmaster was still a grandmaster, even wounded, he was not someone regular warriors could match. s
They quickly fell one after another.
"You're courting death!"
The leader was enraged. He suddenly leaped into the air and struck down at Brork with his palm.
Brork was caught off guard and hurriedly raised a fist to block the attack. A resounding bang followed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying.
It was clear that the leader was also a grandmaster. He then approached Sebastian with an air of arrogance.
"So, you managed to get Brork on your side. That's impressive, but if you think you can storm the Knott Estate by relying on him, you're far too naive."
"Rely on him?"
Sebastian smirked. "I have never relied on anyone but myself. Brork is merely my slave."Chapter 652
Heather had just joined Netherworld Sect and was still a newcomer. Nevertheless, she often wasn't present at the sect, which somewhat surprised Sebastian.
What he didn't know was that Heather joined the sect mainly to have Bertha help treat her illness. As for cultivation, she didn't really need to rely on the sect because she had a family-legacy technique that was nearly as good as what the Netherworld Sect offered.
Moreover, she had been practicing it since childhood, so switching to a new technique would be more trouble than it was worth.
Heather stormed over, brimming with fury. "Sebastian, you've got some nerve! How dare you trespass into Knott Estate and show disrespect to my father! Today, I'll personally chop your head off!"
When Sebastian saw Heather, his eyes flashed with a hint of anger.
Heather had drugged him. While he was unconscious, she had used evil methods to extract his spiritual energy, blood essence, and even bone marrow, all before throwing him off a cliff.
If not for his strong cultivation and resilient body, he would have died. He had not forgotten this grudge.
He hadn't immediately sought revenge on Martin and Heather because he was still searching for the third stage of his technique and a way home, so he endured it for the time being.
But to his shock, this father-daughter duo had crossed the line by targeting Jenna and Fressia. They had simply pushed him beyond his limits.
"Heather, it was one thing for you to harm me, but why go after Jenna and my wife? They're just ordinary people," Sebastian demanded sharply.
Heather sneered. "They're just two lowly commoners. I was already merciful enough to not kill them."
At that moment, Martin also walked out. "Heather's right. Sebastian, I'm surprised you're still alive after everything, and you don't even look injured.
"If I were you, I'd have found a place to hide long ago, but here you are, handing yourself over."
Sean and others followed behind Martin. He turned to Heather and said, "Heather, there's no need for you to dirty your hands. Just stand aside and watch-I'll kill him myself."
"Fine, but don't let him die too easily. I won't be satisfied unless he suffers," Heather said coldly.
"Don't worry. I promise he'll enjoy every bit of it!" Sean assured with a cruel grin. He then looked at Sebastian and said, "If you kneel down and beg for mercy now, maybe I'll let you keep your corpse in one piece, you brat."
"The ones who should die are you
people! Release my wife
immediately, or I'll slaughter
everyone in knott Estate!"
wel
sebastian's voice was filled with
murderous intent. 's
Heather scoffed. "You're really delusional. A mere ant like you talking about wiping
out Knott Estate-you don't know your place!"
Martin sneered wickedly. "So, you're here for your wife, huh? Too bad you're too late; we already played her to death."
"What did you say? She's dead?" Sebastian was stunned. If Fressia hadn't lost her memory and married him, her fate would have been irrelevant to him. He might have even celebrated her death s
But now, it was difficult for him to accept that she was gone.
།
Martin smirked triumphantly. "That's right. I have to admit, your wife was really beautiful. She was such a joy to play with. We took turns, dozens of us, one after another, untilshe died from the sheer pleasure of it." s
shea
"You're asking for it!" Sebastian could no longer suppress the fury within him, and
a terrifying killing intent erupted from his body.
In an instant, everyone present felt a chill of fear, and even Martin was taken aback.
At that moment, Sebastian suddenly moved, grabbiChapter 653
Sebastian acted as if he hadn't heard anything and broke Sean's other leg with another kick.
Sean was in so much pain that tears were streaming down his face. "Please, spare me! I was lying earlier! Your wife isn't dead, and we didn't hurt her."
"Then, where is she? Let her go immediately!" Sebastian demanded, his voice dripping with murderous intent.
Martin quickly added, "I don't know where she is! We never captured her in the first place."
"You're still lying to me!" Sebastian snarled as he crushed Sean's shoulder blade.
Sean almost passed out from the pain. "I'm not lying, I swear! We planned to do something to her, but she suddenly went wild! She broke through the roof, and escaped. We chased her for a long time but couldn't catch her.
"I'm telling the truth, please, spare me."
Sebastian let out a sigh of relief, trusting Sean's words. Fressia's memory loss hadn't affected her abilities; it was entirely possible she escaped through the roof when in danger.
Heather shouted angrily, "Sebastian, I advise you to release my cousin immediately, or I'll have you cut into a thousand pieces, leaving you without a complete corpse!"
Sebastian ignored Heather and looked at Sean. "Even if you didn't hurt my wife, you still harbored evil intentions toward her. Not to mention, you nearly killed my godmother.
"You deserve to die!"
With that, Sebastian snapped Sean's neck with a loud crack.
"Sean!" Martin rushed forward to check, but Sean was already lifeless.
"He actually killed Mr. Sean! The nerve of him!"
Everyone at Knott Estate was filled with rage, and Heather's murderous aura surged as well. "How dare you kill my cousin? I'll have you torn to shreds!"
Heather immediately advanced toward Sebastian, unleashing a terrifying aura. "She's a pinnacle warrior!"
"Ms. Knott is truly remarkable! As expected of Holton's number one
prodigy. She's reached the pinnacle Warrior level at just
She now has
a real chance of becoming
20
grandmaster before she turns 18." s
"That's right. Her talent is unparalleled, rivaling even that of Ms. Kaitlyn from the Netherworld Sect Her future achievements are limitless!" s
Everyone was full of admiration, their eyes brimming with fervent worship.
"Die!" Heather shouted, clenching her fist as she prepared to strike Sebastian. Just then, a commanding voice rang out from a distance.
"Hold it!"
།
The voice wasn't particularly loud, but it carried an undeniable authority that shook everyone to their core. Heather feft a jolt of fear and instinctively halted. fo s
They all turned toward the source of the voice and saw a middle-aged man
striding forward, accompanied by a young girl.
"It's Mr. Watson!" someone exclaimed.
The man was none other than the chairman of Holton Chamber of Commerce. He was accompanied by his daughter, Abigail.
"Mr. Watson, what brings you to Knott Estate?" MartChapter 654
Hendrick knew that Sebastian was no ordinary person. Since Sebastian wanted to handle things himself, it was clear he had confidence in himself, so Mr. Watson stepped aside with a sense of relief.
However, he remained ready to intervene at any moment. Sebastian had given him a new lease on life, and he was determined not to let anyone harm him.
Heather stared at Sebastian coldly and said, "I don't know why Mr. Watson is protecting you, but anyone who goes against Knott Estate is as good as dead!"
As she spoke, she unleashed her aura again, making the guards around her feel incredibly oppressed.
Heather smirked smugly. "Do you see this? This is my power. It won't be long before I become a grandmaster. In my eyes, you're nothing more than an insect. If you kneel and apologize now, I might consider leaving your corpse intact."
Sebastian responded with a mocking smile, "Even grandmasters are nothing more than ants to me. You don't even qualify as one, yet you dare spout nonsense in front of me? How laughable."
"You're asking for it!" Heather shouted furiously. She raised her hand and struck Sebastian with a powerful blow.
Sebastian merely stood there, not moving an inch, appearing as though he was paralyzed with fear.
Hendrick was startled by this and was about to step in to save him when he noticed something strange.
Heather's palm had already connected with Sebastian's chest, but he remained completely unaffected, as if nothing had happened.
On the other hand, Heather's expression changed drastically as she was filled with shock and disbelief.
Sebastian showed her a disdainful smile and then extended his hand, pressing it in her direction from a distance.
An invisible force immediately bore down on Heather. She had no strength to resist and collapsed to her knees with a loud thud while her eyes filled with terror. "What?"
Everyone present was stunned. Heather was a pinnacle warrior, yet after hitting Sebastian with a palm strike, he remained completely unharmed.
With just a distant press of his hand, he had forced her to her knees. This kind of power was just too terrifying.
Heather struggled to stand, but the invisible force was too overwhelming, rendering her unable to move.
"This can't be! How is your strength so formidable?"
"It's not that my strength is formidable; it's that yours is too weak," Sebastian replied, delivering a slap to Heather's face.
A loud smack echoed as Heather was sent flying nearly 20 feet away.
"How dare you hurt my daughter? I will make sure you die without a burial!" Martin
roared in fury as he charged toward Sebastian.
"The city lord himself is stepping in!
This kid is done for," the Knott Estate people exclaimed excitedly, as seeing a divine grandmaster take action was a rare sight. s
Sebastian smirked with disdain, ready to retaliate when Hendrick suddenly stepped in, positioning himself in front of Sebastian.Chapter 655
Although he was a grandmaster, Brork was nothing more than an ant in the face of a divine grandmaster like Martin.
Since he had come with Sebastian, he knew that once Martin killed Sebastian, he wouldn't be spared either.
Brork desperately wanted to flee, but Knott Estate's guards surrounded him on all sides.
"You can go ahead and try!" Hendrick stepped forward, releasing a similarly terrifying aura, one that matched Martin's intensity.
"He's a divine grandmaster! Mr. Watson is also a divine grandmaster!"
Everyone was astonished. Divine grandmasters were the most formidable beings
in the world, capable of single-handedly opposing entire armies.
However, such powerful individuals were exceedingly rare.
In all of Holton, excluding the Netherworld Sect, Martin had been the only divine grandmaster.
Now that Hendrick had also ascended to the Divine Realm, it was no wonder everyone was so shocked.
"You actually broke through to the Divine Realm!" Martin exclaimed, clearly surprised.
Hendrick smiled and said, "Indeed, not only did I fully recover from my injuries, but I also broke through the bottleneck and entered the Divine Realm. Do you still think I can't protect Mr. Wilder now?"
Martin's expression turned cold. "Mr. Watson, even though you've entered the Divine Realm, you've only just broken through. You're no match for me, so I suggest you think it over carefully."
Hendrick snorted. "There's nothing to consider. I won't allow anyone to harm Mr. Wilder."
"Then, you've brought this upon yourself. Don't blame me for being ruthless," Martin growled before launching a punch at Hendrick.
Hendrick quickly countered with a punch of his own.
A deafening explosion echoed as a terrifying force erupted from the clash of their fists. The shockwave hit those nearby, stinging their faces and sending them scrambling back in fear and astonishment. s
At the same time, Hendrick was forced back a few steps by the powerful energy, while Martin only wavered slightly, clearly demonstrating who was stronger.
This outcome was inevitable, given that Martin had entered the Divine Realm long ago, while Hendrick had just recently broken through. It certainly left a significant gap, between them. s
Vol
Martin snorted and pressed his advantage, throwing punch after punch, leaving Hendrick with no chance to counter. Martin then. seized an opportunity and struck Hendrick squarely in the chest, sending him flying with a terrifying force. s
Hendrick immediately spat out a mouthful of blood mid-air.
"Father!" Abigail cried out in shock, rushing forward to support him.
Martin smirked with satisfaction. "I told you before that you're no match for me, but you wouldn't listen!"
Hendrick wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said coldly, "Even if I'm not your match, if you insist on killing Mr. Wilder, I will fight to the death!"
"Mr. Watson, sacrificing yourself is pointless. I won't stop you if you leave right now, but that kid is doomed." Martin sneered, then turned to Sebastian.
"Brat, now I see why you dared to make trouble at KChapter 656
Upon hearing this, Martin smirked mockingly. "I really don't know where you get your confidence from, brat. You're at death's door, yet you still talk tough!"
Heather approached, her eyes filled with fury as she glared at Sebastian.
She spat venomously, "No one has ever laid a hand on me since I was a child. You're the first. I will make you wish for death over life! As for your wife and godmother, I'll ensure that they suffer fates worse than death too!"
The moment she finished speaking, a terrifying killing intent erupted from Sebastian, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet. Everyone present felt a chill of fear run down their spines.
Almost instantly, Sebastian moved aside.
His figure blurred like a ghost. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Heather, gripping her neck tightly.
Heather's face instantly turned pale with fright; she never expected Sebastian's strength to be so terrifying. What confused her even more was that she had cast a forbidden technique on Sebastian, which should have killed him, but he remained completely unscathed.
"Let go of Heather, or I'll ensure you die a brutal death!" Martin shouted, both shocked and furious. He was startled by Sebastian's power, especially his incredible speed.
Still, he remained confident that he could easily subdue Sebastian. After all, no matter how talented Sebastian was, he was still young-his strength couldn't possibly be that formidable.
Sebastian could be a grandmaster at most. As a divine grandmaster himself, that was merely a slightly stronger ant.
Sebastian's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he stared at Heather and said icily, "You have some nerve, Heather, threatening me with my wife and godmother!"
As she was both frightened and enraged, Heather tried to maintain her composure as she said, "Let me go now, or my father will tear you to pieces!"
"Your father is nothing but an ant in my eyes! He's not even worth fearing!" Sebastian scoffed.
"Damn, this guy is way too arrogant! He actually dared to call Mr. Knott an ant. He has no idea what he's up against!"
"Exactly! The divine grandmaster is one of the most powerful beingsan existence, and he dares to call a divine grandmaster an ant? What a joke! Knott Estate's people sneered, mocking Sebastian. s
Even Hendrick and Abigail thought Sebastian was being too arrogant. It was fine
to boast, but there needed to be a limit; otherwise, it would just make him a laughingstock.
Martin laughed angrily, "You brat, if you think I'm just an ant, then let Heather go and face me in a duel. Let's see what you're really made of."
"As you wish!" Sebastian responded. He continued to grab Heather by the neck
and throw her over 30 feet away. She landed heavily on the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Heather was furious, nearly
exploding with rage. She struggled to her feet and shouted, "Father, don't just kill him outright! I want to torture him slowly for days. Only then will be satisfied!" s
Martin glared at Sebastian and said coldly, "You heard Heather. I'll first cripple your cultivation, then break your limbs. After that, Heather can take her time tormenting you to death!" s
Sebastian stood with his hands behind his back, his face full of disdain. "You're just an ant, yet you dare to boast in front of me. How ridiculous."
"Then, I'll show you the strength of this ant!" Martin roared, charging at Sebastian with incredible speed.Chapter 657
Martin was shocked and horrified. It felt as though his punch had struck an indestructible metal, making his fist go numb. He tried to retreat upon realizing something was terribly wrong,, but it was already too late.
Suddenly, a terrifying surge of energy erupted from Sebastian. With a deafening sound, the energy blasted Martin away.
He immediately spewed a mouthful of blood mid-air as his eyes filled with disbelief and fear.
What!
Everyone was stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing.
Martin was a divine grandmaster; he had punched Sebastian, but Sebastian was unharmed and instead sent Martin flying. The sheer strength was just astounding.
"What incredible power! I knew Mr. Wilder was a genius at pill refinement, but I never imagined his combat prowess would be so profound!" Hendrick exclaimed in awe.
Abigail was in awe, and her eyes sparkled as she watched, momentarily entranced.
Heather, however, was paralyzed with fear. She never expected that her father, whom she had believed to be nearly invincible, would be so easily overpowered by Sebastian. His strength terrified her.
"This can't be happening! How is it possible? You're so young, how can your strength be this overwhelming?" Martin gasped, struggling to comprehend the situation. His eyes were filled with terror as he stared at Sebastian. "Who the hell are you?"
Sebastian sneered. "Who I am is of no consequence to you. All you need to know is that you are nothing but ants in my eyes, something easily crushed at my whim!"
If he had said this earlier, everyone would have thought he was boasting. But now, not a single person doubted his words.
Martin, the divine grandmaster, couldn't even withstand a single move from Sebastian. To the rest of them, they weren't even worthy of being called cannon fodder.
Sebastian then turned his gaze toward Heather, who instantly paled. Terror was evident on her face.
"Sebastian, what are you planning to do?" Heather stammered, trying to sound defiant. "I'm warning you. I'm an apprentice of the Netherworld Sect. My mentor is Bertha Erikson! If you dare to touch me, she will hunt you down and kill you!"
Sebastian sneered at her words. With a flick of his wrist, Heather was unable to resist and was suddenly pulled toward him.
Everyone present was stunned. They knew that a divine grandmaster could manipulate objects from a distance, but usually no further than 10 feet and not with heavy objects. However,
Heather was over 15 feet away, and Sebastian still managed to pull her toward him effortlessly. This display of power was far beyond their comprehension.
Sebastian grabbed Heather by the neck once more.
"What are you doing, Sebastian?" Heather asked, both angry and terrified. Her eyes betrayed her fear.
With a loud smack, Sebastian slapped her hard across the face and sneered. "What can you do now that I've laid a hand on you?"
Heather was both furious and panicked. "My mentor will never let you get away with this!" she yelled.
Sebastian gave a mocking smile. "I thought you had some brains, but it seems that you're incredibly foolish."
"What do you mean by that?" Heather asked while bristling with anger. Sebastian's cold laugh echoed. "Even now, you don't understand what kind of being you've provoked. You keep threatening me with your mentor-how stupid can you be?
"Let me make it clear for you. Even if your mentor Bertha were here, she wouldn't be able to save you because, in my eyes, she's nothing more than an ant."
"You're delusional! My mentor is one of the Grand Elders of the Netherworld Sect! She has unfathomable power andChapter 658
Heather had pleaded for help from her mentor, Bertha, while Sebastian stood there waiting.
He already knew by now that Fressia hadn't been captured. With her level of skill, ordinary people wouldn't pose a threat to her even with her memory loss. So now he had no reason to worry about anything.
Today, he was determined to make this father-daughter duo taste despair, bit by bit.
Hendrick approached Sebastian and whispered, "Mr. Wilder, the Netherworld Sect is full of experts. They have five divine grandmasters, and Tyler's power is beyond comprehension. Are you confident you can handle them?"
"They're just ants," Sebastian replied dismissively.
"Just don't underestimate them, Mr. Wilder," Hendrick cautioned.
Sebastian remained unfazed. It wasn't arrogance but confidence, confidence rooted in his strength.
The Netherworld Sect wasn't far from Knott Estate. With the speed of carrier pigeons and their giant birds that people could ride, they should have arrived within an hour.
Yet, two hours had passed, and still no sign of them.
"It seems your mentor won't be coming," Sebastian remarked.
Fear filled Heather's eyes. "Sebastian, you can't kill me. I'm the Netherworld Sect's once-in-a-millennium genius apprentice. If you kill me, the Sect will never let you go."
Sebastian responded calmly, "If I were afraid, I wouldn't have let you call for help, nor would I be standing here waiting.
"If the Netherworld Sect doesn't come after me, fine. But if they do, I'll just wipe them out."
He spoke of destroying a powerful sect as casually as if he were talking about slaughtering a chicken.
Everyone around was stunned-what kind of confidence was this? How strong did one have to be to have such unwavering self-assurance?
If they had heard him before, they would have dismissed it as bluster, and not even credible bluster at that.
However, they had just witnessed him severely injured Martin in a single move-it was terrifying.
"Heather, do you have any last words before you die?" Sebastian asked.
Heather was trembling so much that her legs gave out. She fell to her knees before Sebastian. "Sebastian, please don't kill me. For the sake of the one night we shared as husband and wife, spare my life. I'm still so young. I don't want to
die."
Sebastian let out a cold chuckle. "You still dare to mention our one night together? You drugged me, used wicked means to steal my energe essence, and marrow and then tossed me off a cliff ff thadn't been lucky, I wouldn't be standing here now." s
Heather pleaded, "I'm just still too young and made a terrible mistake in a moment of weakness. I truly know I was wrong now. Please give me a chance to change. I'll devote myself to you and serve you well as your woman." s
Sebastian sneered. "You should've gone into acting with those skills. Let's set the fact that you harmed me aside for now.
"You also sent people after my godmother, had her beaten severely, and even tried to humiliate my wife. Such malice-how could I ever forgive you?"
"That wasn't my doing! It was Sean acting on his own!
"He was driven by lust. It had nothing to do with me," Heather quickly tried to distance herself from the blame.
Martin chimed in, "She's right, I can vouch for her. When it all happened, Heather was at the Netherworld Sect. She didn't know anything about it."
"Sean deserved to die, but I don't believe he acted alone. If it wasn't her, then it must've been you." Sebastian turned his gaze te Martin, his eyes full of killing
intent.
belongs to s
Feeling a wave of fear, Martin quickly denied, "It wasn't me! I had nothing to do with it."
"Hmph!" Sebastian scoffed. "Well, it's definitely either one of you. So, you can choose who will die."
"Are you trying to turn us against each other? How vicious!" Martin shouted angrily.
The onlookers silently agreed, thinking that forcing them to choose would be more
cruel than simply killing them both.
After all, the survivor would live with the guilt forever.
"Enough talk. I'm giving you one minute to decide. IfChapter 659
"Father." Heather's eyes were full of fear and helplessness.
Martin was at a loss for words. He didn't want to die, but he also couldn't bear to lose his daughter.
"Sebastian, maybe we can negotiate. Let us go, and just name your price- anything you want."
Sebastian thought for a moment and said, "Alright. I'll give you a chance. I want one million gold coins!"
"What? One million gold coins? Why don't you just rob a bank?" Martin nearly jumped up in anger.
Just ten thousand gold coins were enough for someone to live comfortably for a lifetime. One million gold coins was a huge sum even for him.
Sebastian sneered. "If you're unwilling to pay one million, that's fine. I can just kill your daughter, and you won't have to pay for anything."
"Fine. I'll pay!" Martin gritted his teeth, feeling as if his heart was bleeding.
Due to the large amount of gold, Sebastian only asked for gold notes.
Not long after, Martin handed Sebastian ten notes, each worth 100 thousand gold coins.
Sebastian kept his word and left after receiving the notes.
He hadn't intended to kill Martin and Heather-not because he was merciful, but because he wanted to take his time to destroy them.
After leaving Knott Estate, Sebastian followed Hendrick to the Holton Chamber of Commerce.
ask you for a favor,"
"Mr. Wilder, there's no need to
wounds, which saved his life, but also helped
was a debt that Hendrick considered a second
alchemist, with immeasurable strength to boot. Such a person was worth cultivating a
to find someone." Sebastian requested paper
professional artist, his
the woman in the picture your wife?" Abigail
"Yes," Sebastian nodded.
Abigail's eyes. It was hard not to admire a man as exceptional
been confident in herself, but
the drawing
her own beauty.
then explained the circumstances and timing of Fressia's
people to find her immediately.
at the chamber, waiting
to arrange for some people to take
to protect
terrifying power first
word of refusal. He was completely subdued, with
Meanwhile, at Knott Estate.
just can't swallow this humiliation!"
looked at Heather and asked, "Are you willing to
replied without hesitation, "Mr. Camden is an outstanding
then ask the Stonebrook family to deal with that little bastard!" Martin
stepped out to greet their
had arrived in large
was a dignified middle-aged man, Denzel Stonebrook, the head of the Stonebrook family and one of the top powerhouses
young man of about 26 years old. Though his appearance was average, he had an impressive presence; this was
our humble Knott Estate," Martin said with a flattering
"Mr. Knott, you're too
that; it's our honor. Please, come in." Martin led
heard that your daughter is
Stonebrook." Heather appeared slightly shy. But the more reserved she acted, the more captivated Camden
impolite to keep staring
out of his daze and quickly stood up, saying, "I'm sorry, Ms. Knott, I
showed him a bashful smile. She was not angry at all. In fact,
of the southern region's four major families. If Heather could become the young mistress of the Stonebrook family, it would be like
the Stonebrook family's cultivation resources, her strength would surely advance by leaps and bounds, making it only a matter of time before she
a place among the four great ladies in
Denzel smiled a
"My
Knott once not long ago,
love at first sight
he lost
his appetite and many.
of sleep over her. As his father, I became
Cóntent
done speaking, he clapped his
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
smaller,
a box of
had truly gone all out.
scarce in the market. When Martin and Heather heard about the Purification Pills, their eyes lit
constitution, extend life, and
their constitution, accelerated their
you satisfied with the Stonebrook family's
very satisfied. Extremely satisfied, actually," Martin quickly
you agree to their
For him to be interested in my daughter is
shy, but she was overjoyed inside. With the future title
on the wedding date, setting it for
strength is formidable and
the southern region, there aren't many people who could cause trouble for you. Who might this
named Sebastian
commoner.
disease once. Despite consulting many renowned doctors, none could help me. Later, when
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
we can call off the engagement, Mr.
eyes. "I heard about
worry, Heather. I don't mind. It
understanding," Heather forced out a
part of her clever strategy; many people already knew about Sebastian seeing her naked. Given the Stonebrook family's resources, they
herself, she hoped to handle
never expected was that the scoundrel was nothing
as we got engaged, he demanded
kind of woman and naturally refused him. He then tried to force himself on me,
front of him. "Heather, don't worry. Anyone who
strong. Even my
heard he should be under 30 years old. How could he be stronger than
added, "As cultivators improve their skills, their lifespans increase. There are also herbs and pills that extend life and enhance
20s, but his real
is at least at the early
real age is definitely well
just an early-stage divine grandmaster? That's nothingChapter
Camden's engagement spread quickly,
family, one of the four major families of the southern region, Camden would
a decent status as the daughter of Holton's Knott Estate,
didn't seem that odd. Although Heather's family background wasn't on par with the
five
was a genius with boundless potential
beauty and talent compensated for her comparatively
of Heather. After all, becoming the Stonebrook family's daughter-in-law was like ascending to the heavens
admired Heather, were equally
also heard the news, but he paid it no mind. Though Heather was beautiful, her cruelty
gold coins from Martin, Sebastian invested in a vast
the third stage of the cultivation technique- whether by stealth or force-and then
boost the cultivation of those
Sebastian took breaks periodically to rest.
Wilder, Heather and Camden are getting engaged tomorrow at Knott Estate.
of them is
"Yes, you're
an attempt to use the Stonebrook family's influence to eliminate
"Mr. Wilder, are you
don't go, wouldn't I be letting them down?" Sebastian replied with a
and Heather both hate you to the core and their invitation is
nodded in agreement. "My father is right. You mustn't go. Otherwise,
right into
clowns. There's nothing to
you shouldn't be so careless. know you're strong, but the Stonebrook family has many powerful figures. If you
Hendrick warned.
to .net
"I appreciate your
clowns. They're not worth worrying
If they
ie
families in the southern region, even stronger than the Netherworld Sect. They shouldn't
please listen to us
be avoided. If they're out for revenge, they'll cook
better to confront them sooner rather than
entrance of Knott Estate, a woman suddenly blocked their
partially hiding her
there something you need from me?" Sebastian asked. "Are
Sebastian nodded.
that the Stonebrook family plans to kill you at the
to tell me
you
expect you to care so much about me. Could it be that you've fallen
dreaming." Kaitlyn scoffed and turned to
Wilder, if Ms. Gardner says so, then it's surely
Wilder. There's always hope as long as you're alive. With your talent, you're destined to become a peerless force in the future. Just bide your time,"
made up. No more advice, please,"
both sighed and shook their heads, thinking Sebastian was marching to
Estate, the atmosphere was festive
by sending Korbin and his daughter to personally attend and
overjoyed. After all, by the end of today, she
have Heather a woman both stunning and neredibly talented was something that would inspire
thorn in his side-Heather's body had already been seen and touched by
Sebastian.
had been keeping tabs on Sebastian's movements, and his subordinate
just at that moment, "Mr.
enters. Make sure
able to get away, even if he sprouts wings," the
nodded in satisfaction. "By the
and likely won't make it today. But with the family's third elder and the seventh
nodded again
Sebastian and his companions
here?" Korbin exclaimed in surprise when
was also taken aback. She had already warned Sebastian about the Stonebrook family's plan, yet he still showed up. Was he walking
Sebastian while gritting her teeth. "Sebastian, you bastard! You actually had the guts
and said, "This place isn't exactly a dragon's lair. Why wouldn't I dare
"Stop playing dumb. Since you've come today, don't
"Brat, today next
say I didn't give you a chance. If you kneel down, admit your mistakes, gouge out your own eyes,
his hand and said, "You invited me to your engagement party. I came here to congratulate
your mind?" Camden sneered. "I invited you here
He thinks that just because he came to congratulate the couple, Mr. Camden would let him go. He must be
Knott's reputation. Mr. Camden would never let him live.
from Hendrick and Abigail, only Kaitlyn seemed worried about Sebastian. Despite everything Sebastian had done to her, seeing him in danger made her
is your engagement party. Killing
things. If you want to live today, the only way is to do
and his smile
immediately grew furious. "What are you laughing
There are so many good women out there. Why on earth did you
You've got some nerve!" Camden
This guy must be
might have had a slim chance to live. But insulting Ms. Knott? Now he's probably wishing for
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Stonebrooks' third elder, Trey Stonebrrok, and seventh elder, Septimus Stonebrook stood up. They were looking ready to strike
don't get angry just yet. Hear me out. I was simply
practicing
cultivation technique, one that
male energy to
day,
me into her room, and
"Shut up!"
interrupted Sebastian while snapping, "Stop spouting
Heather on purpose. You can't believe a word he
This guy has
evidence do you
male energy through a sinister technique and tried to seduce me, but I wasn't interested in her
spouting nonsense!" Heather quickly turned to Camden and said, "Camden, he's lying! He's just upset that I broke off the engagement with him, so
and said, "Don't worry. No matter what he says, I
was that she was using an evil cultivation technique to absorb my essence and even
woman right in front of
believe me, you can have her checked. If I'm
up! Even if an examination proves my innocence, it'll
this guy has ulterior motives. Don't
under his gaze. Doubts crept into his mind as he wondered, "Could
Whether Sebastian was telling the truth or not,
Heather, Camden planned to verify everything as soon
immediately approached Sebastian, releasing a powerful aura that felt as vast and overwhelming as the sea, making it hard for everyone to
alone is enough to make me almost suffocate. This is truly impressive," the onlookers said as their
While they were also divine grandmasters, there
Septimus was a middle-stage divine grandmaster,
no fear. He smirked mockingly and said, "Camden, I originally thought you had some sense
sure you wish you were dead!" Camden snapped angrily. Sebastian taunted, "You tell me to
way, I left a few scratch marks on her chest because I got a bit rough. They're probably
and instinctively covered her chest with her hand. In truth, Sebastian was just bluffing;
However, Heather's reaction
everyone stunned.
tricked, Heather
spouting lies! I swear I'll cut out your
fool, and he was infuriated by the Chapter
families of the southern region, with all their
in particular, was a middle-stage divine
released aura
with worry. But there was little they could do; they were powerless to stop
lightning as his hand reached out to grasp Sebastian's neck. Just as it
resounding sound, Septimus' arm
out a pained scream and staggered
chased him down and grabbed Septimus by
"What?"
stage divine grandmaster
was beyond
and Kaitlyn were the most shocked. Not long ago, Sebastian had participated in the
all, if he were a grandmaster or divine grandmaster, why would he bother with the
underestimated you. If you release Septimus now, I might leave your
Stonebrook family! If you dare to kill him, you won't even have a
also approached Sebastian, his eyes
Camden, can you do me a favor? I'll have him release Septimus, and in return, you
face was
distance, Camden found her even more enticing than he had
Gardner Astong asterele Monet
breaks both his hands, I'll spare
eyes and breaking his
rather kind for offering this. This is my bottom line!" Camden declared in a tone that left no room for
Sebastian and whispered, "Didn't I warn you? Why did
death trap. Why shouldn't I come?"
said, "I didn't realize your strength was so formidable, but you still
The Stonebrook family
eyes and breaking your hands
replied, "Ms. Gardner, I appreciate your
not in the habit
know it's hard to
five miserably than to
something, but in the end, she only
fate worse than death.
slim, at least Sebastian could
"Septimus!"
of the Stonebrook family
he
won't be satisfied
his cultivation for
order. He was
step forward, his presence intensified. Every footfall left
be truly unfathomable. He's probably at the late-stage divine
grandmaster, but it's said that Trey has the ability to fight beyond
cultivation is? He struck so quickly before; this is definitely going to
Everyone nodded in agreement.
catch the sword!" Camden shouted, tossing a long
caught the sword and immediately drew it from
through the air, unleashing a
temperature seemed to plummet, leaving everyone feeling as though they had fallen into an icy abyss. Their hearts were quickly filled
be the Godslayer Blade of the
proudly stated, "That's right. This is our Stonebrook family's Godslayer Blade. Our ancestors once roamed the world with this sword, and with it, they
was stunned. They hadn't expected Camden to carry the Godslayer Blade
With the added power of the Godslayer Blade, not even late-stage divine grandmasters
Blade was a renowned magical artifact, said to be a
here was Sebastian,
closed her eyes, unable to bear
man who had taken her virginity, but after calming down and reflecting, her hatred had
old scoundrel instead, so she found herself preferring it to be Sebastian. At least Sebastian was
him. This was
Sebastian's strength far surpassed hers, and he didn't need her
moment, she felt completely powerless. The ones trying to kill Sebastian were the Stonebrook family.
middle pinnacle stage of divine grandmaster Trey wielded the Godslayer Blade. As he swung his sword, a blinding white blade aura was charged with thunderous power. It seemed as though it would split the earth
the energy within a few miles surged violently, creating an
with weaker cultivation slumped to the ground while
aimed to capture Sebastian alive, so his sword's target
Sebastian suddenly moved, reaching out
try and stop the Godslayer Blade technique with one's bare
of blood and mangled flesh, the sword stopped dead
"How is this possible?"
was equally stunned as they were unable to
my god! He caught the Godslayer Blade with his bare hand! This is
energy, trying to pull the Godslayer Blade out of Sebastian's grip. He exerted all his strength,
it over," Sebastian said calmly. With a slight exertion of his spiritual energy, Trey instantly let go
was jolted
Blade while nodding in satisfaction. "This sword is
the sword back!" Trey shouted in a mix of anger and panic, clenching his
Sebastian. "You actually dared to kill two of our family's elders! Do
you think you can kill me, I can also kill you.
was both afraid and angry. "Sebastian, I'm warning you. I'm the
family's power is beyond anything you can imagine. They are filled with masters of unparalleled skill. My future father-in-law is one of the top experts in the Southern Regions, so killing you
a pair of idiots. You two really are
calling idiots? You're the idiot! Your whole
yet you still dare to shout at me. If that's not foolishness,
kill us?" Heather was suddenly
kill me, our family will never let you go. Not just you, but
kill that person. If you send two, I'll kill both of them. If you send a whole army, I'll wipe them out. If your entire family
grew louder as he spoke. By the end, his voice was thunderous, sending shivers down
crowd was stunned into silence. No one could believe how brazen
this before, everyone would have looked down on him and thought that
of yourself! Our family has
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 even have a
end up in a
dare!"
from the Stonebrook family around him as they
looked at him with disdain. He took a step forward,
present. Those below grandmaster level collapsed to the ground,
remain
him!"
they had no choice but to obey Camden. Gritting their
join the fray. Instead,
forth. There was a deafening boom, and the grandmasters coughed out blood as they were
crowd was very shocked. The grandmasters from the Stonebrook family
of cake. The sheer
was terrifying.
to the ground, and her face became
Martin rushed toward Heather.
into the air, attempting
Jonathan stepped forward to shield the nervous clerk and decided to let the matter drop, choosing mercy over further
ever happen again," Nathaniel said, his voice quiet yet carrying the weight of judgment through
the tight bun at the back
spread through her limbs like warm water, leaving her
dangled on someone else's whim. Grateful, she offered a quick, thankful glance first to Jonathan and then
danger and the child, the day would have
turned to Jonathan, her posture unexpectedly shy. "Thank you," she murmured, sincerity softening every line of her
small, practiced smile-courteous, almost grown-up, impossibly
Ivy, I should be the one thanking you," he replied, voice clear
out a sleek matte card. Holding it up, he added, "Every outfit you brought me earlier, I'll take them
announcement hit the staff like a clap of thunder. Jaws
knew each ensemble Ivy had chosen started at well over ten thousand, yet this
card, uncertainty flickering across her eyes
was still a minor. A purchase of this scale required his guardian's word. Nathaniel gave
an entire rack of adult clothing, yet
course," she said, nearly breathless with
garments from velvet hangers into satin-lined
showroom, the other employees watched, envy shining through their
cover the down payment on
more.
Jonathan was buying, no one dared steal Ivy's triumph, not even
guided Nathaniel
leaned down, voice barely above az whisper “Everything's packed but it really is a mountain of clothes. Should we put one or two pieces back? Together they
over eight million." s
Elodie hadn't asked her, Ivy would never have
Jonathan said, firm as bedrock. "I'm
no objection, she finally swiped Jonathan's
the approval tone chimed, she stared at the numbers in disbelief. The wealthy, it seemed, spent money the way others breathed
you for choosing us." Ivy presented the card with
it with matching courtesy. "Ms. Ivy, I truly appreciate everything you did
clerk finally set
toward Ivy. With a flourish worthy of a stage magician, he indicated a slate-gray wool blazer on the mannequin. "Consider this my gift,
it on to
shoulders. "Oh, no, I can't, really It's far too
apairof
protected Jon today. Compared with that, a jacket is nothing. If you ever hit a
bill, Jonathan had delivered a
them like silent shadows, arms loaded with crisp shirts, tailored trousers, and ribbon-tied shopping
to reach his thigh, and asked, "What business did
miss a beat. “Oh. Ms. Kennedy wanted me to pop in and pick out a few outfits for Uncle Zachary. This
and Mom's best friend would never
expression unreadable. "Your Ms. Kennedy certainly
to buy clothes for Zachary, but Ceci never thinks of buying any
mood darkened like a sky
cloud. He reached out, hooked his tiny pinkie around Nathaniel's larger finger, and gave a reassuring tug. "Dad, Mom actually asked
believed the first fib, it was
more like an adult compared
would never delegate adult
"You've figured something out,
Jonathan blinked, performing
a quiet breath. “When it comes to social-grade lying, you're still rough around the
exposed so fast, and the realization sent a
unhappy?” he asked, dark lashes lifting so his wide eyes could study every flicker on
and forced a civil smile. "Why would I be?" he countered, voice
for you. She skipped you completely. That proves
shut.Am
where did
Jon shrugged as if stating
a weight on his chest. If even a child could read him, how
the restroom door stayed shut far
hard, she went searching
belongs to s
almost collided with
arms loaded with shopping bags bulging with
been? And what on
intent on inspecting the
smoothly. "Holiday tokens, nothing
been painfully clumsy, so Nathaniel was patching
would have been nice. I was starting
gaped, utterly bewildered. When have I ever been
shot Jonathan
himself to carrying the constipation
skimping on water
what was happening, concern flooded her eyes. She slipped an arm around Jonathan's small shoulders and drew him into a
right? You're far too little
nursed him through colic and fevers, knows how a single twitch of discomfort
up without warning, felt heat rush to his cheeks until his whole face burned as brightly as a
imagining the confession would buy him
been ages since Cecilia had
I drink more water. It isn't that bad, please don't
model child,
do. Maybe we should buy medicine. Constipation sometimes needs
gravity, the way surgeons announce
all lies you could invent, you picked constipation. Now Mom believes
don't need them,” he whispered, the
eyes soft with pity for the boy and a glimmer of amused apology
lightning speed, and ordered suppositories
the gate like a summoned genie, parcel
you're not sure how to use them, I
at the plastic-wrapped suppositories, despair dropping like a stone
he let Cecilia anywhere near this particular battlefield. He shook
Mommy. I can manage on
every gesture
to endure the stubborn ache
to the bathroom with you," she said, voice
"Okay."
and bolted down the hallway toward the
Elliot lounged with a plate of sliced fruit. He watched his brother's retreating and, though he didn't quite know why, felt sweat
he really constipated? He sure doesn't look it," Elliot
with a mild but warning stare. "Don't tease
calm the little jolt of surprise inside. "Jon is really kind of pitiful," he breathed, each syllable
clapped her hands. “Come on," she said, "let's try the outfits
take
clothes in bright cascading layers. One by one, she handed them to the
the little photoshoot ended,
and Bethany kept polite smiles fixed in place, but Cecilia saw the sorrow hovering
of her life, including short clips of the boys chasing sunlight across the rug, photos of uneaten cookies, and funny anecdotes typed at
in return, video-called often to check
by little, life seemed to find its
to come back for a visit?" Bethany
knew Cecilia now belonged to the Rainsworths, so her priorities were pulled
and I have decided. We'll come right after
every one
Bethany for a good while longer, then finally
change, Jonathan and Elliot collapsed onto their beds, fast
hush, holding only Cecilia and Nathaniel
intent on stealing five minutes of calm
"Ceci."
surprise.
we're doing today?" His question hovered,
don't follow. What do you mean?" Confusion
clouded Nathaniel's eyes. "Nothing,"
plainly on his face. Cecilia finally read the room. Something inside Nathaniel was storming, evident from the faint tension at his jaw and the way
eclipsing her earlier cheer.
closer, the scent of
she could
long arms swept out
swift, possessive
chest, as though staking a claim
have to
with gravel, every syllable vibrating through the scant
flared across Cecilia's face. Her blush deepened as she
squirmed, whisper-shouting, "Stop it, let me go! If Elliot
embrace, chin settling atop her hair as if the conversation were
could be awkward about two married people holding each other?
she muttered, "Not babies? They're only six-maybe seven-
I moved overseas on my own," Nathaniel replied, the
brows arched, genuine amazement slipping past her irritation. "You left the country that
affirmative, then an idea lit behind his eyes. "Ceci, we shouldn't coddle them. Let's arrange for Elliot and
Elliot's just regained his health, and Jonathan
།
for Jonathan, let him stay
his finger brushing
"Hmm?"
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 our lives. Sometimes I feel like I'm dead last in that beautiful
composed
suppress it. "Of course, the kids outrank you. I risked my life to
storm gathering behind the
of Nathaniel's arms and bolted down the
dare make a break for it, then sprang up and covered the
shut, Nathaniel planted one hand against the panel, his voice low
"There are plenty of spare rooms in this house. Pick any one of
a gentle shove, he slipped inside, scooped
clicked, the deadbolt turned, and
winter wind hissed against the windows,
a burst of white light, snow glare slicing through the curtains and
opened her eyes to find Nathaniel's face less than an inch away. She
a finger over that faint roughness, then lower to the soft curve of
Nathaniel's brows twitched.
open, hazy
he murmured, drawing her even closer until
I can't breathe.” Her voice came
hold by a fraction, closed his eyes again, and sighed. "Stay. Just a little longer." "It's already nine. We really have
her best friends a full day of window-shopping and
arms and mumbled, "Give
did Cecilia realize how clingy he could be,
this attached? I never noticed
grin tugged at his mouth. "I was younger. Didn't know any
and ruffled his hair, dark strands springing up beneath
I need to get moving. I have a busy day ahead," she said, trying
"Ceci, after you hit the mall with your friends, that's all, right?
her head. "That's it.
asked, still unwilling to
New clothes for Mom, and something nice for Grandpa and
tone carried a note of suspicion wrapped in
"Nope."
she bought yet this morning he fussed over every hanger she touched,
gently pried her fingers
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
at the ceiling until
rose, padded through quiet hallways, and stepped onto
1.
Jon and Elliot
an idiot-half a brain short of being human!" Conrad shouted, his voice cracking with rage. "If you had even a sliver of
could think the Wolfsbane family had any chance of working with the
just called you an idiot with half a brain for daring to ask
went pale, then burned red. He
had mocked her-Beatrix and his husband, Conrad
people, it was Alex-the outcast, the family fool-who stood
Sofina
least this
one of you! From this moment on, Sofina will handle the
The room fell silent.
stood. "Don't worry, Grandma," she
Beatrix a smug grin that made her blood
her nose, lips curling into a sneer. "Go on, Sofina -try all you want. When you fail-and you will-you'll drag the rest of
lift this family up, while you bury it in arrogance and shame. You're nothing but
-the real embarrassment of this family! You think
think the Wolfsbane family is great enough that even the Eden Group will want that collaboration. I believe in the Baroness's dream—and I believe in my
narrowing, "you just sit here sneering. Tell me, Beatrix-what's your real problem? Do you not believe in your grandmother, or are
what I meant! I just think it's impossible for Sofina to make that deal, that's
the fight even started. That's not realism,
"You're a
that filled the room. "Then let's make this interesting. What if she does succeed? Want to make a
I'm scared? Name your terms,
gleamed. "I heard the Baroness gave you that manor outside the main estate. If Sofina pulls this off, that place is ours foever. You move into our home, and
clenched teeth. "But if Sofina fails, I want both of you out of the Wolfsbane
said, leaning back with a half-smile. "Then
"Count me in too! If I
on her, raising a brow.
crossed her arms, chin lifted. "I won't lose. But fine-I'll play along. What do
calling me a half-slave, how about this—if you lose, you kneel ten times and admit you're lower than
laughing. "Ha! You're really digging your own
"If you lose, I want you to divorce
"Fine," he said calmly. "But if I win, you'll accept our marriage- no more insults,
sound. "You really think you can win this? I've already recorded the bet and sent
he said. "I like
at them. She couldn't care less about their
mattered to her was one thing-whether the Wolfsbane family could actually secure that collaboration with the
"Sofina, you have three days to negotiate and
glancing out the window. "You really think Grandma trusts me with the
smirked. "Trust? No. Desperation?
him a look. "That's
talk to someone who
least I bet on your victory.
a brow. "You really think this
said. "It'll show who's got
"And what if
fit right
seat, clutching a thick file of proposals she'd spent the entire night refining. Her eyes were tired, but her mind was sharp. Today
sleek black luxury car they'd won from Nikolaus-a machine so rare in Winchester that it turned heads wherever it
the car's polished hood, “we should return this car. It's too extravagant for
resting on the wheel. "Maybe it's too fancy
Wolfsbane Group-it's perfect. Your grandmother and mother wouldn't dare buy you one, so let's enjoy
can."
"You really think this is
okay. It's a sign, Sofina. We're on our way up. And when this is over, maybe we'll have a new
shook her head, half anxious, half amused. "I wish I had
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 among the
as the car descended toward the Eden Group's towering headquarters, its glass
whispered as the
walked around to open her door. "With me here, your luck's already doubled," he said lightly "Remember I'm the gardener of the Eden Group. That means you've got an insideron your side."
QUMS
She
shadow of the two-hundred-story tower and felt something empty out inside her-like a room with
The idea that
like a beggar asking a banker to lend him the
She'd accepted the challenge in front of the whole house. There
the entrance, Sofina slowed her pace. The lobby felt like a courtroom-every seat occupied by nobles from Winchester: barons, viscounts, and
huddled in quiet conversations, their voices low but tense, each waiting for their turn to be judged
Group. The sight said
all every one
of them was hono
same thing: a coffaboration with power.
What on earth are you doing here?"
Heinrich standing
tightened the way
sentence.
"I 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
"You? Who the hell are you trying to fool? Even your grandmother couldn't get a deal with Eden Group. You're not worthy-none
Group gardener uniform when a security drone glided into
to monitor was just shoved by a guest-he forced her out into the entrance
the footage," Alex
recording. Heinrich's hand clamped around Sofina's arm, dragging her down the hallway while papers
straightened his collar, pulled on his
on the floor, gathering a pile
helping her pick
I say, he just slips back
he hurt you?" Alex asked, gently lifting
serious,"
last sheet. "You know, you don't need to print everything. The
the feel of paper. I like touching something
his chest. "The same way I
"You really
that," she said softly. "You cooked for me, you looked at me like I was more than data in a file. You made me feel
as they walked back through the glass
voice cracked
told you to stay away from me. I don't want you near
The color drained from
that still tied her to
of control doesn't vanish overnight. Her body tensed, eyes
himself between
Alex said. "You're a guest. You have no authority
telling me how to behave? I'm a guest here-l expect to be treated like a king. Where's your manager? I want to
not a
am? I'm Heinrich Schiller." Heinrich's face went hard." The chairman of Eden Group personally sent me an invitation—said I should run this place.
him anything. He brings trouble."
forced a smile while extending a hand. "Mr. Schiller. What an honor to have you at Eden Group. We'd be delighted if you joined our efforts-Winchester's finest in Al
But somebody in your place had
professional courtesy. "Sir, no one here would deliberately offend you. If
coldly. "That's the man. Your gardener. He insulted me
gardener uniform. His brow furrowed. "I've never seen you before. Are you pretending to be one of our employees
this two-hundred-floor building. You don't know all of them—same as↑ don't know everyone here. And
seem to forget your place. I'm
I can fire you anytime I want.
Schiller-apologize. Kneel and
tried to throw out
"Do you have any idea who Heinrich Schiller is? He's one of the brightest minds in Winchester-soon
if he's not joining?"
doesn't, he deserves your respect. You're nothing compared to him! Now kneel
shaking
be fired if you don't!" Dietrich
"Come on, Alex. We've known each other a long time. Just kneel and
dangerous. "How about this, Heinrich-you kneel to
crowd started to gather, drawn by the rising tension. Laughter
"A gardener trying to stand up to Heinrich? The man really
voice joined in. "That gardener's got
"Who?" someone asked.
"Alex-the dunce himself."
"Oh hell, that Alex? The walking mistake of Winchester?
and turned to
my attention, haven't you? Well, now
Your husband's a fool who doesn't know his
and I might
around Alex's
"If you don't, I'll make sure everyone in Winchester hears about this. You have
I'll have the
Wolfsbane name you'll be nothing outcasts. And you know I
s
stepped forward, but Sofina grabbed him tighter and
was soft but steady. "Let me
her face. She met his eyes. "Trust
Sofina stepped
face was red as a boil. "You hit me, bitch-" He spat the
curse.
name do you think you're doing,
dare you strike Mister Heinrich inside Eden Group! Security robot
a hand at
lashes. She won't be standing after that her flesh
syllable a command. "Give her
stepped forward until he stood toe-to-toe with Dietrich. "You'd better cancel
who'll
communication bracelet. "Security
head.
began to
dare she hit Heinrich," someone
know Heinrich's
her!" another voice
unit glided forward and ran its routine: ID scan, threat assessment, authorization check. Its lenses swept over Sofina, cold and
system flagged a threat to her,
a node nobody in the room expected-Eve, the household robot Sofina
a home machine. Alex had wired her into his network bridge
Any device that touched
previous command. Secure Dietrich and give
robot optical
into Dietrich's chest. The shock hit him like a thrown rope; he
drew an
lines of blood followed. Dietrich's shout cut the air. "Stop! Not me - her!
from triumph to alarm. "Is the Eden security unit malfunctioning?"
is already the most advanced," someone muttered, half in awe,
ripple of confusion moved
until Dietrich had taken
his feet and kicked him out,
catch up with the chaos unraveling around
the blood away with the back of his wrist,
low and venomous. "I'll
her, his
wasn't the first time. Heinrich had struck Sofina before-over and
not because she was weak, but because she'd once mistaken
"Find someone your own size," he said,
slave — let go of me!"
his temper under a hard lid. The government
until Heinrich screamed like
at a hand that felt as if
How dare you let me go!" Heinrich gasped, tears wet
loose. Her heels struck the
-
family had just finished presenting their offer - a bid to replace
win Eden's favor, to become the next family tied to
they were desperater
the same breath she'd promised Eden that Heinrich would cooperate if the
emerged into the main hall, the polished calm of her diplomacy shattered. What she saw made
was holding Heinrich down,
went white with fury. She stormed over
dare you strike him until he bleeds-I'll call the police and have you
"Calling the police won't help you," he
that true?" Katarina asked
She hit my nose." Heinrich
wearing someone else's name. Sue a noble if you want-try to prove
Prussia, nobles still carried real power.
a noble, the punishment
severe and swift. More often than
law protected
most people
the Prussia — power didn't
her sharp
why you married Sofina — to make me jealous, to get my attention. Well,
"No. I won't divorce her. Go ahead and marry
have to
her tone soft. "I'm doing at this for you and for your Sant Claire family. When im done with Heinrich, if you behave yourself, I'll let
stared at her, disbelief hardening his
to you? That everyone just
you dare 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! I command you divorce that woman
of her voice gave him a
away from me!" Katarina shouted. "Kneel! Now!" Katarina's voice
discovered something she
him.
the memories still haunted her - the nights Alex cooked for her, the way he shielded
everything was cold and transactionaChapter
moment. He didn't want to face Katarina—not here,
before he could take another step, her hand shot out and clamped around his
him, fierce
you to stop, Alex," Katarina said,
Now. Before I lose my temper." She stepped closer. "Remember when I made you kneel in
don't owe you a damn thing. I don't answer to your orders.
hand whipped across his face. The slap cracked through the hall like
but beneath it something else trembled — a flash of tears she fought to
command
this bitch!" Katarina
of Alex without hesitation. Her eyes were quiet,
Alex. Sofina caught it in one swift move and snapped
his ex- don't touch him again. He
had been treated
heard the whispers for
Rosenheim title was bought
that they earned their barony by stabbing their own marquis, the Saint-
was built on treachery, that beneath their silks and
fury. "She's spitting on my family
shuffled forward, eager to prove their loyalty. They moved to strike to humiliate
silver Eden security robot glided
property,"
The would-be attackers jerked, their muscles seized, and
violence," the security unit repeated. "Please remain calm and
unmoored robbed, for the moment, of the power she'd always
Sofina grabbed Alex's hand.
get out of here," she
voice cracked like a whip. "You always talked about love! You said you loved me! You
to give me your body, to destroy yourself for me! You liar! You
fade, it hides behind forced gestures-empty rituals, hollow vows, or even violence and control-trying to keep
Alex could answer, another android glided up
it said smoothly, "this is your scheduled interview for the collaboration. Please proceed to Meeting Room 01. I can escort you
froze in surprise. Alex squeezed her hand. “Go,” he
you?" she
to the garden. Only workers and authorized personnel can access it. These people won't be able to follow."
and bowed slightly. "Please wait here. The person in charge will arrive shortly." It turned and glided away, leaving her alone
poised woman in a tailored suit
change in location. Please follow me. Miss Von Adler would like to meet you in her
"Miss Von Adler? The
She's
and followed the woman through
Eden Group
Adler-the most powerful woman
even submitted her proposal yet, the one about working with the Wolfsbane family. She wasn't supposed to meet the chairman, only
It didn't make sense.
the assistant through the long corridor, her heels echoing off the marble floor, until they stopped in front of a taff metal door engraved with the
assistant opened it and gestured her in. Inside, Marlena Von Adler-the legendary chairwoman of Eden Group-rose gracefully from behind her desk.
her hand. "I'm Marlena Von Adler, chairman of Eden Group. It's a pleasure to
the most powerful businesswoman in Winchester-someone people
voice trembled slightly as she answered, but
met
came to discuss the collaboration proposal. I know the Wolfsbane Group isn't
we work hard.
never disappoint."
to .net
handed Marlena a neat folder. "This is the Wolfsbane Group portfolio.
take a look."
and took
pages, then closed
said, her voice soft but sure, "I've already reviewed your documents. I believe you're the perfect
stunned. "Really? You mean... it's approved?"
out.
She had spent weeks rehearsing every
a long
in seconds.
leaned back, her expression unreadable
fully meet our usual standards. But our founder hold's your very nigh regard.
founder?" she asked, her voice
"May I know
into a faint smile. “Our founder," she said softly, "is the most handsome
blinked, unsure if
understand when the time comes.
in you. He believes in you. And that's why he's giving
gently, but her tone carried weight. Alex had instructed her not to reveal his
Miss Scheinwald, according to your proposal,
she said, her voice small. "Is...
shaking her head. "Oh no," she said easily. "In fact, it's less than what we
frowned slightly. "What
me to increase the
it set at one hundred million
her breath catching.
repeated, barely believing it.
a crisp contract, and slid it across the
agreement-one hundred million dollars in total. If you have no objections, we can
in disbelief. Her mind spun. Eden
corporations in Winchester-had not oChapter
brought it down hard on Finnian's back. "I forbid you from seeing her!
age, Mr. Everly's arm was still strong; after just a few blows, Finnian's crisp white shirt was already stained
to intervene, but Mr. Everly wouldn't listen. He kept shouting, "I'll beat you to death!" and from the look in
arm, her voice soft but steady. "Grandpa,
finally stopped, glaring at Finnian and gasping for breath, his shoulders
met his gaze, her expression calm. "You should go.
a long, searching look, then turned
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
threatened to fall as he squeezed her
respond. She didn't even know what she felt anymore. Just yesterday, Finnian had confessed his feelings to her; today, he was determined to be with Liliana. Thinking back on the words he'd spoken to
her head, her voice clear. "Grandpa, there's something I've never told you, but I think you need to
"What is it?"
Qu
that because you thought Finnian cared about me, but the truth is our relationship has never been good. Finnian rarely shows me any respect,
nearly said outright that she had no interest
utterly exhausted, guilt weighing on
for not wanting Finnian. Only
l.ne
she possibly like him? For years, it had been Mr. Everly Finself, swallowing his pride and pushing for them
patted her hand wearily. "Ama, I'm tired. I need to lie down for a while.
"Rest well, Grandpa. I'll see
her, and he'd always dreamed She'd stay with the Everly family become Finian's wife. But now, after what she'd said-and with Finman acting the way he
Read Under the Veil I Rule Chapter 375
Novel Under the Veil I Rule has been updated Chapter 375 with many climactic developments What makes this series so special is the names of the characters ^^. If you are a fan of the author Novelxo, you will love reading it! I'm sure you won't be disappointed when you read. Let's read the novel Under the Veil I Rule Chapter 375 now HERE.
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Chapter 375 novel Under the Veil I Rule