Chapter 457: Chapter 483 Wang Hu Confirms His Love

Xiao Hong felt that something was suspicious. She was ambiguous, certainly having committed a serious mistake. Wang Hu should not be dragged into it. Wang Hu nodded; he thought the same.

Bai Fanglan was both ashamed and angry, almost to the point of bursting with rage. But she couldn’t leave in a huff and kneeled before him, choking up, "What’s the point in discussing past events? I promise this will be the last time I trouble you. Please don’t be so heartless; consider the child we lost..."

Xiao Hong interrupted her, "Hasn’t Wang Hu compensated you? Everything has a limit. Once it’s too much, it’s fake. You’re not disabled. You’re healthy, young, and have a college education. What’s so difficult about finding a job? You simply don’t want to work hard yourself and want easy money, but how is that possible?"

"Shut up," Bai Fanglan shouted angrily, "Who asked you to mind our business? Matters between Wang Hu and me are not yours to interfere with!"

Xiao Hong slightly frowned and became silent.

Wang Hu said, "Xiao Hong is right; I won’t help you find a job. If you want to kneel, you can just keep kneeling."

After saying this, he took Xiao Hong’s hand and walked away quickly. Xiao Hong’s entire arm felt stiff, and turning back, she glanced at Bai Fanglan left crying on the spot, then at Wang Hu.

Wang Hu chuckled, "Stop looking. No matter what happens to that woman, I won’t care."

"Hmm, but you’re still holding my hand."

"Is it wrong for me to hold your hand?"

Xiao Hong blushed, "But... but you said it was fake."

"It’s real now. Can I really hold your hand now?" Wang Hu smiled as he looked at her.

Xiao Hong lowered her head, rarely shy.

Wang Hu said, "I need to ask for your forgiveness. I’ve been divorced because I was immature in handling emotions and lacked empathy, like a wooden post, which hurt some people."

"I also dated before, but we broke up due to personality differences," she was quick to say, "Those romantic things aren’t suitable for us soldiers; we’ll be a fitting pair. Don’t ask about the past, but cherish the present!"

Though Wang Hu had a cold temperament, he was quite lenient with his own, giving Xiao Hong confidence that she’d have a good life with him.

Wang Hu laughed out loud, deciding to forget the pretensions. Together, they walked hand in hand.

Thus, Xiao Hong, once just helping out, became truly involved in the relationship, though Wang Hu’s parents weren’t aware.

A few days later, Wang Hu’s father’s lung examination results came out, just a minor inflammation from excessive smoking, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Mrs. Wang resolutely banned his smoking and incidentally pressed Wang Hu to finalize the marriage plans.

Both families highly approved, hastily setting their wedding for New Year’s Day, intending to relocate quickly. Otherwise, in such a remote area, how could Xiao Hong be pregnant? The parents were worried.

Thinking it over, Wang Hu agreed; he had been away long enough.

Things were joyous in their circle, but Bai Fanglan was miserable. Pleading with Wang Hu yielded no results, so she sought out other acquaintances. However, her grandfather, now retired, led these people to be extremely perfunctory towards her. Furthermore, Bai Fanglan’s affairs had become widely known, making hospitals reject her due to her poor medical skills.

Soon after her expulsion, she was forcibly discharged and returned home, only to find Bai Chuan had prepared a purchased train ticket for her.

Infuriated to the point of liver pain, Bai Fanglan bit her lip, "Grandfather, are you really giving me no way out? Just driving me away like this?"

Bai Chuan sighed, "It’s for your own good! Staying here no longer holds any meaning. I’m getting old, truly cannot withstand the stress anymore. Don’t worry; every month when my salary comes, I’ll send you fifty bucks."

Bai Fanglan coldly laughed, standing up abruptly, "Fine! Since you dislike me so much, I’ll leave! You’ll get your wish!"

She returned to her room and slammed the door.

Bai Chuan shook his head and went to care for his great-granddaughter. The child was pitiable; Bai Fanglan never cared while working, and even now unemployed, she remained indifferent.

The next morning, Bai Chuan woke up to find Bai Fanglan’s room in disarray. Everything was thrown about, yet she was gone.

Bai Chuan was puzzled; what happened? Then on the table, he found a letter.

Bai Fanglan said she’s left, gone south to find work, aiming to return once successful. The child was left for Bai Chuan to care for temporarily. Besides her jewelry and savings, she also took four thousand bucks from Bai Chuan’s drawer.

Bai Fanglan left in a fit of anger, refusing to believe she wouldn’t succeed! She vowed to get revenge! Against everyone who looked down on her and ignored her!

Bai Chuan worried, struggling to catch his breath, almost fainting. What on earth is Bai Fanglan trying to do!

The child from the next room cried out loudly, and Bai Chuan couldn’t neglect her, so he went to take care of her. Seeing her dark, gaunt face, Bai Chuan sighed deeply too, poor child. No father, and a mother who’s always negligent.

Bai Chuan’s previous grand ambitions were wiped away, leaving him with only taking care of the child daily.

Meanwhile, Sun Chan’s situation gradually returned to calm. Yuan Bing, due to his indecency and attempt at intentional homicide at their camp, faced serious charges. Coupled with Gu Junming’s thorough investigation, a raft of Yuan Bing’s business misconducts came to light.

Including tax evasion, engineering fraud, and bribery, among others, these evidences ensured Yuan Bing likely wouldn’t come out for life. People all around talked about it extensively, mostly cursing Yuan Bing and Bai Fanglan, some discussing Sun Chan.

Zhuang Lin was jumping up and down vigorously, but her husband knew and suppressed her decisively.

Later, the camp erupted with another scandal, overshadowing this one. It turned out Liu Gang secretly wrote reports, intending to falsely accuse Gu Junming!Chapter 645

Timothy shrieked in pain and turned in the direction where the branch had come from. His eyes were filled with fury as he asked, "Who ambushed me?"

There were only trees in sight, and nobody was there. Mad and flabbergasted, Timothy knew that the attacker was strong. A person who could pierce through his palm and then a tree with a branch must be a divine grandmaster.

Hence, he hurriedly summoned his ride-Hurricane Eagle. When Hurricane Eagle arrived, he jumped on it in a hurry and escaped.

Kaitlyn sighed in relief and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your help, sir. Please step out so I can thank you in person."

Obviously, she wasn't going to receive an answer. Just then, Sebastian walked out of the forest next to her. Thinking that the hidden expert had revealed themselves, Kaitlyn twirled around and found Sebastian instead.

"It's you? Why are you still here?"

"Didn't you ask me to be your pretext? I can't leave just like that," Sebastian said.

"Aren't you afraid that I'm going to kill you?" Kaitlyn said dangerously.

Smiling, Sebastian shook his head. "You would have killed me already if you wanted to. Why did you wait until now?"

"It's because you still have some use. Once you lose your value, I'll kill you," she said coldly.

Sebastian smirked without a word. Finally, he realized that Kaitlyn was a kind person. She was tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Although she kept saying she'd kill him, she never meant it.

"I'm returning to the sect. Don't forget your promise earlier to help me find that old man within a month. If you can't do it, I swear I'll kill you," Kaitlyn uttered and left.

"Hang on," Sebastian stopped her.

"What else?" she asked, looking back at him.

"Do you know how to leave this world?" Sebastian implored.

Besides the advanced third stage technique, this was currently his other big concern. Many people were waiting for him and they must be worried since he had been missing for such a long time He must

find his way back as soon as

possible.

s

"Leave this world?" Confusion was written all over Kaitlyn's face. "I have no idea

what you're talking about. I'm going now if there's nothing else."

Sebastian nodded and left the spot as well because he could sense people heading this way at a high speed. They must be the experts from Netherworld Sect who had heard squads of the fight from earlier. s

He planned to make a trip to Holton and find out from a few more people about ways to leave this world.

Unbeknownst to him, a young man was leading a group of people to Jenna's house. His name was Sean Knott, Martin's nephew and Heather's cousin.

With a loud bang, Sean kicked and broke the wooden door before marching into the yard aggressively. "Sebastian Wilder, get out here!"

Jenna and Fressia rushed out after hearing the commotion. "Who are you?"

Sean's mouth opened to say something, but he suddenly saw Fressia and was smitten by her beauty. "What a gorgeous woman! Are you Sebastian Wilder's wife?"

"Yes. Do you know my husband?" Fressia asked.

"Damn it. That bastard is really lucky to marry such a beautiful woman." Sean's face was full of jealousy. "Where's SebastianChapter 646

Upon Sean's command, a group of hitmen charged at Jenna and Fressia. One of them kicked Jenna so hard that he broke her legs, then they rained punches and kicks on her.

"Jenna! Stop it!" Fressia wanted to save Jenna, but she was helpless and couldn't even save herself.

A few men dragged her into the house. Despite having cultivation, she didn't know how to put it to good use.

"Remove all her clothes! I'll be the first, and the rest of you can queue up after me." Sean was losing patience, starting to undress after stepping into the house.

Fressia was so scared that she turned pale. She pleaded with them miserably, but they had no compassion at all. Instead, they were even more excited.

Lying in the yard, Jenna didn't even have the strength to get up. Besides cursing loudly, there was nothing else she could do.

Although the neighbors heard the commotion, they didn't dare to stick their noses into this because someone recognized that these people were from the Knott Estate.

...

Holton was a bustling city, and the streets were full of people. Suddenly,

hoofbeats echoed from the front. It turned out that a carriage was out of control, rampaging on the street. Terrified, the pedestrians jumped out of the way in panic.

Sebastian stood at the side of the road as well, but a little girl's cries in the middle of the road caught his attention.

Seeing that the carriage was about to hit her, the little girl froze on the spot in fright and continued crying. Without hesitation, Sebastian stood in front of her in a flash and placed a palm on the horse's head.

The big and tall horse fell from the huge impact, flipping the carriage to the side as well.

"Ah!" A woman in the carriage shrieked, and two people dashed out of the carriage.

They were a middle-aged man and a gorgeous young lady. The moment she stood up, she turned to Sebastian and said in a huff, "How dare you flip our carriage! The nerve of you!"

"I did it to save a life." Sebastian pointed at the little girl.

When the young lady wanted to say some more, the middle-aged man stopped her. "Abigail, it's alright. He didn't do it on purpose. Moreover, we almost hit someone earlier."

"How are you doing, Father?" the young lady, Abigail Watson, asked in concern.

"I'm fine. I can still take it." The middle-aged man seemed frail and left with Abigail's help.

"You're in a terrible condition now. If you don't receive treatment on time, you'll pass away in half an hour," Sebastian said.

"How dare you cure my father!" Abigail was enraged.

Sebastian chuckled softly. "I'm merely telling the truth. Your father sustained a hidden injury when he was younger and has been dragging it way too long. It's a miracle he's alive until now." s

that

ghat

"How do you know that my father has a hidden injury from his early years? Who are you?" Abigail asked warily.

"I'm a doctor. Your father's illness is clearly written on his face, and I can tell with just a look," Sebastian explained proudly.

"Since you're so amazing, do you have a way to treat it?" she asked with a hopeful face.

All these years, they had visited

many famous doctors and even

whonet

asked help of the

the help of the alchemist

from

fort

otherworld Sect, button

avail.

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"It's a piece of cake to me. He'll be as good as new with one pill," Sebastian answered.

Abigail grabbed his arm anxiously. "What pill is that? Let me have it! I promise to

pay you handsomely as long as it can save my father."

"The pill is very precious," Sebastian explained.

"That's not a problem. My father isChapter 647

"Do you know how to leave this world?" Sebastian asked.

"Leave this world?" Abigail wore a look of confusion.

Hendrick Watson suddenly interjected, "Mr. Wilder, do you mean leaving Coreland?"

"Do you know about it?" Sebastian was exhilarated. His biggest fear was that no one knew about it.

"So, the records in the ancient books are real! Honestly, I didn't know about it. I've only seen some records in an ancient book," Hendrick explained.

"Where's the ancient book?" Sebastian asked anxiously.

"Wait a minute. I'll ask someone to bring it." Then, Hendrick ordered a worker to bring the ancient book.

Hendrick soon found the part where Coreland was recorded. After checking it carefully, Sebastian finally found a clue. "The Abyss!"

If the records were accurate, the way out of Coreland was through The Abyss.

"Mr. Wilder, The Abyss is a death zone. Anyone who goes in there will die. Don't act recklessly," Hendrick advised.

Abigail nodded in agreement. "Yes. The Abyss is one of the three forbidden areas. For thousands of years, no one has walked out of there alive.

"The records in the ancient book may not be correct. I think it's just a myth. It's impossible to have another world. That's all nonsense."

Sebastian merely smiled without a reply, feeling even more confident that The Abyss was the exit. Although it was a forbidden area, he had to take the risk in order to get back and only after he obtained the advanced stage three technique.

The stage three technique must be within the doors of Netherworld Sect. There were three ways to get it. The first method was very straightforward robbing.

With his strength, not even a thousand men from the Netherworld Sect were his opponent. In spite of that, it was ethically wrong to rob so brazenly.

The second method was stealing. Although it was also ethically wrong, it was slightly better than robbing.

Last but not least was trading. He had the techniques for the first and second transformations. They would probably agree if he traded one of them with them.

Sebastian was a man of his word. He asked Abigail to get him a brush and paper and wrote dozens of herbs in one shot.

These were the herbs needed to produce the Ultimate Nourishing Pill. This pill could strengthen the body and increase the cultivation. In the meantime, it could also heal injuries.

As the largest commerce

association in the county, the Holton Chamber of Commerce had all sorts of herbs. Some herbs had a different name as the ones in the surface world but

dese after Sebas

Abigail

knew which ones he meant.

belongs to s

After the herbs were prepared, he started making the pill right away. The chamber

of commerce had a place dedicated to making pills, and there was also a mini

Spirit Gathering Formation.

Beneath the cauldron was magma,

which could save a lot of energy

during the refining process. In addition, Sebastian's cultivation had greatly increased, so it didn't the him at af to refine the Ultimate

Nourishing Pill. s

In less than half an hour, it was ready. Hendrick was stunned when Sebastian presented the pills to him.

"Goodness, this is a second-grade medication. I didn't expect that you're a second-grade alchemist, Mr. Wilder. It's an honor to meet you." Hendrick politely bowed down low toward him, full of respect.

The way Abigail looked at Sebastian took a change as well, her eyes filled with admiration. There was even an odd light in her eyes, and her face blushed unwittingly.

"Are second-grade alchemists amazing?" Sebastian asked, puzzled.

As there were only a handful of alchemists in Coreland, he never found out his alchemy level.

Hendrick replied, "Of course, they are. It's incredibly rare to find an alchemist, and every one of them are very noble.

"All bigger sects and families are spending a lot of money to recruit them, and they enjoy generous benefits if they work for the royalties.

"Furthermore, second-grade alchemists are even harder to find. The head alchemist of Netherworld Sect is their fourth great-elder, Bertha Erikson. She's a second-grade alchemist."

"There's only one third-grade alchemist in Starfire Empire, and he's the imperial chaplain. His status is high, and even the king has to respect him," Abigail added.Chapter 648

Now that Sebastian already knew where the advanced stage three technique was and the way back home, he planned to return home and explain everything to Fressia.

Before he even reached the door, he already sensed something amiss. The door was missing, and pieces of wood were scattered around.

His instinct told him that there was trouble, so he bolted over as fast as he could.

Upon entering the yard, he saw blood on the ground, and the unease in his heart amplified.

"Jenna! Fressia!" he shouted while dashing into the house.

One of the rooms was a complete mess, and there were also bloodstains. There was even a large hole on the roof.

"Jenna! Freesia!" He dashed back to the yard and continued shouting their names, but nobody answered.

Hence, he utilized his spiritual senses. The next second, he turned to the haystacks nearby and was over there in a flash. Parting aside a bunch of dry weed, he found Jenna.

Her face was covered in blood, and her breathing was barely noticeable. She already slipped into a deep coma, and her life was hanging on a thread.

Hurriedly, Sebastian pressed his palm against her and injected his spiritual energy into her to treat her injuries.

His spiritual energy had strong healing effects. In seconds, Jenna's breathing gradually stabilized, and she slowly opened her eyes.

"You're back, Sebastian." Jenna's voice was very weak, but her expression took a great change the next second. "Sebastian, run! The men from Knott Estate want to kill you!"

"Don't worry, Jenna. They can't do anything to me. Tell me what happened. Where's Fressia?" Sebastian implored anxiously.

Although he and Fressia were from different camps and were even enemies, they were husband and wife before she recovered her memories, and they have feelings for each other.

"I don't know where she is, either." Jenna briefly told him what happened.

The men dragged Fressia into the room with indecent intentions, but Jenna had

no idea what happened later. There was a fight, and then, she heard a loud bang.

Jenna was in the yard and only heard someone saying, "After her!"

Afterward, everything was quiet.

Later, she crawled into the house, dragging her exhausted body, but there was nobody inside. All she saw was a hole on the roof Worried that the men from the Knott Estate would return, she hid between the haystacks and passed out unwittingly. s

"Martin and Heather Knott, I'll make sure you die a horrible death!" Sebastian clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming coldChapter 649

"Don't cry, and rest assured, Jenna. I won't strike unless I'm confident, but I can promise you that I'll bring Fressia home," Sebastian assured.

Time was crucial in saving a life, not to mention that Fressia was gorgeous. In the hands of those inhumane men, it wasn't hard to imagine the torture she'd have to go through in their hands.

Therefore, she must be saved as quickly as possible. Any minute later meant that she would suffer more.

For now, Jenna's condition was stabilized. Unfortunately, her legs were broken. Even after Sebastian had given her an Ultimate Nourishing Pill, she'd still need a few days to recover.

Sebastian was ready to return Jenna to the room and then save Fressia when he heard sounds of hooves from outside the door. He looked outside and saw dust rolling as a group of stocky bandits headed toward his house on galloping horses while carrying weapons in their hands.

The chief was a tall and burly skinhead. With a chubby face and eyes as big as golf balls, he looked ferocious and intimidating.

At the sight of them, Jenna's face fell. "Oh, no! They're the bandits from Mount Blitzen, and their chief is Brork Gantz. Run, Sebastian!"

In this world, many bandits claimed mountainous areas to be the chiefs, and Mount Blitzen was the closest bandit lair to this village.

To the kind and innocent villagers, bandits were more terrifying than the nobles. Although the nobles would also intimidate them and even steal the virginities of brides, they would usually return the women to their families after they were done with them.

However, bandits were different because they often murdered and plundered. It was common for them to violate young women and abduct the pretty ones to be their wives. Once they were bored of them, they would kill them.

Due to this, bandits were akin to devils in the villagers' eyes, and the fear they held for bandits was deeply instilled.

Undoubtedly, Sebastian wasn't afraid of the bandits, and he waited for their arrival silently.

Their house was not located at the entrance of the village, but the bandits headed straight for them and entered their yard.

"I heard that there's a beautiful bride in this house. Bring her out here and show me," Brork directly announced the reason that he had gone there.

Although Fressia had only been there for a short time, everyone who saw her would be stunned, and her beauty was already known far and wide.

After hearing news of her, Brork had brought his men here to bring her back for their own enjoyment.

Anxiously, Jenna fell to her knees. "Mr. Gantz, the men from Knott Estate have abducted my goddaughter-in-law."

"You're lying! Search the house!" Brork wouldn't be taken in so easily. Upon his order, the bandits behind him hopped off their horses and headed for the house. s

"Stop right there!" Sebastian bellowed out of the blue, and everyone froze.

"Don't be rude, Sebastian. Apologize to Mr. Gantz now!" Jenna berated sternly Then, she flashed Brork a smile, "Mr Cantz hChapter 650

"Get on my knees for him? He doesn't deserve it. Get up, Jenna. There's no need to be afraid of them," Sebastian said.

The bandits were enraged, charging at him ferociously. Some even raised their swords, ready to cut him to pieces.

Jenna couldn't bear to watch and could already imagine Sebastian's terrible death.

On the other hand, Sebastian didn't move a muscle or dodge. Brork simply thought that he was too frightened to move and sniggered.

The next second, swords landed on Sebastian, but there was no bloody scene.

Everyone merely heard a loud boom as a terrifying energy erupted from Sebastian's body. In an instant, the terrifying energy shattered the swords, and the bandits were thrown off, spewing out blood and dying before even hitting the ground.

"What?" After seeing this scene, Brork was flabbergasted, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

The men he had brought with him were the elites amongst his henchmen, and they were all warriors, including the second-in-command of the bandits, who was a pinnacle warrior.

Sebastian had killed all of his men solely by releasing his energy. This was a fearsome strength, and Brork reckoned that not even a grandmaster might be capable of it.

"You're a grandmaster!" Brork's face was full of shock. "Why is there a grandmaster in a small village?"

Sebastian raised his head at him and said indifferently, "You've successfully enraged me, and the price to pay is death."

"What arrogance!" Brork snorted. "So what if you're a grandmaster? I've been the king at Mount Blitzen for more than two decades. The Knott Estate has tried to take me down many times but to no avail. Why do you think I could achieve this?"

Suddenly, he jumped and gave Sebastian a palm through the air.

A huge wave of energy blasted toward Sebastian, who was unfazed and composed. With a wave of his hand, an even greater energy erupted from him.

Along with another loud bang, Brork's attack was repelled, and the remaining force struck him without stopping.

As though struck by lightning, Brork was blasted away by the energy and threw up blood, his eyes filled with shock.

There was a thud as Brork landed heavily on the ground after he was blasted off more than 30 feet away. The impact was so strong that it created a concave in the ground.

Sebastian's eyes were impassive, and with a flash, he was right in front of Brork. Quick and silent, he moved like a ghost.

Brork almost wet his pants as he begged for his life on his knees in panic. "Please spare me. I was wrong. Please let me off."

"Bandits have done all kinds of evil, violating women, plundering, and many other heinous deeds. You deserve death, and I'll rid the people of such a wicked many today Sebastian said. s

Right before he struck, Brork said anxiously, "Please hold on and listen to me, sir. Although I'm a bandit and have done many wrong, I usually plunder and rarely kill.

"Furthermore, I rob the rich and hardly harass the villagers. Please let me off. I promise I'll never do it again."

"I'm missing a henchman now. Are you able to obey me unconditionally?" Sebastian asked.

"Y-Yes, master!" Brork didn't dare to disobey. He had succumbed to Sebastian's strength and had no thoughts of defying him.

Meanwhile, Jenna was utterly flabbergasted by the scene before her eyes. She knew that Sebastian was strong because he coChapter 651

"You can refuse, but I'll kill you right now," Sebastian said coldly.

"I'll go! I'll go, okay?" Brork almost cried. Not going meant death, but going also meant death. It was just supposed to be a simple mission, so how did things get so unlucky for him?

The two of them rode their horses at full speed and soon entered Holton, heading straight for the Knott Estate. Upon arriving at the entrance, they dismounted and barged right in.

"Hold it!" the guards immediately shouted harshly.

Sebastian acted as if he hadn't heard them and continued walking straight ahead.

"How dare you trespass on Knott Estate? You're courting death!"

Enraged, the guards drew their swords and slashed at Sebastian.

Sebastian ignored them, leaving Brork no choice but to intervene and send the guards flying.

The fallen guards were both shocked and furious, and they quickly called for help. Hearing the commotion, more people from the Knott Estate rushed out.

"Sebastian Wilder!"

Many recognized him immediately since Heather had been seen showing him around Knott Estate not long ago.

However, they were also aware that Sebastian had fallen out with their young lady, so they angrily shouted, "How dare you barge into Knott Estate?"

"Tell Martin to get out here!" Sebastian shouted fiercely.

"How dare you disrespect the city lord! You're asking for it! Seize him and bring him to Mr. Knott for punishment!"

The leader of the guards commanded, and a group of them charged at Sebastian. Sebastian stood still, making no move to fight back.

Brork was internally groaning. He knew all too well that if he didn't act, Sebastian wouldn't hesitate to kill him. So, he reluctantly braced himself and joined the fray.

He was a grandmaster. Even though he was injured, he was more than capable of handling these guards. Each strike sent several flying, and not a single one could get close t Sebastian s

The leader was furious. "You're Brork Grant, chief of the bandits from Mount Blitzen, aren't you?

"How dare you cause trouble at the Knott Estate! You've got some nerve! Guards, kill him!"

The Knott Estate guards were ranked by level. The ordinary guards weren't even considered warriors; only the squad leaders had that status.

In addition, there were silver-armored guards, all of whom were warriors, with the squad leaders being mid to advanced-level warriors among them.

At the leader's order, a group of silver-armored guards charged at Brork. But a grandmaster was still a grandmaster, even wounded, he was not someone regular warriors could match. s

They quickly fell one after another.

"You're courting death!"

The leader was enraged. He suddenly leaped into the air and struck down at Brork with his palm.

Brork was caught off guard and hurriedly raised a fist to block the attack. A resounding bang followed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying.

It was clear that the leader was also a grandmaster. He then approached Sebastian with an air of arrogance.

"So, you managed to get Brork on your side. That's impressive, but if you think you can storm the Knott Estate by relying on him, you're far too naive."

"Rely on him?"

Sebastian smirked. "I have never relied on anyone but myself. Brork is merely my slave."Chapter 652

Heather had just joined Netherworld Sect and was still a newcomer. Nevertheless, she often wasn't present at the sect, which somewhat surprised Sebastian.

What he didn't know was that Heather joined the sect mainly to have Bertha help treat her illness. As for cultivation, she didn't really need to rely on the sect because she had a family-legacy technique that was nearly as good as what the Netherworld Sect offered.

Moreover, she had been practicing it since childhood, so switching to a new technique would be more trouble than it was worth.

Heather stormed over, brimming with fury. "Sebastian, you've got some nerve! How dare you trespass into Knott Estate and show disrespect to my father! Today, I'll personally chop your head off!"

When Sebastian saw Heather, his eyes flashed with a hint of anger.

Heather had drugged him. While he was unconscious, she had used evil methods to extract his spiritual energy, blood essence, and even bone marrow, all before throwing him off a cliff.

If not for his strong cultivation and resilient body, he would have died. He had not forgotten this grudge.

He hadn't immediately sought revenge on Martin and Heather because he was still searching for the third stage of his technique and a way home, so he endured it for the time being.

But to his shock, this father-daughter duo had crossed the line by targeting Jenna and Fressia. They had simply pushed him beyond his limits.

"Heather, it was one thing for you to harm me, but why go after Jenna and my wife? They're just ordinary people," Sebastian demanded sharply.

Heather sneered. "They're just two lowly commoners. I was already merciful enough to not kill them."

At that moment, Martin also walked out. "Heather's right. Sebastian, I'm surprised you're still alive after everything, and you don't even look injured.

"If I were you, I'd have found a place to hide long ago, but here you are, handing yourself over."

Sean and others followed behind Martin. He turned to Heather and said, "Heather, there's no need for you to dirty your hands. Just stand aside and watch-I'll kill him myself."

"Fine, but don't let him die too easily. I won't be satisfied unless he suffers," Heather said coldly.

"Don't worry. I promise he'll enjoy every bit of it!" Sean assured with a cruel grin. He then looked at Sebastian and said, "If you kneel down and beg for mercy now, maybe I'll let you keep your corpse in one piece, you brat."

"The ones who should die are you

people! Release my wife

immediately, or I'll slaughter

everyone in knott Estate!"

wel

sebastian's voice was filled with

murderous intent. 's

Heather scoffed. "You're really delusional. A mere ant like you talking about wiping

out Knott Estate-you don't know your place!"

Martin sneered wickedly. "So, you're here for your wife, huh? Too bad you're too late; we already played her to death."

"What did you say? She's dead?" Sebastian was stunned. If Fressia hadn't lost her memory and married him, her fate would have been irrelevant to him. He might have even celebrated her death s

But now, it was difficult for him to accept that she was gone.

Martin smirked triumphantly. "That's right. I have to admit, your wife was really beautiful. She was such a joy to play with. We took turns, dozens of us, one after another, untilshe died from the sheer pleasure of it." s

shea

"You're asking for it!" Sebastian could no longer suppress the fury within him, and

a terrifying killing intent erupted from his body.

In an instant, everyone present felt a chill of fear, and even Martin was taken aback.

At that moment, Sebastian suddenly moved, grabbiChapter 653

Sebastian acted as if he hadn't heard anything and broke Sean's other leg with another kick.

Sean was in so much pain that tears were streaming down his face. "Please, spare me! I was lying earlier! Your wife isn't dead, and we didn't hurt her."

"Then, where is she? Let her go immediately!" Sebastian demanded, his voice dripping with murderous intent.

Martin quickly added, "I don't know where she is! We never captured her in the first place."

"You're still lying to me!" Sebastian snarled as he crushed Sean's shoulder blade.

Sean almost passed out from the pain. "I'm not lying, I swear! We planned to do something to her, but she suddenly went wild! She broke through the roof, and escaped. We chased her for a long time but couldn't catch her.

"I'm telling the truth, please, spare me."

Sebastian let out a sigh of relief, trusting Sean's words. Fressia's memory loss hadn't affected her abilities; it was entirely possible she escaped through the roof when in danger.

Heather shouted angrily, "Sebastian, I advise you to release my cousin immediately, or I'll have you cut into a thousand pieces, leaving you without a complete corpse!"

Sebastian ignored Heather and looked at Sean. "Even if you didn't hurt my wife, you still harbored evil intentions toward her. Not to mention, you nearly killed my godmother.

"You deserve to die!"

With that, Sebastian snapped Sean's neck with a loud crack.

"Sean!" Martin rushed forward to check, but Sean was already lifeless.

"He actually killed Mr. Sean! The nerve of him!"

Everyone at Knott Estate was filled with rage, and Heather's murderous aura surged as well. "How dare you kill my cousin? I'll have you torn to shreds!"

Heather immediately advanced toward Sebastian, unleashing a terrifying aura. "She's a pinnacle warrior!"

"Ms. Knott is truly remarkable! As expected of Holton's number one

prodigy. She's reached the pinnacle Warrior level at just

She now has

a real chance of becoming

20

grandmaster before she turns 18." s

"That's right. Her talent is unparalleled, rivaling even that of Ms. Kaitlyn from the Netherworld Sect Her future achievements are limitless!" s

Everyone was full of admiration, their eyes brimming with fervent worship.

"Die!" Heather shouted, clenching her fist as she prepared to strike Sebastian. Just then, a commanding voice rang out from a distance.

"Hold it!"

The voice wasn't particularly loud, but it carried an undeniable authority that shook everyone to their core. Heather feft a jolt of fear and instinctively halted. fo s

They all turned toward the source of the voice and saw a middle-aged man

striding forward, accompanied by a young girl.

"It's Mr. Watson!" someone exclaimed.

The man was none other than the chairman of Holton Chamber of Commerce. He was accompanied by his daughter, Abigail.

"Mr. Watson, what brings you to Knott Estate?" MartChapter 654

Hendrick knew that Sebastian was no ordinary person. Since Sebastian wanted to handle things himself, it was clear he had confidence in himself, so Mr. Watson stepped aside with a sense of relief.

However, he remained ready to intervene at any moment. Sebastian had given him a new lease on life, and he was determined not to let anyone harm him.

Heather stared at Sebastian coldly and said, "I don't know why Mr. Watson is protecting you, but anyone who goes against Knott Estate is as good as dead!"

As she spoke, she unleashed her aura again, making the guards around her feel incredibly oppressed.

Heather smirked smugly. "Do you see this? This is my power. It won't be long before I become a grandmaster. In my eyes, you're nothing more than an insect. If you kneel and apologize now, I might consider leaving your corpse intact."

Sebastian responded with a mocking smile, "Even grandmasters are nothing more than ants to me. You don't even qualify as one, yet you dare spout nonsense in front of me? How laughable."

"You're asking for it!" Heather shouted furiously. She raised her hand and struck Sebastian with a powerful blow.

Sebastian merely stood there, not moving an inch, appearing as though he was paralyzed with fear.

Hendrick was startled by this and was about to step in to save him when he noticed something strange.

Heather's palm had already connected with Sebastian's chest, but he remained completely unaffected, as if nothing had happened.

On the other hand, Heather's expression changed drastically as she was filled with shock and disbelief.

Sebastian showed her a disdainful smile and then extended his hand, pressing it in her direction from a distance.

An invisible force immediately bore down on Heather. She had no strength to resist and collapsed to her knees with a loud thud while her eyes filled with terror. "What?"

Everyone present was stunned. Heather was a pinnacle warrior, yet after hitting Sebastian with a palm strike, he remained completely unharmed.

With just a distant press of his hand, he had forced her to her knees. This kind of power was just too terrifying.

Heather struggled to stand, but the invisible force was too overwhelming, rendering her unable to move.

"This can't be! How is your strength so formidable?"

"It's not that my strength is formidable; it's that yours is too weak," Sebastian replied, delivering a slap to Heather's face.

A loud smack echoed as Heather was sent flying nearly 20 feet away.

"How dare you hurt my daughter? I will make sure you die without a burial!" Martin

roared in fury as he charged toward Sebastian.

"The city lord himself is stepping in!

This kid is done for," the Knott Estate people exclaimed excitedly, as seeing a divine grandmaster take action was a rare sight. s

Sebastian smirked with disdain, ready to retaliate when Hendrick suddenly stepped in, positioning himself in front of Sebastian.Chapter 655

Although he was a grandmaster, Brork was nothing more than an ant in the face of a divine grandmaster like Martin.

Since he had come with Sebastian, he knew that once Martin killed Sebastian, he wouldn't be spared either.

Brork desperately wanted to flee, but Knott Estate's guards surrounded him on all sides.

"You can go ahead and try!" Hendrick stepped forward, releasing a similarly terrifying aura, one that matched Martin's intensity.

"He's a divine grandmaster! Mr. Watson is also a divine grandmaster!"

Everyone was astonished. Divine grandmasters were the most formidable beings

in the world, capable of single-handedly opposing entire armies.

However, such powerful individuals were exceedingly rare.

In all of Holton, excluding the Netherworld Sect, Martin had been the only divine grandmaster.

Now that Hendrick had also ascended to the Divine Realm, it was no wonder everyone was so shocked.

"You actually broke through to the Divine Realm!" Martin exclaimed, clearly surprised.

Hendrick smiled and said, "Indeed, not only did I fully recover from my injuries, but I also broke through the bottleneck and entered the Divine Realm. Do you still think I can't protect Mr. Wilder now?"

Martin's expression turned cold. "Mr. Watson, even though you've entered the Divine Realm, you've only just broken through. You're no match for me, so I suggest you think it over carefully."

Hendrick snorted. "There's nothing to consider. I won't allow anyone to harm Mr. Wilder."

"Then, you've brought this upon yourself. Don't blame me for being ruthless," Martin growled before launching a punch at Hendrick.

Hendrick quickly countered with a punch of his own.

A deafening explosion echoed as a terrifying force erupted from the clash of their fists. The shockwave hit those nearby, stinging their faces and sending them scrambling back in fear and astonishment. s

At the same time, Hendrick was forced back a few steps by the powerful energy, while Martin only wavered slightly, clearly demonstrating who was stronger.

This outcome was inevitable, given that Martin had entered the Divine Realm long ago, while Hendrick had just recently broken through. It certainly left a significant gap, between them. s

Vol

Martin snorted and pressed his advantage, throwing punch after punch, leaving Hendrick with no chance to counter. Martin then. seized an opportunity and struck Hendrick squarely in the chest, sending him flying with a terrifying force. s

Hendrick immediately spat out a mouthful of blood mid-air.

"Father!" Abigail cried out in shock, rushing forward to support him.

Martin smirked with satisfaction. "I told you before that you're no match for me, but you wouldn't listen!"

Hendrick wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said coldly, "Even if I'm not your match, if you insist on killing Mr. Wilder, I will fight to the death!"

"Mr. Watson, sacrificing yourself is pointless. I won't stop you if you leave right now, but that kid is doomed." Martin sneered, then turned to Sebastian.

"Brat, now I see why you dared to make trouble at KChapter 656

Upon hearing this, Martin smirked mockingly. "I really don't know where you get your confidence from, brat. You're at death's door, yet you still talk tough!"

Heather approached, her eyes filled with fury as she glared at Sebastian.

She spat venomously, "No one has ever laid a hand on me since I was a child. You're the first. I will make you wish for death over life! As for your wife and godmother, I'll ensure that they suffer fates worse than death too!"

The moment she finished speaking, a terrifying killing intent erupted from Sebastian, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet. Everyone present felt a chill of fear run down their spines.

Almost instantly, Sebastian moved aside.

His figure blurred like a ghost. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Heather, gripping her neck tightly.

Heather's face instantly turned pale with fright; she never expected Sebastian's strength to be so terrifying. What confused her even more was that she had cast a forbidden technique on Sebastian, which should have killed him, but he remained completely unscathed.

"Let go of Heather, or I'll ensure you die a brutal death!" Martin shouted, both shocked and furious. He was startled by Sebastian's power, especially his incredible speed.

Still, he remained confident that he could easily subdue Sebastian. After all, no matter how talented Sebastian was, he was still young-his strength couldn't possibly be that formidable.

Sebastian could be a grandmaster at most. As a divine grandmaster himself, that was merely a slightly stronger ant.

Sebastian's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he stared at Heather and said icily, "You have some nerve, Heather, threatening me with my wife and godmother!"

As she was both frightened and enraged, Heather tried to maintain her composure as she said, "Let me go now, or my father will tear you to pieces!"

"Your father is nothing but an ant in my eyes! He's not even worth fearing!" Sebastian scoffed.

"Damn, this guy is way too arrogant! He actually dared to call Mr. Knott an ant. He has no idea what he's up against!"

"Exactly! The divine grandmaster is one of the most powerful beingsan existence, and he dares to call a divine grandmaster an ant? What a joke! Knott Estate's people sneered, mocking Sebastian. s

Even Hendrick and Abigail thought Sebastian was being too arrogant. It was fine

to boast, but there needed to be a limit; otherwise, it would just make him a laughingstock.

Martin laughed angrily, "You brat, if you think I'm just an ant, then let Heather go and face me in a duel. Let's see what you're really made of."

"As you wish!" Sebastian responded. He continued to grab Heather by the neck

and throw her over 30 feet away. She landed heavily on the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Heather was furious, nearly

exploding with rage. She struggled to her feet and shouted, "Father, don't just kill him outright! I want to torture him slowly for days. Only then will be satisfied!" s

Martin glared at Sebastian and said coldly, "You heard Heather. I'll first cripple your cultivation, then break your limbs. After that, Heather can take her time tormenting you to death!" s

Sebastian stood with his hands behind his back, his face full of disdain. "You're just an ant, yet you dare to boast in front of me. How ridiculous."

"Then, I'll show you the strength of this ant!" Martin roared, charging at Sebastian with incredible speed.Chapter 657

Martin was shocked and horrified. It felt as though his punch had struck an indestructible metal, making his fist go numb. He tried to retreat upon realizing something was terribly wrong,, but it was already too late.

Suddenly, a terrifying surge of energy erupted from Sebastian. With a deafening sound, the energy blasted Martin away.

He immediately spewed a mouthful of blood mid-air as his eyes filled with disbelief and fear.

What!

Everyone was stunned, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Martin was a divine grandmaster; he had punched Sebastian, but Sebastian was unharmed and instead sent Martin flying. The sheer strength was just astounding.

"What incredible power! I knew Mr. Wilder was a genius at pill refinement, but I never imagined his combat prowess would be so profound!" Hendrick exclaimed in awe.

Abigail was in awe, and her eyes sparkled as she watched, momentarily entranced.

Heather, however, was paralyzed with fear. She never expected that her father, whom she had believed to be nearly invincible, would be so easily overpowered by Sebastian. His strength terrified her.

"This can't be happening! How is it possible? You're so young, how can your strength be this overwhelming?" Martin gasped, struggling to comprehend the situation. His eyes were filled with terror as he stared at Sebastian. "Who the hell are you?"

Sebastian sneered. "Who I am is of no consequence to you. All you need to know is that you are nothing but ants in my eyes, something easily crushed at my whim!"

If he had said this earlier, everyone would have thought he was boasting. But now, not a single person doubted his words.

Martin, the divine grandmaster, couldn't even withstand a single move from Sebastian. To the rest of them, they weren't even worthy of being called cannon fodder.

Sebastian then turned his gaze toward Heather, who instantly paled. Terror was evident on her face.

"Sebastian, what are you planning to do?" Heather stammered, trying to sound defiant. "I'm warning you. I'm an apprentice of the Netherworld Sect. My mentor is Bertha Erikson! If you dare to touch me, she will hunt you down and kill you!"

Sebastian sneered at her words. With a flick of his wrist, Heather was unable to resist and was suddenly pulled toward him.

Everyone present was stunned. They knew that a divine grandmaster could manipulate objects from a distance, but usually no further than 10 feet and not with heavy objects. However,

Heather was over 15 feet away, and Sebastian still managed to pull her toward him effortlessly. This display of power was far beyond their comprehension.

Sebastian grabbed Heather by the neck once more.

"What are you doing, Sebastian?" Heather asked, both angry and terrified. Her eyes betrayed her fear.

With a loud smack, Sebastian slapped her hard across the face and sneered. "What can you do now that I've laid a hand on you?"

Heather was both furious and panicked. "My mentor will never let you get away with this!" she yelled.

Sebastian gave a mocking smile. "I thought you had some brains, but it seems that you're incredibly foolish."

"What do you mean by that?" Heather asked while bristling with anger. Sebastian's cold laugh echoed. "Even now, you don't understand what kind of being you've provoked. You keep threatening me with your mentor-how stupid can you be?

"Let me make it clear for you. Even if your mentor Bertha were here, she wouldn't be able to save you because, in my eyes, she's nothing more than an ant."

"You're delusional! My mentor is one of the Grand Elders of the Netherworld Sect! She has unfathomable power andChapter 658

Heather had pleaded for help from her mentor, Bertha, while Sebastian stood there waiting.

He already knew by now that Fressia hadn't been captured. With her level of skill, ordinary people wouldn't pose a threat to her even with her memory loss. So now he had no reason to worry about anything.

Today, he was determined to make this father-daughter duo taste despair, bit by bit.

Hendrick approached Sebastian and whispered, "Mr. Wilder, the Netherworld Sect is full of experts. They have five divine grandmasters, and Tyler's power is beyond comprehension. Are you confident you can handle them?"

"They're just ants," Sebastian replied dismissively.

"Just don't underestimate them, Mr. Wilder," Hendrick cautioned.

Sebastian remained unfazed. It wasn't arrogance but confidence, confidence rooted in his strength.

The Netherworld Sect wasn't far from Knott Estate. With the speed of carrier pigeons and their giant birds that people could ride, they should have arrived within an hour.

Yet, two hours had passed, and still no sign of them.

"It seems your mentor won't be coming," Sebastian remarked.

Fear filled Heather's eyes. "Sebastian, you can't kill me. I'm the Netherworld Sect's once-in-a-millennium genius apprentice. If you kill me, the Sect will never let you go."

Sebastian responded calmly, "If I were afraid, I wouldn't have let you call for help, nor would I be standing here waiting.

"If the Netherworld Sect doesn't come after me, fine. But if they do, I'll just wipe them out."

He spoke of destroying a powerful sect as casually as if he were talking about slaughtering a chicken.

Everyone around was stunned-what kind of confidence was this? How strong did one have to be to have such unwavering self-assurance?

If they had heard him before, they would have dismissed it as bluster, and not even credible bluster at that.

However, they had just witnessed him severely injured Martin in a single move-it was terrifying.

"Heather, do you have any last words before you die?" Sebastian asked.

Heather was trembling so much that her legs gave out. She fell to her knees before Sebastian. "Sebastian, please don't kill me. For the sake of the one night we shared as husband and wife, spare my life. I'm still so young. I don't want to

die."

Sebastian let out a cold chuckle. "You still dare to mention our one night together? You drugged me, used wicked means to steal my energe essence, and marrow and then tossed me off a cliff ff thadn't been lucky, I wouldn't be standing here now." s

Heather pleaded, "I'm just still too young and made a terrible mistake in a moment of weakness. I truly know I was wrong now. Please give me a chance to change. I'll devote myself to you and serve you well as your woman." s

Sebastian sneered. "You should've gone into acting with those skills. Let's set the fact that you harmed me aside for now.

"You also sent people after my godmother, had her beaten severely, and even tried to humiliate my wife. Such malice-how could I ever forgive you?"

"That wasn't my doing! It was Sean acting on his own!

"He was driven by lust. It had nothing to do with me," Heather quickly tried to distance herself from the blame.

Martin chimed in, "She's right, I can vouch for her. When it all happened, Heather was at the Netherworld Sect. She didn't know anything about it."

"Sean deserved to die, but I don't believe he acted alone. If it wasn't her, then it must've been you." Sebastian turned his gaze te Martin, his eyes full of killing

intent.

belongs to s

Feeling a wave of fear, Martin quickly denied, "It wasn't me! I had nothing to do with it."

"Hmph!" Sebastian scoffed. "Well, it's definitely either one of you. So, you can choose who will die."

"Are you trying to turn us against each other? How vicious!" Martin shouted angrily.

The onlookers silently agreed, thinking that forcing them to choose would be more

cruel than simply killing them both.

After all, the survivor would live with the guilt forever.

"Enough talk. I'm giving you one minute to decide. IfChapter 659

"Father." Heather's eyes were full of fear and helplessness.

Martin was at a loss for words. He didn't want to die, but he also couldn't bear to lose his daughter.

"Sebastian, maybe we can negotiate. Let us go, and just name your price- anything you want."

Sebastian thought for a moment and said, "Alright. I'll give you a chance. I want one million gold coins!"

"What? One million gold coins? Why don't you just rob a bank?" Martin nearly jumped up in anger.

Just ten thousand gold coins were enough for someone to live comfortably for a lifetime. One million gold coins was a huge sum even for him.

Sebastian sneered. "If you're unwilling to pay one million, that's fine. I can just kill your daughter, and you won't have to pay for anything."

"Fine. I'll pay!" Martin gritted his teeth, feeling as if his heart was bleeding.

Due to the large amount of gold, Sebastian only asked for gold notes.

Not long after, Martin handed Sebastian ten notes, each worth 100 thousand gold coins.

Sebastian kept his word and left after receiving the notes.

He hadn't intended to kill Martin and Heather-not because he was merciful, but because he wanted to take his time to destroy them.

After leaving Knott Estate, Sebastian followed Hendrick to the Holton Chamber of Commerce.

"Mr. Watson, I'd like to ask you for a favor," Sebastian said.

Hendrick quickly replied, "Mr. Wilder, there's no need to be so formal. Just tell me what you need."

Hendrick's respect for Sebastian had grown even deeper. Sebastian not only healed his wounds, which saved his life, but also helped him break through his cultivation bottleneck.

It was a debt that Hendrick considered a second chance at life.

Moreover, Sebastian was at least a second grade alchemist, with immeasurable strength to boot. Such a person was worth cultivating a good relationship with.

"I need your help to find someone." Sebastian requested paper and a pen, then drew an image of Fressia.

Although Sebastian wasn't a professional artist, his drawing was remarkably lifelike.

"Mr. Wilder, is the woman in the picture your wife?" Abigail asked.

"Yes," Sebastian nodded.

It was

in herself, but after seeing the portrait,

in the

her own

circumstances and timing of

her immediately. I'm sure we'll have news soon," Hendrick assured

stayed at the chamber, waiting for

some people to take care of

to protect her in

first hand,

refusal. He was

Meanwhile, at Knott Estate.

just can't swallow this

looked at Heather and asked, "Are

replied without hesitation, "Mr. Camden is an outstanding man. Of course

then ask the

and daughter then stepped out to greet

family had arrived in large numbers, bringing an

dignified middle-aged man, Denzel Stonebrook, the head of the Stonebrook family and

average, he had an impressive presence; this was

arrival truly graces our humble

Knott, you're

led the father and son into the sitting room

long heard that your daughter is

shy. But the more reserved she acted, the more

it's impolite to keep staring at Ms. Knott. Apologize

stood up,

was not angry at all. In fact,

major families. If Heather could become the young mistress of the Stonebrook family, it would be

Stonebrook family's cultivation resources, her strength would surely advance by leaps

among the four great ladies in

Denzel smiled a

"My son

Knott once not long ago, and

love at first

lost

his appetite and many.

father, I became

Cóntent

Denzel was done speaking, he clapped his

boxes were filled with gleaming gold coins. They were followed by a box of jewelry, a box of gemstones, a box of medicinal.

smaller, contained dozens of

880 thousand gold coins, a box of top-grade gemstones, a box of premium medicinal herbs,

truly gone all out.

extremely scarce in the market. When Martin and Heather heard about the Purification Pills, their eyes lit

improve physical constitution, extend life, and greatly enhance

consumed by warriors, these pills significantly improved their constitution, accelerated their training speed, and even helped them break

are you satisfied with the Stonebrook family's

Extremely satisfied, actually," Martin quickly

mean you agree to

"Of course. Mr. Camden is a remarkable man. For him to be interested in my daughter

future title

settled on the wedding date, setting it for a year

whose strength is formidable and who is extremely arrogant.

region, there aren't many people who could cause trouble for you. Who might

a scoundrel named Sebastian Wilder. He's just a

commoner.

none could help me. Later, when

was powerless and had no way

we can call off the engagement, Mr.

crossed Camden's eyes. "I heard about this incident too, but

I don't

Camden, thank you for understanding," Heather forced out

already knew about Sebastian seeing

up herself, she hoped

continued, "To protect my reputation, I agreed to marry him. But what I never expected was that the scoundrel was nothing

engaged, he demanded that I sleep with

that kind of woman and naturally refused him. He then tried to force himself on me, but luckily, I managed

the table in front of him. "Heather, don't worry. Anyone who dares

Even my

under 30 years old. How could he be

improve their skills, their lifespans increase. There are also herbs and pills that extend life and

his 20s, but his real

at least at the early pinnacle stage of diving grandmaster, strongerthan the eight

real age is definitely well

he just an early-stage divine grandmaster?

of Heather and Camden's engagement

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

Heather had a decent status as the daughter of Holton's Knott Estate, it was still far from matching

it didn't seem that odd. Although Heather's family background wasn't on par with the daughters of the four great families, her looks were

talents were remarkable. The Netherworld Bell test showed her potential at five rings,

boundless potential

and talent compensated for her

and even jealous of Heather. After all, becoming the Stonebrook

those who secretly admired Heather, were equally disheartened,

it no mind. Though Heather was beautiful, her cruelty overshadowed everything else; he wouldn't

from Martin, Sebastian invested in a vast amount

stage of the cultivation technique- whether by stealth

wanted to stockpile pills now to boost the cultivation of those

took breaks periodically to rest. One day, after finishing his pill refinement session, Hendrick came

Wilder, Heather and Camden are getting engaged tomorrow at Knott Estate.

is for me, I

"Yes, you're

immediately saw through Martin's intentions-it was nothing more than an attempt to use the Stonebrook

are

wouldn't I be letting them down?" Sebastian

said, "Mr. Wilder, I think it's best if you don't go. Martin and Heather both hate you to the core and their invitation is definitely not sincere it's clear they want to use the Stonebrook

agreement. "My father is right. You mustn't go.

right into their

clowns.

careless. know you're strong, but the Stonebrook family has many powerful figures. If you go you're bound to be

Hendrick warned.

to .net

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

clowns. They're not

me alone, fine. If they dare provoke me,

ie

one of the four major families in the southern region, even stronger than the Netherworld Sect. They shouldn't be underestimated

please listen to

they're out for revenge, they'll cook up something else next time even

them sooner

Sebastian and his group approached the entrance of Knott Estate, a woman suddenly blocked

was dressed in a colorful gown, with a veil partially hiding her stunning beauty-it was

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

Sebastian nodded.

that the Stonebrook family plans to kill you at the banquet. Going there now is

tell me this?" Sebastian asked with

yourself. I just happened to run into you and thought I'd give you a friendly warning,"

you to care so much about me. Could it be

dreaming." Kaitlyn scoffed

if Ms. Gardner says so, then it's surely true. Why don't we

right, Mr. 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,"

up. No more advice, please,"

their heads, thinking Sebastian was marching to his doom. All they could probably do now was retrieve his body

Estate, the atmosphere was festive and filled with

Netherworld Sect had shown great respect by sending Korbin and his daughter to personally

Heather was overjoyed. After all, by the end of today, she would

a woman both stunning

been seen and touched by

Sebastian.

keeping tabs on Sebastian's movements,

report just at that moment, "Mr. Camden, Sebastian

the exits once he enters. Make

Camden. Everything is in place. He won't be able to get away,

in satisfaction. "By the

"Mr. Denzel head ran into some issues and likely won't make it today. But with the family's third elder and the seventh elder here,

nodded again

that moment, Sebastian and his

he doing here?" Korbin exclaimed in surprise when he spotted

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

You actually had the guts to come.

and said, "This place isn't exactly a dragon's

dumb. Since you've come

a mocking smile. "Brat, today next year will be your death

If you kneel down, admit your mistakes, gouge out your own eyes, and break your own hands, I'll

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

you out of your mind?" Camden sneered. "I invited you

an idiot. He thinks that just because he came to congratulate the

ruined Ms. Knott's reputation. Mr. Camden would never let him live. I can't tell if this guy

crowd was quick to hurl insults. Among all the people present, aside from Hendrick and Abigail, only Kaitlyn seemed worried about Sebastian. Despite everything Sebastian had done

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

don't care about such things. If you want to live today, the only way is to do

his smile was

"What are

laughed and said, "Mr. Camden, I really don't get it. There are so many good women out there. Why on earth

You've got

This guy

as Mr. Camden asked, he might have had a slim chance to live. But insulting Ms. Knott? Now he's probably wishing for death to be an easy

Everyone nodded in agreement.

elder, Trey Stonebrrok, and seventh elder, Septimus Stonebrook stood up. They were looking ready to strike Sebastian down at any

Camden, don't get angry just yet. Hear me out.

been practicing an

cultivation technique, one that

energy to

One day,

lured me into her room, and tried to seduce

"Shut up!"

pale and quickly interrupted Sebastian while snapping, "Stop spouting nonsense and tarnishing my

added, "Mr. Camden, he's just slandering Heather on

believe him. This guy has slandered my woman-this is

do you have?"

"Why don't you let me finish what I was saying earlier? Heather wanted to absorb male energy through a sinister technique

and said, "Camden, he's lying! He's just upset that I broke off the

held her hand and said, "Don't worry. No

was that she was using an evil cultivation technique to absorb my essence and even my bone marrow. Afterward, she threw me off

right

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

horrified. "Camden, don't listen to him! He's making it all up! Even if an examination proves my innocence, it'll still be a joke

in, "Camden, this guy has ulterior motives. Don't fall

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

stop standing around and cripple him!" Camden ordered coldly. Whether Sebastian was telling the truth or not, he

planned to verify everything

a powerful aura that felt as vast and overwhelming as the sea, making it hard for everyone to

is enough to make me almost suffocate. This

experts like Korbin and Hendrick felt apprehensive. While they were also divine grandmasters, there were clear

the early stage, whereas Septimus was a middle-stage divine

smirked mockingly and said, "Camden, I originally thought you had some sense in you, but you're a fool Youre allowing this malicious

dead!" Camden snapped angrily. Sebastian taunted, "You tell me to shut up, but I'll still keep talking. Heather is nothing more

by the way, I left a few scratch marks on her chest because I got a bit

covered her chest with her hand. In truth, Sebastian was just bluffing; those marks would have healed by now, given a warrior's

However, Heather's reaction

leaving everyone stunned.

Heather was

spouting lies! I swear I'll cut out your

and he was infuriated by the

of the southern region, with all their elders being divine

particular, was a middle-stage divine grandmaster. His power was

his released aura alone made it

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

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

sound, Septimus'

a pained

movement, Sebastian chased him down and grabbed Septimus by the

"What?"

erupted into chaos. Everyone was utterly stunned. A powerful middle- stage divine grandmaster like Septimus had

was beyond

were the most shocked. Not long ago, Sebastian had participated in the Netherworld Sect's

all, if he were a grandmaster or

underestimated you. If

yelled, "Sebastian, he's from the Stonebrook family!

approached Sebastian, his eyes filled

favor? I'll have him release Septimus, and in return, you spare his

face was

Camden found her even more enticing than he had imagined. He nodded and said,

Gardner Astong asterele Monet

and breaks both his hands, I'll

replied, "Mr. Camden, isn't gouging out his eyes and breaking his

myself rather kind for offering this. This is my bottom line!" Camden declared in a tone that left

and whispered, "Didn't I warn you? Why

death trap.

your strength was so formidable, but you still

Stonebrook family

out your eyes and breaking your hands is the best outcome I could negotiate

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

the habit of

it's hard to accept, but

to five miserably than to die. IfChapter

say something, but in the end,

person, losing both eyes and hands was a fate worse than death. Rather than living worse than a dog, it was better to

the chances were slim, at least Sebastian could die fighting

"Septimus!"

Stonebrook

as he shouted, "Sebastian Wilder, how dare

satisfied until I

cripple his

order. He was already walking toward Sebastian, his aura

footfall left a

cultivation must be truly unfathomable. He's

grandmaster, but it's said that Trey has the ability to fight beyond his level,

struck so quickly before; this is definitely

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Camden shouted,

it from

the blade resonated through the air, unleashing a wave

to plummet, leaving everyone feeling as though they had fallen into

be the Godslayer Blade of the Stonebrook

with this sword, and with

Camden to carry the Godslayer Blade

now. With the added power of the Godslayer Blade, not even late-stage divine grandmasters could stand against Trey Defeating Sebastian will be, piece

magical artifact, said to be a top-tier

here was Sebastian, empty-handed-what

eyes, unable to bear watching Sebastian's

first, she deeply resented the man who had taken her virginity, but after calming down

she would have been defiled by that old scoundrel instead, so she found herself preferring it to be Sebastian. At least Sebastian was young and handsome, and he had acted to save her. That all made his

for him. This was why she would always instinctively step in whenever he was in

come to realize that Sebastian's strength far surpassed hers, and he didn't need her protection

to kill Sebastian were the Stonebrook family.

swung his sword, a blinding white blade aura was charged with thunderous power.

within a few miles surged violently, creating an oppressive atmosphere that weighed down on

cultivation slumped to

capture Sebastian alive, so

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

his expression filled with cruelty. To try and

contact with Sebastian's palm. However, instead of the expected sight of blood and mangled flesh, the sword stopped dead in its tracks as it was caught

"How is this possible?"

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

He caught the Godslayer Blade with his bare hand! This is insane!" "What level is this

energy, trying to pull the Godslayer Blade out of Sebastian's grip. He exerted all his strength, but it didn't

With a slight exertion of his spiritual energy, Trey instantly let go of

was jolted by

satisfaction. "This sword is not

and panic, clenching his fists and throwing

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

killed. If you think you can kill me, I can also kill

you. I'm the heir to the Stonebrook family. Do you dare to kill

cocky! The Stonebrook family's power is beyond anything you can imagine. They are filled with masters of unparalleled skill. My future father-in-law is

You two really are made for each other,"

You're the idiot! Your whole family

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

plan to kill us?"

if you dare to kill me, our family

more than clowns. If you send one person to me, I'll kill that person. If you send two, I'll kill both of them. If you send a whole army, I'll wipe them out. If your

spoke. By the end, his voice was

one could believe how brazen Sebastian was, declaring his intent to

he had said this before, everyone would have looked down on him and thought that he was lying. However, after witnessing Sebastian's terrifying strength, everyone was

family has stood strong for over a thousand years, with

can fight us alone? Hand over the Godslayer Blade technique and come to my house to admit your wrongs. Perhaps then, we

"Whether or not I end up in a grave,

dare!"

the experts from the Stonebrook family around him as they were ready to flee

Sebastian looked at him with disdain. He took

an instant, the oppressive force weighed down on everyone present. Those below grandmaster

grandmasters struggled to remain standing, their legs quivering with

Kill him!" Camden

had no choice but to obey Camden. Gritting

join the fray. Instead,

tremendous energy burst forth. There was a deafening boom, and the grandmasters coughed out blood as they were sent flying. Before they even hit the ground, they all died on

family had

of cake. The

was terrifying.

the ground, and her face became

Heather.

air,

the way little Jonathan stepped forward to shield the nervous clerk

will ever happen again," Nathaniel said, his voice quiet yet carrying the weight of judgment through the

tight bun at the

once Nathaniel turned away did Elodie finally breathe. Relief spread through her limbs like warm

had dangled on someone else's whim. Grateful, she offered a quick, thankful glance first to Jonathan and

child, the day

unexpectedly shy. "Thank you," she murmured, sincerity softening

with a small, practiced smile-courteous, almost

Ivy, I should be the one thanking

his blazer and drew out a sleek matte card. Holding it up, he

like a clap of thunder. Jaws dropped, eyes widened, and the boutique fell

well over ten thousand, yet this child intended to

card, uncertainty flickering across her eyes as

still a minor. A purchase of this scale required his guardian's word. Nathaniel gave a single, calm nod.

why Jonathan wanted an entire rack of adult clothing, yet

course," she said, nearly

garments from velvet

watched, envy

this large could cover the down payment on a new

more.

was buying, no one

guided Nathaniel

voice barely above az whisper “Everything's packed but it really is a mountain of clothes. Should we put

over eight million." s

would never have taken a

said, firm as bedrock.

flicked to Nathaniel. When he offered no objection, she finally swiped Jonathan's card

numbers in

for choosing us." Ivy presented the card with both hands, as

Ivy, I

finally set the receipt

a slate-gray wool blazer on the mannequin. "Consider this my gift, he

marble. "Pass it on to whatever

across her shoulders. "Oh, no, I can't, really It's far too expensive," she blurted, hands rising like a pair

apairof

silence until now, spoke in his low, effortless baritone. “You protected Jon today. Compared with that, a jacket is nothing. If you ever hit

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

bodyguards trailed them like silent shadows, arms loaded with crisp shirts, tailored trousers, and ribbon-tied shopping bags that bumped against

enough to reach his thigh, and asked, "What business did you have in a men's

“Oh. Ms. Kennedy wanted me to pop in and pick out

privacy of his own mind. Dad hardly knows Ms. Kennedy, and Mom's best friend would never check

nodded once, expression unreadable. "Your Ms. Kennedy certainly trusts

Vivian remembers to buy clothes for Zachary,

like a

gave a reassuring tug. "Dad, Mom actually asked me to purchase a suit

the first fib, it was only because Vivian's

Jonathan appeared more like an

never delegate adult shopping

sharpened. "You've figured something

blinked, performing innocent

“When it comes to social-grade lying, you're

exposed so fast, and the realization sent a tremor of startled

lashes lifting so his wide eyes could

forced a civil smile. "Why would I be?" he countered, voice

for you. She skipped you completely. That proves she doesn't value you," Jon announced, brutally direct in the way only

shut.Am I

his throat. “And exactly where did you pick up

Jon shrugged

even a child could read him, how had Cecilia never noticed? She really doesn't care,

stayed

hard, she went searching

belongs to s

she almost collided with Jonathan and

noticed the bodyguard trailing behind them, arms loaded

two been? And what on

intent on inspecting

smoothly. "Holiday tokens,

painfully clumsy, so Nathaniel was patching the hole

well, a heads-up would have been nice. I was starting to

gaped, utterly bewildered. When have I ever

cleared his throat and shot Jonathan a pointed look. Understanding flashed

himself to carrying the constipation story

I've been skimping on

was happening, concern flooded her eyes. She slipped an arm around Jonathan's small shoulders and drew him into a full- bodied embrace that

right? You're far too little to struggle with something like

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

felt heat rush to his cheeks until his whole face burned as brightly as a stovetop

merely confessed the problem, never imagining the confession would

Cecilia

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

been the model child, obedient, courteous,

"That won't do. Maybe we should buy medicine. Constipation sometimes needs glycerin suppositories, doesn't

with earnest gravity, the way surgeons announce a lifesaving

Of all lies you could

I don't need them,” he whispered, the words nearly swallowed by the

eyes soft with pity for the boy and a glimmer of amused

speed, and ordered suppositories plus half a pharmacy's worth

time they reached home, a courier stood at the gate like a

you're not sure how to use them, I will help

plastic-wrapped suppositories, despair dropping like a stone in

earth would he let Cecilia anywhere near this particular battlefield. He shook

can manage on my

You can handle anything." She ruffled his hair, every gesture brimming with pride

forced to endure the stubborn

off to the bathroom with you," she said, voice low

"Okay."

and bolted down the hallway toward the

the couch, Elliot lounged with a plate of sliced fruit. He watched his brother's retreating and, though he didn't quite know

really constipated? He sure doesn't look it," Elliot

seated beside him, fixed him with a mild but warning stare. "Don't tease your brother. He's having a hard

a small hand against his chest, trying to calm the little jolt of surprise inside. "Jon is really kind of pitiful," he breathed, each syllable drifting like

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

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

to the bedroom, arms gathering the new clothes in bright cascading layers. One by one, she handed them to the excited boy and stepped back while he struck every

photoshoot ended, she pinged the

fixed in place, but Cecilia saw the sorrow

wanting loneliness to take root, she sent them daily snippets of her life, including short clips of the

return, video-called often to check on

by little, life seemed to find its rhythm

children be able to come back for a

now belonged to the Rainsworths, so her priorities were pulled toward her husband's

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

will prepare every one of your favorite dishes," Bethany

good while longer, then finally ended the call with a reluctant

after the final outfit change, Jonathan and Elliot collapsed onto their beds, fast asleep within

living room fell into a rare hush, holding only Cecilia and Nathaniel amid scattered shopping

against the couch, eyelids drooping, intent on stealing five minutes of calm when Nathaniel suddenly

"Ceci."

jerked in surprise. "What

doing

What do you

clouded Nathaniel's eyes.

the room. Something inside Nathaniel was storming, evident from the faint tension at his jaw and

her face to his, worry eclipsing her earlier cheer. "What's

a single step closer, the scent of cedar from his freshly pressed

could

long arms swept

swift, possessive motion,

against his chest, as though staking

have

gravel, every syllable

fanned over her cheek. Color flared across Cecilia's face. Her blush deepened as she tried to twist free, finding

If Elliot or

chin settling atop her

awkward about two married people holding each other? They're not babies anymore. They should understand," he responded

"Not babies? They're only six-maybe

moved overseas on my own," Nathaniel replied, the words low, laced with a faint, almost

genuine amazement slipping past her

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

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

Elliot. As for Jonathan, let him stay

the pad of his finger brushing her burning cheek. “You're being terribly

"Hmm?"

steadying breath. "Remember, it's you and me for the rest of our lives. Sometimes

composed husband was

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

a storm

twisted free of Nathaniel's arms and bolted down

blinked, stunned that she would dare make a break for it, then sprang up and covered the distance in

and tried to swing the door shut, Nathaniel planted one hand against the panel, his voice low and teasing. "Why

are plenty of spare rooms in this house.

a gentle shove, he slipped inside, scooped her up again,

latch clicked, the deadbolt turned, and darkness

windows, but inside, heat pooled between

of white light, snow glare slicing through the curtains and painting the room in

to find Nathaniel's face less than an inch away. She could count the fine stubble dusting

that faint

Nathaniel's brows twitched.

fluttered open, hazy

awake?” he murmured, drawing her even closer

breathe.” Her voice came out in a whisper, pressed tight

closed his eyes again, and sighed. "Stay. Just a

had promised her best friends a

only tightened his arms and mumbled, "Give me a few more minutes.

be, warmth and weight wrapped

you this attached?

at his mouth. "I was younger.

dark strands

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

the mall

her head. "That's it.

he asked, still

New clothes for Mom, and something nice

His tone carried a note of suspicion wrapped in playful

"Nope."

puzzled tilt of her head. He had never shown the slightest interestin which dress of coat she bought yet

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

when I leave too

at the ceiling until the silence felt

rose, padded through quiet

1.

had spirited Jon and

an idiot-half a brain short of being human!" Conrad shouted, his voice cracking with rage. "If you had even a sliver of sense, you'd know how foolish you

think the Wolfsbane family had any chance of working

just called you an idiot with half a brain

went pale, then burned red. He spun toward

kin had mocked her-Beatrix and his husband, Conrad and then

all people, it was Alex-the outcast, the

liked the girl. But seeing Sofina step forward with quiet

this one

"You're cowards! Every last one of you! From

The room fell silent.

"Don't worry, Grandma," she

a smug grin that made her blood

through 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 us down

fighting to lift this family up, while you bury it in arrogance and shame. You're nothing

Alex -the real embarrassment of this family! You think Sofina's some kind of miracle worker? That

Wolfsbane family is great enough that even the Eden Group will want that collaboration. I believe in the Baroness's dream—and I

Do you not believe in your grandmother, or are you

waved her hands fast. "No! That's not what I meant! I just think it's impossible for

You've already surrendered before the fight even started. That's not realism, Beatrix-that's

eyes flashed. "Me? Envious?" she snapped. "You're a fool if you think any

deep, mocking sound 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, Alex

If Sofina pulls this off, that place is ours

said through clenched teeth. "But if Sofina fails,

half-smile. "Then let's see who

"Count me in too! If I

on her, raising a brow. "Alright. But what

lose. But fine-I'll play along.

a half-slave, how about this—if you lose, you kneel ten times and

laughing. "Ha! You're really digging

in too," Felicia said. "If you lose, I want

"Fine," he said calmly. "But if I win, you'll accept our marriage- no more insults,

recorded the bet and sent the document to

"Perfect," he said. "I like

at them. She couldn't care less about their childish

one thing-whether the Wolfsbane family could

this nonsense." She roared. "Sofina, you have three days to negotiate and close the deal. That's all.

glancing out the window. "You really think Grandma

smirked. "Trust? No. Desperation?

look. "That's supposed to make

talk to someone who hasn't met

grinned. "Hey, at least I bet on your victory. Isn't

arched a brow. "You really think

course," Alex said. "It'll show who's got guts and who's got

"And

finally fit right in

file of proposals she'd spent the entire night refining. Her

luxury car they'd won from Nikolaus-a

watching the reflections glide across the car's polished hood, “we should return this car. It's too extravagant for

"Maybe it's too fancy for a gardener like me," he

of the Wolfsbane Group-it's perfect. Your grandmother and mother wouldn't dare buy you one, so let's

can."

frowned, glancing at him. "You really think this

okay. It's a sign, Sofina. We're on our way up. And when this is

head, half anxious, half amused. "I wish

"You've got me. That's enough. Come on,

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

luck," Sofina whispered as the

here, your luck's already doubled," he said lightly "Remember I'm the gardener of the Eden Group.

QUMS

nerves eased. She wished she could carry that same unshakable optimism

and felt something empty out inside

polished god. The idea that the Wolfsbane family—old,

was like a

promised her grandmother. She'd accepted the challenge in

courtroom-every seat occupied by nobles from Winchester: barons, viscounts, and

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

Group. The sight said

all every one

of them was hono

same thing: a

are you doing here?"

Heinrich standing with Katarina

lips tightened the way

sentence.

from my sight. How could you let her walk in here?" Heinrich bowed his head like a man forced to swallow bile. "I'm sorry, Katarina. I tried. I truly did. I don't understand how she keeps turning up. I'll make her leave." He pushed forward and grabbed Sofina's wrist in a rough. "You're here to attract attention," he hissed.

hell are you trying to fool? Even your grandmother couldn't get a deal

uniform when a security drone glided into the room, humming softly as its sensors

woman you asked us to monitor was just shoved by a guest-he forced her out into the entrance area.

the footage,"

Sofina's arm, dragging her down the

his gloves, and strode out toward

crouched on the floor, gathering a

quietly, helping her pick

Heinrich. No matter what I say, he just slips

hurt you?" Alex asked, gently lifting

nothing serious,"

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

"Maybe. But I like the feel

"The same

chuckled. "You really are

"You cooked for me, you looked at me like I was more than data in a file. You made me feel alive again. Sometimes I think it'd

other as they walked back through the glass corridor of Eden's

a voice cracked the

told you to stay away from me. I don't want you

froze. The color drained from

chain that still

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

himself between Sofina and

a guest. You have no authority to

me how to behave? I'm a guest here-l expect to be treated like

a low, sharp laugh. "Keep dreaming. You're not a king- you're just another arrogant fool. A pathetic worm

Group personally sent me an invitation—said I should run this

He brings trouble." Heinrich's eyes found a nearby

human resources, hurried over and forced a smile while extending a hand. "Mr. Schiller. What an

out a derisive snort. "I came here to join, yes. But somebody in your place had

didn't falter; his tone tightened with professional courtesy. "Sir, no one here would deliberately offend you. If someone attempted to remove you, tell me their name

said coldly. "That's the man. Your gardener. He

never seen

faintly. "Eden Group has over a thousand workers in this two-hundred-floor building. You don't know all of them—same as↑ don't know everyone here. And if I wasnt officially registered, the security androids

forget

fire you

Schiller-apologize. Kneel and beg for

"Why should I? He's the one who tried to

who Heinrich Schiller is? He's one of the

not joining?" Alex asked

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

Alex said calmly, shaking

fired if you don't!" Dietrich

long time. Just

this, Heinrich-you kneel to me. Three kowtows, then maybe I'll let you stay in

drawn by the rising tension. Laughter rippled through them like

someone jeered. "A gardener trying to stand up to Heinrich?

joined in. "That gardener's got a name.

"Who?" someone asked.

"Alex-the dunce himself."

Winchester? No wonder he's mouthing

and turned to

you've been desperate for my attention,

a fool who doesn't know

Three bows, and I might

Alex's

you don't, I'll make sure everyone in Winchester hears about this. You have offended

I'll have the

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

s

him tighter and

but steady. "Let me handle

face. She met his eyes.

stepped forward

red as a boil. "You hit me,

curse.

God's name do you think you're

Security robot - fetch her,

a hand at the small of his

called security. Twenty lashes. She won't be standing after that her flesh

Heinrich said, every syllable a command.

better cancel that order," he said. "Someone's

who'll get hurt is

"Security —

his head.

began to

dare she hit Heinrich,"

Heinrich's the man

another voice

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

flagged a threat to her, an alert raced through

pinged a node nobody in the room expected-Eve, the household

wasn't just a home machine. Alex had wired her into his network bridge so she could talk

device that touched Sofina reported to Eve first-she was Sofina's guardian in

into the network. "Override the previous command. Secure Dietrich

robot optical sensors swung

Dietrich's chest. The shock hit him

robot drew an

of blood followed. Dietrich's shout cut the air. "Stop!

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

Eden Group tech is already the most advanced," someone muttered, half

of confusion moved

until Dietrich

finished, it hauled him to his feet and kicked him out, shoving him past the main entrance

catch up with the chaos unraveling around

hand clutching his bleeding nose. He wiped the blood away with the back of

voice low and venomous. "I'll teach you

his

had struck Sofina before-over and

had endured it, not because she was weak, but

closed on Heinrich and seized his arm. "Find someone your own

— let go

temper under a hard lid. The government cameras watched from every

like an

a hand that felt

dare you let me go!" Heinrich gasped, tears wet on his

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

-

bid to replace the Krugers,

to become the next family tied

they were

she'd promised Eden that Heinrich would cooperate if the contract

emerged into the main hall, the polished calm of her diplomacy shattered. What

Heinrich down, and

went white with fury. She stormed over and slapped

doing to my Heinrich? Let him go this instant. How dare you strike him until he bleeds-I'll call the police and have you deported, you filthy

released Heinrich's arm. "Calling the police won't help you,"

true?" Katarina

was Sofina. She hit my nose." Heinrich

steady. "So what? You're not a noble. You're a coward wearing

Prussia, nobles still carried real power. The law bent

immigrant struck a noble, the punishment could be death.

the penalties were severe and swift. More often

law protected rank,

struck a commoner, most people just

Prussia — power didn't

turned her sharp eyes

you married Sofina — to make me jealous, to get my attention. Well, you've got it.

won't divorce

don't have

Claire family. When im done with Heinrich, if you

her, disbelief hardening his face.

That everyone just

even willing to marry you. How

muttered. His patience with her was long gone. Just the sound of

voice cracked

something she wouldn't admit —

him.

now, the memories still haunted her - the nights Alex cooked for her, the way he shielded her from the world, how he cared for her without needing a

Heinrich, everything was cold

had been dreading this moment. He didn't

distance between them, but before he could take another step, her hand

staring at him, fierce

to stop, Alex," Katarina said, every

I lose my temper." She stepped closer. "Remember when I made you kneel in the rain for three

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

The slap cracked through the hall like a gunshot. "Don't you

of tears she fought to hide,

command you

this bitch!" Katarina

were quiet, but they held frost. "I

caught it

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

treated like royalty,

heard the whispers

Rosenheim title was bought

their barony by stabbing their own marquis,

their so-called empire was built on treachery, that beneath their silks and titles

fury. "She's spitting on my family name! Slap her-make her remember who she is! And who I

Katarina's will and some Rosenheim retainers shuffled forward, eager to

hand, a silver Eden security robot glided between

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

of tasers snapped out. Electricity flashed. The would-be attackers

No violence," the security unit repeated. "Please remain calm and await

and unmoored robbed, for

Sofina grabbed Alex's hand.

get out of here,"

love! You said you loved me! You swore you'd do

obey me, to give me your body, to destroy yourself

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

answer, another android

"this is your scheduled interview for the collaboration. Please proceed to Meeting

her hand. “Go,” he said quietly. "This is your

she asked,

head to the garden. Only workers and authorized personnel can access it. These people won't be

stopped at a glass door and bowed slightly. "Please wait here. The person in charge will

woman in a

a change in location. Please follow me. Miss Von Adler would like to

blinked. "Miss Von

She's expecting

dazed, and followed the woman through

Eden Group headquarters. Her thoughts

Adler-the most powerful woman in Eden-want

proposal yet, the one about working with the Wolfsbane family. She wasn't

It didn't make sense.

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

legendary chairwoman of Eden Group-rose gracefully from behind her desk.

Von Adler, chairman of Eden Group.

standing before the most powerful businesswoman in Winchester-someone people usually

trembled slightly as she answered, but she kept her

met

time to see me," she said. "I came to discuss the collaboration proposal. I know the Wolfsbane Group isn't as large or as influential as some of

but we work

never disappoint."

to .net

a neat folder. "This is the Wolfsbane Group portfolio.

take a look."

calm, knowing smile and took the file. She

a few pages, then closed

"I've already reviewed your documents. I believe you're the perfect

blinked, stunned. "Really? You mean... it's approved?" Her words

out.

She had spent weeks rehearsing every

question, expecting a long

in seconds.

her

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

founder?" she asked, her

I know who your founder

faint smile. “Our founder," she said softly,

me?" Sofina blinked, unsure

understand when the time comes.

He believes in you.

had instructed her not to reveal his

according to your proposal, your initial quotation for

said, her

said easily. "In fact, it's

slightly. "What

increase

wants it set at

her breath catching. "One... hundred

repeated, barely believing it.

and slid it across

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

stared at the document in disbelief. Her mind

corporations in Winchester-had not oChapter

hard on Finnian's back. "I forbid you from seeing her! If you dare bring that woman home as your wife, I'll throw you out on the

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

Mr. Everly wouldn't listen. He kept shouting, "I'll beat you to death!" and from the look in his eyes, he almost meant

arm, her voice soft but steady. "Grandpa, that's

glaring at Finnian and gasping for breath, his shoulders

gaze, her expression calm. "You should go. I'll talk to Grandpa," she

long, searching look, then

hand, his voice breaking. "Ama, Finnian's out of his mind. Can't you see? He insists on being with that

to fall as he squeezed her hand, his heartbreak

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

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

"What is it?"

Qu

and I would end up together. You wanted that because you thought Finnian cared about me, but the truth is our relationship

firm. She nearly said outright that she had

Mr. Everly listened, utterly exhausted, guilt

couldn't blame Amara for not

l.ne

it had been Mr. Everly Finself, swallowing his pride and pushing for them

hand wearily. "Ama, I'm tired. I need to lie

nodded. "Rest well, Grandpa. I'll

truly no hope for Amara and Finnian? He really did care for her, and he'd always dreamed She'd stay with the Everly family become Finian's

wanting to dwell on

He'd changed

Chapter 365

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at him briefly before looking away, steeling

But Finnian spoke up. "Let me give

"That's not necessary-"

you," he added quickly, sensing

but she knew it was time to put things to rest between them. She nodded, walked out to his car, and let him drive her home.nly accepted

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