Chapter 457: Chapter 483 Wang Hu Confirms His Love

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

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

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

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

Xiao Hong slightly frowned and became silent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Xiao Hong lowered her head, rarely shy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She returned to her room and slammed the door.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Hang on," Sebastian stopped her.

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

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

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

find his way back as soon as

possible.

s

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

that

ghat

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

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

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

All these years, they had visited

many famous doctors and even

whonet

asked help of the

the help of the alchemist

from

fort

otherworld Sect, button

avail.

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

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

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

"The pill is very precious," Sebastian explained.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As the largest commerce

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

dese after Sebas

Abigail

knew which ones he meant.

belongs to s

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

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

Spirit Gathering Formation.

Beneath the cauldron was magma,

which could save a lot of energy

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

Nourishing Pill. s

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Afterward, everything was quiet.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Hold it!" the guards immediately shouted harshly.

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

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

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

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

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

"Sebastian Wilder!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They quickly fell one after another.

"You're courting death!"

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

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

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

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

"Rely on him?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"The ones who should die are you

people! Release my wife

immediately, or I'll slaughter

everyone in knott Estate!"

wel

sebastian's voice was filled with

murderous intent. 's

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

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

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

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

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

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

shea

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

a terrifying killing intent erupted from his body.

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

At that moment, Sebastian suddenly moved, grabbiChapter 653

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You deserve to die!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She now has

a real chance of becoming

20

grandmaster before she turns 18." s

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

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

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

"Hold it!"

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

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

striding forward, accompanied by a young girl.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

roared in fury as he charged toward Sebastian.

"The city lord himself is stepping in!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Everyone was astonished. Divine grandmasters were the most formidable beings

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

However, such powerful individuals were exceedingly rare.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hendrick quickly countered with a punch of his own.

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

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

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

Vol

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Almost instantly, Sebastian moved aside.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Heather was furious, nearly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sebastian grabbed Heather by the neck once more.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

die."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

intent.

belongs to s

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

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

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

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

cruel than simply killing them both.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sebastian kept his word and left after receiving the notes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Yes," Sebastian nodded.

A trace of disappointment flashed in Abigail's eyes. It was hard not to admire a man as exceptional as Sebastian.

Abigail had always been confident in herself, but after seeing the portrait, her confidence wavered-the

woman in the drawing g

easily matching her own beauty. s

Sebastian then explained the circumstances and timing of Fressia's disappearance.

"Don't worry, Mr. Wilder. I'll send people to find her immediately. I'm sure we'll have news soon," Hendrick assured him with conviction.

Then, Sebastian stayed at the chamber, waiting for updates. He also asked

Hendrick to arrange for some people to take care of Jenna.

Additionally, he assigned Brork to protect her in secret.

Having witnessed Sebastian's terrifying power first hand, Brork didn't dare to utter

a single word of refusal. He was completely subdued, with no thoughts of escaping.

Meanwhile, at Knott Estate.

"Father, I just can't swallow this humiliation!" HeatheChapter 660

Martin looked at Heather and asked, "Are you willing to marry the Stonebrook's heir?"

Heather replied without hesitation, "Mr. Camden is an outstanding man. Of course I'm willing."

"Alright then. We'll settle this marriage today and then ask the Stonebrook family to deal with that little bastard!" Martin said coldly.

The father and daughter then stepped out to greet their guests.

Meanwhile, the Stonebrook family had arrived in large numbers, bringing an abundance of betrothal gifts.

Leading them was a dignified middle-aged man, Denzel Stonebrook, the head of the Stonebrook family and one of the top powerhouses of the southern region.

Beside him was a young man of about 26 years old. Though his appearance was average, he had an impressive presence; this was Camden Stonebrook, the heir to the Stonebrook family.

"Mr. Denzel, Mr. Camden, your arrival truly graces our humble Knott Estate," Martin said with a flattering smile.

Denzel smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Knott, you're too kind. Please forgive our unannounced visit."

"No need for that; it's our honor. Please, come in." Martin led the father and son into the sitting room and had them seated.

Denzel got straight to the point, saying, "I've long heard that your daughter is as beautiful as a goddess, and today I see the reputation is well-deserved."

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Stonebrook." Heather appeared slightly shy. But the more reserved she acted, the more captivated Camden became; his eyes never left her, like they were practically glued to her every move.

Denzel quickly reprimanded, "Camden, it's impolite to keep staring at Ms. Knott. Apologize immediately."

Camden snapped out of his daze and quickly stood up, saying, "I'm sorry, Ms. Knott, I was being rude."

Heather showed him a bashful smile. She was not angry at all. In fact, she felt quite pleased inside.

The Stonebrook family was one of the southern region's four major families. If Heather could become the young mistress of the Stonebrook family, it would be like a shortcut to soar to higher places.

With access to the Stonebrook family's cultivation resources, her strength would surely advance by leaps and bounds, making it only a matter of time before she surpassed Kaitlyn.

She might even secure a place among the four great ladies in the future.

Denzel smiled a

and said, "My son saw

once not

at first

lost

his appetite and many.

As his father, I became anxious, soove brought him here to

Cóntent

his hands,

box of gemstones, a box of medicinal. herbs, a box of antique

box, though smaller, contained dozens of

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

admit, the Stonebrook family had truly gone all out. The gold coins alone amounted to 880 thousand,

scarce in the market. When Martin and Heather

improve physical constitution, extend life,

constitution, accelerated their

"Mr. Knott, are you satisfied

satisfied, actually," Martin quickly

that mean you agree to their

be interested in my daughter is an honor for us. How could

she was overjoyed inside. With the future title of daughter-in-law of

quickly settled on the wedding date, setting it for

is formidable and who

cause

scoundrel named

commoner.

strange disease once. Despite consulting many renowned doctors, none could help me. Later, when my illness flared up, that scoundrel

he would treat me. At the time, I was powerless and had no way to refuse. I'm telling you this not just to reveal how despicable he is, but also to be upfront about

we can call off the engagement,

eyes. "I heard about this incident too,

don't mind. It wasn't your

Camden, thank you for understanding," Heather forced

already knew about Sebastian seeing her naked. Given the Stonebrook family's resources, they likely knew

it up herself, she

protect my reputation, I agreed to marry him. But what I never expected was that the scoundrel was nothing but a beast.

got engaged, he demanded that I sleep with

then tried to force himself on

"Heather, don't worry.

Camden, that scoundrel is very strong. Even my father

be under 30 years old. How could

added, "As cultivators improve their skills, their lifespans increase. There are also herbs and pills that extend life and enhance

his 20s, but his real age

That brat's cultivation is at least at the early pinnacle stage of

is definitely

scoffed. "Isn't he just an early-stage divine grandmaster? That's nothingChapter

Heather and Camden's

the southern region, Camden

Holton's Knott Estate, it was still far from matching

background wasn't on par with the daughters

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

was a genius with boundless potential

beauty and talent compensated for

felt envious and even jealous of Heather. After all, becoming the Stonebrook family's daughter-in-law was like ascending to the

admired Heather, were equally disheartened, with their hopes

beautiful, her cruelty overshadowed everything else; he wouldn't want her even if she was offered without a

Sebastian invested

stage of the cultivation technique- whether by

wanted to stockpile pills now to boost the cultivation of those around

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

Heather and Camden are getting engaged tomorrow at

is for me,

nodded. "Yes,

nothing more than an

Wilder, are you planning to

me an invitation, so if I don't go, wouldn't I be letting them

Martin and Heather both hate you to the core and their invitation is definitely not sincere it's clear

"My father is right.

walking right into

of petty clowns. There's nothing to fear," Sebastian responded

Stonebrook family has many powerful figures. If

Hendrick warned.

to .net

unmoved. "I appreciate your concern, but

just clowns. They're

leave me alone, fine. If they

ie

major families in the southern region, even stronger than the Netherworld

please listen

cook up something else next time even if

them sooner rather than later,Chapter

group approached the entrance of Knott Estate, a woman suddenly blocked their

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

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

Sebastian nodded.

at the banquet. Going there now is

to tell me this?" Sebastian asked

flatter yourself. I just happened to run into you and thought I'd give you a

much about me. Could it be that you've fallen for me?" Sebastian

dreaming." Kaitlyn scoffed and turned

said, "Mr. Wilder, if Ms. Gardner says so, then it's surely

talent, you're destined to

is made up. No more advice, please,"

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

was festive and filled with

powerhouse, the Netherworld Sect had shown great respect by sending Korbin and his daughter

of today, she would be the future daughter-in-law of the Stonebrook family-who would dare

a woman both stunning and neredibly talented was something that would inspire

seen and

Sebastian.

been keeping tabs on

that moment, "Mr. Camden,

down all the exits once he enters. Make sure he doesn't escape," Camden ordered with

be able to get away, even if he sprouts wings," the

nodded in satisfaction. "By the way,

reported, "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

again

Sebastian and his

Korbin exclaimed

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

at Sebastian while gritting her teeth. "Sebastian, you bastard! You actually had the guts to

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

playing dumb. Since you've come today, don't expect to leave

today

you kneel down, admit your mistakes, gouge out your own eyes,

raised the invitation in his hand and said, "You invited me to your engagement party. I came here to congratulate

of your mind?" Camden sneered. "I invited you here just to kill you. You're

to congratulate the couple, Mr. Camden would let him

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

only Kaitlyn seemed worried about Sebastian. Despite everything Sebastian had done

looked at Camden and said, "Today is your engagement party.

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

his smile

"What are you

really don't get it. There are so many good women out there. Why

You've got some

This guy must be

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

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Stonebrook stood up. They were looking ready to strike Sebastian

yet. Hear me out. I was simply speaking the truth. You don't know how despicable Heather really

been practicing

cultivation technique, one that

energy to enhance

One day,

into her room, and tried to seduce

"Shut up!"

while snapping, "Stop spouting

just slandering Heather on purpose. You can't believe

don't believe him. This guy

do you have?"

earlier? Heather wanted to absorb male energy through a sinister technique and tried

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

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

using an evil cultivation technique to absorb my

angrily. "To slander my woman right in front of me... you've

first time was with me. If you don't believe me, you can have her checked. If I'm lying, you can do with me as you wish,"

if an examination

quickly chimed in, "Camden, this guy has ulterior

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

Camden ordered coldly. Whether Sebastian was telling the truth or not,

planned to verify everything as soon as the engagement banquet

aura that felt as vast and overwhelming as

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

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

Septimus was a middle-stage divine grandmaster, significantly

and said, "Camden, I originally thought you had some sense in you, but you're a fool

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

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

froze at his words and instinctively covered her chest with her hand. In truth, Sebastian was just bluffing; those marks would have healed by now,

However, Heather's reaction

leaving everyone stunned. Upon

tricked, Heather was

lies! I swear I'll cut out your tongue and feed it to the

he was infuriated by the

of the four major families of the southern region, with

particular, was a middle-stage divine grandmaster.

the pressure from his released aura alone

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

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

resounding sound,

pained scream and staggered back

a swift movement, Sebastian chased him down and grabbed Septimus by the

"What?"

stage divine grandmaster like

was beyond

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

warrior. After all, if he were a grandmaster or divine

in fury. "I've really underestimated you. If you release Septimus

equally shocked and enraged, and she yelled, "Sebastian, he's from the Stonebrook family! If you dare to kill him, you

his eyes

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

her face was

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

Gardner Astong asterele Monet

breaks both his hands,

Camden, isn't gouging out his eyes

I consider myself rather kind for offering this. This is my bottom line!" Camden declared in a tone that left no room for

to Sebastian and whispered, "Didn't I warn you?

some death trap. Why shouldn't

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

Stonebrook family

exceeds your imagination. Gouging out your eyes and breaking your hands is the

smiled lightly and replied, "Ms.

in the habit of

it's hard

five miserably than to

something, but

strong person, losing both eyes and hands was a fate worse than death.

the chances were slim, at least Sebastian could die fighting

"Septimus!"

of the Stonebrook

he shouted, "Sebastian Wilder, how

Septimus? I won't be satisfied until I torture

cripple his cultivation for

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

step forward, his presence intensified. Every footfall

a powerful aura. Trey's cultivation must be truly unfathomable. He's probably at the

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

cultivation is? He struck so quickly before; this is definitely going to be

Everyone nodded in agreement.

catch the sword!" Camden shouted,

immediately drew it from its

the blade resonated through the air, unleashing a wave of terrifying killing

surrounding temperature seemed to plummet, leaving everyone feeling as though they had fallen into an icy abyss. Their hearts were quickly

the Godslayer

the Stonebrook family proudly stated, "That's right. This is our Stonebrook family's Godslayer Blade. Our ancestors once roamed the world with this sword, and with it, they rarely met an equal. As long

Camden to carry the

not even late-stage divine grandmasters could stand against Trey Defeating Sebastian will be, piece of

to be a top-tier weapon that could slice through iron

was Sebastian, empty-handed-what chancChapter

unable to bear

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

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

to develop some feelings for him. This was why she would always instinctively step in whenever he was in danger—she simply didn't want to see

far

she felt completely powerless. The ones trying to kill Sebastian were the Stonebrook

As he swung his sword, a blinding white blade

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

weaker cultivation slumped

so his sword's target

about to strike, Sebastian suddenly

and stop the Godslayer Blade technique with one's

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

"How is this possible?"

Everyone present was equally

Blade with his bare hand! This is insane!" "What level is this guy?

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

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

was jolted by

in satisfaction. "This sword is

shouted in a mix of anger and panic, clenching his fists and throwing a punch

very shocked. His finger trembled as he pointed at Sebastian. "You actually dared

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

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

power is beyond anything you can imagine. They are filled with masters of unparalleled skill.

a pair of idiots. You two really are made for

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

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

kill

said, "Sebastian, if you dare to kill me, our family will never let you go. Not just you, but everyone you care about will pay with their

nothing more than clowns. If you send one person to me, I'll kill that person. If you send two, I'll kill both of them. If you send a whole army, I'll wipe them out. If your entire family comes at

louder as he spoke. By the end, his

No one could believe how brazen Sebastian was, declaring his intent to annihilate the Stonebrook

on him and thought that he was lying. However, after witnessing Sebastian's terrifying strength,

has stood strong for

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

up in a

dare!"

He gathered all the experts from the Stonebrook family around him as they were ready to flee at any

Sebastian looked at him with disdain. He took

oppressive force weighed down on everyone present. Those below grandmaster level collapsed to

remain standing,

Kill him!"

terror, they had no choice but

the fray. Instead, he used

wore a disdainful expression. With a wave of his hand, a tremendous energy burst forth. There was a deafening boom, and the grandmasters coughed out

very shocked. The grandmasters from the Stonebrook family had been wiped out in a single

The sheer ease

was terrifying.

ground, and her

toward Heather. He grabbed

air, attempting to

the way little Jonathan stepped forward to shield the nervous clerk

his voice quiet yet

absolutely," Elodie blurted, nodding so hard the tight bun at the back of

spread through her limbs like warm water, leaving her

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

Ivy hadn't stepped between danger and the child, the

unexpectedly shy. "Thank you," she murmured,

a small, practiced smile-courteous, almost

one thanking you," he replied,

blazer and drew out a sleek matte card. Holding it up, he added, "Every outfit you

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

had chosen started at well over ten thousand, yet this child intended to

hovered around the card, uncertainty flickering across her eyes

A purchase of this scale required his guardian's

wanted an entire rack of adult clothing, yet he trusted

Ivy's expression. "Of course," she said,

sweeping the garments from velvet hangers

watched, envy

commission this large could cover the

more.

everyone understanding precisely why Jonathan was buying,

guided

the register, she leaned down, voice barely above az whisper “Everything's packed but it really is a mountain of clothes. Should

over eight million." s

asked her, Ivy would never have taken a

necessary," Jonathan said, firm as bedrock. "I'm

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

numbers in disbelief. The wealthy, it

Ivy presented the card with both hands, as though returning a

"Ms. Ivy, I truly appreciate everything

finally set the

flourish worthy of a stage magician, he indicated a slate-gray wool blazer

to whatever gentleman

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

apairof

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

bill, Jonathan had delivered a lightning-fast briefing about

arms loaded with crisp shirts, tailored trousers, and ribbon-tied shopping bags

Jonathan, who still wasn't tall enough to reach his thigh, and asked, "What business did you have in a men's boutique

in and pick out a few outfits for Uncle Zachary. This is just a

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

unreadable. "Your Ms. Kennedy certainly trusts you," he

remembers to buy clothes for Zachary, but Ceci never thinks of buying any for

darkened like a sky

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

fib, it was only

Jonathan appeared more like an adult compared

She would never delegate

sharpened. "You've figured

Jonathan blinked,

comes to social-grade lying,

expected to be exposed so fast, and the

unhappy?” he asked, dark lashes lifting

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

completely. That proves she doesn't value you," Jon announced, brutally direct

then snapped shut.Am I showing

“And exactly where did you

printed across your face, Dad.” Jon shrugged as if

even a child

when the restroom door stayed shut far too long. Taking

hard, she went searching

belongs to s

the corridor, she almost collided with Jonathan

bodyguard trailing behind them, arms loaded with

And what on

on inspecting the loot, but

smoothly.

painfully clumsy, so Nathaniel was patching the hole

would have been nice. I was

When have I ever been

throat and shot Jonathan

carrying the constipation

guess I've been skimping on water

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

a doctor, all right? You're far too little to struggle with something

chest pinched. Only a woman who has carried a child, nursed him through colic and fevers, knows how a single

cheeks until his whole

imagining

had been ages since Cecilia had

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

child, obedient, courteous, eager to

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

gravity, the way surgeons

into silent misery. Great, sc*mbag daddy. Of all lies

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

and a glimmer of amused apology for the

word, Cecilia opened her phone, tapped at lightning speed, and ordered suppositories plus half a

a summoned genie, parcel in hand. Cecilia placed

embarrassed. If you're not sure how to use

at the plastic-wrapped suppositories, despair

would he let Cecilia anywhere near this particular battlefield. He shook his head so hard his

Mommy. I can manage on my

She ruffled his hair, every gesture brimming with pride

him. So young, already forced to endure the stubborn ache of constipation.

she said, voice low

"Okay."

contraband and bolted down the hallway toward

couch, Elliot lounged with a plate of sliced fruit. He watched his brother's retreating and, though he didn't quite know why, felt sweat break across his own

doesn't look

stare. "Don't tease your

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

burst of cheer, Cecilia clapped her hands. “Come on," she said, "let's

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

by one, she

the little photoshoot ended, she pinged the

departure, Alphonse and Bethany kept polite smiles fixed in place,

of the boys chasing sunlight across the rug, photos of uneaten cookies,

return, video-called often to check on the children and

seemed to find

will you and the children be able to come back for

Rainsworths, so her priorities were pulled

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

you can. Your grandpa and I will prepare every one of your favorite dishes," Bethany replied, her delight practically shimmering through

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

Elliot collapsed

only Cecilia and Nathaniel amid scattered

couch, eyelids drooping, intent on stealing

"Ceci."

surprise. "What is

all we're doing today?"

do you

Nathaniel's eyes. "Nothing," he

plainly on his face. Cecilia finally read the room. Something inside Nathaniel was storming, evident from the faint tension at his jaw and the

eclipsing her earlier cheer. "What's the matter?

took a single step closer, the scent of

could

arms swept

possessive motion,

chest, as though staking a

have to

rough, velvet-edged with gravel, every syllable vibrating through

cheek. Color flared across Cecilia's face. Her blush deepened as she tried

it, let me go! If Elliot

her

be awkward about two married people holding each other? They're not babies anymore. They should

she muttered, "Not babies?

my own," Nathaniel replied, the words low, laced with a faint,

arched, genuine amazement slipping past her irritation.

his eyes. "Ceci, we shouldn't coddle them. Let's arrange for Elliot and Jonathan to spend time abroad to build some resilience. It'll give us more space for,

hesitated, heart squeezing. "They're too little, Nathaniel. Besides, Elliot's just regained his health, and Jonathan still keeps

Jonathan, let him

finger

"Hmm?"

perfectly fine leaving me on the sidelines.” He paused, drawing a steadying breath. "Remember, it's you and me

then did it click. Her proud, composed husband was

suppress it. "Of course, the kids outrank you. I risked my life to bring

a storm gathering behind the calm

free of Nathaniel's arms and bolted down the hallway, bare feet whispering

stunned that she would dare make a break for it, then sprang up and

hand against the panel,

"There are plenty of spare rooms

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

latch clicked, the deadbolt turned, and darkness

wind hissed against the windows, but inside, heat pooled

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

face less than an inch away.

faint roughness, then lower to the soft curve of his

Nathaniel's brows twitched.

fluttered open,

her even

Her voice came out in a whisper, pressed tight

his eyes again, and sighed. "Stay. Just a little longer." "It's

friends a full day of window-shopping

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

did Cecilia realize how clingy he could be, warmth and weight

were you this

his mouth.

dark

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

caught her hand again. "Ceci, after you hit the mall with your friends, that's all,

her head. "That's it.

asked, still unwilling to

Mom, and something nice for Grandpa and

His tone carried a note of suspicion wrapped in playful

"Nope."

slightest interestin which dress of coat she bought yet this morning he fussed over every hanger she touched, as if color and cut were matters of life and

darkened by the heartbeat. He gently pried her fingers loose,

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

Nathaniel lay staring at the ceiling until the silence felt like a weight on his ribs Sleep had scattered, and there was no coaxing it

rose, padded through quiet hallways, and stepped

1.

spirited Jon and Elliot off

say all that crap because you're 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

believed that only a complete fool like Alex could think

called you an idiot with

then burned red. He spun toward the Baroness. “I—I didn't

kin had mocked her-Beatrix and his husband, Conrad and then Annabella, her so-called pride, had

it was Alex-the outcast, the family fool-who stood up

the girl. But seeing Sofina step forward with quiet resolve,

least this

one of you! From this moment

The room fell silent.

worry, Grandma," she

his arms, flashing Beatrix a smug grin

on, Sofina -try all you want. When

fighting to lift this family up, while

of

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

you..." he turned toward Beatrix, eyes narrowing, "you just sit here sneering. Tell me, Beatrix-what's your real problem? Do you not believe

and waved her hands fast. "No! That's not what I meant! I just think it's impossible for Sofina to make that deal, that's all! I'm

realistic-you're being a coward. You've already surrendered before the fight even started. That's not realism, Beatrix-that's disappointment dressed up as wisdom. And you know what they say:

snapped. "You're a fool

that filled the room. "Then let's make this interesting. What

I'm scared? Name your terms, Alex the

outside the main estate. If Sofina pulls this off, that place is ours foever. You move into our home, and

"But if Sofina

said, leaning back with a half-smile. "Then let's see who ends

in too! If I win, I want

turned his gaze on her, raising a brow. "Alright.

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

love calling me a half-slave, how about this—if you lose, you

"Ha! You're really digging your own grave, loser! Fine-I'll take

"If you lose, I want

if I win, you'll accept our

sound. "You really think you can win this? I've already recorded the bet and sent the document to the government registry. It's official now. You'll

said. "I like it when everyone

didn't even glance at them. She

thing-whether the Wolfsbane family could actually secure that collaboration with the Eden

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

glancing out the window. "You really

smirked. "Trust?

him a look. "That's

to someone who hasn't met this family." Sofina rolled

"Hey, at least I bet on your

arched a brow. "You really think this bet will prove

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

her arms. "And

I'll finally fit right

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

won from Nikolaus-a machine so rare in Winchester that it

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

on the wheel. "Maybe it's

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

can."

him. "You really

road. "More than okay. It's a sign, Sofina. We're on our way up. And when

half anxious, half amused. "I wish I had

enough. Come on, Sofina. Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you'll land

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

me luck," Sofina whispered as the car

and walked around to open her door. "With me here, your luck's already doubled," he said lightly "Remember I'm the gardener

QUMS

eased. She wished she could

felt something empty out inside her-like a room with the furniture hauled

sky like a polished god. The idea that the Wolfsbane family—old, fractured, scandal-scarred—could sit at that table

partner with them was like a beggar asking a banker to lend him

challenge in front of the whole house. There

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

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

Group. The sight said

all every one

of them was hono

thing: a coffaboration

you doing here?" a

turned and found Heinrich standing with Katarina Rosenheim, both

the way a judge's did

sentence.

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

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

still buttoning up his Eden Group gardener uniform when a security drone glided into

was just shoved by a guest-he forced her out into the entrance area. Do you

the

recording. Heinrich's hand clamped around Sofina's arm, dragging her down the

straightened his collar, pulled on his gloves, and strode out toward the

crouched on the floor, gathering a

he said quietly, helping her pick them

No matter what I say, he just slips back into his

hurt you?" Alex asked, gently lifting

nothing serious,"

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

smiled faintly. "Maybe. But I like the feel of paper. I like

"The same

chuckled. "You really

than data in a file. You made me feel alive again. Sometimes I think it'd be better to live without all these

teased each other as they walked back through the glass corridor

a voice cracked the

are you doing here? I told you to stay away from me. I don't want you near

The color drained

it-the invisible chain that still tied

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

stepped forward, placing himself between Sofina

a guest. You have no authority

curled. "A gardener telling me how to behave? I'm a guest here-l expect to be treated like a

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

Do you know who I am? I'm Heinrich Schiller." Heinrich's face went hard." The chairman of Eden Group personally sent me an invitation—said I should run this place. You're a gardener. When I'm finished, you'll be out of a job.” "You can try," Alex said,

give him anything. He brings trouble."

while extending a hand. "Mr. Schiller. What an honor to have you

But somebody in your place had the

offend you. If someone attempted to remove you, tell me their name

gardener. He insulted me and tried to throw me

brow furrowed. "I've never seen you before. Are you pretending to be one of our employees by wearing that

a thousand workers in this two-hundred-floor building. You don't know all of them—same as↑ don't know everyone here. And

to forget your

you anytime

Schiller-apologize. Kneel and

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

you have any idea who Heinrich Schiller is?

not joining?" Alex

your respect. You're nothing compared to him! Now

Alex said calmly, shaking his

if you don't!"

Just kneel and bow three times, and maybe I'll let you keep your

kneel to me. Three kowtows, then

the rising tension. Laughter rippled through them like

trying to stand up to Heinrich?

voice joined in. "That gardener's got

"Who?" someone asked.

"Alex-the dunce himself."

crowd chuckled. "Oh hell, that Alex? The walking mistake of Winchester? No wonder he's

smirked and

desperate for my attention, haven't you? Well,

Your husband's a fool who doesn't know his place. How

bows, and I

Alex's arm,

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

I'll have the whole

be nothing outcasts. And

s

Sofina grabbed him tighter and shook her head.

steady. "Let me handle

her face. She

Sofina stepped forward alone.Chapter

was red as a boil. "You hit me, bitch-" He spat the word like

curse.

name do you think you're doing, bitch!" Dietrich

Heinrich inside Eden Group! Security robot - fetch

him with a hand at the small of

worry, Mister Heinrich. I've called security. Twenty lashes. She won't

syllable a command. "Give her what she

with Dietrich. "You'd better cancel that order,"

who'll get hurt is

his communication bracelet. "Security — attend. Punish

his head.

crowd began

dare she hit Heinrich," someone

know Heinrich's the

another voice

ID scan, threat assessment, authorization check. Its lenses swept over

system flagged a threat to her, an alert raced

room expected-Eve, the household robot Sofina had left at

her into his network bridge so she could talk to every Eden

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

the previous

optical

chest. The

anyone could process it, security robot drew an electric whip from a holster and began lashing

dark lines of blood followed. Dietrich's shout cut the air. "Stop! Not me -

crowd recoiled, noise tilting from triumph to alarm. "Is

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

confusion

stop until Dietrich had taken twenty

kicked

her mind struggling to catch up with the chaos unraveling

the blood away with the back of his wrist, his face twisting with

and

lunged toward her, his

had struck Sofina before-over

not because she was weak, but

seized his arm. "Find

— let go of me!"

hard lid. The

Heinrich screamed like an animal, pain folding him in on

knees, clutching at a hand that felt as if bone and

me go!" Heinrich gasped, tears wet

stepped out of the Eden Group meeting room like a storm breaking loose. Her heels struck the

-

just finished presenting their offer - a bid to replace the Krugers, who'd

to become the next family tied

they were desperater

same breath she'd promised Eden that Heinrich would cooperate if

main hall, the polished calm

holding Heinrich down, and Heinrich bled and

She stormed over and slapped Alex hard. "You half-slave!"

doing to my Heinrich? Let him go this instant. How dare

and released Heinrich's arm. "Calling the police won't help you," he said coolly. "I

that true?" Katarina

hit my nose." Heinrich

wearing someone else's name. Sue a noble

nobles still carried real power. The

struck a noble, the punishment could be

More often than not, the blame settled

protected

a commoner, most people just accepted it. That

the Prussia — power

her sharp

Sofina — to make me jealous, to get my attention. Well, you've got it. I think that's enough. Divorce her. I'll marry you later

frowned. "No. I won't divorce her. Go ahead and marry

don't have

her tone soft. "I'm doing at this for you and for your Sant Claire family. When im done with Heinrich, if you behave yourself,

disbelief hardening his

That everyone just spins around

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

was long gone. Just the sound of her

from me!" Katarina shouted. "Kneel! Now!" Katarina's voice

discovered something she wouldn't admit

him.

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

was cold and transactionaChapter

He didn't want to face Katarina—not here,

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

him, fierce and cold, while his

Alex," Katarina said, every

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

hard as steel. "You're not my wife anymore. I don't owe you a

hand whipped across his face. The slap cracked

something else trembled — a flash of tears she fought

I command you

this bitch!" Katarina

hesitation. Her eyes were quiet, but they held frost. "I pity you,"

Alex. Sofina caught it

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

to obedience. She had been treated like

the whispers

the Rosenheim title was bought

that they earned their barony by stabbing their own

silks and titles they were

shaking with fury. "She's spitting on my family

forward, eager to

security robot glided

Eden Group property," it announced

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

No violence," the security unit repeated. "Please

there, red-faced and unmoored robbed, for the moment, of

Sofina grabbed Alex's hand.

of here,"

talked about love! You said you loved me! You swore you'd do anything for

“You promised to obey me, to give me your body, to destroy yourself for me! You

and fade, it hides behind forced gestures-empty rituals, hollow vows, or even violence and

answer, another android glided up beside

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

froze in surprise. Alex squeezed her hand. “Go,” he said quietly. "This is

you?" she asked, her voice

to the garden. Only workers and authorized personnel can access it. These

followed the android down the corridor. The robot stopped at a glass door and bowed slightly. "Please wait here.

opened and a poised woman in a tailored suit stepped

follow me. Miss Von

blinked. "Miss Von Adler? The

She's expecting

dazed, and followed the

of Eden Group headquarters.

Adler-the most powerful woman in Eden-want to meet her

with the Wolfsbane family. She wasn't supposed to meet the chairman, only

It didn't make sense.

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,

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

said warmly, extending her hand. "I'm Marlena Von Adler, chairman of Eden Group. It's a pleasure

her pulse race. She was standing before the most powerful businesswoman in

she answered, but she kept her tone

met

to discuss the collaboration proposal. I know the Wolfsbane Group isn't

we work

never disappoint."

to .net

folder. "This is the Wolfsbane Group portfolio.

take a look."

smile and took

pages, then

soft but sure, "I've already reviewed your

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

out.

all felt too quick-too easy. She had spent weeks

possible question, expecting a long

in seconds.

back, her expression unreadable

usual standards. But our founder hold's your very nigh

"Your founder?" she asked, her voice barely

I know who

founder," she said softly, "is the most handsome man I've

unsure if she'd heard

understand

something in you. He believes in you. And that's why he's giving you this

her tone carried weight. Alex had instructed her not to reveal his identity,

calm. "Now, Miss Scheinwald, according to your proposal,

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

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

frowned slightly. "What do

me to increase

wants it set at

breath catching. "One... hundred

repeated, barely believing it.

opened a folder, retrieved a crisp contract, and slid it across

drafted the agreement-one hundred million dollars in total. If

the document in disbelief. Her mind spun. Eden Group-one

powerful corporations in Winchester-had not oChapter

out his cane and brought it down 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

arm was still strong; after just a few blows, Finnian's crisp white shirt was already stained with blood,

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

gently caught Mr. Everly's arm, her voice

glaring at Finnian and gasping

calm. "You should go. I'll talk to Grandpa,"

long, searching

clutched Amara's hand, his voice breaking. "Ama, Finnian's out of his mind. Can't you see? He insists on being with that actress, as if he's completely lost his senses. Why can't he see

fall as he squeezed her hand, his

what she felt anymore. Just yesterday, Finnian had confessed his feelings to her; today, he was determined to be with Liliana. Thinking back on the words he'd

something I've never told you, but I think

"What is it?"

Qu

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

was gentle but firm. She nearly said

Everly listened, utterly exhausted, guilt weighing

Amara for not wanting Finnian. Only

l.ne

her, how could she possibly like him? For years, it had been Mr. Everly Finself, swallowing his pride and pushing for them to be together-he knew that all too well.

I'm tired. I need to lie down

"Rest well, Grandpa. I'll see myself

unable to sleep. Was there 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

no longer wanting to dwell on it, and finally

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

Chapter 365

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at him briefly before looking away, steeling herself

up. "Let me give you

"That's not necessary-"

want to talk to you," he

was time to put things to rest between them. She nodded, walked out to

be real," she murmured, her voice

had dreamed of a collaboration like this

come with

had been

as she looked up

and awe.

whispered. "Thank you so

a performance. He

Predictable in the best way - a man who didn't

And losing that warmth

thought bitterly. It's

mornings, the silence at dinner, the ache of realizing

of pride instead

"Alex, I'm warning you!

vile and confident. "You're lucky to have my attention Start kneeling, sweetheart. Maybe I'let your husband keep his job.

moment, everything

Sofina smiled. Not

shot forward and cracked across his

his nose with a sickening

splattered. Heinrich stumbled back, clutching his face, howling

the crowd gasped.

u are."

about business. We both know why you're here. You came chasing my attention, and I've got none left

sight you're fucking pathetic and irritating."

like a man hauling out

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

over."

hit the ground, landing on her backside as the folder burst open, papers scattering across the marble steps.

you take care

What mattered was that she could finally pull herself out of the pain Dorian had caused her and start living for herself again.

few days later,

and Finnian, standing side by side in front of a house. Liliana's arm was looped through Finnian's, her face beaming with joy. The two looked unmistakably

anyone could tell he was the CEO-no, now the Chairman of the Everly

to have you." It looked almost

it feel

of their relationship, speculation they'd get married someday. But the Everly Group had

they didn't try to take down Liliana's post either. Their silence was

was suddenly flooded with

and recharged, Liliana returned to the film set. The moment she walked on, people flocked around her, eager to curry favor. Some even joked about when she and Finnian were

had been ages since she'd been the center of attention like this. Maintaining her graceful smile, Liliana answered their questions one by one,

?

back, saying she'd forced Finnian to stay by her side with her life on the line. Now, with everyone falling over themselves to flatter her, she couldn't

But so what?

When that day came,

room, Liliana hadn't been there long before Hogan appeared. “Hey, I heard

hospital after his accident, and another few days recovering at home. Now he

alright. Things were tough for a while, but it's over now. How about

eat well and get my

He'd always gotten along well with her, and they'd even had dinner together a few times

been the only member of

master at hiding her emotions. Even if she was uncomfortable, she'd never let it show. She chatted with Hogan

grace. After a few meaningless exchanges, he cut

her "sis- in-law." She couldn't tell if he'd done it on purpose or just out of

didn't falter. "Alright, go home and get some rest. If

room, his brow furrowed, thoughts tangled up

he spotted Amara coming down the

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

himself and strode over to her, blurting out, "You know Finnian and Liliana are officially together now,

not sure why he'd suddenly brought this up. "Weren't they already

cut him off. "Does it

He frowned, frustrated.

pregnant" with Finnian's child, they'd never actually been a couple. All

with the miscarriage-at least as far as Finnian knew-there shouldn't be anything left between them He'd wanted to explain this to Amara, but she hadn't

that Liliana had posted that tweet, despite not having a child anymore, suggested things had changed between her and Finnan. Maybe now they

what he actually wanted to know: "Nothing, really. Aren't you upset seeing

was the real reason he'd

looked puzzled. "Why

yes, the news had stung at first. But she'd already worked through those feelings. Why was he asking her about it

was lying. His frown deepened. "You

answered without hesitation.Chapter

her fists, her eyes darkening with a stormy

set was a whirlwind of activity. Everyone's workload had doubled or even tripled, but no one complained. The sooner they finished, the sooner they could rest; the

writer, Amara was naturally working overtime, revising scripts late into the night. This evening

Keith strolled in like he owned the

before saying, "Have you noticed? Lately, Finnian and Liliana

paused, then resumed typing, her eyes on the screen. "Weren't they always joined at the hip? How

put my finger on it," Keith replied, shaking his head. “It's just..... Finnian's gone the extra mile for Liliana these past few days. You haven't noticed him running back

Finnian took better care of Liliana than I take care of you?" Amara recalled, her chest tightening for a split second as she

big deal? Didn't Liliana just have

"True enough."

on Amara's expression, only relaxing when he saw

to sound offhand. "If you want, after it's born,

mid-sip and

all over her keyboard,

the keys

put your name down? How are you ever going to find a wife if you

marry you, Keith

couch and drawled, "Who says I want to get

parents are on my case about being single, but if I have a kid on paper, that'll

her eyes. As far

was talking nonsense-he was probably just worried about the stigma of being a single dad and had come up with this harebrained scheme as a

over and rapped him on the head. KeithChapter

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