With a crisp, loud smack, Brittany was sent flying. She spun in the air before crashing heavily to the ground.When she opened her mouth, two of her teeth fell out. Her nose was bleeding, too.For a split second, a deathly silence came over the place.All the Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples gaped in horror. They looked like they'd just seen a ghost.Never in their dreams had they expected a man to hit Brittany so hard that she was sent flying, and not after she had kissed him!That was Brittany—the most seductive and alluring charmer among them all! She was a great beauty; countless talented young men fought for her attention.Even men from elite and prominent backgrounds admired her!She was used to men fawning and bending backward for her. None of them ever showed their temper or said anything mean to her.Dustin was unhappy after getting a kiss from Brittany, and he even slapped her!How dare he do something like that? Was he out of his mind?"You—you hit me?" Brittany sc
"Saving her is easy. But who is she to me? Why should I save her?" Dustin asked."Young man, if you save Edith, we will forget about all past grudges!" Letitia coaxed. "Besides, I will let you choose one of our disciples as your wife if you wish.""I have no interest in any of you from the Jade Maiden Sisterhood. If you want me to save Madam Parker, I have three conditions," Dustin said."What are your conditions?" Letitia squinted at him."First, I shall be paid 50 billion." Dustin raised a finger."Fifty billion? That's outrageous!" Brittany was angered."Then I guess we do not have a deal." Dustin left them no room to negotiate."Alright, alright. Fifty billion it is!" Letitia nodded.Money was not important. As long as Madam Edith was alive, they could always make more. The Jade Maiden Sisterhood lacked no rich men fawning over them."Second, Nikki Horst returns to the Jade Maiden Sisterhood." Dustin raised another finger."That wouldn't be a problem." Letitia agreed re
"What are you doing still standing there? Get lost!" Letitia shouted at her impatiently.Brittany seemed to wake up from a trance. She glared at Dustin as she pointed a finger at him. "You … you wretched bastards! Curse you!""Throw her out!" Letitia didn't want to deal with her anymore. The Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples dragged Brittany away on Letitia's orders. If she stayed longer, she might anger Dustin with her nasty words. That would be terrible for them."I've driven her out of the sisterhood now, young man. Will you save Edith now?" Letitia asked after getting rid of Brittany."Pay up first," Dustin reminded."Sure." Letitia dared not wait any longer. She immediately transferred all the money she had to Dustin.Once the transaction was completed, Dustin nodded reluctantly.Under his orders, his men brought the unconscious Edith into the infirmary.After renovating Zephyr Lodge, it now had all sorts of facilities. From infirmaries to sparring halls and libraries,
Dustin jumped to his feet when he heard what Florence said. "How did that happen?""You beast! How dare you ask me how that happened? It's all because of you, of course!" Florence shouted. "After she met you the other night, Dahlia seemed to have lost her soul! She refused to eat or drink, and she cried endless nights! Then, this morning, she attempted suicide by jumping off the building!"Dustin felt like he'd been struck by lightning. His mind went completely blank. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought that Dahlia would act so rashly!How could she attempt suicide by jumping off a building without saying anything to anyone at all? Had she lost her mind?"She … How is she now?" There was a tremble in Dustin's voice."She's still in a critical condition and doing horribly! Her life is in danger!"And this is all because of you! You beast! You're the reason Dahlia threw herself off the building!"I'm warning you, Rhys! If anything happens to Dahlia, I'll make you pay
"Who are you? Do I know you?"Her words shocked Dustin.Florence and the rest of them exchanged bewildered looks."You … you don't recognize me?" Dustin was stunned."Should I know you?" Dahlia looked at him coldly.It was like she was looking at a stranger. She looked at him warily as if she wanted Dustin to stay away from her."Is something wrong? Let me have a look." Dustin went forward to check on her pulse. But the moment he touched her, she recoiled instantly, as if his touch burned her."What are you doing?" Dahlia looked at him frostily, caution in her eyes.Dustin wasn't used to how she was treating him like a total stranger. Could she be suffering from … amnesia?"Dahlia, what's wrong? Don't scare me!" Florence was flustered. Looking close to tears, she approached Dahlia and asked, "You can't have forgotten everything, can you? Don't you remember me?""Mom, what are you saying? Of course, I remember you!" Dahlia looked at her, confused."You do? Oh, that's grea
"Take care, and don't do anything reckless anymore. We'll meet again in the future."Dustin turned to leave after saying farewell. It seemed like things were fated to end between them."Mom, that man was weird. Have I met him before?" Dahlia frowned as she watched Dustin leave. Somehow, he made her feel nostalgic. But she couldn't recall who he was."No, of course, you haven't met him before. He's just an insurance agent. Why would you be concerned about him? "Here, lie down and have a good rest." Florence was overjoyed."That's right, Dahlia. You've just had a traffic accident and barely survived. Don't overthink things," Julie chimed in.To them, Dahlia forgetting about Dustin was a good thing."Okay." Dahlia nodded. Though things seemed weird to her, she didn't give them further thought.…Dustin's emotions were a mess on his way back.The current outcome was a relatively good ending for both of them. But somehow, Dustin couldn't find it within him to feel happy.Maybe
Dustin frowned when he saw Brittany. "Why are you here? Haven't you been kicked out of the sisterhood?""If Nikki can be reaccepted, then so can I! How's that? Do you like the surprise?" Brittany taunted as she crossed her arms.Dustin could plan all he wanted but could not go against Edith's word."I need a reasonable explanation." Dustin looked at Letitia."Young man, I must admit that you have cured Edith of her injuries. But we've paid you 50 billion as compensation. "I think that's more than enough. You should be appreciative," Letitia said calmly.She looked poised and showed no signs of remorse."Money is one thing, but this is an entirely different matter. Since you promised me, then you should have kept it. "The Jade Maiden Sisterhood is a decent guild. Are you going back on your word?" Dustin asked frostily."So what if we go back on our word? You have no place meddling in affairs of the sisterhood!" Brittany huffed."That's right! We will do as we please. It has
"Wait!"Nikki came running out and stood between Dustin and Edith. "Can we please sit down and talk things through calmly? There must be a misunderstanding. Please don't fight.""Get lost! This is none of your business!" Edith glared at her fiercely."Madam Edith, Dustin saved your life today! You can't repay his kindness with revenge!" Nikki was exasperated."Shut up! You're in no place to speak here!" Edith lost her cool. It was embarrassing for her to be lectured by her disciple."Madam Parker, I'm giving you a chance for Nikki's sake."Dustin demanded coldly, "If you break Brittany's leg, we can all pretend that nothing happened today.""Utter rubbish! Why should anyone do as you say? Who do you think you are?" Brittany glared at him."Have you gone mad, brat? What makes you think that I'll take orders from you?" Edith looked at him condescendingly."Why?" Dustin stepped forward before confidently saying, "Because I have the original copy of the Jade Maiden Scripture!
The crowd murmured among themselves as they looked at the broken broadsword and the stunned expression on Lycas' face."That strike was insanely fast and dead-on too," someone commented."I never expected General Derin's secret move to be defeated like that. It's unbelievable," another said."I thought General Derin could turn things around for us, but he still lost," a third added.Everyone knew how strong Lycas was. As a fully developed grandmaster with a broadsword, he was supposed to be unstoppable. However, at the critical moment, Dustin's strike shattered his broadsword.Lycas' loss was sudden and almost unbelievable. Some blamed bad luck and thought he could have won if things had gone differently. But those who truly understood what happened knew better.Even with Dustin's movement restricted and Lycas unleashing his strongest technique, he still pierced through the opening with near-impossible timing. That strike wasn't just lucky but masterful. It was a brutal display
Lycas gripped his broadsword with both hands and roared. The sound cracked through the air like a thunderclap.He sidestepped sharply and charged straight at Dustin like a raging bull.The heavy broadsword moved like it weighed nothing in his hands. He swung it with brutal speed. Each arc cut through the air with a sharp, whistling howl, as if it could slice through anything in its path.The broadsword came crashing down on Dustin with bone-crushing force, like a mountain falling from the sky.Lycas threw his full weight into the swing. As the sword descended, the force of the strike stirred up dust from the ground. It sent plumes of dirt in every direction.He knew Dustin was no ordinary opponent. If he wanted a chance to win, he had to make the first move and seize the initiative."Nice form," Dustin said.As Lycas launched a powerful, aggressive attack, Dustin remained calm and unruffled. With effortless grace, he sidestepped without the slightest rush. The broadsword whizz
Bryce knew Dustin was strong, but this was beyond anything he anticipated. Though he had gained the upper hand early on, Bryce still believed his skills matched Dustin's.From his observation, Dustin relied on martial arts techniques and hit-and-run tactics. Plus, he didn't dare to confront Bryce head-on.He had assumed that as long as he found an opening, he could exploit Dustin's weaknesses and defeat him. But when Dustin finally stopped holding back, Bryce realized how wrong he'd been.It turned out Dustin wasn't just playing hit-and-run tactics. Instead, he'd held back the entire time to spare Bryce from an embarrassing defeat.The moment Dustin stopped holding back, Bryce didn't stand a chance. Even without special techniques, Dustin's raw power, speed, and reflexes were enough to crush him.The difference in their abilities was staggering, so much so that no amount of skill could close the gap.And it wasn't just Bryce who was shocked. Except for Nathaniel, who had already
Bryce's request for a fight heated up the atmosphere.Soldiers around the training ground started murmuring among themselves."Lieutenant General Gantz is a legend in our ranks. His combat skills are no joke—he's taken down countless enemies on the battlefield. I haven't seen him in action in years," one young soldier said with awe."Yeah," a veteran agreed. "Lieutenant General Gantz has been through countless battles, and his strength is unmatched. If he steps in, Mr. Rhys might be in for a rough time."After the fight earlier, the soldiers knew firsthand that Dustin was no slouch. Otherwise, he wouldn't have easily defeated the five elite soldiers.But in their minds, no matter how skilled Dustin was, he stood no chance against Bryce.Bryce was a grandmaster not just in rank but in skill, physical strength, and battlefield experience. He was stronger than any expert from the martial world.Nathaniel had once recruited several grandmaster martial artists to spar with them, but
"Your Highness, the soldiers under me are trained solely in killing techniques. If they hurt your guest, things could get ugly," Lycas said.He didn't say it outright, but the message was clear. If Dustin wasn't strong enough, he'd better stay out of the way, or he was just asking for trouble.Bryce didn't say anything, but the look he gave Dustin was full of contempt. How could a pampered young man like Dustin measure up to soldiers who've been through the grind? He figured Dustin was probably some heir from a prominent family who knew Nathaniel and was trying to assert his relevance."You guys are blind to greatness when it's standing right in front of you." Nathaniel chuckled and shook his head. He added, "If any of you manage to land a hit on Mr. Rhys, I'll pay out a thousand gold. But honestly, I doubt any of you have what it takes."At the mention of rewards, the soldiers perked up. Their eyes lit up with excitement. They were practically itching to charge at Dustin and g
During the meal, Nathaniel arranged for two women to accompany Dustin.Throughout history, even the greatest heroes couldn't resist the allure of beautiful women. Sometimes, a woman of extraordinary beauty could be far more enticing than rare treasures or high status.Dustin remained composed. He neither showed any enthusiasm nor did he deliberately reject it.As for the women seated on either side of him, he treated them with polite respect. He enjoyed a drink and the easy conversation with them, but nothing beyond that.However, Nathaniel saw it differently. To him, it seemed that Dustin was unimpressed by the women at his side.Considering Dustin's background, it made sense. A woman of ordinary beauty would never catch his attention. Nathaniel realized he would need to pull out all the stops. Perhaps, it was time to bring out his most prized companion and see how Dustin responded.After the meal, he led Dustin to his mansion's training ground.The midday sun blazed overhead
"This…" Dustin began.He hesitated on purpose and didn't give an immediate answer.Upon seeing him deep in thought, Nathaniel was convinced that Dustin was weighing the pros and cons. He leaned in slightly, his smile widening with anticipation. "You should know how much the Dracan essence means to me," he said. "If I can gather all the essences, it’d be like fate is on my side. My path to the throne would be unstoppable—and when that time comes, your reward will be waiting."As he spoke, his gaze stayed on Dustin as he searched for any sign of hesitation in his expression.Dustin looked up and met his eyes. For a moment, something unreadable flickered in his gaze.He pressed his lips together and spoke slowly. "You're right, Your Highness. But it wasn't easy to find the Dracan essence. I went through quite a few twists and turns. Besides, if I give it to you, it might put me at odds with the other two princes."He paused deliberately and left the rest unsaid. Still, the concern
The next morning, Nathaniel was inside a lavish mansion. He was in his study, flipping through an ancient manuscript. One of his most trusted aides hurried in and lowered his voice, "Your Royal Highness, word just came in. Another trace of Dracan essence has been found."Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and closed the manuscript. "Where?""Our investigation shows it ended up in the hands of Logan Rhys," the aide replied."Logan Rhys?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes slightly and was surprised by the name.He had tried to win Logan over before and spared no expense, but never received a response. Later, he discovered that Tristan and Matthias had done the same.Fortunately, Logan still hadn't picked a side. He might be holding out for the best offer, but at least he hadn't shut the door on Nathaniel.With the Dracan essence in his hands, Logan had become an even more valuable target. In addition to the West Lucozian monarchy, Logan was an ultimate grandmaster, which made him worth recrui
"Give me a moment to think," Dustin said.Grace's words sent him into deep thought.After all, carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small burden. First, he had to be tough enough to handle it. Then, he needed the resolve to accept what came with it. Once he carried that burden, it meant taking on a heavyweight.He used to act on his own terms and do things as he pleased without worrying too much about the consequences. But once the nation's fate was involved, everything changed.Not that he had many options.Dustin could either hide in Sacred Wrym Summit and hope Arion would protect him, or take a risk and absorb the Dragonmarsh's fate to push through his cultivation's bottleneck. Between the two, he was leaning toward the latter."I can give your plan a shot," Dustin said suddenly. "But we're still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we're doing this, we need to find that last one first."Only once all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly wield the