Suddenly, Aria smiled at the delivery man. "Did you think I read that message for no reason?"Upon hearing this, the delivery man froze. He seemed to have realized something and frantically tried to back away.She didn't give him the chance to retreat. "No spirits trapped in the Earthbound Manifestation would dare speak of the conjurer. Angering them has unimaginable repercussions. But your behavior suggests you're not afraid. You know the conjurer won't appear while you're here."You murdered someone and got away with it. The young woman who died was discussed for a long time, and you used your story to gain sympathy. The Earthbound Manifestation can trap many spirits, not just the dead but also living souls, and even wrongly killed animals. Some individuals with strong fixations get lured inside, unable to escape."Every time you bring meals and insist on entering the door, it's not your fixation but the conjurer's. The conjurer is reminding everyone who enters the manifestation'
Philip looked around, not entirely understanding what was happening.Suddenly, a voice came from the corner of the room, "Thank you."It was a young woman's voice, soft and low, as if she was speaking right next to his ear.Philip felt a chill down his back and immediately hid behind Aria.Landon looked at him with obvious disdain and coldness in his eyes.At this moment, Philip could no longer care about offending anyone. He was scared that there would be more danger. "Aria, what's happening?"Aria ignored him and instead looked at the television in the living room.The delivery man appeared flustered on the TV. He was moving the young woman, and the keys in his pocket fell out when he bent down.Aria noticed this scene and looked at the void again. Her voice was calm as she said, "You've taken your revenge; it's time to let go of your resentment. You need to let go of this manifestation willingly."The only response was the frantic rattling of the cup and the TV screen flick
Aria clearly didn't want to take Landon along.Upon seeing this, Landon raised an eyebrow and looked at Philip. "Mr. Wagner, do you want to go for a walk?""No!" Philip quickly shook his head. "Mr. York, let's listen to Aria and watch over Mrs. Carver. It's too chaotic outside!"Landon twirled the rosary bracelet on his wrist. He didn't say a word. It was hard to make out his expression as he stood in the dark.Compared to Philip, he had many questions in his mind.For example, he wondered why the delivery man seemed to recognize him.The night outside grew darker.Countless earthbound spirits fought to escape.The good ones were trampled underfoot by the malicious ones, and a large group had already ripped open a passage to reality.At this moment, Sam appeared. He swallowed large swaths of black mist to block the exit and keep them from getting out.All evil spirits rose to the surface, leaving the subterranean vacant but for a sacrificial altar.The word "altar" felt like
The mother and son conspired to bring misfortune upon happy families. The old woman believed a daughter-in-law from a fortunate background would be ideal.There were no real demons, only the darkness that lurked within human hearts, twisting desires into temptations, which led to the manifestation. Only a single object remained with the Earthbound Manifestation shattered and vengeful spirits trapped within a Charm Coin by Aria. It was a simple candle jar, a customary offering to Gaia in times long past. However, this practice had become increasingly uncommon with waning faith in Gaia.Ever the pragmatist, Aria retrieved the jar, recognizing the value of even the most ordinary loot. As the remaining trapped spirits surged toward the surface, one among them cried out, searching for her daughter.Stepping forward, Aria inquired, "Is your daughter the seventh in line with the surname Carver?"The spirit, its consciousness fading, confirmed, "Yes, she was abducted. She wore a tiger ha
A lone candle jar on the east side of Daemon Grimlock's study exploded.His face contorted in shock, a stark contrast to his previous composure while studying the fortune. He stared at the shattered glass in disbelief. A violent cough erupted from his lungs, expelling blood as his blood pressure spiked.The commotion alerted the secretary outside, who attempted to enter. "Mr. Grimlock?""It's nothing!" Grasping his cane for support, Daemon clutched another candle jar tightly. His voice, aged by a decade in a mere moment, rasped, "Send someone to check on Owen. I need to know what he's doing right now.""Yes, sir!" The secretary promptly complied.A sinister glint flickered in Daemon's eyes.He struggled to understand what was happening. The Carver family's fortune, which he had painstakingly amassed, was inexplicably slipping away, trickling back to its rightful owners."Wait," he croaked, halting the secretary. "Ask Blake if Owen still trusts him implicitly, like before."Daem
The manager nodded."I've read about it in martial arts novels. It's pretty impressive!"Aria said calmly, "That man's robes are from Mount Dracotigris."Upon hearing this, the manager froze. "What do you mean?"She raised her chin and stated, "He's a real cultivator. Whoever kicks him out will be unlucky."The manager's jaw dropped. "No way, Ms. Carver…""Bring him back quickly. Cultivators aren't just in novels," Aria said casually. "Haven't you seen the videos online? There was even a recent cultivator conference.""What conference?" The manager jerked his head up, unsure if such fantastical things existed in reality."It's true," she said, showing him a page on her phone. "It was an academic conference. Judging by his attire, he likely holds a high position among cultivators."The manager immediately rushed to stop Homer from being ejected."Sir, I apologize for the misunderstanding!" the manager exclaimed hurriedly. "You're here for the cultivator conference, aren't you?"
Upon hearing this, Homer's eyes lit up. "Take me there quickly!"He was confident that this Mr. York was the apprentice he'd been searching for. However… "It's you?"Disappointment creased Homer's face as he stared at Landon in the posh hotel suite. "Why are you staying here instead of York Residence?"Aria watched the scene with amusement. When it came to York family gossip, most of it was true. For instance, Landon was blessed with such good fortune that even the esteemed wise sages of Mount Dracotigris were envious.Landon coughed awkwardly a few times, maintaining his composure. "Mr. Bond, it's been a while. You seem to be as vigorous as ever."Homer rolled his eyes and turned to Aria. "So this is the Mr. York who supposedly borrowed the fortune from the heavens?"She nodded. "He's practically Heaven's favored child. He has no need to borrow fortune at all," Homer said. "Mr. Bond, you exaggerated," Landon said with a chuckle, pouring Homer a cup of coffee.Then he glan
The ease of online exposure these days kept Homer, a recluse, hesitant to leave his mountain sanctuary.Even the Carver Group's PR department was caught off guard by the sudden publicity. Their hotel had skyrocketed to the top of trending topics, an unexpected stroke of good fortune that left them bewildered. Three of the top trending topics were all about their establishment!The most popular one read, "Shocking! I won the lottery! The wise sage's words are true! Hurry up and get a room!"Prior to this, the hotel's rating had dipped to a mediocre 4.3 stars. Worse, business conferences had dwindled at the ageing five-star establishment. Comments were rife with complaints about guests frequently falling ill during their stays, encountering rude and passive-aggressive staff, and experiencing inexplicable bad luck after their visits. Some even dismissed any chance of good fortune and accused Homer of being a fraud hired by the hotel for a publicity stunt.Learning of this, the hot
Chaos erupted at the auction. For all their pride and arrogance, the wealthy clients' expressions had twisted into pure panic the moment something went wrong.So, their first reaction was to seek a staff member."The power's unstable!" Dave spoke into the microphone, trying to project calm. "Everyone, stay calm. There's scheduled maintenance in town—it's just affecting the electricity. Nothing's wrong."He genuinely believed that. It was what he'd been told.But Aria knew better. The blackout wasn't random. It was a signal. Sam had tracked down the source of the call. With the exits sealed off, Aria had everything she needed to act.A faint smirk curled on her lips. Without hesitation, she grabbed Landon and swiftly took Aliya hostage. Her movements were sharp, practiced, so fast that no one around her even had time to react.Then came the needles.Aria flicked her wrist, sending a series of acupuncture needles flying. The rich guests closest to her froze in place, locked in stu
Tony's accusation stirred a ripple through the room, and it didn't escape Dave's attention. With a subtle flick of his wrist, he signaled to someone nearby.Aria caught the movement. Her fingers tensed, ready to slip free of the rope she had already loosened. But before she could act, she heard a smooth, composed voice glide through the air."I need her to boost my luck," the man said coolly. "I've done my research. She's the ideal bride for someone like me."Dave stopped in his tracks, and it seemed like he was telling someone else to verify what Landon had said."Sir, it checks out," one of the staff murmured after a brief consultation. "Mr. Crow's fate is complicated. The master said only a spiritual match could extend his life. Otherwise, he won't make it past his next birthday."Dave let out a low chuckle, visibly relaxing. "Well then, Mr. Crow, it seems you've come to the right place. Please—carry on, everyone."Aria listened in stunned silence. Landon hadn't lied. His life
Aria couldn't tear her eyes away from Dave.He was still quietly speaking to the man on the screen, their exchange shrouded in secrecy. No one nearby could hear what they were saying—but Aria could guess. It had to be a deal of some sort, something about her. Everything about Dave's posture, the glint in his eyes, told her this wasn't just business. It was personal.She glanced up at the clock again, nerves coiling in her chest. Something was wrong. Sam was taking longer than usual. That wasn't like him.The auction was nearing its close. They couldn't miss the chance to strike. Sasha, glowing with excitement, clapped her hands and declared, "Six million! It looks like no one else is bidding—congratulations to our newest member, Mr. Tiger—""Ten million dollars."The voice sliced clean through the noise, calm, clear, and cold.Everyone turned toward it.A man stood at the edge of the crowd, dressed in a sleek tuxedo dusted with black feathers, his mask intricate and dark.T
Aria had once told Sam to avoid chaos if he could—but she'd also said that when desperation knocked, rules could bend.Now was one of those moments.Sam hesitated only briefly before diving in.He had to know who was behind this. Who kept targeting Aria? Who was pulling the strings in the dark? And once Sam decided on something, there was no turning back.Without Aria by his side, he breached the system, knowing full well the other side had already alerted the police.The firewall he faced wasn't just tough—it was nearly impenetrable. It filtered everything, controlling access with surgical precision. But Sam wasn't interested in the broader network. He narrowed his focus and cut straight to the source, filtering out all the noise to lock onto the actual IP.The auction raged on aboveground. The man behind the screen, confident in his usual routine, remained calm and unaware that the mask he'd worn for years was finally slipping. He'd always stayed out of sight, appearing only
While Aria discreetly signaled to move, the auction hall was buzzing with excitement. Laughter echoed, wine glasses clinked, and the room pulsed with greed.Sasha's voice came through the mic, smooth and cheerful. "While everyone's enjoying themselves, let's welcome our latest arrival of the evening."She glanced at the man beside her—her bodyguard—who immediately stiffened under her gaze.To the crowd, it looked like he was escorting Aria to the stage under control. In truth, Aria's hand was already pressed lightly against his chest, right over a poisoned pressure point. He knew better than to resist—he'd seen what she was capable of.And she'd made her warning crystal clear—if she was exposed or captured, he wouldn't live to see morning.The guests didn't notice a thing. All eyes were on Aria, their expressions hungry. They saw value in her—fresh, young, healthy. To them, she wasn't a person. She was premium merchandise.She was brought to stand beside a young woman who had alr
Eamon and Waymond had just been thrown out of the Chamber of Commerce. Waymond's face was flushed with fury, his eyes red. "Eamon, why didn't you let me speak earlier? Mr. Lincoln was being unreasonable!"Eamon, ever perceptive, shook his head. "Mr. Lincoln's been bribed. He was never going to take our side."Wise and strategic, Eamon had always been top of his class—but now, he was even sharper when it came to reading a room."I'm guessing Aria found something during her investigation that made them nervous," he continued. "Durand couldn't have controlled Lincoln on his own. There's more to it."Waymond frowned, still struggling to piece things together. "But who could bribe Mr. Lincoln? Not even the mayor has that kind of sway. He's—""What if it's someone from the state?" Eamon cut in, eyes flicking back toward the building. "We need to tell Dad. There's no point in staying here, but there is someone we can talk to.""Who?" Waymond asked quickly. "Lucas Murray—the new secr
Durand's expression darkened; Eamon was right. Amos and the official from the state had originally wanted to work with the Grishams, especially Eamon. That was why they used the Fitzroys as a bridge to approach him. Unfortunately, Magdalene had failed to establish any rapport with the Grishams.Instead, she kept criticizing Eamon, claiming he followed Laura's every word, and insisted they had plenty of ways to manipulate the Grishams. In the end, the divorce erupted into a scandal, and the entire Fitzroy family was imprisoned.Ironically, Eamon's actions only impressed the state official more. Durand had even heard Amos say that their leader hoped Eamon would continue working with them as his involvement would ensure their plans progressed smoothly.That knowledge burned Durand with frustration. No matter what he did, he could never measure up to Eamon."It looks like you still haven't grasped the situation, Mr. Grishman. Mr. Grisham Senior has begged everyone, but where did it le
"I'm happy to take over the Grishams' responsibilities," Durand said.Waymond scoffed coldly. "You're not worthy of it.""Mr. Lincoln, it seems someone's not too happy with you."Durand, dressed like a gentleman as always, adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, "Waymond, you've been in this business long enough to know how things work. The Grishams have gained a lot over the years. It's not up to you to decide whether to hold on to it."Leonardo stood, trying to ease the tension. "There's no point in arguing. Let's settle this the traditional way—with an anonymous vote. Everyone, write down whether you think the Grishams should step down. Let the vote speak for itself. That way, it'll be fair."He instructed someone to bring in a box, paper, and pens. Each member was handed a set. It was more for show than anything else; everyone already knew how the vote would go.Eamon saw right through their performance, his gaze turning cold as he sat silently. The votes were quickly cast an
"Mr. Grisham, how long your niece stays locked up isn't up to us—it depends on the severity of her crime," Durand said. "As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you should understand how serious the situation she's stirred up really is. Haven't you read any of the online news?"People are now hoping the Grisham family goes bankrupt. They're even demanding that we, the Chamber, investigate this matter ourselves!"His words made those who had previously wanted to side with the Grishams start to hesitate. With the Draycotts and Fitzroys already doomed, the Grishams had seemed like the next best option. But no one had expected Aria to make such a critical mistake.Public sentiment had turned sharply. The Chamber of Commerce was now being blamed for enabling an economic disaster. What angered the public most was Aria's carefully crafted image. If she'd shown her true colors from the start, they might have ignored her. But pretending to be righteous, only to betray the common people—that w