Sasha sneered. "Yes, I do! Get lost if you know what's good for you. I'm telling you now that Ivan is here, too. Once he comes back from the restroom and sees you here, I guarantee you'll be dead meat."Felix didn't want to waste time arguing with Sasha. However, it had been a while since he'd arrived at the antiques market, and the porcelain teapot was the only item that had caught his eye. Secondly, since Sasha had mentioned Ivan, it meant it wouldn't be long until she was out of his hair.So, he told Mike, "10,100 dollars."Sasha burst into laughter at that. "Get the hell out of here if you can't afford to buy anything. Stop acting like you're some big shot!"Mike felt resigned. After some thought, he said, "Kiddo, you can't scare your competitors off with that sort of counteroffer. You need to offer an amount that shows you're serious about it."He actually wanted to tell Felix off for only increasing the price by a hundred dollars. What if Sasha did the same? He would earn a
Meanwhile, Sasha ran after Ivan as quickly as she could, finally managing to stop him in the parking lot. "What did you mean by that, Ivan? Why were you so polite to Felix?"Ivan looked at her, his face devoid of emotion. "It's none of your fucking business!"Sasha's jaw dropped. Ivan had always been gentle and tender to her. How dare he speak to her like that! "You have to give me an explanation for this!"Before today, Ivan would've just slapped Sasha and left. Who did she think she was, acting so obnoxiously before him? But now that he knew about the relationship between Felix and Warren… Sasha was annoying, but if he really were to do anything to her, would Felix come after him?Left with no choice, he said, "Felix is trained in martial arts and is good in a fight. I've lost the nerve to pick on him now. Are you happy with that?"He got into his car and left, seeing that Sasha was no longer stopping him. After a while, Sasha returned to her senses, and her expression becam
It was noon. Xena and Jordan were having lunch in a private room at one of Avesburgh's restaurants."I'm sorry, Xena. My mentor is focusing on researching new medical techniques, and it's been years since he's treated anyone. If not for that, I would've asked him to check on your grandfather," Jordan said.Xena nodded. "I appreciate the sentiment. Dr. Fielding has already verified that Grandpa's been poisoned with the Phantom Poison. I don't mean anything else by inviting you for lunch. Anyway, I doubt your mentor would be able to do anything even if he were around."Phantom Poison? As one of the best traditional medicine practitioners of the younger generation, Jordan had definitely heard of it before."Phantom Poison? Xena, you might have to prepare yourself. Only the miracle doctor has ever managed to cure it, and that was for someone who'd been poisoned for a few days. Mr. Summers Senior has already been suffering from it for a whole year."He couldn't bring himself to say any
Felix was sure the energy in the teapot wouldn't lead him astray. If that were the case, perhaps the porcelain teapot had a hidden side.A middle-aged man in a suit approached. He looked spirited. "I'm honored and pleasantly surprised by your presence, Ms. Kinsley."Wendy said helplessly, "Oh, don't tease me, Mr. Camden. We're short on time, so we'll get straight to the point."Felix pulled out the porcelain teapot and said, "I don't think this porcelain teapot is as it seems. I'd like to ask you to take a look at it and see whether you can restore it, Mr. Camden."Thomas took the porcelain teapot and started appraising it. Over ten minutes later, his eyes lit up. "You've got a good eye, young man. You've got a treasure here! "There's a layer of special material enveloping the teapot—only the teapot makers of the era knew how to create this. Ordinary people have no idea this even exists. Even I only learned about it after a recent gathering with a few old friends. "Once this la
Anyone else would have leaped at the opportunity without a second thought. After all, Thomas had already mentioned how much he had sold the other Mystic Drake Teapot for, proving how sincere his offer was.Selling a teapot bought for 10,000 dollars for over 20 million dollars was like a golden ticket to financial freedom.But Felix shook his head. What he found somewhat amusing was that Mike's supposedly false claim was, in fact, true. The teapot had indeed originated from Henry Davies, the famous teapot maker of the Clearwater era."Sorry, Mr. Camden, but I plan to give this to an elder. It's not for sale," Felix said.Thomas noticed Felix's expression didn't waver even when over 20 million dollars was mentioned. Felix obviously didn't care about money, and raising the price further would be futile."But I can tell you who will receive this porcelain teapot. It'll be entirely up to him whether he decides to sell it," Felix added.Thomas saw a glimmer of hope and nodded politely.
Warren's expression shifted. His deep love for antiques had honed his eye for detail far beyond the average person's.Sasha was confused when she noticed that the porcelain teapot seemed a bit different from what she remembered. But deep down, she knew it was the same teapot. She couldn't help but scoff inwardly.Did Felix really believe that a few cosmetic alterations could somehow make it more valuable? She thought he was such a fool and dismissed him as nothing more than a country bumpkin."Yeah, Dad! This is pretty pricey. I actually saw Felix drop a whopping 5,000 dollars on it at the antiques market. He's so considerate, isn't he?"The sarcasm in her voice was impossible to miss, and Milo laughed right on cue."5,000 dollars? Felix, that's an insult to Uncle Warren! Every guest here brings gifts worth tens, even hundreds of thousands of dollars! How could you—""Shut up!" Warren cut him off sharply. In a deep voice, he said, "It's the thought that counts. Do gifts always ha
"Dad, I'm leaving now. You know you and Ruth share the same birthday, right?"Feeling she'd stayed long enough at the birthday party, Sasha stood up and kissed Warren on the cheek. She had promised Ruth she would be there for the second round of celebrations."Okay. Take Felix with you," Warren replied.Felix felt a wave of helplessness. Warren was clearly eager to see him and Sasha together, but he probably had no idea how different Sasha could be when she was away from home.Seeing no point in arguing with Warren, Sasha smiled and said, "Alright, Felix. Let's go."Warren seemed to have something else in mind and added, "I'll call you later. Make sure Felix picks up."A flash of irritation flickered in Sasha's eyes. Warren had her exactly where he wanted her. She had intended to part ways with Felix as soon as they left, but now, it was clear she'd have to bring him along.Felix had been hoping for the same thing—to go his own way—but now, it was obvious that those plans were r
Warren shot back at Nattie, "You don't know a damn thing! This is a genuine antique. A masterpiece! Do you even know who Thomas is? Would he lie to me? If I bring this to him now, we'll get 25 million dollars on the spot!"Nattie's eyes lit up with excitement. "Then, what are we waiting for? Warren, I know you're passionate about these antiques, but 25 million dollars could change everything for our family."Even if Warren were a billionaire, his wealth was tied to the scale of his company. The reality shifted once his bank loans and other debts were factored in.That was how things worked in the business world. When a company failed, the owner's financial ruin could come immediately. It was a stark contrast to the losses faced by ordinary people who rely on personal savings.Milo's face was a mix of emotions. After all, they were discussing 25 million dollars. Who wouldn't be tempted by that?"No way! This was a gift from Felix, and I have to return it. It's worth far too much. I
The guide said, "This is where the selected contestants rest. The yard is huge and has everything you need. As long as you don't leave this yard, you're free to move around. I'll bring you to your room now."The yard looked huge, with fixtures of bridges and flowing rivers. Felix even passed by a fake mountain. It was large enough for hundreds of people to climb, standing thousands of feet tall and looked quite majestically.No one on Earth or Aquamarinus could have built such a luxurious residence. Felix could even see a bar and massage parlor, showing how indispensable technology was in the universe. His room was luxurious, around 2000 square feet, and was decorated with traditional but modern touches. "This is your room. I'll take my leave now, goodbye." The young man left with a bow. Felix turned around and stood on the patio. Outside his room was a large lake, with even fish swimming inside."A new neighbor? Did you just arrive today?" The sudden voice came from the patio
Felix arrived at the location of one of Nine Flames, where the guards instantly collapsed, their eyes rolling back as they fainted.By now, darkness had arrived. He walked forward without any hesitation, his right hand touching the flame.There was no need for any special tools. The flame simply vanished, and only Felix knew that it was absorbed in an instant by his Starmark.With the disappearance of the flames, people in many places immediately dropped to their knees.The light that should have lasted throughout the night vanished, and the darkness of Desolated Lands descended almost instantly. Every light went out in an instant.Screams echoed everywhere, and panic spread like wildfire. Even though their loved ones were close by, they couldn't see them with their eyes and could only communicate through voice.Scenes like this were unfolding in many places, even in Cloud City."It's really started," Eira said. She was in Cloud City. Although Luigi was standing on her left, h
Despite Thiago's murderous glare and overwhelming killing intent, Felix wasn't scared. In fact, it made him smile.Due to the unique trait of the Dragon Rebirth, his opponent had to harbor a true desire to kill him in order for Felix to grow stronger. Otherwise, it would all be meaningless. At least so far, everything was unfolding just as he expected.Meanwhile, Holt was silently praying like crazy as he lay on the ground. The battle had already begun, and his companion had understood his message. This was their only shot, however slim, at killing Felix.As time passed and the afternoon crept past 3:00 pm, his companion started to falter. His attacks were growing sluggish. He hadn't been injured, but he was clearly on the defensive now.Seeing this, Felix completely lost interest. Once his opponent lost the will to kill him, the Dragon Rebirth would no longer grow.Still, the battle wasn't for nothing. He'd made solid progress and was a little closer to becoming a Celestial Realm
Felix had clearly found Holt's weak spot. These guys were so desperate to extend their lives that they turned the entire Aquamarinus into a breeding ground. Obviously, they were terrified of death. As long as there was even the slightest chance of survival, they'd take it.And sure enough, Holt immediately agreed. He pulled out some kind of device and flew off, clearly contacting his comrades."But even if I agreed," Holt said, "the three of us split up and searched in different directions. Even if they rush over, they won't make it until tomorrow."The fear in his eyes was obvious, so much so that Felix couldn't help but laugh."How interesting," Felix said. "You made a deal with the Ant Queen, right? Couldn't she at least give you something to help you move freely through Desolated Lands at night?"Holt shot him a bitter smile. "The Ant Queen's children—the soldier ants—are born hunters. That instinct can't be erased. And honestly, we've never needed to go out at night anyway."
Lumen flew out and quickly returned. Felix's expression eased completely, and with a step, he vanished from where he stood."Chasing me was fun last time, huh? Did you think it'd go the same this time?" he asked.When he reappeared, someone was already lying on the ground about ten yards ahead. It was a figure fully shrouded in a gray robe, a man named Holt Bovington.That was Felix holding back. Otherwise, Lumen's previous strike could've shattered Holt's soul on the spot."Felix Zeller? It really is you!" Holt's voice was full of shock. Whatever he'd planned to do was already too late. His soul had taken a devastating blow, and he no longer had the strength to fight."Yeah, it's me. Just like I suspected, you people really aren't all that strong when it comes to soul power."Felix had spared his life because he wanted answers."If you answer a few questions honestly, I'll let you live. Even with your soul badly damaged, I assume someone who knows about Nine Flames and Desolate
Three months later, deep within a mountain on Aquamarinus, a meeting was taking place. Who would've imagined palace-like structures hidden within the mountain itself?In one of the chambers, a sky-blue dome adorned the ceiling. Beneath it, three figures in gray robes sat cross-legged, their bodies cloaked in shadow. Their faces were completely obscured."I went to see the Ant Queen yesterday. There's definitely something wrong.""Enough with the vague talk. Be specific.""In just three months, the Ant Queen has lost millions of her children. Do you even understand what that means?"The atmosphere shifted as all three took a sharp breath. A long silence followed before one finally spoke, "Perhaps our earlier theory is right. Is someone hunting soldier ants in Desolated Lands at night?""It has to be. How else do you explain millions of casualties? At this rate, we're down to just a million soldier ants across the entire planet. If this keeps up, they'll be wiped out in a month. An
"I didn't expect you to be a doctor, too. Thanks," Myles said, but then suddenly froze. His mind started racing.Wait a minute! He took down a tiger of True Blood Realm. On top of that, he was extremely skilled in medicine. That could only mean…"You figured out who I am?" Felix asked with a smile, trying to put Myles at ease. Despite that, Myles couldn't hide his fear. "You're Felix Zeller?""That's right. Judging by your reaction, I take it I've become a traitor to The Recovery Association? Or maybe some kind of unforgivable villain?"The air grew a bit awkward, and Myles shot him a strained smile."Not exactly… It's just that you took down the Flame Monarch. That's kind of hard to wrap my head around."His expression shifted again."Actually, everyone's still pretty confused. When we woke up this morning, every city, town, and even the smallest villages received a message. Five days from now, the Flame Monarch is holding a Flame Ceremony."Felix paused, frowning. "What's t
With Lumen and Indigo attacking and the Infinite Shield defending, Felix held his ground. Occasionally, he cast minor spells that barely consumed any soul power. Even as the monsters surged toward him like a tidal wave, not one of them could so much as scratch him.Feeling the steady stream of energy flooding into him, Felix grinned. If things kept going like this, there was a high chance he'd break through to the next major soul realm—Soul Overlord Realm.If he could level up again during the elimination rounds, his odds of winning the whole thing would increase significantly. Especially since Soul Overlord Realm required soul enhancement, it was a whole different league compared to Aetherium Realm.Once he hit Soul Overlord Realm, he was confident he'd be able to go toe-to-toe in a soul battle with the powerful figure who had chased him during dusk.That guy didn't dare appear in Desolated Lands at night, which likely meant his soul wasn't strong. In that case, Felix might actual
The sun had already begun to set. After fleeing in a panic, Felix had no idea if there was even a single place ahead that could shield him from the coming darkness.A few minutes later, the presence chasing him within his domain disappeared. Logically, the pursuer should've caught up in less than ten minutes, but they gave up. Still, Felix didn't relax for a second. The darkness was about to fall, and that could only mean two things. Either the pursuer wasn't confident they could survive the desolate night themselves, or they assumed there was no flame nearby and Felix was as good as dead.Either way, this was the most dangerous moment yet.After sprinting several more miles, Felix finally stopped. All around him stretched a barren wasteland with no end in sight. Even though he had memorized maps to identify different areas, they were useless now. As darkness swallowed the land, all reference points vanished."Damn it! I guess I'll have to see for myself what the hell comes out i