When Luna saw Felix's expression, her face reddened. She knew he misunderstood the situation."Dr. Zeller, I… I want you to test my lungs first to see if they match my grandfather's," she explained.Felix was immediately embarrassed. He had really misunderstood her intentions. Perhaps the influence of pornography had lingered too deeply in his mind. Under such circumstances, any man would've jumped to the wrong conclusion."Even if they match, what will your grandfather think when he wakes up?" Felix countered.Luna looked at her grandfather lying on the bed. Her expression was doting and full of love."He's taken care of me since I was a child. It's time I repaid him! You can do it, and I'll take care of anything else that comes after."Upon hearing this, Felix stood up and stopped Luna from taking off her shirt. "Alright, I can confirm it by taking your pulse. I won't need the silver needles."After a while, Felix's expression brightened up."You know what? You two are th
"One day, I'll meet him again," Luna said.…Another day passed, and Willow still hadn't responded. However, Felix didn't rush her—these things couldn't be rushed. Whether he was helping sincerely or not, these were truly two different concepts.Felix didn't open the clinic the whole day. Instead, he hid in a small hotel because the Obsidian Auction was his top priority—nothing else could compare.When he saw the time, Felix put on the Shadow Mask. It didn't require any sacrifices, and it could be adjusted at will after being worn.In the end, he settled on the appearance of a middle-aged man who seemed gentle and elegant before heading off to the auction site. There was a holiday villa near the village a couple of miles away from Gray City. That was where the Obsidian Auction was being held.Unlike the Golden Prime Auction, there wasn't a grand hall. Although the hall at the villa was lavishly decorated, it had no VIP rooms. Everyone sat on the chairs below.As Felix entered th
Under the red cloth was a cage, and inside stood a person. Although she was wearing a veil and only her eyes were visible, Felix recognized her instantly—it was Melissa."Don't act so impulsively. Think about Skyward Guild," Billy suddenly said. Felix calmed down quickly after hearing that. It was definitely unrealistic to want to snatch someone away by force. As the top guild in Dragonia, Skyward Guild's strength was beyond imagination."The heir of Thief Guild! Those above the Aetherial Realm can subdue her. The consignor requires money plus one of three items to be considered eligible for auction. "The three items are Bloodstone, Hexbloom, and Bewitched Grass. The auction starts now."Felix heaved a sigh of relief. Thanks to Nala impersonating Queenie, he accidentally acquired a Hexbloom, which proved to be valuable this time. At the Obsidian Auction, there was no worry about bribery after the bidding ended because Skyward Guild was confident in its power. Regardless of w
Billy's voice was tinged with humor as he replied to Felix, "Don't worry. I'll arrange for someone to pick it up, and they'll bring your Hexbloom here as well."Although Billy usually seemed unreliable, he was still quite useful at critical moments. The following auction items were really quite bizarre. Some of them were items that Felix had never heard of. However, from the fierce bidding between the audience, it could be deduced that all of them were good things.However, Aiden didn't make a single bid at all. Instead, he had his eyes closed the entire time.A few hours later, the auctioneer's expression turned solemn. "Please bring out the last item of the auction. The finale of the Obsidian Auction."A beautiful woman came on stage holding a tray with a glass cover. The item inside was in clear view for everyone to see—an extremely strange-looking bone. Felix didn't get excited by it. When he had arrived earlier, he had already sensed it. This was definitely a real Dragon
Under the staff's guidance, Felix entered a room. There were already several people inside. Besides Aiden and Asher, there were two others wearing masks gathered together.After sitting down, Aiden suddenly turned to Felix. "Have we met somewhere before?" he asked.Felix was shocked. Aiden's perceptiveness was terrifying."Have we? I don't seem to recall…"Without saying another word, Aiden closed his eyes and began resting again. A short while later, an elderly man came in with an unpleasant-looking middle-aged man."I am Wayne Sutcliff, but you can call me Mr. Sutcliff. I'm the person in charge of the Obsidian Auction." He stretched out his right hand and introduced, "This man next to me is the consignor, Ross Livingston."With that, Wayne got straight to the point. "Mr. Livingston wants to know which master healer you're inviting."Aiden spoke first. "Magnus Grimwald from Medic's Haven."Felix's gaze deepened after he heard that. The Greenes were quite formidable. Magnus
"There's no first come, first serve. All four participants can diagnose the patient at the same time. The specific requirement to claim the item is for whoever can cure the patient the best."This is absolutely fair, don't worry," Wayne said.The severity of the patient's condition was evident. Even with a master healer like Lemuel getting invited, Wayne's calm demeanor suggested that the case was particularly challenging.…It was two in the morning when Felix returned home. He had taken off the Shadow Mask before he entered his house. Melissa, who had been waiting, threw herself into his arms. "Felix! I'm so sorry!"Felix smiled and comforted her, "It's okay, it's okay. No matter what happens next time, tell me the truth, okay?"Melissa wiped away her tears. Her fear was evident in her eyes. "It's not like that. He was always by my side. I didn't dare to tell you the truth."As she said this, Felix's expression turned solemn. "Who brought you to the auction?"If the root o
Felix almost turned around out of pure instinct. Who wouldn't react when someone called the name they had their whole life? Fortunately, Felix recognized that this was Aiden's voice, so he held back.His strong willpower allowed him to control his impulses and resume his movements, at least on the surface, without any signs of hesitation."Did you see Felix somewhere, Aiden?" Asher asked in confusion.Aiden shook his head with a smile. "I must've been mistaken."This time, the meeting place was actually the same auction hall they had been to before. Felix was still feeling a little uneasy after sitting down.After his strength improved, his wariness toward Aiden began to decrease. However, this time, it instantly shot back up to an even more exaggerated level.Calling Felix's name to test his reaction meant Aiden believed this "middle-aged man" was Felix somehow. Although he wasn't fully certain, the situation was terrifying enough.Soon, everyone gathered. Felix saw Craig from
"To me, I only care whether they are patients or healthy people—nothing else matters." After Magnus said so, Lemuel nodded in agreement. He clearly shared the same thought. Right then, Wayne turned his attention to Craig. "I hope you could do this for the sake of Skyward Guild, Dr. Dixon. We invited you here today because you're just a master healer who has no relations to the headquarters. "Once our transaction is complete and everyone leaves, whatever happens next has nothing to do with Skyward Guild." Craig remained silent. Skyward Guild was an influential powerhouse with an extensive network of connections, including many high-ranking officials at the headquarters. After all, he was just their chief medical officer, not a warlord. So, he decided it was best to let the matter drop after weighing the pros and cons. Felix was not particularly concerned. Business was business, and given the involvement of the Dragonspine, Dane's identity as a criminal could take a backseat.
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
When Eira and Luigi saw that Felix was determined to go through with it, they moved instantly. Appearing right in front of him, they dropped to their knees."Please, Felix! For the sake of all those innocent lives, stop.""If you're really set on taking this flame, then kill us first."Seeing the two of them so resolute, Felix hesitated. The lives of hundreds of thousands—maybe even millions—now hung in the balance, all dependent on one decision from him."I haven't known you for long," Eira continued. "But from the way you avenged the 200 people of Innswood Village, I know you're not someone who kills without reason. You'd never turn a blind eye to the lives of ordinary people. "Please show them mercy. They've already suffered enough."Tears streamed down her face. The purpose of The Recovery Association was clear—overthrow the Flame Monarch, destroy the Nine Flames, and return Aquamarinus to what it once was. However, when it came to principles and morals, they were unwaveri
Felix thought that Gerald's advice really was spot-on. If he hadn't achieved Extreme Mastery, he could still beat the Flame Monarch. However, his subsequent journey would have been difficult. Winning first place in the Rank-Ascending Competition to protect Earth would've been almost impossible.With a casual wave of Felix's hand, the Flame Monarch collapsed to the ground. Thankfully, no one was around to see it. Otherwise, they'd have been scared out of their minds.The most powerful being on Aquamarinus, the Flame Monarch, just got instantly wiped out by Felix. To Felix, it was like crushing an ant and required no effort at all."It's time to complete the mission," Felix said.Just like that, he vanished. His speed was insane because Nine Flames were all scattered far apart. Since travel was banned at night, he couldn't afford to waste even a second.Honestly, he was curious what it would be like to go out at night. However, after thinking it over, he decided it just wasn't worth
Under the sunlight, Innswood Village looked even lonelier. If it weren't for Felix standing in the open field, the place would've looked like a dead town. Soon, a sound broke through the silent air. A person stood 30 feet in front of Felix. It was the Flame Monarch, whom Felix had met once."I really thought you were a member of The Recovery Association and that you'd laid a trap here. But it turns out, you're really alone."Felix replied, "I am a member of The Recovery Association, but why do I need a trap to kill you?"Oh? A member of The Recovery Association? The Flame Monarch smiled. "You're really brave, you know. You're the first person in Aquamarinus who dares to face me like this. Even the leader of The Recovery Association had been in seclusion, trying to reach Heavenly Realm before facing me."I don't know where you get your confidence from."Initially, Felix wanted to attack immediately. But he still had questions to ask. "There are only the two of us here. Sinc