"I'm sorry, Ancient Sage. I misspoke earlier." Dustin apologized with an awkward expression."It's okay. I'm not bothered by it." Arion laughed heartily. He then waved at Kaden. "Bring out his reward.""Of course," Kaden replied, then retrieved a jade box and placed it on the table beside Dustin."Go ahead and open it." Arion smiled and motioned for Dustin to look inside.Dustin nodded and carefully opened the box with both hands. Inside, he found three translucent orbs—one gold, one red, and one green.Each orb glowed faintly, and inside, a small snake of the same color slithered. Their movements were graceful and almost alive."Dracan essence!" Dustin's eyes widened in surprise.He had encountered Dracan essence before and immediately recognized the orbs. But what surprised him was that Sacred Wyrm Summit had not one, but three of them. It made him wonder what kind of treasure-filled land this was."Well, how do you like the reward?" Arion asked with a smile."Ancient Sage,
"Me?" Dustin froze momentarily, then quickly waved his hands to indicate his refusal. "Ancient Sage, you've got to be kidding. I'm not qualified to guard the Dracan force. You'd better find someone else."He knew taking on such a monumental responsibility was out of the question. Guarding the Dracan Force wasn't like watching over someone's garden. A single mistake could endanger not only Sacred Wyrm Summit but all of Dragonmarsh. The pressure was simply overwhelming."Don't be so quick to refuse," Arion said with a smile. He continued, "Guarding the Dracan force has its perks. For one, it's a spiritual entity. If you can connect with it, your cultivation will soar, and your lifespan will extend dramatically. With its power behind you, you'll be unbeatable. No one in the world could stand in your way."Arion wasn't exaggerating. Being recognized by the Dracan force as its guardian granted access to its vast energy and created a resonance with the natural order. It was what people
"Ms. Aurora, don't make fun of me. The Celestial Alliance is full of experts—there's no way someone like me could take on a disciple," Dustin declined with a smile. "Of course, we're friends. If you ever want to talk about martial arts, just reach out.""Alright then, if I ever need advice, you'd better not turn me down," Aurora said with a playful wink.She was just asking to see how he would respond. After all, she wasn't serious about wanting to become his disciple. It was more of a way to get closer to him, and now that she had an excuse to ask for his guidance, she was satisfied.Once everyone was seated, the conversation flowed easily. They drank and talked about anything and everything.The two Marshall sisters exchanged flirtatious glances across the table, a gesture that even the most oblivious observer couldn't miss.However, Dustin kept a polite smile on his face. He either ignored their advances or skillfully deflected them.He knew exactly what they were after. With
"Someone is coming. You should hide now." Dustin's sharp senses picked up the faint shuffle of footsteps outside the door. The movement was quiet and deliberate. It was definitely someone skilled."Got it." Grace nodded and quickly gathered the Dracan essences before slipping out the window. She was gone in seconds and vanished without a trace.Barely three seconds after she left, there was a knock at the door."Who is it?" Dustin asked."It's me, Hank."A familiar voice called from the other side.Dustin got up and opened the door. He greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Mr. Styles. Come on in."For Hank to show up at this hour meant the Hall of Gods was about to take action."Dustin, congratulations on winning the championship. I wanted to offer my congratulations in person." Hank entered the room and showered Dustin with praise. "I watched your match today, and it was incredible. Defeating Glenn was a pleasant surprise. I knew I wasn't wrong about you.""If it weren't for yo
"M-Mr. Rhys, I'm truly sorry. I was wrong earlier. Please don't hold it against me, and forgive me this once." After a moment of stunned silence, Zayne quickly apologized, with sweat beading on his forehead. He knew Dustin was an ultimate grandmaster who could instantly end his life."Don't do it again." Dustin shot him a cold glare but didn't take the opportunity to strike.In his eyes, these people had already sealed their fate by colluding with the Hall of Gods and infiltrating Sacred Wrym Summit. It was just a matter of when they would die."Of course, Mr. Rhys. Thank you for your mercy." Zayne nodded repeatedly. His face was a mixture of relief and gratitude.It was clear that if not for Dustin's magnanimity, today could have been his last. He had learned a hard lesson in humility—never blindly flatter or misread the situation, or death would come soon enough."I'll cut it short. We all have the same goal here. As long as we work together, I'm confident we'll succeed in tonig
After taking the enhanced serum, everyone became increasingly worked up. Their strength skyrocketed, and their thirst for battle was off the charts. The atmosphere in the room was electric."Is this the Hall of Gods' enhanced serum? This stuff is amazing.""I can already feel the power flowing through me. I'm itching for a fight.""Those worthless Dragonmarsh martial artists—tonight, I'll ensure they're wiped out completely.""Since you have such a treasure, why didn't you bring it out sooner? How much of this serum do you have left? I'll buy it all." Willem's voice was full of swagger."These are premium S-class serums. They're extremely rare and reserved only for the higher-ups. We don't sell them to outsiders. What I can offer you are A-class serums. But, if you're interested, I could send you a batch for free," Bailey replied generously."In that case, I won't hold back." Willem laughed heartily.Getting something for free was always the best deal. Whether for personal use o
When the fire broke out on Sacred Wyrm Summit, Dustin received the order to launch the attack. He immediately led a team to infiltrate the Forbidden Ground as planned.With the Hall of Gods' large-scale invasion in full swing, the summit was in chaos, with people scrambling to extinguish the fire. This left the Forbidden Ground unprotected, as most regular guards had been reassigned. Only the mountain itself stood alone and was isolated in its stillness.Still, he didn't underestimate the Sacred Wyrm Summit's defenses. Even without guards, the Forbidden Ground wasn't a place anyone could simply enter. After all, the summit was known for having the most powerful enchantment circle in the martial world.When Dustin and his team reached the back mountain, they discovered that two other teams had already arrived ahead of them.These groups, hired by the Hall of Gods, were primarily composed of shady individuals. While their ethics were questionable, their strength was unquestionable.
"Mr. Sadrick, we're trapped in this enchantment circle. What should we do now?" Danny looked around frantically, but he couldn't make sense of the direction.He had thought that following Dustin would keep them safe, especially with someone ahead scouting the path. But as soon as they entered the Forbidden Ground, the thick fog blocked their vision, and they lost track of everyone."Don't panic. Just keep moving forward, and we'll get out of here." Marcell's gaze scanned the ground.There was only one path. The faint footprints left by Dustin and the others would be their guide. As long as they followed the trail, they should be able to catch up with the others."Stay close, everyone! Don't fall behind, or you'll face the consequences!" Danny shouted at the group.Everyone responded and tightened up their formation. At this critical moment, falling behind could mean running straight into danger.Under Marcell's lead, the two groups merged and started moving forward. Everyone was