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An Understated Dominance Chapter 1164
Ray Reeds looked like he was in his early 30s, but he was already a fully developed divine-level martial artist.It could be said that his innate ability was one of the best among the younger generation in Balerno and even Oakvale."You're not bad, old man."Ray moved his slightly numb arm. He smirked, "In the whole of Balerno, not many can still stand after taking a punch from me.""You're quite good yourself, kid. Too bad you're still too inexperienced."Cornelius shook his head and said, "If you leave now, you can save yourself some pain. If not, I won't be holding back."Ray laughed. "Old man, you really think you could defeat me?"He turned his head sideways, tightened his fists, and sneered, "That was just a warm-up. If I actually put in effort, I can defeat you any minute.""Hmph! Cocky!"Cornelius' face darkened. "You're punching above your weight. Let me teach you a real lesson today!"As he spoke, he jumped and shot out like an arrow. He shouted as his fist landed o
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1165
"Beat me to death?"Ray was stunned at first to hear that. He then started laughing as if he had heard the funniest joke.The onlookers looked on with ridicule in their eyes. They looked at him as if he was an idiot."Is that guy crazy? How dare he talk to Ray like that? Is he not afraid of dying?" Sue was shocked."Hmph! You fool. You challenged Ray openly. You must be courting death!" Lou smirked.Who was Ray Reeds? He was an elite Celestial Alliance fighter and Sir Reeds's favorite. For someone as good as him, it'd be easy for him to crush a newcomer."Ray could take on a hundred opponents alone and still keep the situation under control. Who could stop someone like him? "Dustin is such an idiot. Instead of running away, he's decided to court death!" Rosaline shook her head as she looked on with no emotion."Hmph! He's arrogant just because he knows some moves. If you asked me, I think he'd be better off dead!" Florence said smugly, crossing her arms. "That young man has
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1166
"Damn! Is that little boy toy that amazing? Even Ray Reeds lost to him?" Lou was shocked."Am I seeing things? Ray's from the Celestial Alliance? I can't believe he lost to a nobody." Sue was a little confused."What a loser! He looks strong, but I didn't know he's actually this weak." Florence frowned and appeared upset."Do you think Dustin used any tricks on him?" Rosaline and Victoria looked at each other with a suspicious gaze.Ray was invincible just a few moments ago. They assumed that Dustin would lose for sure. No one had expected this ending. Was Dustin really that good? Or was Ray just all show and no substance?"So, what's it going to be? Are you willing to admit defeat or not?" With one foot on Ray's shoulder, Dustin asked arrogantly."Who … Who are you really?" Ray gritted his teeth and struggled to get up. As he tried, he realized that Dustin's leg was as heavy as lead. He was pinned to the ground on his knees, no matter how much he struggled."You don't need
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1167
"Uh…" Ray's eyes widened in disbelief.He'd never thought that Dustin would actually kill him. If he had known it earlier, he wouldn't have been this arrogant. However, he regretted it too late. As life seeped out of him, his pupils dilated slowly, and his consciousness gradually faded.Dustin lifted his hand and threw Ray's corpse away like a rag doll. Ray's corpse fell to the floor after hitting the wall heavily and kicking up a large dust cloud.Everyone at the scene was dead silent.They were stunned, and their eyes widened in disbelief. Nobody thought that Dustin would actually dare to kill Ray after he had announced his identity.It was known that Ray was part of the Celestial Alliance and the nephew of Ronald Reeds! Where did this guy find the guts to do it?"Dead … Dead? That guy actually killed Ray Reeds?" Vlad was shocked and found it hard to believe.Vlad and Ray shared similar social status, and Ray could have had a better future than him. This nameless guy had t
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1168
Kirin Gang wasted no time and sprang right into action as they cleaned up the mess.Without Ray as their leader, the Grant family fighters were nothing against the Kirin Gang. They were all defeated quickly."Bastard! You're dead meat! You killed Ray Reeds, and now you attacked the Grant family! From now on, you're the public enemy of two families! "There will be no safe place for you in Balerno!" Vlad shrieked with a horrified look. He was obviously a little flustered."Hmm?" Dustin glanced over and looked at Vlad as he walked slowly to him. "I almost forgot about you. What did you say earlier?""Don't … don't come near me!" Vlad panicked when he saw Dustin approaching. He yelled out meekly, "Let me warn you, my brother is General Lionheart, Tyler Grant. I have the backing of the whole Grant family. If you touch me, death will be your only way out!""Is that so?" Dustin snorted coldly as he suddenly reached out and held Vlad's head before forcefully smashing it against the wa
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1169
Night had fallen at the Balerno martial arts alliance headquarters.A group of alliance leaders gathered around Ray's lifeless body. They gestured and murmured among themselves.When Ray's body was brought back an hour ago, it caused a great commotion in the alliance. Not only was he a disciple of the Celestial Alliance, but he was also Ronald's nephew.Ray was the brightest star in the alliance. He was known for his extraordinary talent and potential. Many believed that in a few years, he would succeed Ronald as the leader of the martial arts alliance.But Ray's sudden and mysterious death had shocked the entire alliance."Ray? Where is my son?"At that moment, a burly, disheveled middle-aged man rushed in. The crowd moved aside as he pushed through them. Those who were slow were knocked over by him. The man was Quincey Reeds, Ray's father.He rushed toward his son's lifeless body and lifted the white cloth that covered him. Shock filled him as he looked at his dead son."Ra
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1170
"That bastard took my son's life! He completely looked down on the martial arts alliance." Quincey's face darkened. Then, he said, "Inform Ronald at once. Tell him to avenge my son."The staff replied hesitantly, "Sir Reeds is in seclusion. He has given strict instructions not to be disturbed."Quincey became even more agitated. "Seclusion is not important right now. His nephew has been murdered. Is he just going to ignore that?""Um …" The staff was still hesitant to deliver the message."You wimp! I'll go to him myself!" Quincey shoved the staff aside and stormed out.As he reached the door, an alliance member rushed in. He accidentally collided with Quincey and fell to the ground."Idiot! Are you blind? Do you want me to hit you?" Quincey roared in frustration.The alliance member quickly lowered himself and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Reeds. I didn't see you.""Damn it! Watch where you're going next time!" Quincey was about to walk away when he noticed the alliance member was
An Understated Dominance Chapter 1171
Inside the meeting room of Zephyr Lodge, Dustin poured tea into two cups. He handed one to Cornelius.After taking a sip from the other cup, he broke the silence. "Did you deliver the challenge letter?'""Yes," Cornelius said with a nod. "Did the alliance respond?" Dustin asked. Cornelius replied, "As far as I know, Ronald is still in seclusion. But, the alliance members are furious after receiving the letter. I believe Ronald would read it.""Good, that's exactly what I wanted." Dustin smiled faintly.Ray's death would undoubtedly create chaos within the martial arts alliance. So, Dustin took the opportunity to make another bold move. After all, a confrontation with Ronald was bound to happen."Sir Rhys, don't you think it's too reckless to challenge Ronald publicly?" Cornelius voiced his concern.He tactfully continued, "Ronald is one of the five ultimate grandmasters of Balerno. His strength is unmatched. Hardly anyone below the grandmaster level can even come close to him
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Chapter 2530
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
Chapter 2529
"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
Chapter 2528
"Royal gods? And two of them?" Dustin frowned at the news.His battle with Poseidon in West Lucozia had shown him firsthand that the Hall of Gods didn't send weaklings into the field.One royal god had already pushed him to his limit. If two came at him together, winning wasn't even the question. He'd be lucky just to make it out alive."That's right," Grace said solemnly. "The royal gods, Zeus and Hera, have crossed the border. They're even stronger than Poseidon. If they ambush you together, your chances are slim."She knew Dustin was strong, but he was still young. Moreover, Zeus and Hera weren't just anyone. They were world-class powerhouses. Surviving a fight with them would be next to impossible.The Hall of Gods had probably figured out how dangerous Dustin could become. If they had given him a few more years to grow, they might not have been able to stop him."Well, that complicates things." Dustin rested his chin in one hand with a thoughtful expression.Two royal god
Chapter 2527
Soluna Hall had one rule—they wouldn't accept unfamiliar customers. They only served those they knew well or people introduced by someone they trusted. Every transaction required an appointment. Exceptions were made for urgent matters, but those came with an additional fee.When Dustin reached the entrance, two security guards stopped him. After stating his name and being verified by the guards, they let him through.Inside, a female attendant with a pleasant smile greeted him and led him across the main hall straight into the back garden. They passed a small fish pond and stopped in front of a secluded private room."This is Ms. Linsor's private reception area. Mr. Rhys, please come in," the female attendant said with a smile."She's not here?" Dustin asked curiously."She had something come up, but she'll be here soon. Please make yourself comfortable," the attendant said, still smiling."Alright then." He nodded and walked into the room.The room was spacious, with a vintag
Chapter 2526
"You're wrong, Tristan," Matthias said with a meaningful look.He continued, "Sure, I've got the Moseys to back me, but I'm still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel's got strong backing too, and this won't be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I'd say my chances shoot up to 80%."In his eyes, Tristan's support was worth more than the Ballard family.If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias."You know me, Matthias. I've never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn't for me. I hope you can understand that," Tristan said.After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn't let go.Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortco
Chapter 2525
Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel weren't fools. They understood the unspoken message loud and clear.Their purpose for this trip was to take advantage of the opportunity to offer their condolences and win the Ballard family's support. Should it work, all the better. If not, they'd at least make a good impression. The key was that as long as the Ballard family didn't pick a side or turn against them, there was still room to make things work. No need to rush into anything.Tristan spoke first. "You're being too kind, Duke of Lachshire. We've always admired Mr. Jovian's loyalty and courage. We're simply here to pay our respects—nothing more."Matthias added, "That's right. Your family has a lot to deal with right now. Plus, you're not as young as you used to be, so don't wear yourself out over this. We won't take up more of your time today."He gave a respectful nod, then turned to leave."Duke—"Nathaniel opened his mouth to speak, but Tristan interrupted. "That's enough, Nathani
Chapter 2524
"Oh? I didn't expect both of you to be here," Nathaniel said.He was just about to pay his respects when he spotted Tristan and Matthias inside the mourning hall. He gave a respectful nod and said, "Hello, Tristan, Matthias."Truthfully, he wasn't surprised. He had already guessed they would show up.The four ancient houses and the eight great families were all key players he needed on his side. And with the Ballard family still undecided, he wasn't about to miss the chance to make an impression."I heard you left Oakvale on official business. Funny how quickly you came back," Tristan said, his tone laced with meaning."It wasn't anything important. When I heard about Mr. Jovian's passing, I returned immediately. I wanted to pay my respects in person," Nathaniel answered smoothly, without missing a beat.He brushed off Tristan's subtle jab and used the moment to show the Ballard family he was genuinely there to pay his respects."Don't just stand there, Nathaniel. Go pay your re
Chapter 2523
"Your Royal Highness, it's an honor to have you here," Jonathan said.Upon seeing the distinguished guest arrive, he quickly pulled himself together and aside his grief. He led his family to greet Tristan, and they bowed in respect.Before they could finish the gesture, Tristan raised a hand to stop them. "No need for such formalities," he said. "The deceased deserves our respect."He turned to Jovian's portrait, which was displayed in the mourning hall, and sighed deeply.Tristan continued, "Mr. Jovian's untimely passing is truly a great loss to Dragonmarsh. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to your family during this difficult time."Jonathan's eyes were filled with tears as he bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words. My family is heartbroken over my brother's tragic death."Tristan nodded slightly. His gaze quickly swept across the hall before asking, "I've heard that Duke Lachshire fainted from grief. How is he doing now?"Jonathan
Chapter 2522
The unrest in West Lucozia finally ended with the capture of Warrick.Every official who was his accomplice was thoroughly investigated. Those who needed to be arrested were taken into custody, and those who deserved to be punished were executed.After the purge, more than 300 officials in West Lucozia were removed from their posts. Those guilty were arrested, and those whose crimes were severe were executed.Under Austin's iron-fisted reforms, West Lucozia's government underwent a complete overhaul. Corruption, bribery, and the tangled web of illegal deals were swept away like dust in the wind.The citizens quickly noticed the difference. When they visited government offices, they no longer faced delays, refusals, or demands for bribes.Long-neglected public issues began to move forward, thanks to the organized efforts of newly appointed officials. Things were improving across the board.Instead of fearing the crackdown, the citizens welcomed it. The corrupt officials who had dr
