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An Understated Dominance Chapter 735
"You—" Preston cut off, his face red with anger. However, even Miranda was forced to stay silent. "Well, they do say that heroes come in all ages." Linden stood up and beamed. He added, "Congratulations on beating everyone else. So, tell me your wish. As long as it's within my power, I'll try my best to get it done!" Most people joined the competition to join Stoneray Order, but some would request and ask Linden for rare gems, ancient medical texts, panaceas, and more."You're as generous as rumors say. Well, I'll be straightforward. I'm actually here for your thousand-year green lotus," Dustin answered frankly. "Thousand-year green lotus? It's a rare herb. I must say, you're quite ambitious." Linden raised an eyebrow. "Why? You can't give it to me?" Dustin wore a fake smile. "It might be a valuable herb, but I don't mind giving it to you." Linden chuckled. "Bring me the herb!""Yes, sir!" The invigilator left quickly and returned, holding a wooden box. The box opened t
An Understated Dominance Chapter 736
"This is a joke, right, sir? I—it isn't proper to promote him to an elder when he just joined the group!""He's right, Dr. Watkins. This is the first time there's been an exception like this. That's not normal!""Sir, we know you favor talented individuals, but I'm afraid others might be unhappy with your decision."The elders and many disciples of the Stoneray Order were upset when they heard that Linden would promote Dustin to elder, which was only one rank below the assistant leader.Disciples usually started as junior disciples before becoming intermediate disciples. Then, they would be promoted to senior disciples. As senior disciples, if they made any major contributions, they would be promoted to upper disciples. Upper disciples were then categorized into three classes—upper third, upper second, and upper first. Only upper first disciples had a chance of being promoted to elder.Getting promoted to a higher rank took years, so for a junior disciple to climb the ranks and
An Understated Dominance Chapter 737
"Are we being followed?" Roderick frowned and ordered his driver, "Go faster, Gary!""Yes, sir!" The driver, Gary, immediately stepped on the accelerator, and the car shot forward.Suddenly, a black van popped out from the fork in front and stopped on the road horizontally. Gary paled and stomped on the brake, causing the tires to screech. Still, the momentum caused their car to collide with the van. There was a loud bang as the impact caused the van to flip, and Roderick's Rolls-Royce could no longer work. Thankfully, no one was hurt. However, when Dustin and the others tried to run away, the cars that were following them had already caught up to them."Grab them!" The doors opened, and several burly men carrying expandable batons jumped out and surrounded them. They looked scary and threatening. "Who are you? How dare you rob my car?" Roderick roared, pissed that someone would dare to harm him when even the Fabulous Five respected him. Miranda and Preston got out of the
An Understated Dominance Chapter 738
"There! All done!" Abigail rested the bat on her shoulder like a thug and walked toward Dustin, smiling proudly. "How did I do?""Not bad. You've improved a lot in the last few days." Dustin nodded, pleased. Abigail was an extremely talented martial artist. Compared to regular martial artists, she only needed to practice for one day to achieve what others needed a year for. Furthermore, with Dustin's guidance, there has been huge growth in her skills.She used to struggle against ten opponents, but now, she could take them on easily. "Duh. Don't you know who I am?" Abigail lifted her chin smugly. For some reason, she woke up feeling extra strong this morning, as though she had endless bursts of energy."Are you two going to leave by yourself, or must I force you?" Dustin slowly turned toward Miranda and Preston. "I underestimated you. I didn't expect you to have a female bodyguard," Preston got over his surprise and jeered. "But do you think a girl can stop us? How foolish!"
An Understated Dominance Chapter 739
Preston's face immediately darkened. He felt insulted by Dustin's actions. "Preston, don't you go easy on him!" Miranda demanded."I'm going to beat the crap out of you!" Preston shot toward Dustin and struck him with both palms. Shadow Dance was a move that could defend and attack simultaneously, allowing Preston to catch his opponents off guard. Although Dustin's feet didn't move an inch, he raised a hand and swung it down fiercely. True energy burst forth and broke past Preston's defense. Instantly, Dustin slammed his palm into Preston's chest brutally. Blood instantly splurted from Preston's mouth as he flew backward and landed on the car. The car dented from the impact. "Did you see that, kid? That's how you're supposed to deal with him." Dustin turned his head and gave Abigail a small smile. "Um …" Abigail forced a smile. There was no way she could learn that. He was on a completely different level!"Preston!" Shocked, Miranda rushed over and pulled Preston out of t
An Understated Dominance Chapter 740
"Who's Julian Nicholson?" Abigail asked, watching the car drive away. "Just an asshole. You don't need to overthink it," Dustin answered nonchalantly. Abigail sighed helplessly. She couldn't help but pity Julian, who was an innocent person. Soon after the three of them reached Flame Dragon Dojo, Roderick bid them goodbye and left. Dustin safely stored the thousand-year green lotus and began teaching Abigail how to fight with a staff. Abigail had finally built a solid foundation. She was also powerful, which made her a perfect fighter. However, her attacks were too simple, so anyone with some skills could easily beat her. Fortunately, Abigail's choice of weapon was a baton, so Dustin decided to make good use of this and teach her a staff combat technique. Dustin has been practicing all sorts of combat techniques since he was a child and has read various types of martial arts books of different levels. Dustin knew them all by heart, whether it was basic or advanced techniques
An Understated Dominance Chapter 741
"Dahlia, what happened?" Dustin frowned. "Yesterday, I went to Glenstead to visit the Nicholsons and check in on Grandpa Regulus. I was on my way home this morning when someone ambushed me. Fortunately, a general was passing by and saved us," Dahlia explained. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to Glenstead? I would have sent someone to protect you." Dustin demanded, displeased. "I brought my own bodyguards. I just didn't expect something like this to happen," Dahlia replied helplessly. If it had just been a regular fight, her bodyguards could have dealt with it easily. However, they were no match for someone who wanted her dead."Do you have any idea who's planned the attack?" Dustin asked. "Not yet." Dahlia shook her head. "You were attacked as soon as you visited Sir Regulus. It's too much of a coincidence. If my guess is right, your family must have something to do with this." Dustin narrowed his eyes. "Our family? That can't be right." Dahlia's brows furrowed.
An Understated Dominance Chapter 742
"Stop throwing a tantrum, Dahlia." Dustin frowned. Dustin said, "I wouldn't mind giving you anything else, even if it costs millions. But I just can't give you my Panax root.""You're right. I am throwing a tantrum! If you don't want to give it to me, I'll think of something else!" Dahlia turned her head away furiously. In the past, Dustin would get it done no matter what request she made. Now, all she was asking for was a Panax root, yet he turned her down firmly. He obviously didn't care about her anymore. It seemed like she wasn't that important to him anymore after he got a new girlfriend. "Dahlia is giving you a chance to prove yourself, Rhys! You better not ignore her kindness!" Florence exclaimed. "Exactly! With Dahlia's looks and influence, many other men would be clambering to gift her Panax roots! You better appreciate this chance!" Julie jeered."If you need a Panax root, I can use my connections to help you get one. However, I can't give you the one I have becau
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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
