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An Understated Dominance Chapter 906
"Unreasonable? Oh, Nikki. You're more biased than I expected!" Dustin laughed out loud. "Why didn't you try to reason with Edith when she broke her word? Or when she stabbed me in the back or ordered you to drug us? "And why didn't you tell her to be reasonable when she tried to kill me earlier?"Dustin sneered, "You're only telling me to be reasonable because you're going to lose. Don't you think the way you're acting is repulsive?"Nikki kept quiet when he was in danger. However, now that Edith was in trouble, Nikki jumped out and tried to guilt him into letting Edith go. How disgusting."I …" Dustin's rapid-fire questioning rendered Nikki speechless. She ran out of excuses and could only put on a tough front. "I'm doing this for you, Dustin! Madam Edith is well-known in the martial world. Being on her bad side would mean that you have more enemies. "That'll just be dangerous for you.""I've already become enemies with most of them anyway. What's one more?" Dustin sho
An Understated Dominance Chapter 907
Ever since Dustin defeated him, Terry had been steadily recovering, biding his time. And now, it was finally time for revenge."You're weaker than you were last time. How are you going to fight me?" Dustin sized up Terry. Although Terry's core had been restored, his cultivation was nowhere near what it was before. Now, he was merely a low-level martial artist."I never said I would fight you. The one who's going to fight you is my mentor!" Terry humphed. "And who's that?" Dustin asked. "Listen well. My mentor is the famous Augustus Kline!" Terry declared proudly.Everyone was shocked. "What? Augustus Kline? Isn't he a grandmaster?""That's right! Augustus Kline is well-known in the martial world. He's one of the five ultimate grandmasters of Balerno!""Holy shit! Who the hell is this guy? How did he become Augustus Kline's disciple?"The Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples were shocked. They saw grandmasters as beings that resembled God. The martial world also believed tha
An Understated Dominance Chapter 908
The next day, the news had spread far and wide. Dustin, the genius martial artist, had challenged Augustus, the grandmaster. The battle was set to happen at the battle ring in Shinefield Lake. Many people were excited to hear about the duel. Ever since Dustin won the Knighthood Society Tournament, all eyes were on him. The attention only became more intense as he became the prime suspect in Paul's death. People from both alliances caught wind of the duel. And now, everyone was eager to watch the battle unfold. By dawn, many martial artists had arrived at Shinefield Lake. Most of them came because of Augustus. Augustus was a well-known grandmaster. His name was familiar to the people in Balerno. He had been laying low for the past few years. But it didn't diminish his fame. After all, grandmasters were extremely rare. Most martial artists could only dream of meeting one. Inside the gazebo by the lake, many important figures had gathered together. That included Ronald
An Understated Dominance Chapter 909
Conrad never left after Paul passed away. After all, he was curious to see how Balerno would handle this issue. "Since you seem so interested, why don't you take a seat?" Ronald smiled and invited everyone to sit. Conrad headed straight to the seat next to Ronald and sat down. "What do you think will happen during today's battle, Sir Reeds?" "A fight, of course," Ronald replied. "You're a funny man, Sir Reeds." Conrad smirked. Then, he said, "From what I heard, Sir Augustus is doing this to avenge his disciple. I bet that genius you like will have a hard time today.""That's how life is. He'll have to decide his own fate." Ronald was calm. "Balerno rarely finds a genius like him. Are you sure you can bear to let him go?" Conrad smiled slyly. "He may be a genius, but if he's a terrible person, he's nothing more than a nuisance," Ronald answered swiftly. "He's right! That man killed my father. He deserves to die!" Autumn spat. "Well, we'll see what happens." Conrad's s
An Understated Dominance Chapter 910
When Dustin appeared, everyone's glares shot toward him like arrows. The crowd's eyes were filled with anger, resentment, shock, and scorn. Because of Paul's death, Dustin became public enemy number one. So, everyone was eagerly waiting to see Augustus tear him apart. "I didn't expect so many people to turn up." Cornelius surveyed the crowded lakeside and saw the hostile gazes. "They're probably here to watch me make a fool of myself." Dustin was unfazed. He already knew that this wasn't going to be any ordinary duel. "Sir, why don't we give up? A duel against a grandmaster is no joke."Your life is more important than your pride," Cornelius warned in a low voice.He knew that Dustin was powerful. However, Augustus was one of Balerno's renowned grandmasters. The gap between the two of them was just too big. So far, no one has ever escaped the fate of being crushed by grandmasters. "Why would we run away when we're already here?" Dustin replied calmly. "Sir, grandmasters
An Understated Dominance Chapter 911
"The scripture?" Dustin was surprised. Then, he burst out laughing. "That's what you were after this entire time, wasn't it?" He thought Nikki had finally come around and was trying to advise him for fear of his safety. It turned out that she was just putting on a show. Her goal was the Jade Maiden Scripture. "Dustin, the scripture is very important to me. Please return it." Nikki's expression was awkward, but there was a determined look in her eyes. "I've already given it to you. Why are you asking me again?" Dustin's expression turned stormy. "Stop acting. I know you stole it. We can still be friends if you hand it over," Nikki said expressionlessly. "First of all, I never stole that scripture of yours. It's your problem if you lose it. Secondly, I don't think I want to be friends with you," Dustin jeered. "Are you going to keep acting like this, Dustin? The scripture is useless to you! Just return it to me, and we can be friends again!" Nikki frowned. She thought D
An Understated Dominance Chapter 912
Dustin ignored the profanities Nikki was throwing at him and walked straight ahead. He had done all that he should. Unfortunately, Nikki was just as stubborn and sickening as the other Jade Maiden Sisterhood disciples.All his help and advice had fallen on deaf ears. It even came back to bite him. There was no saving a woman like that. He didn't have to, either. So, he might as well pretend not to know her at all. "How did it go? Did you get the scripture back?" Just then, Edith and her disciples approached Nikki. Edith has been thinking about the scripture since she lost it last night. So, when Dustin appeared, she immediately ordered Nikki to get it back. "He wouldn't hand it over, Madam. He even slapped me," Nikki whimpered. She covered her aching face with a hand. "What?" Edith frowned. "Didn't I tell you to sweet-talk him? What did you do?""That's what I did, but it was useless. He had his guard up against me. I couldn't get it back," Nikki moaned. "You piece of s
An Understated Dominance Chapter 913
Maggie still remembered how Dustin had beaten her up. Now that the man she hated was standing right before her, she could finally have her revenge. "Enough talking. Where's Sir Augustus?" Dustin's expression was cold. "Hmph! You'll have to get through me if you want to challenge him!" Just then, a terrifying aura burst forth from the crowd. Then, a man and a woman jumped over to where the Doyle family was. The man stood tall and proud with a fiery aura, while the elegant woman gave off an icy air. It was clear that they were polar opposites. "What are you guys doing here?" Terry was happy to see the new arrivals. "We heard that you were being bullied, so we came to support you." The man grinned, while the woman merely nodded in acknowledgment. "Terry, these two are?" Phil was puzzled. "Let me introduce them to you, Dad. These are my seniors—Blaise and Frostine. They're a married couple, and they're also the famous Ice-Fire Duo on The Heavenly Immortals!" Terry introduce
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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
