"Welcome to the Green Vine Club's finest offerings, Mister Levin. Please, enjoy to your heart's content," Solax said, beaming.His two young apprentices knelt at the side, unfazed by the scene, as if it was just another day at the office.Alara had a clear hierarchy—the strong ruled and enjoyed their power, and no one dared criticize them. Thus, whatever happened in public was accepted as normal."Where's the manager?"Ashton was not interested in the women."Just a moment, Mister Levin. We have a bit of a queue, and we need to serve everyone in turn. Make yourself comfortable, and I'll bring the manager once he's finished with the other cultivators," Solax said, then signaled his apprentices to hurry out.Ashton was left in the room with the two scantily clad maids."Sir, I am Snow Aerwynn, and this is my sister, Blossom Aerwynn. We are at your service, untouched and pure," the woman in the flowing white robe said with a hint of an accent.Her sister in the soft pink robe nodd
Fajar's smile slowly faded, replaced by a stern, icy aura."Are all Lindorm cultivators so proud? You should expect some surprises if you want to test your skills. You don't agree? Or is your vision too narrow to see that? What's the big deal about the killing? Commoners' lives are disposable. Every cultivator has hundreds or thousands of body counts. You've never killed anyone?"Fajar sneered. "You have a candidate right next to you. Why not use her for a little target practice?"He meant Snow Aerwynn.Snow's face was blank, her fear gone. Her spark faded as she stared at her sister's corpse.Without parents, the sisters had only each other. Their bond and reliance were beyond what most could fathom."Practicing on mere mortals? That's just dull," Ashton said as he looked at Fajar."Really?" Fajar's eyebrows lifted in mock surprise."Why don't I spar with your warrior? He seems skilled with his blade, quick on his feet," Ashton said with a hint of a smirk.The warrior's grip
Suprone was the Guardian Choplain's revered disciple, their nation's and order's shining Golden Warrior, destined to challenge for the Sword Saint's title.Yet, a simple snap of the fingers killed him?"Killing him was no different from swatting a fly. So why act like you're all-powerful when you're not? Always talking about ordinary people as if you're some deity in charge of the cosmos, blind to the fact that to others, you're just another bug." Ashton shook his head, his tone dismissive, as if he had merely brushed away a speck of dust."Grandmaster! It looks like we are in the presence of a grandmaster. We were blind to your greatness. Our ignorance is unforgivable. Grandmaster, please, your wrath is not needed. We will provide a resolution that will meet your approval." Fajar, ever the adaptable leader, quickly assessed his opponent's strength. He apologized to avert any further loss of control over the situation."Absolutely! We have offended a grandmaster. I'll report this a
Snow Aerwynn's heart leaped to her throat, and she almost shrieked. Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle the sound. Her cheeks blazed with color as she stood there, a picture of startled grace."Mister Levin, are you okay?"Madam Keira took care of my sister's last rites. Life is as fleeting as a dandelion in the wind for folks like us. We never imagined someone would stand up for us, especially in death. You have a golden heart, Mister Levin. I used to call you Mister Gentleman in my head."Her cheeks deepened to a shade of crimson at the confession."I've always known that my sister and I could be gone in the blink of an eye. But when the moment hit, I could not face it. But I found peace when you defeated that warrior. I will live my best life, and for my sister, too."Mister Gentleman? You—"Snow Aerwynn noticed his inaction.Ashton was petrified. It was as if his spirit had left him unable to speak, move, or summon strength. A primal fear gripped him.At a time like that,
"He gave you that cultivator?" Alora's face showed shock and disbelief."Ashton knew I was looking for a cultivator, so he sent one my way. It's really that simple," Ophelia said casually.She was deeply grateful. She was surprised that Ashton sent a cultivator to her so easily. His action had put the Latham family in third place. She owed him and knew she had to make amends, probably through Yanne.It was just a deal, right? She owed him nothing more.Ophelia reassured herself with those thoughts."Okay, Alora, I have to head back."As Ophelia turned to leave, Alora grabbed her from behind."Ow, Alora! What's the big idea? That hurts." Ophelia winced."Where's Ashton? I need to talk to him." Alora demanded; her breaths were quick and uneven."How should I know? His phone is off. I can't track him down," Ophelia said as she pulled away.He was unreachable when she tried to call to thank the mysterious powerhouse who had elevated the Latham family. She could not read minds, so
Ashton stared at her, dumbfounded. Then, a sly smirk crept across his face. "You're not serious, are you?""What?"Alora stared at Ashton silently; her forehead pulsed with frustration."Ophelia is Yanne's good friend. She has been a huge help to Yanne lately, and I owed her one. So, I helped her. What's the big deal? You think I want to get under your skin? You think you're worth that kind of effort? I don't waste my time on pointless things. You should know that by now."Alora gaped. "All this just because she was there for Yanne?""What else? I'm always there for my friends and family," Ashton said, his smile easy and unfazed."What about me?" Alora's face froze in shock. "Was I not the one you cherished above all others?""Yes, you were," Ashton replied, his voice steady. "Can you honestly say I didn't treat you kindly and fairly back then?"Alora was speechless; her arguments slipped away.After a tense pause, she found her voice again. "You're so powerful, yet you kept e
Everyone in the Levin family went silent.Avery, Alistair, and others were desperate.Ashton was their backup, but they never considered him their trump card. Darek told them Ashton was as strong as a senior grandmaster, but no one believed him.Therefore, the Levin family had already made other plans and spent a lot of money to hire an overseas grandmaster as their trump card.Due to Ashton's prolonged absence, the foreign master who was grandmaster to fight the final round had already used his strength in the last round to keep the family's place. He was severely injured, so the foreign grandmaster could not fight or defeat even ordinary grandmasters. How could he go against the Xenakis family, a master who had been in seclusion for over 20 years?It meant the Levin family would never score first in the Battle of Champions. It crushed their hopes of returning to their headquarters.That was partly Ashton's fault.Even Avery, who was close to Ashton, could not understand why he
"Ash knows what he's doing and has never lied to his friends. He told me to bet on the Levin family. He must have something planned. I believe him," Pierre said.Even though he thought the old man from the Xenakis family was strong, Ashton looked too calm and mysterious. It would not hurt to trust in Ashton. Anyway, Pierre could not intervene, nor could he change anything.A series of sighs broke out throughout the infield."Whose son is this? Is he here to die? I am Cornelton Xenakis, and I will not fight a nobody." The old man on the stage did not even look at Ashton properly.Jaxson jumped and shouted, "It's him! It's that youngster!""Jaxson, what's the matter?" an elder asked with concern.Jaxson explained everything that happened in Edren County, but he twisted the story. He mostly complained about how Ashton prevented him from getting the La Verdure Pill formula, interfered with his plan, and disrespected the Xenakis family. He omitted his own actions in Edren County.His