To Samantha, this was the success she needed to change Bailar for the better.She had successfully secured a contract with Swallow Central for four million and five hundred thousand dollars and won a contract with Nine Kings. So, of course, she was over the moon.Adrian smiled and stroked Samantha’s hair. “Congratulations.”Samantha wiped away her tears and looked upwards to calm herself. Then, she held Adrian’s hand and said, “Okay, let’s go.”Adrian nodded.***The couple left Nine Kings and headed back to Bailar, with Samantha taking the wheel.On the way, she began thinking about everything that had just happened. She had not expected Nine Kings to be so gracious as to accept Bailar, to which she was left feeling that something was amiss.“Adrian, I’ve been curious about something, but I’m not sure if you’ve realized it.”“What is it?” Adrian asked.Samantha twirled her hair.“Aren’t you curious why Nine Kings would award me a contract? After all, there are so many other
Nathan frantically waved his hands and said, “Mother, I just heard the news myself. Have you guys seen Nine Kings’ recent post?“Samantha’s Bailar is going to settle down in Swallow Central. Plus, she’s managed to bag a contract with Nine Kings worth four million and five hundred thousand dollars!” Nathan said excitedly.“What?!” Violet was dumbfounded when she heard this, while all of the Cowells were too stunned to speak.‘Bailar will be in Swallow Central?’‘That’s impossible!’‘Not even we are eligible to do such a thing, so how did Samantha manage such a feat?’Hugo, Violet’s second eldest son, said, “Is this true, Nathan?”“Without a doubt. Check Nine Kings’ latest post. They’re promoting this piece of news right now!”A few of them took out their phones to verify this, to which they were all left stunned.Nine Kings had announced that their contracts for the three hundred million dollar project had been completely distributed, with Bailar being awarded four hundred and
The Cowells grew increasingly excited when Violet said this.None of them were able to hold back their greed.“Hahaha! The Cowells will soon become a huge and powerful family!” Francis said excitedly, “Heaven is on our side. Bailar will be part of Swallow Central, and the Cowells will grow to become a hugely reputable family!”To them, pride and ego were worthless notions at that point. In fact, they already assumed that Bailar was theirs to claim ownership of.They had completely forgotten about the agreement they made with Samantha when they accepted her seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.***That night, Samantha and Adrian returned home after she was done with her tasks at Bailar.Rue had already prepared dinner and was waiting for the pair to return.“You’re home, Sam. Go wash your hands and let’s eat,” Rue hurriedly said.Despite being poor, Rue had never mistreated Samantha. Not even once.She would always make sure Samantha’s meals were nutritious to replenish h
“Okay!“Here. You should eat more.” Rue was excited and piled more food onto Samantha’s plate.The family was in the midst of dinner when a frantic knocking came from outside the door. Rue went to answer it. She furrowed her eyebrows at the sight of the people standing outside. “What brings you here?”“What is it? Judging by your tone, am I not allowed to visit my granddaughter?” said Violet in a slightly angry tone.“That’s right, that’s right. You’re being quite disrespectful. Isn’t it perfectly justifiable for my grandmother to visit Samantha?” Francis said angrily.Rue was not fond of these Cowells, and she had not expected them to come knocking on her door again tonight. But she felt it inappropriate to reject them so she said, “Please, come in.”Violet and the other Cowells marched into the house. Samantha stood up in astonishment when she saw Violet and hastily said, “Why are you here, Grandmother? Have you eaten? Come and join us for dinner!”Violet looked solemn and her
“What?”The Cowells were shocked upon hearing Adrian’s remark. Not even Violet had expected Adrian to agree so easily.On the other hand, tears instantly started streaming down Samantha’s face when she heard what Adrian said. She roared, “What nonsense are you saying, Adrian?! Bailar is mine! Why would I give it to them?!”“I’m your grandmother, Samantha! Do you not have any respect for me?!” said Violet angrily upon hearing Samantha’s words.“I…” Samantha was shaken. Violet was going back on her word. Moreover, she did it so shamelessly and her actions left Samantha feeling hopeless.Adrian simply smiled at Samantha and comforted her by saying, “Don’t worry, Sam. The Cowells are jealous of you and came to take back the company after finding out about your collaboration with Nine Kings and that it got a spot in Swallow Central. Since they want it, let them have it.”“Adrian, what nonsense are you on about?” said Samantha as she sobbed.Adrian paid no attention to Samantha. He lo
The Cowells shook with excitement as they made their way there.“Hahaha! Bailar is ours, Grandmother. We got a contract with Nine Kings and we have a spot in Swallow Central. Our family’s status will rise from today forth!”Francis was growing restless in his seat, his face beaming with excitement.Clara was delighted as well. She inhaled a deep breath and said, “Our family will hold a different status from today onward. We will become an influential family of Swallowston when we open up at Swallow Central.”Nathan nodded and said, “Clara’s right, Mother. Our family’s status is about to change. The collaboration with Nine Kings and the Swallow Central spot are contributions of our family.“I’d like to see who in Swallowston will look down upon the Cowells from now on.”The Cowells felt really good about themselves and were delighted beyond comparison.Violet nodded and said, “Thank you for your hard work, everyone. Put all your efforts into managing the company properly once we
Through painstaking efforts, Bailar got the chance to rise again, yet it was seized by the Cowells.To Samantha, losing the company was losing her only opportunity to succeed. But what else could she do now?She shut her eyes as she lay in Adrian’s arms. She did not want to think or do anything.“Come on, get up.” Adrian caressed her hair.Samantha’s red eyes brimmed with tears. She did not wish to move.Adrian said, “Sam, forget about what happened for now. Just trust me. I have my ways to handle the situation.”Samantha raised her head and said in a hoarse voice, “Ways? What ways do you have? If you had your ways, you wouldn’t have let the Cowells take Bailar.”“They’ll return it in the same way they took it. Don’t worry,” Adrian comforted her.It would be useless for him to explain further at this point.Samantha inhaled deeply. She made up her mind to deal with the situation. Then, she said, “Let go of me. I’m fine. I’m going to get ready to attend Cassey’s wedding.“Fran
On the contrary, it added a tinge of rusticness to her demeanor.After hanging up the call, Samantha said to Adrian, “Adrian, speak as little as you can when we’re at the wedding. I have many friends attending the wedding and they will target you if you talk.”Adrian nodded. He was aware of Cassey’s goal, of course, but he did not comment further.Samantha sped off to Swallowston Hotel where Cassey was getting married to Mario today.***As Samantha and Adrian headed to the hotel to attend Cassey’s wedding, the Cowells were at Bailar.Violet immediately called for an important meeting with Bailar’s staff members in the boardroom that morning. The managers of Bailar’s major departments and the Cowells were in attendance.During the meeting, Violet fired almost all the managers and assigned her family members to these posts. She fired Samantha’s assistant, Nina, too.There was a reshuffling in Bailar’s organization and the Cowells were promoted to top-level positions.At this ex
What had initially appeared to be a dense swarm of beasts now seemed far less daunting.Adrian smiled slightly, satisfied. This was the result he had hoped for.At that moment, the Soul Devouring Sword glowed even more intensely.Adrian smiled faintly again. The sword was growing stronger, and that worked in his favor.He let out a cold chuckle. "Now, let's see what can stop me."As his words fell, a powerful, terrifying roar reverberated in the distance.A violent sound, full of rage, tore through the air. It seemed an even more fearsome beast was approaching.Adrian's eyes gleamed coldly as he sensed the change.From the distant horizon, a massive creature emerged from the void.It was an ancient beast—a bird, to be precise.Adrian's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected it to be an ancient beast, let alone one as powerful as the Red Feather Divine Bird.The bird's greatest strength lay in its wings, forged from mystic iron. A single blow from those wings could infl
As soon as Adrian spoke, he made his move. The terrifying beast at the peak of the Void Stage posed a serious challenge.Adrian, currently an intermediate Void Stage warrion, faced a formidable opponent in the beast's immense size and power.Without any command from Adrian, the Soul Devouring Sword charged into the swarm of beasts, cutting down everything in its path with ruthless ferocity.Each time Adrian killed a beast, the sword rapidly consumed its blood and soul energy.In the blink of an eye, Adrian and his sword wreaked havoc across the battlefield, showing no signs of slowing down.Despite the bloodthirsty beasts surrounding him, Adrian remained calm.His fierce struggle only intensified their madness, and they relentlessly tried to kill him. It was clear they wouldn't stop until Adrian was destroyed.The battle had become frenzied.Adrian's movements grew faster and fiercer, while the air around him shook violently, as if the world itself quaked under the battle's int
Adrian was acutely aware of his surroundings, but his focus remained on recovering his strength. He couldn't afford to be distracted by what was happening outside.This moment was critical for Adrian. He had to regain his power quickly. In a place like this, any weakness would likely lead to his death.Even the strongest men couldn't survive waves of demonic beasts without their full strength.As the saying went, "A war of attrition is the key to victory."Adrian understood this better than ever.Thousands of beasts seemed to be charging at him, but he didn't waste time thinking about it. His priority was to restore his strength and confront these terrifying creatures.The air crackled with violent energy as a massive beast charged at him.This creature, at the peak of the Void Stage, exuded an aura of pure terror.Adrian could feel his power slowly returning as he rose to his feet. These beasts were powerful, but he was not afraid.The giant beast struck Adrian's barrier with
Adrian's speed remained astonishing. He unleashed his strength again while the Holy Son reached the thirtieth step below him. Despite the progress, the gap between them was still immense. The Holy Son hadn't expected Adrian to catch up so quickly. By now, Adrian had already reached the seventieth step. In an instant, Adrian's power surged, and his body radiated a brilliant glow. A golden barrier enveloped him, exuding an intimidating aura that discouraged anyone from approaching. For the Holy Son, this was a bitter humiliation. Adrian's rise felt like a slap in the face.Not long ago, he had mocked Adrian as insignificant, but now it seemed clear who truly deserved that label. Rage consumed him. Adrian surged up to the seventy-fifth step. Suddenly, the sensation of space shifting gripped him—he was about to enter a new realm. In a flash, he found himself in a vast grassland. Scanning his surroundings with sharp, alert eyes, he couldn't discern his location but recognize
This scene left Andy speechless. The stairs were undeniably terrifying, yet Adrian ascended them with ease.Andy had started the climb first but now found himself near the back.Kurt had initially lingered, merely observing.When he finally began his ascent, his strength made the climb seem effortless.His primary duty was to protect the Holy Son, so he advanced swiftly and without hesitation. He knew that if he failed and something happened to the Holy Son, responsibility would rest squarely on his shoulders.Meanwhile, Adrian dashed at an astonishing speed, rapidly closing the distance between himself and Finnian.Finnian's eyes widened with surprise as he watched Adrian. "What kind of person are you, kid? With such a powerful physique... your future promises to be extraordinary."Adrian chuckled modestly. "You're too kind. My abilities are hardly worth mentioning."He saw no reason to boast, knowing Finnian wasn't an ordinary figure. If Finnian unleashed his true power, Adri
Adrian's energy surged as the body-strengthening methods activated within him. His nerves tightened, and his blood pulsed with vitality, every cell brimming with excitement.As the divine lightning descended, Adrian's body transformed into a blazing furnace.Crimson lightning poured into him, tempering and forging his form like molten steel in a smith's forge.Terrifying bolts struck him repeatedly, yet his eyes gleamed with exhilaration rather than fear.Finnian watched in stunned disbelief. "How is this possible? Could this guy truly be one of the legendary immortals?"Memories surfaced in Finnian's mind. He had witnessed such power before—but only in a bygone era. He never imagined he would see it again.Long ago, he had encountered a prodigy with the Thunder God Physique, someone capable of absorbing divine lightning without harm. Instead, the lightning strengthened their body, transforming them into a near-unstoppable force.Now, Adrian exhibited the same phenomenon.Obliv
Adrian leaped lightly, and 90,000 units of force pressed down on his body. He was momentarily stunned but, to his surprise, found he could withstand it.At his previous strength, such immense gravitational pressure would have been insurmountable. While he could now endure it, the ease with which he managed was entirely unexpected.Perplexed, Adrian pondered whether the crimson divine lightning that had fused with his body was the source of his newfound resilience. The possibility left him in awe.Was the crimson lightning truly that formidable?He struggled to comprehend it but couldn't suppress a surge of joy. Misfortune seemed to have turned into fortune.If the lightning was truly this beneficial, he wouldn't mind being struck a few more times. Surely, his body would grow even stronger.With renewed determination, Adrian took another step forward.Below, Andy and the others watched, speechless.To them, Adrian hardly seemed human. His effortless ascent and composed demeanor
The crimson divine lightning was an ancient, destructive force, capable of annihilating a person instantly, reducing both body and soul to nothingness.Despite this peril, Adrian stood unfazed, exuding an almost defiant calm that struck onlookers as recklessly suicidal.A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he dismissed Andy's warning.Once Adrian made a decision, others' opinions became meaningless. What mattered was whether his actions aligned with his expectations.Within him, energy began to circulate.The violent crackle of lightning roared through the sky, sending a bone-chilling resonance across the land.Many trembled at the ominous sound.Adrian's expression hardened as his body emitted faint crackling sounds.The crimson lightning's devastating power surged through him, making every cell in his body tremble under its crushing intensity.Yet, despite the searing pain, a glimmer of satisfaction lit his eyes. He knew exactly what needed to be done.Adrian l
Adrian's face darkened.Spatial fragments hurtling toward him radiated lethal force. On closer inspection, each shard bristled with deadly intent.Terrifying energies erupted, shaking the void as if it might collapse entirely.Below, the Holy Son observed with a cold smirk. "Hahaha! Let's see how you survive this. With the gravitational force on you now exceeding 80,000 units, you're nothing but an overconfident ant."Adrian shot him an icy glance. "Oh? Then you're not even on par with an ant."The Holy Son trembled with fury. He burned with the urge to strike Adrian down.Adrian had become both his greatest humiliation and the demon haunting his heart. Unless he destroyed Adrian, his future ambitions would remain stifled.In the distance, Kurt watched grimly. He hadn't expected Adrian to grow so formidable or to trigger such pivotal events.Adrian's suppression of the Holy Son only confirmed the man's long-held suspicion: Adrian was no ordinary immortal.Now that Adrian had p