The Rise of David
-Book 8-

Previously, Fernando discovered that Verner represented The Adamantine family from the Gate of Fire secret realm. Verner revealed that many powerful families were gathering in Jadeborough to challenge David of the Deragon Sect. Astrid fiercely defended David, warning that anyone who opposed him would become the Gunderson family’s enemy. Fernando backed her, stressing that even the Great Elder would sever ties with The Adamantine if David were harmed. Verner then assured he only sought a friendly spar, not hostility.

Chapter 341: Return From Abroad

Time flew by in the blink of an eye. Just like that, two days passed, the next day was going to be Deragon Sect’s opening ceremony.

Everyone in the Deragon family got busy. Meanwhile, David did not need to be too concerned about the preparations since Godrick was in charge.

All David needed to do was show Evangeline around and introduce her to the people there. At the same time, he wanted to help her familiarize herself with her body to prevent her from exposing herself.

Noticing David was often with Evangeline for the past few days, Renee asked unhappily, “Lizbeth, I noticed David has been hanging around that woman a lot these days. Should I remind him that you’re his girlfriend?”

“Just let him do whatever he wants. Mr. Deragon says I shouldn’t pressure David too much. I should give him some space if I really like that person. The more I try to put a rein on him, the more he’ll try to escape.”

Lizbeth had already figured things out. She then glanced at Renee and asked,

“Where’s Colin? Is he not seeing you today?”

“He’s busy. He’s got tons to do since it’s Deragon Sect’s launching ceremony tomorrow. If you’re bored, why don’t we take a walk?” Renee asked, worried Lizbeth would be bored.

“That’s a great idea!” Lizbeth nodded. Just as they were about to head out for a walk, two similar-looking women dressed seductively. walked over.

“Where are you two planning to go? Please bring us along!” they said with a grin.

“Melanie! Lyanna!” Renee immediately ran over to them. Lizbeth, too, happily went forward and chatted with them.

The two sisters were previously sent away by Rayleigh to cultivate. After all, they were naturally talented in using Charm Magic. If someone could guide them in their cultivation, they would surely achieve great heights in the future.

Hence, they were sent abroad to cultivate Charm Magic specifically. Just like that, they were gone for several months. “Why are you two back all of a sudden?” Lizbeth asked curiously.

“How could we be absent on a day when David wants to establish a new sect?” Lyanna answered with a question, chuckling lightly.

Her smile was so attractive that even Lizbeth and Renee were mesmerized by it.

Clearly, Lyanna’s skills in using Charm Magic had greatly improved. “You two are just in time! Let’s go have a walk,” Renee said happily. “Where’s David?” asked Melanie.

Upon hearing that question, Lizbeth fell into an awkward silence. In the end, Renee was the one who answered with a scowl, “David is taking a stroll with another woman. Heaven knows where he got her from. They’re practically glued to each other all day long.”

Melanie and Lyanna were furious the moment they heard that. “Take us to him! I’ll make sure to teach David a lesson and make him obey everything we say,” Melanie said.

With that, the four of them went out to look for David. As they walked along the street, they attracted quite a lot of attention, especially Melanie and Lyanna, who looked absolutely gorgeous when they smiled.

In fact, many men got into a fight when they saw the two sisters. Soon, the quintet spotted David and Evangeline. However, he did not notice their presence. “Wow. I can’t believe the world has become like this after thousands of years.” Evangeline looked amazed by everything she saw, but a frown soon marred her countenance. “The spiritual energy here is too weak. There’s no way I can cultivate. With this body’s strength, being able to exert even two-thirds of my power is already good enough.”

“Is there really no other way for you to return to Top Level?” David queried. The spirit inhabiting Evangeline’s body was thousands of years old and also the holy maiden of Lunarius Palace, so he could not believe she had no solution.

—

Evangeline shook her head. “There’s none. The spiritual energy here is too weak, and it feels like there’s a restrictive energy that’s preventing a spiritual energy cultivator from increasing their capabilities. I’m not sure what it is, nor do I know how to describe it. All in all, it just feels like something is restraining me.”

“A restrictive energy?” David was dumbfounded. Right then, he recalled his moments on Encanta Island back then. The island also had some sort of restrictive energy which prevented the people there from achieving the peak of their capabilities no matter how hard they trained.

Suddenly, a wild idea came to David’s mind. Could someone have placed a restrictive energy over the entire earth to control the development of spiritual energy cultivators?

Immediately after that, he thought it ridiculous. How could someone be so powerful to place restrictive energy over the entire earth? That’s impossible.

“Come on. I’ll take you around,” David said, sighing dejectedly. He thought he would have a Martial Arts Saint around him once Evangeline had recovered. That way, he would practically be invincible.

Never did he expect Evangeline’s capabilities to be restrained to the point where she was only a Fifth Level Greater Martial Arts Marquis

Just as David and Evangeline were about to continue walking, a fragrance entered his nostrils. The smell made him dizzy and caused his blood to pump faster, which increased his body’s temperature.

Sensing something was odd, David hurriedly turned around and spotted Lizbeth and the others Melanie and Lyanna?

He came to a realization as soon as he saw them. Before he could speak,

Evangeline’s expression darkened. “How dare you witches use Charm Magic in broad daylight?” Evangeline was not acquainted with Melanie and Lyanna. Thus, she was furious at the siblings for using Charm Magic on David and lunged at them. Naturally, the siblings did not back down, either. They berated, “You vixen!

You’re the one who’s a witch for seducing someone else’s boyfriend!”

Immediately after that, the trio got into a fight, but none of them dared to go all out since they were in the middle of a bustling area.

Many people would be injured if they unleashed their powers. That was not allowed by the government. That was why Evangeline put a rein on her powers. It was hard to tell which party was going to win.

At the same time, many people gathered around to watch, murmuring among themselves.

David could not help but feel embarrassed. “That’s enough. Stop fighting. Stop it!” Given no choice, David stepped forward and pulled the women apart. “That’s enough! This is a misunderstanding. Let’s talk about this when we get back,” stated David unhappily. He then dragged the seething women back.

Though they fled the scene in the blink of an eye, someone managed to take pictures and posted them on the internet. At that moment, many netizens began discussing the fight over David on the martial arts forum.

The entire incident left David speechless. Thankfully, the women were reasonable people, and they made up with each other right after David explained everything.

Since Evangeline only became aggressive because she wanted to protect David, Melanie and Lyanna did not resent her. Feeling exasperated, David smoked his cigarette alone on the balcony.

He was completely fearless in the face of mighty enemies. Yet, he was helpless when it came to dealing with many women.

“I never thought I’d live to see the mighty leader of Deragon Sect feeling troubled over matters related to women.” Just then, Rayleigh approached and sat beside David.

“Oh, Mr. Deragon! I really don’t know what to do…” said David helplessly while handing Rayleigh a cigarette. “You don’t have to do anything. I’m sure they can sort it out on their own. Women shouldn’t be the cause of your worries. You should spend your energy on other matters,” Rayleigh advised.

Hearing that, David nodded, and the frown on his face vanished.

—

At the Department of Justice of Jadeborough, Xavier stumbled into the main hall in a hurry. “Mr. Sanders, the delegation from Jetroina has arrived. They’re outside right now!” Arthur nodded in acknowledgment. “Let them in!”

Thereafter, Xavier led the delegation into the building In their lead was a middle-aged man with a beard-Kazuo Kawaguchi. He was also the head of the delegation.

Behind him were five men, all wearing sharp suits and leather shoes, except for one. He was dressed as a samurai, complete with a katana by his side and a small ponytail at the back of his head.

The sight of the armed man caused Xavier’s expression to darken. He confronted them at once. “Hand over the sword. No one is allowed to meet Mr. Sanders while armed.”

“The sword represents the spirit of a samurai. Therefore, we’ll give it up only in death,” the samurai replied with a scowl on his face. Furrowing his brows, Xavier reached out to grab the sword.

The moment his hand touched it, he saw the samurai’s wrist tremble minutely. Before he could react, he was struck by a massive force that forced him to backpedal multiple steps..

“Jun, mind your manners,” Kazuo reprimanded the samurai. It was then that Arthur waved his hand. “Let them be.”

As Xavier resigned himself to backing down, Arthur invited Kazuo, “Mr. Kawaguchi, please have a seat.” “Thank you, Mr. Sanders.”

With a nod from Kazuo, everyone took their respective seats. Right before they sat down, Arthur unexpectedly flicked his fingers. Crash! Just like that, Jun’s chair shattered into pieces and collapsed onto the ground. His expression drastically changed at the sudden turn of events.

“Mr. Kawaguchi, you’ll have to excuse me. The chair must be old and was in need of repair.”

No sooner had Arthur spoken than he gave Xavier a look. “Captain Jennings, bring us another chair.”

Recognizing Arthur’s cue, Xavier played along. “Mr. Sanders, all the chairs have been taken away for an event. I’m afraid we don’t have any extras left.”

“That’s really unfortunate. I guess we have no choice but to let Mr. Watanabe stand,” Arthur replied with an apologetic smile.

His words infuriated Jun, but Kazuo preempted the former’s response. “It’s no problem at all. For a samurai of Jetroina, standing is nothing but a trivial matter.” Despite Jun’s anger, he had no choice but to stand by the side after what Kazuo had said. “Mr. Kawaguchi, may I know what has brought you here?” Arthur asked despite knowing the answer.

It was protocol for such delegations to announce the objective of their visits in advance. Hence, there was no way Arthur was oblivious to it.

“Mr. Sanders, we’re here on a martial arts exchange to strengthen the bonds of both our countries. We have recently heard of an up-and- coming star within your martial arts world. Despite his youth, he’s extremely powerful. That’s why we’re hoping to challenge him in order to gain some knowledge.”

Kazuo spoke candidly, for he knew beating around the bush in front of Arthur was futile. “It’s true that there’s a new star in the martial arts world. However, which one of you will be participating in this challenge?”

A curious look descended upon Arthur’s face. Kazuo was briefly stunned before replying, “Obviously, it will be Jun, as he is the only martial artist among us!”

Truth be told, Arthur could tell that the rest were ordinary folk, for he didn’t sense any aura from them.

“Fine. However, this rising star does not work for the authorities. You’ll have to issue your challenge directly to him. As to whether he’ll accept, it’s something beyond my control. It would be out of line for me to use my official authority to

pressure him into doing so. I hope you understand, Mr. Kawaguchi,” Arthur explained.

“Your words are enough to put my concerns at ease. Thank you for your time.” With that, Kazuo took his leave.

The real reason he went to see Arthur was to ensure that the authorities didn’t interfere, so as to prevent any unnecessary trouble in the future.

—

The next day, all eyes within the martial arts world lay upon the Deragon family, for they would be known as the Deragon Sect going forward.

They were able to recruit more disciples by redesignating themselves from a family to a sect. Godrick, being the competent hand that he was, decorated the venue extravagantly and even gathered together thousands of new disciples.

His goal was to exhibit the Deragon Sect’s power in front of all the prestigious families. “David, since today is Deragon Sect’s founding day. I have a present for you,” Godrick suggested mysteriously.

“What is it?” David inquired in surprise. “Come with me. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Godrick led David to a plaza that was built solely for the founding of Deragon Sect. There, a towering statue loomed over the venue.

At his cue, the piece of red cloth covering it was gradually pulled down. David was subsequently stunned to see what was revealed a statue of himself!

The statue was so life-like that it was the mirror image of David. “Since when did you start working on this?” the puzzled David asked.

“A long time ago in order to give you a surprise, Godrick replied with a smile. Reciprocating with a grin of his own, David patted Godrick on the shoulder. “I appreciate it.”

David was of the opinion that Godrick was really smart. It was just that his talents were previously suffocated by the amount of pressure Ryker applied on him.

As noon approached, many guests arrived, bearing gifts and well wishes.

David received all of them with a humble disposition. Within just the span of half an hour, more than ten sects had arrived to congratulate David.

The grandeur of the event was unprecedented for the other prestigious families. “The head of the Gunderson family has arrived!”

No sooner had the words rang out outside the door than David rushed out to welcome his guests. “Mr. Gunderson,” David greeted respectfully. “Mr. Chance, congratulations!”

Fernando handed over the gift he brought.

“Mr. Gunderson, this way please.” David made way for Fernando. At that moment, Astrid interjected, “David, now that my dad has given you his present, I have one for you too.”

With a wave of her hand, a truck arrived at the scene. It was filled with resources for cultivation and plenty of aged medicinal herbs.

The sight stunned David. Who in the world gives gifts this way?

The look on his face elicited a smile from Fernando. “Mr. Chance, it looks like Astrid has emptied the Gunderson family’s storehouse.” David responded with a wry smile. “Ms. Gunderson, you shouldn’t have. Please, come this way.”

“I’m not trying to be polite. This is nothing more than me moving house. After all, it’s just a matter of time before I move in with you here!” Astrid declared unabashedly, rendering David speechless.

Fortunately, the doorman outside cried out again. “Verner of the Gingerich family from the northwest…”

“Marcelo of the Garcia family from the southwest…”

“Royler of the Gracie family from the northeast…”

“Jose of the Danaher family from the east…

The sound of the names shocked David and all the other guests, for they belonged to the prestigious families that had recently emerged. Every single one of them was unbelievably powerful.

Verner, in particular, had defeated tens of foes in a single breath, becoming an overnight sensation. David, too, was baffled by their sudden appearance, as he didn’t have any relationship with them.

“Mr. Chance, they don’t seem to have come with good intentions. You have to be careful,” Fernando whispered.

David instantly understood what was going on. Thus, he nodded in acknowledgment before heading out to receive them.

It would be rude not to welcome his guests, after all. At the same time, Astrid followed behind David as he went out.

—

“David, congratulations, congratulations!” At the sight of David emerging with Astrid, Verner greeted him with a smile. “Thank you, thank you.” David was visibly awkward as he stared at Verner since he hadn’t a clue who the latter was.

“He is Verner of the Gingerich family,” Astrid explained. Realizing who it was, David quickly replied, “Welcome, Verner. Your reputation precedes you.”

“Haha, David, you flatter me. You’re the one whose fame extends throughout the martial arts world now.”

After letting out a cordial chuckle, he pointed to the group behind him and said, “David, let me introduce you. This is Marcelo from the Garcia family from the southwest. This is Royler of the Gracie family from the northeast, and this is Jose of the Danaher family from the east. All of us admire you greatly and have traveled all this way to pay our respects.”

As Verner introduced the others, David greeted them cordially one by one. However, their response was lukewarm. They acknowledged his greeting with only a slight nod before entering the building.

Nonetheless, David didn’t hold it against them. After ordering his subordinates to entertain them, he continued receiving the other guests at the door.

“David, you must be careful. They intend to make a name for themselves by beating you,” Fernando reminded.

“It’s fine. They’re all at the level of a Greater Martial Arts Marquis. I’m not afraid of them challenging me. As to whether they can beat me, it’s still too early to say,” David replied with a faint smile.

“I like how confident you always are. Don’t worry. The Gunderson family will always have your back. We’re one family, after all,” Astrid commented eagerly.

Not knowing what else to say, David eked out a helpless grin. It was then that the voice outside shouted, “Cecilia Jingle of the Crimson Palace…” The sound of the name caused David to jerk because Cecelia’s arrival was unexpected. Sensing David’s awkward reaction, Astrid teased, “Has your gallivanting days finally caught up with you?”

“Stop that nonsense.” David shot Astrid a glare before hurrying out to welcome his guest.

He was greeted by the sight of Cecilia wearing a white full-length dress. Exuding an air of feminine exuberance, she sauntered in with Millie and a group of Crimson Palace attendants behind her.

The sudden appearance of such a stunning beauty drew the attention of many guests who, in turn, trained their gazes on her.

“Ms. Jingle, imagine my surprise to see you here.” As David approached, he stared at her with a conflicted look on his face.

“Mr. Chance, of course I must be here to congratulate you on such a big day.” Despite the plain smile Cecilia responded with, it was bursting with her affection for him.

“Please come in.” David had difficulty finding a topic to converse about as a long time had passed since both of them saw each other. “That’s right. Please come in.”

At that moment, Astrid came forward to gently hold Cecilia’s arm as she spoke. Briefly stunned, Cecilia turned toward David, expecting an introduction.

However, Astrid preempted any response David had. “Miss, I’m Astrid Gunderson, David’s girlfriend.”

The moment she heard the words “David’s girlfriend,” Cecilia replied with a slight grin, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Astrid. I’m Cecilia Jingle, a friend of Mr. Chance’s.”

“I know. David mentions you frequently. What’s this talk about just being friends? Who knows, we might all become family one day. Anyway, come with me. I hope you can give me some tips as to how you managed to maintain your complexion and figure so well.”

Astrid, with her congenial personality, made Cecilia blush at the mention of them being a family. Cecilia naturally took a liking to her right away.

Chapter 342: A Table Of Women

Despite all the nonsense Astrid was spewing, David didn’t even get to interrupt. “David, it turns out that you still miss my sister. In that case, why haven’t you visited us in such a long time? My sister has even been calling out your name in her sleep.”

Millie, who had come forward, asked in a teasing tone. “I… I was just too busy and didn’t manage to find the time,” David replied in embarrassment.

“That’s not going to be a problem going forward. We’ll be seeing each other very often.” A look of delight flashed across Millie’s face. “Why?” David was stunned.

“Cecilia has decided to move Crimson Palace here. Being near to each other, we’ll be able to meet frequently.” Millie finished with a giggle.

The news blew David away, as he didn’t expect Cecilia to make such a momentous decision. In response to David’s silence, Millie continued, “Cecilia did this for you. Therefore, you cannot let her down.”

With that, Millie skipped away to catch up with her sister. Dumbfounded, David didn’t know how to even react.

Considering that he already had enough women to deal with, he didn’t expect Cecilia to join the fray. More than an hour later, most of the guests had already arrived.

David went around, toasting his guests at every table. Regardless of their true intentions for coming, David treated everyone present as his honored guest.

That said, there was one table in particular that David was terrified to approach-the one where Cecilia and Astrid were seated.

David didn’t know whose bright idea it was to concentrate all the women at a single table. Seated there were Cecilia, Astrid, Evangeline, Lizbeth, Lyanna, and a few others.

With so many of them gathered there, he couldn’t help but worry about a fight breaking out anytime.

Despite his concerns, he steeled himself and walked over. After all, he had to show his appreciation to Cecilia for traveling such at great distance to attend the event.

As David approached the table, every single one of the women’s gazes fell upon him. The pressure he felt was more intense than when he faced a Martial Arts Saint.

“Ms. Jingle, thank you for coming all this way. Here’s a toast to you.” Upon finishing his sentence awkwardly, David downed his drink in a single gulp.

The embarrassed look on David’s face elicited a discreet laugh from Cecilia before she, too, downed her drink completely. “Ladies, please continue to enjoy yourselves while I entertain the other guests.”

After David was done mumbling a reply, he quickly turned and left as if he was fleeing. Behind him, the clear sounds of feminine laughter were subsequently heard.

At the end of his rounds, David joined Verner’s table. Since all of them were young and talented martial artists, he intended to get to know them better.

Be they friend or foe, there was no harm in doing so.

No sooner had David taken his seat than Verner gave him an envious look.

“David, it looks like you’re more than just an outstanding martial

artist from our generation. I’m surprised that you’re a casanova too, with so many women by your side. I’m more than willing to sacrifice my cultivation just to be in the same position as you are.”

It was clear that Verner’s admiration was sincere and he wasn’t just being polite. After all, every single woman at the table was a stunning beauty in her own right.

Cecilia, in particular, would captivate anyone whose eyes fell upon her. Every movement of hers, including something as simple as a smile, exuded the air of an angel who had descended from the heavens itself.

If it weren’t for David’s presence, plenty of men would have already hit on her.

As for Melanie and Lyanna, both of them were born gorgeous. Regardless of the charm they exuded or the sparkle in their eyes, it was enough to stir up the desire of any man.

“That’s really funny, Verner. They’re all just friends…”

David smiled awkwardly. Thereafter, he unleashed an undetectable amount of spiritual sense to engulf the group, hoping to gauge their level of cultivation.

—

Just as David’s spiritual sense was sent out, it was swiftly cut off by a mysterious power that every single one of them seemed to possess. The surprising result triggered a furrow of David’s brows.

When he saw the look on David’s face, Verner suggested cordially, “David, you’re currently the strongest among the younger generation here. Whenever you have the time, shall we spar?”

“You must be kidding, Verner. There’s no way I’m your match. You have defeated tens of men in a single breath, shocking the entire martial arts world. I’m nothing but a sideshow when compared to you.”

David was extremely humble in his response, which took Verner by surprise. After all, no one expected someone as young and powerful as him to admit being inferior to someone else.

Consequently, Verner was amazed when David ridiculed himself by admitting he was a sideshow.

“David, there’s no way you’re capable of establishing a sect if you’re that weak. In fact, you’re the only person to have done so at such a young age. Thus, there’s no need to be humble. All of us are well aware of your strength, which is the reason why we’re hoping.

you can show us a thing or two. I’m sure you’ll oblige, won’t you?” At that moment, Marcelo of the Garcia family finally spoke in a hostile tone.

Despite the minute change in David’s expression, he simply smiled in return. “Marcelo, I’m happy to spar with you, but today isn’t the day.”

“Fine. In that case, name a day, and I’ll see you at the martial arts arena.”

Marcelo was anxious for it to happen. Before David could reply, a voice outside rang out suddenly. “President Norton of the Warriors Alliance has arrived.”

The mention of the Warriors Alliance gave everyone a shock, for it was public knowledge that they and David were mortal enemies.

Why have they come? Are they here to congratulate David or to cause trouble? As a grim look descended upon David’s face, Godrick immediately ordered his men to take up defensive positions.

They had to be prepared for battle in the event the Warriors Alliance had come bearing hostile intentions. Soon, Skylar strode in together with a young man who was casually dressed.

What seemed strange was that Skylar was following the man from behind, as if he was a subordinate.

“Skylar, what are you doing here? Are you trying to cause trouble?” David threw Skylar an icy glare. “If you try anything funny today, I’ll obliterate you from the face of the earth.”

Just as Skylar was about to speak, he was stopped by the young man. “I suppose you must be David Chance. I’m Jake Gasper, the current leader of the Warriors Alliance. I have replaced Skylar in the role due to his failings. I understand that there has been some misunderstanding between you and the Warriors Alliance. Therefore, I have come here today to mend our relationship and to congratulate you on founding a sect at such a young age. Here is a present to show my sincerity.”

Jake gestured with his hand the moment he finished. Thereafter, a reluctant Skylar handed over his scepter. “The Warriors Alliance offers you this sacred martial arts relic as a humble gift,” Jake explained with a slight smile on his face..

When they saw the Warriors Alliance present such a valuable present, many in the crowd gasped in awe while the eyes of some glistened in envy. Despite David’s surprise, he still reached out to accept the scepter.

Holding it in his hand, David instantly injected a surge of spiritual energy into it. However, a smirk soon spread across his face. “If my guess is correct, this scepter can only be used a few more times, at the most.”

He hadn’t believed the Warriors Alliance’s sudden change of heart was sincere. It turned out that there wasn’t much residual power in the scepter, leaving it on the brink of shattering.

The power of sacred martial arts relics was limited. Hence, wielding such a weapon wasn’t the equivalent of having a Martial Arts Saint by one’s side.

—

A sacred martial arts relic was just a weapon used by a Martial Arts Saint which had absorbed the power of its user through years of usage.

Nonetheless, once all the energy it contained was expended, it would naturally break apart if not recharged further. Jake eked out an awkward smile. “Even a sacred martial arts relic that can only be used once is extremely valuable.”

Ignoring Jake’s words, David flung the scepter back as he sneered, “This place isn’t a garbage dump. Whatever trash you have, take it back.”

The crowd was bewildered to hear David refer to the sacred martial arts relic as trash. As his brows furrowed, Jake’s aura swelled rapidly within him, engulfing the entire hall with a tremendous force.

It was evident that his aura was significantly more powerful than David’s. “If a fight is what you want, let’s go outside. Don’t destroy the things I have here, as you can’t afford to pay for them.”

David was unfazed by Jake’s aura. Reading the situation, Jake gradually retracted his aura before asking David, “In that case, Mr. Chance, is there anything you want in particular? We’ll definitely give it to you as long as it’s within our power to do so. All that matters is that both of us make peace.”

“I want his life. Can you give it to me?” David demanded as he pointed a finger at Skylar. The request put Jake on the spot while striking terror into Skylar.

If Jake accedes to the request, wouldn’t it mean my death?

“President Gasper, don’t believe the lies he’s spewing! He tricked us the last time over the location of the ancient ruins.”

Skylar was fearful that Jake would agree. “Mr. Chance, I’m sincere in my effort to mend ties with you,” Jake appealed with a flat smile, cognizant that David was fooling around with him.

“I’m not going to mend any f*cking ties with you!” David cursed with a scowl on his face. “You locked up my girlfriend for such a long time, and now, you want to make peace? As long as there’s still breath in me, the Warriors Alliance will be my mortal enemy, and I’ll stop at nothing to annihilate all of you! Now, stop being an eyesore and get lost before I throw you out!”

The guests were utterly shaken by David’s tirade. It was obvious to them how powerful Jake was from the aura he unleashed, and yet, David showed no fear at all.

Consequently, David’s insult caused Jake’s expression to darken. “David, I hope you know what’s good for you. You alone are not worthy to take on the Warriors Alliance,” Jake scoffed.

“Not worthy?” David sneered. “If I’m not, why did you come here? Don’t think that I’m oblivious to the secrets of the Warriors Alliance. You are nothing but a

group that’s being controlled by spirits. In fact, I’m sure there’s also a spirit within your body, isn’t there? Once I absorb those old fogeys who have lived for thousands of years, let’s see how the Warriors Alliance can still behave with such impunity.”

David had exposed the Warriors Alliance in front of the guests, blowing everyone’s mind away with the revelation. “What nonsense! It looks like I’ll have to teach you a lesson to put you in your place!”

No sooner had Jake spoken than his aura exploded, causing the temperature in the room to drop rapidly. Those who were weaker began to suffocate, as if they had fallen into a cave made of ice.

As a sharp glint flashed across his eyes, David’s body began to glow with a golden hue, desperately resisting Jake’s aura. Despite the circumstances, David refrained from striking, for doing so would render the day’s ceremony a failure.

At the crucial moment before a massive battle broke out, a gentle breeze blew past, snuffing out both David’s and Jake’s aura in an instant.

Frowning in response, Jake looked out the door. “Why is someone causing trouble on such a festive occasion? Has the security of Jadeborough’s martial arts world deteriorated to this extent?”

No sooner had the resonant voice rang out than Arthur sauntered into the hall.

—

Every single one of the guests got to their feet at Arthur’s appearance. “Mr. Sanders!” they greeted. David had not foreseen Arthur’s arrival and was astonished.

“Mr. Sanders, what brings you here today?” David inquired as he came up to Arthur briskly.

“I’d be remiss to forego personally congratulating Jadeborough’s youngest sect founder.” Arthur quirked his lips.

Jake had a gloomy look as he caught sight of Arthur but still addressed him courteously, “Mr. Sanders.”

Arthur’s gaze raked him up and down before he uttered dismissively, “Scram.”

Jake silently pulled Skylar along and hastily departed. Arthur’s presence added to David’s glory as he

was said to be exceptionally caring toward the latter. However, it seemed there was much more to it than just plain care and concern.

Even Verner and the other young and talented fighters were green with envy at Arthur’s attitude toward David.

“Do take a seat, Mr. Sanders,” David Invited. “Thank you for the offer, but I’ll pass. I wouldn’t want to spoil everyone’s appetite.”

Mr. Sanders smiled mildly and continued, “The reason I came here was to inform you that the Watanabe family has set foot on our shores. They’ll be issuing you a challenge, which I trust you’ll see fit to deal with.”

David’s heart dropped. He hadn’t expected the Watanabe family to have not given up after this long. Little did David know that they’d been scheming about ways to enter Chanaea and assassinate him. However, their attempts were thwarted by Arthur’s men at the country’s borders.

He nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind, Mr. Sanders.” Arthur didn’t tarry for long and left soon after conveying his message.

“David, Mr. Sanders sure treats you well. I’m sure Deragon Sect will have a bright future now that we’ve gotten his official stamp of approval,” Verner remarked enviously.

At first, he admired David’s popularity among the opposite sex, but he’d now shifted it to the preferential treatment the latter received from the higher-ups.

Anyhow, David was the target of everyone’s envy.

“I’m more eager than ever to challenge you now after knowing about your widespread acclaim in Jadeborough,” Marcelo declared ardently.

He would garner even more fame in the martial arts world if he could defeat David.

David was about to speak when he was disrupted by a commotion at the entrance, followed by the sight of several martial trainees being hurled through the door.

Jun, dressed in a samurai’s armor with a katana in hand, strolled in. Everyone’s gaze turned vicious at the sight of a Jetroinian. Jun was not the least cowed by their stares.

“Whichever one of you here is David Chance? Reveal yourself!” Jun’s eyes swept across the crowd. “As a representative of the Watanabe family, I, Jun Watanabe, hereby challenge you to a duel!”

David’s brows furrowed. He hadn’t expected that scoundrel to pick this day of all days to challenge him, and his mood soured.

“Who do you think you are? Get lost! How bold of you to assume you’re good enough to issue a challenge to Mr. Chance!”

One of the guests got to their feet and raised his voice at Jun.

Jun tightened his grip on his katana and brandished it, the cold gleam of his blade like a wolf primed to pounce on its prey.

The guest barely had time to react before a fresh wound appeared on his neck. The next instant, his entire body tilted forward. Jun appeared as if he’d not moved an inch!

Everyone jerked to their feet at this blatant show of violence. David got into a fighting stance and trained his baleful gaze on Jun.

However, Marcelo leaped into the air just as David was about to begin his attack. “How dare a mere ronin from Jetroina do as he wishes!”

A terrifying aura instantly emanated from Marcelo and surrounded Jun.

—

Jun met Marcelo’s eyes fearlessly. “Are you David?” “You wish!” Marcello shook his head. “If so, I have no interest in dueling you. Get hold of David right now.”

His words nettled Marcelo greatly. Is he belittling me as he thinks I’m not as good as David? That was Marcelo’s final straw.

“You foolish ronin should think twice before assuming David is the sole expert in the entire martial arts world. I’m well capable of defeating you singlehandedly”

With that, he drove his fist at Jun. Jun slanted his body slightly and ducked the blow with ease. He bounded into the air and landed in the courtyard.

At the failed attack, Marcelo followed closely behind before leaping up to deliver a kick.

Jun blocked his attack, the force of it pushing him several steps backward. Marcelo landed in front of Jun. “Do you still think I’m just some third-rate fighter?”

“I guess I take it back. As a Greater Martial Arts Marquis, you might prove yourself a worthy opponent.”

Jun then reached for his katana, which remained sheathed, and aimed a strike at him. “What insolence!”

Marcelo huffed out a breath at Jun’s refusal to deploy a weapon and stretched out his right hand. He caught hold of Jun’s scabbard, and their electrifying auras clashed.

A loud boom resonated in the area, and Marcelo felt a humungous driving force radiating from the katana.

It uncannily passed through the blade without any resistance and penetrated his body.

Marcelo felt his heart stutter before his aura diminished. Stumbling several steps back, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Not so cocky now, I suppose? What a disgrace!” Jun mocked disdainfully as his glacial gaze surveyed the crowd. “Come on out and face me, David. Don’t be such a coward.”

“Damn you, it’s over for you now!”

Marcelo felt the stinging humiliation of being publicly bested. He reached for the Nine-section Whip at his belt. With a flick of his wrist, it instantly transformed into a baton. “You still haven’t given up?”

Jun narrowed his eyes. “I’ve had enough of your empty talk. Let’s get down to business.”

Marcelo swung his baton at Marcelo, and the sound of it slicing through the air reverberated throughout the void.

The martial prowess of a Greater Martial Arts Marquis was something to behold! Jun swiftly used his katana as a shield to parry once more.

The harsh clang of the weapons colliding sent Marcelo’s Nine-section Whip ricocheting in the opposite direction.

At the same time, it morphed into a venomous snake that lunged toward Jun’s back. Marcelo had successfully hatched a surprise with the Nine-section Whip’s secret feature.

It landed on Jun and shredded the skin on his back into bloody strips. Marcelo’s boosted confidence at the successful blow was reflected in his delighted expression.

“You leave me with no choice.” Jun grimaced. “Unleash your full power on me then! I have nothing to fear!”

Marcelo continued with his onslaught. Jun unsheathed his sword this time around and slashed it forward.

In a blink of an eye, Jun’s katana was back in its scabbard. The Nine-section Whip was rent into pieces and rendered useless.

The onlookers gasped at Jun’s masterful sword-wielding that was as quick as lightning.

Chapter 343: With Bare Hand

Looking at the whip in his hand, Marcelo froze in bewilderment as well. That rock-hard Nine-section Whip was the Garcia family’s heirloom, yet it was broken easily by his opponent.

While Marcelo was still stunned, Jun swung his palm toward the former’s head. That strike was a deadly move. It was clear that Jun wanted to take Marcelo’s life. By the time Marcelo noticed Jun’s attack, it was too late.

At that critical juncture, David dashed forward and tackled Jun’s strike headon with his palm, causing the latter to backpedal, and David’s body also shook slightly in return.

“Who are you?” Jun asked with a frown. “I’m David Chance. Didn’t you come to challenge me to a duel?” David scoffed. As Jun glared at David, the former’s eyes were brimming with wrath and murderous intent.

Meanwhile, Marcelo shot David a grateful look and finally backed away without saying anything after suffering a humiliating defeat in his battle with Jun.

“You only dare to show yourself now because you want me to use up all my strength first before fighting you. Am I right?” Jun asked. He thought he was smart to come out at this moment. Does he think I’m a fool?

“You’re not worthy of my scheme or tricks. If you think that your strength is depleted and it’ll be unfair to you, I can cede the first three strikes first…”

As David said that, he put his hands behind his back-a move that put many people on edge.

The infuriated Jun barked, “You’re too arrogant! I’ll tear you apart!”

With that, Jun appeared in front of David in the blink of an eye with his katana out and slashed downward.

He was so swift that no one saw him move. All they could see was the afterimage of his sword.

Swoosh! The sharp blade of the katana was headed straight toward David’s head to end his life in one move.

Faced with the aggressive strike, David still had his hands behind his back with no trace of panic on his countenance.

Just as the katana was about to reach him, David turned his head slightly, and the katana brushed past his face.

The movement of the blade was so great that David’s hair and even his clothes billowed in the wind.

However, the blade didn’t land on David for he dodged it successfully. David looked at Jun indifferently and remarked in a teasing tone, “You still have two more chances to strike…”

“You are really asking for it…”

Jun flew into a fit of rage. Instead of putting back his katana, he swung his blade toward David’s waist.

David quickly leaped into mid-air before the blade whizzed past his feet. A split second later, several pillars not far away were severed by the force of the blade as David landed on Jun’s katana like a feather.

All Jun could feel was the increased weight on his katana as it almost dropped to the ground. With a light step on the blade, David rose into the air once again before landing steadily in front of Jun.

“One more strike!” David said, glancing at Jun disdainfully. “Ah!” Jun roared in absolute fury.

With both of his hands on his katana, he slashed at David again. This time, it was done with greater force and its speed was even higher.

Even if it were a mountain, it could be split in half by that cut. The onlookers hurriedly glanced toward David and saw a golden light emitted from his body. with a golden dragon wrapped around his right hand.

David reached out to grab that katana directly as he did not plan to dodge Jun’s attack.

“Is he going to grab it with his bare hand?” Everyone was shocked when they saw that.

Clap! With both hands on the knife, Jun suddenly stopped in motion while he was about to charge forward.

—

He looked like a speeding car getting stopped in an instant. Jun was taken aback for a moment. Immediately after that, his eyes were filled with disbelief when he saw David grabbing the katana directly with his right hand, and David was even gripping the blade itself.

“T-This…” Jun simply could not believe the scene before his eyes. Marcelo, who was standing at the side, was astonished to the core. Jun’s katana splintered his Nine-section Whip, yet it didn’t hurt David’s

hand one bit. Just how strong is David’s physical body? “You used up your three moves…”

After David spoke, he applied some strength, and Jun’s katana instantly broke. Jun was floored.

Before Jun snapped back to his senses, David raised his leg and threw a fierce kick at Jun’s chest, sending Jun flying more than ten meters away before plummeting to the ground and spewing a mouthful of blood from his mouth..

Seeing that, everyone wore a complex expression as inexplicable feelings surged. within them, especially Marcelo.

After all, he was the one who vowed to challenge and defeat David just now, and now, David took Jun down almost instantly.

It was clear as day that Marcelo’s strength was still far inferior to David’s. I don’t get it. David is not stronger than me, but whenever we’re in a real battle, he can easily take on someone more powerful.

They would never know what the Golden Dragon’s True Form represented. It was the strongest physical body in the world.

Jun wanted to get to his feet but found that David’s kick almost shattered his internal organs, and he was still spewing blood out of his mouth.

David stepped forward and stomped on Jun’s head so that the latter’s face was stuck to the ground.

Jun struggled to break free but to no avail.

Humiliation surged within him as his expression darkened..

David looked at Jun from above and said coldly, “Doesn’t the Watanabe family have anyone better? Why did they send a piece of trash like you to me?”

Jun continued to struggle with his eyes full of anger. “David Chance, I dare you to let me get up now. If you let me get up, I’ll definitely finish you off…”

Jun was still taunting at that moment. “You want to stand up, huh? Address me properly, and I’ll grant your wish…” David sneered.

Jun almost passed out from infuriation, but David still had his foot on his head, so Jun couldn’t move at all. “You’re a shame to Jetroina…”

As the deep voice sounded, Kazuo walked in with two other emissaries. David looked at the three of them and found that they didn’t have any special aura. These three Jetroinians are just ordinary people. Why do they dare to come to me?

“Mr. Kawaguchi, save me…” Jun immediately called when he saw Kazuo coming.

Kazuo didn’t spare a glance at Jun. Instead, he was looking at David with a smile. “Are you David Chance? We are emissaries sent to your country. Jun is one of us, so you can’t kill him…”

Seeing Kazuo’s attitude, David scoffed, “Your man can kill others at will, yet I can’t kill him? Do you think this is your house? He must die today. He needs to pay for what he’s done with his life!”

He didn’t understand why an ordinary guy like Kazuo had the guts to speak so brazenly. Could it be because of his status as an emissary?

“I said, you can’t kill him…” Kazuo narrowed his eyes as his smile faded. “Who do you think you are? You can’t tell me what to do. I will kill him, and let’s see if you can stop me…”

As David said that, he raised his foot and was ready to slam it down.

—

That kick looked as though it had smashed Jun’s head to smithereens. Just as David was about to stomp down on it, he felt a terrifying aura descend and force him away in a flash.

However, he managed to steady himself after being pushed back a dozen feet. Turning around to face Kazuo, David found that the latter had seemingly transformed into another person from the chilling aura pushing forth. David frowned.

His eyes were filled with astonishment as he could not comprehend how Kazuo had managed to conceal his aura to such an extent that even he, David, could not detect. “Thank you, Mr. Kawaguchi,” Jun said to Kazuo “Are you still able to fight, Jun?” Kazuo asked.

Jun nodded. “Yes!” “Then keep going,” ordered Kazuo. “We are samurais of Jetroina, and we never retreat in defeat.” “Yes, sir!” Jun nodded, his eyes glittering with a bloodthirsty resolve.

David studied Jun. Though he could easily dispose of the latter, Kazuo’s sudden appearance made him wary. Kazuo seemed to have seen through David’s concern, for he smiled and said, “Don’t you worry, I’m not going to get involved. You two are the ones who wish to spar, and I, as the mission leader, will strictly observe the rules.”

David heaved a sigh of relief at Kazuo’s words, as the aura the latter exuded earlier was overwhelming. He beckoned Jun. “Bring it on!”

“Go.” Kazuo clapped Jun on the shoulder. That clap caused a sudden change in his aura, followed by a surge in power which quickly reached its peak.

A force, unprecedented in its dominance, emanated from Jun, whose gaze became steely that moment as if he had become another person.

David began to appear conflicted because the aura he sensed emanating from Jun was similar to the one from Kazuo. He did not understand what Kazuo had done to Jun.

“Today, I will show you the true extent of Jetroina’s power,” Jun declared, enunciating every word. Even his voice had changed.

“Hah! You’re just a fellow hosting a spirit. How dare you behave with such impudence? The spirit within you will be destroyed after I kill you,” David replied coldly.

He could tell from Jun’s current skill that the latter had been possessed by a spirit that had taken complete control over him. David was not afraid as he had slain many people possessed by spirits.

After all, though the spirits had been powerful when they were alive, their strength diminished to merely a tenth of what it once was when they became spirits and was, therefore, nothing to be afraid of.

“Hah! Ignorant fool. What would you know?” Jun rose several feet into the air as he roared with laughter. A menacing force enveloped the Deragon residence at once.

An uneasy stir rippled through the crowd as they could no longer leave the Deragon residence even if they wanted to.

Then, a crimson mist slowly enveloped Jun. The stench of blood, in addition to the terrifying force, pushed many on the verge of collapsing.

Some of the weaker ones among the crowd even began to look green in the face. Lizbeth and the others were gritting their teeth in exertion as they channeled the aura within them to withstand the oppressive force.

In response, David’s body started glowing and his aura exploded forth in a series of gold streaks to resist Jun’s. With the addition of the newly added resistance, the crowd became visibly relieved.

“Hmph! Do you bunch of insects think you can fend me off?” Still hovering in midair, the blood mist around Jun solidified into a giant turtle.

—

The giant turtle poked its head out of its shell and, with every breath, exuded such a terrifying force that it pressed down on David and the others.

“David! That is the ancient spell, Esiotrotus. Hurry up and stop him! You must not let him finish channeling it,” Evangeline screamed at him after catching sight of the giant turtle in midair.

Evangeline’s cry of warning attracted Kazuo’s attention at once, who glared at her. His eyes were filled with surprise. Not many people would recognize the ancient art of Esiotrotus, let alone a young girl!

However, Kazuo was unaware that a holy maiden several thousand years old resided within Evangeline. She would naturally recognize such ancient techniques.

“Hah, a turtle! You’re all cowardly sons of a b*tch, aren’t you?” With a roar, David’s body rose to meet his opponent’s and swung his golden fists fiercely. toward the fully-formed turtle.

Jun did not panic in the slightest at David’s impending assault. Instead, he waved his palms in between the turtle’s breaths to form a shield before him. A cold smile spread across Jun’s lips. “When Esiotrotus finishes channeling, none of you will leave this place alive.”

In his speed, David seemed to have materialized before his opponent. His golden fists glowed with blinding light, and a dragon of the same color emerged from his body with a roar and broke through the shield in the blink of an eye as if it was made of smoke.

“How could this happen?” Jun’s smug expression changed into utter shock. Even Kazuo was frowning. “I’ll show you how the son of a dragon is to teach you sons of a b*tch a lesson.”

With a cold scoff, David’s aura within him exploded forth toward his opponent.

Forced backward, Jun landed squarely on his feet upon the turtle’s back. Murmuring under his breath, he swiped the air gently with his fingers when the turtle paused to draw breath, and a blinding white light illuminated the scene. “Kamehameha!” Jun roared and sent the blinding white light toward David. David was about to dodge, but the white light suddenly turned into a vast net and, before he could react, ensnared him.

David was trapped in a flash. Without hesitation, Jun waved his hand, and a katana the color of blood appeared in it. Immediately after, the sword was brought down with a mighty swing at the now-trapped David.

The earth shook that instant, and a defeating hum reverberated through the air. That swipe nearly altered the very laws of nature. “David!” The crowd could not refrain from a shudder on his behalf.

David, on the other hand, kept his composure. With a wave of his right hand, Dragonslayer Sword appeared, emitting a dark glow.

A chorus of dragon roars filled the skies when he channeled Power of Dragons into Dragonslayer Sword.

“Break!” With a swing of Dragonslayer Sword in his hand, the net that held David captive vanished instantly. Immediately after, the sword energy from the weapons of both combatants collided in a blinding flash.

Jun glared at his opponent. “For your information, nobody has ever broken free of Esiotrotus.”

The light dissipated as soon as Jun spoke, though the energy from David’s sword did not wane in the slightest. The earlier collision had failed to weaken the energy in David’s blade.

Jun’s eyes bulged, thunderstruck. “How could this be?” he exclaimed as he retreated hastily alongside the turtle.

Whoosh! Jun did not retreat fast enough. Dragonslayer Sword, swift and deadly in its finesse, slashed across the turtle’s neck. The crowd gaped in shock as they witnessed the turtle dissipate into a wisp of smoke alongside its disembodied head.

Jun fell heavily to the ground. His aura was noticeably weakened.

—

“Well done!” The crowd cried instinctively as they whooped for David. In the meantime, Kazuo wore an ugly look on his face, but his glare was not directed at David. Instead, it was fixed on Evangeline. No ordinary mortal could have recognized Esiotrotus!

Scowling, Jun rose from the ground. A katana, the color of blood, emerged in his hand with souls of the da*ned circling the blade. It was plain that many had fallen under the weapon in Jun’s hand.

The crimson glow flickered, and Jun’s entire body turned red as if he had been bathed in blood. The sighs of the da*ned souls emanated from Jun with an aura of carnage in the aftermath of a battle.

Dragonslayer Sword in David’s hand glowed and hummed incessantly like a bloodthirsty predator with its sights set on its prey. The wrathful spirits, sensing the aura of Dragonslayer Sword, stirred uneasily as if it was trying to edge away from it.

Jun frowned at the sight. My own weapon is cowering before the fight began. “Set your blood essence ablaze to awaken the spirit of the samurai within you,” Kazuo rumbled, with the authority of the primordial earth.

At those words, Jun bit down on his tongue without hesitation and spat a mouthful of blood onto the katana.

The crimson blade appeared to have become excited upon getting a taste of blood. Cowering no more, the spirits began roaring like wild, untamed beasts.

“Souls of the da*ned, attack!” Jun shouted and, with a mighty slash of his katana, unleashed a terrifying force that seemed to descend from the heavens. Baring their bloody maws, the spirits dashed toward his opponent. David sneered at the spirits. “Holy Light!”

Dragonslayer Sword in David’s hand emitted a golden beam that ascended to the heavens before sending forth streaks of light and illuminating the earth with the brilliance of the sun.

The spirits which were initially vicious writhed in agony upon the merest contact with the golden light before dissipating in a wisp of green smoke.

Though the spirits disappeared, the golden light remained and shone onto Jun, whose features were contorted by a look of terror before struggling in pain.

His body smoldered with a dense, black smog before it quickly dissipated. In the meantime, Kazuo shuddered. David’s lips curled upward at the sight. “So that’s what it is.”

He had ascertained from the expansion of Jun’s aura earlier that the latter was possessed by a spirit, except that he did not expect Kazuo to have survived and dispatched his spirit into the body of another host.

Having never witnessed magecraft like this, David began to take a keen interest in Kazuo. Jun was drenched in cold sweat. Without Kazuo’s support, he had now become a scapegoat.

With a leap, David landed a ferocious punch on the latter. The force of that strike warped the space around Jun and drenched him in blood from the impact.

Noticing that Jun was still alive, David sent out another punch. Without a doubt, Jun will not survive this one.

At that moment, Kazuo waved his hand and a massive force descended and sent David retreating swiftly. Despite that, the aura within David continued to push forth.

“What is the meaning of this?” David asked with a glare at Kazuo. “With the outcome of the battle now clear, there is no need to shed blood,” Kazuo replied slowly.

Chapter 344: Witchcraft

David narrowed his eyes. “He was allowed to kill as he pleased earlier. Why can’t I kill him? I’ll kill you alongside him if you try and stop me!”

Kazuo sneered. “How brazen of you to think you can kill me at your current level. In fact, none of you here can do anything to me. As the results are now clear, I will not let any of you kill him.”

Kazuo’s words caused the crowd to bristle indignantly, but they were powerless because the true extent of his power was unfathomable.

“You need to watch yourself in Chanaea, Mr. Kawaguchi, so that I can guarantee your safety in my country. I will not hesitate to detain you if you dare to throw your weight around here.”

Wearing a mild smile, Mr. Sanders ambled over from the door at that moment. “Mr. Sanders!” Kazuo turned pale at the sight of Arthur. “We were merely sparring, Mr. Sanders. Now that the results are clear, I just want to take my man and leave,” he explained.

David turned to Arthur. “He has been killing people ever since he arrived, Mr. Sanders. How is his life more valuable than ours?”

Arthur quelled his retort with a wave of his hand before turning to Kazuo. “To spar means to fight to the death, which is the spirit of the samurai of Jetroina if my memory serves me right. You hold no quarter, do you not?”

Arthur silenced Kazuo with a simple remark. Jun, who had been on the brink of death, suddenly crawled to his feet and unsheathed a dagger. “The battle isn’t over!” he declared before plunging the blade into his chest.

The crowd became stunned by the turn of events, as they were under the impression that he had committed suicide in the face of his loss.

They watched as Jun carved open his chest, plunged his hand into the cavity, and pulled out his bloody and still-beating heart. Most women screamed at the sight and clasped their eyes shut in horror.

A devilish light began glowing from the heart before it expanded and engulfed him, healing his fatal wound at a speed visible even to the naked eye. Then, Jun’s heart turned black and hung limply outside his body. At the same time, a suit of black armor too grotesque to behold enveloped him.

The crowd gazed in shock at Jun, unable to grasp what he was up to. Kazuo, in the meantime, was also staring fixedly at him with a look of shock.

Suddenly, Jun fell to his knees and plunged his hands into the dirt while muttering, “Divine beings, I hereby sacrifice my all. Please grant me strength.” David frowned, disconcerted by the sight of Jun’s behavior. However, he sensed the overwhelming expansion of the aura within his opponent. “Godeater!” Evangeline shouted in warning. “This is ancient witchcraft native to Jetroina, David. You must be careful. He is offering his life and soul in exchange for the power of celestials. I can’t believe this branch of witchcraft is still being practiced after thousands of years.”

Evangeline’s words caused David to raise his guard at once while Kazuo gazed at her with bewilderment.

Soon, Jun’s prayer-like ritual was complete. His body bulged alarmingly like it was being filled with air. The black heart on his chest, in particular, kept beating with a steady, menacing pace. It was a horrifying sight!

“Hah! I’ll kill you all the same even if you transform into the Devil himself!”  At that, David sheathed Dragonslayer Sword and sent a fist of golden light over. With a grunt, Jun also charged toward David instantly.

—

The two men’s fists collided. The moment their fists met, David felt a powerful wave of energy surging toward him. The wave of energy did not seem like it came from a human but from underground.

David was sent flying before he crashed onto the ground, and a crater formed beneath him. At that, the crowd gasped. Even Arthur went pale. No one expected that Jun would use such terrifying witchcraft when he was about to die.

Noticing Arthur’s pallor, Kazuo smiled and said, “Mr. Sanders, no one is capable of surviving Godeater. This is the oldest witchcraft of the Watanabe family, but I don’t know when Jun learned it. You said earlier that this is a match and a fight to the death. If David is on the verge of death, please don’t intervene, or else you’ll have to witness my cruel side.” As Kazuo spoke, his eyes shone with glee.

“It’s still too early to say who will live and who will die. Let’s wait and see,” Arthur muttered in a flat tone.

By then, David had slowly risen to his feet. When he fixed his gaze on Jun, there was a hint of excitement in his eyes.

“I’ll be using you to refine my physique today!” With that said, David charged toward Jun.

Nevertheless, Jun was not intimidated by David’s words as he dashed over to meet his enemy. The two had no flashy moves as they fought with their fists.

David was sent flying backward multiple times, but he soon charged back into the fight. It was as if David would never die.

Dozens of minutes later, David grew stronger as the fight went on. In contrast, Jun was starting to lose his energy.

Now, Kazuo was the one who looked pale. He never thought that Jun would fail to kill David even after using the Watanabe family’s oldest witchcraft.

David was far too sturdy. In fact, Kazuo was starting to wonder if he himself was capable of killing David with one punch. “All right, I’ll stop messing around with you.” With a sneer, a ray of golden light encased David’s body. Then, a gold dragon emerged from behind him and roared. David’s aura began intensifying with the appearance of the dragon. “Take a look at my Golem Body!”

Golden rays of light enveloped David’s body before forming scales that covered him entirely. In no time, David was standing before Jun, fully geared.

Thanks to his sturdy physique and Golem Body, David reached the point of invincibility. Kazuo stared at David with wide, shocked eyes.

However, Jun did not fear David, for he was certain of the power of celestials. Thus, he threw another punch at David.

Bam! Jun’s punch landed right at David’s chest. However, unlike the previous times, David did not budge at all. It was as though Jun’s punch had slammed against a metal board.

Now, Jun’s facial expression change with a hint of disbelief in his eyes. He had sacrificed his life, his soul, and his chance for reincarnation, but alas, he was still no match for David.

While Jun was reeling in from the shock, David threw a punch at Jun. Jun soared into the sky before plummeting to the ground.

David leaped with him. Then, he slammed his foot right on Jun’s body, sending Jun meters into the ground. By then, Jun could no longer retaliate. In no time, a dark mist engulfed Jun. When the mist dissipated, Jun’s body was gone. Not even a trace of him was left behind.

—

“Mr. Chance, you were awesome!” “That was amazing, Mr. Chance!” “David, you’re unbelievable! I love you!” The crowd cheered for David the moment Jun died. Kazuo, of course, was sporting a grim look.

“Mr. Kawaguchi, I did say that it was uncertain as to who would live and who would die. Still, I have to say that the witchcraft of Jetroina is simply pathetic,” Arthur remarked with a small smile.

Kazuo wore an icy look as he waved his hand and said, “I bid you farewell, Mr. Sanders.” With that, Kazuo left. Yet, before he walked away, he turned to glance at Evangeline one last time. He wanted to remember this girl.

Arthur did not linger after Kazuo was gone. After all, he was there to stop Kazuo from intervening in the fight.

If Kazuo were to enter the battle, David would certainly fail, for David was no match for Kazuo After David killed Jun, all those who wanted to alleviate their status by sacrificing David hesitated.

All of them had hoped to fight David that day, but upon finding out David’s true power, they found their confidence fleeing from them..

Marcelo, especially, did not dare to even look at David anymore as embarrassment overwhelmed him.

That day, the news of David killing the Jetroinian samurai spread in the martial arts forum like wildfire. Moreover, Arthur personally went to the sect that David had established to give the latter his blessings.

That made David’s status soar to unprecedented heights, and many people started to express their interest in joining Deragon Sect.

In just a few days, Deragon Sect surpassed the other sects and prestigious families, its progress was unmatched by any other organization in the martial arts world.

Another factor other than David’s fame that contributed to Deragon Sect’s rapid development was how David intended to share his resources. He was planning to pick talented individuals to train them into Martial Arts Marquis.

The larger Deragon Sect grew, the more David realized it was pointless to rely on his power alone he needed to improve Deragon Sect’s overall power too.

One day, David summoned Godrick.  “Godrick, how is Deragon Sect’s recent progression?” he asked.

“David, there are a few thousands of martial trainees in Deragon Sect now. There are neither any sects nor prestigious families in Jadeborough’s martial arts world who can surpass us now,” Godrick exclaimed.

“We have the numbers, but what about their capabilities? Have you picked the people that I’ve asked you to?” David asked. “All of them have different levels of strength, and the most powerful ones are only Martial Arts Grandmasters. There’s no Martial Arts Marquis among them. Also, I’ve made a list of the talented individuals you were looking for,” Godrick answered.

David mulled over his words and found sense in them. After all, a Martial Arts Marquis was capable of becoming an overlord, so why would they want to join Deragon Sect and be restricted by rules set by others?

Furthermore, Deragon Sect had just been established. Its future was unclear, and it was understandable that no powerful figure would try to join it. “Hand your tasks over to someone else. I’ll be taking you to a place after some time. I hope that you’ll be a Martial Arts Marquis once you return from that trip,” David said as he patted Godrick’s shoulder.

Godrick nearly leaped in joy upon hearing that. “Don’t worry, David! I’ll work on that right away!”

Then, Godrick left merrily. After all, becoming a Martial Arts Marquis was something Godrick never dared to even dream about. After Godrick was gone, Lizbeth entered David’s room.

When he realized who had entered his room, David waved his hand and gestured for Lizbeth to sit on his lap. “Did you not go shopping with Renee and the others?” he asked.

“Millie’s here, and she wants to invite you to Crimson Palace. Let’s go!”

Lizbeth said with a smile. “Crimson Palace? That’s so far.”

David furrowed his brows. He was interested in the visit, but it would be a long trip there. “What do you mean? Cecilia has moved Crimson Palace to Jadeborough. It’s now at the valley in the outskirts,” Lizbeth told him.

—

Hearing that, David recalled what Millie said to him-she had told him that Cecilia had plans to move Crimson Palace to Jadeborough. He never thought she would execute that plan so quickly.

“All right, then. Let’s visit them.” David knew Cecilia only moved Crimson Palace over to Jadeborough for him. That was why he was taking a trip there to see if Cecilia needed any help.

When David headed out with Lizbeth, he realized that Evangeline, Renee, and the rest were around too. It was then he figured out that they wanted to visit Crimson Palace as well.

Shortly after, they headed toward Crimson Palace as a group with Millie as their guide.

Cecilia had chosen to establish Crimson Palace in a spot a distance away from Jadeborough. The spot was remote, and even though traveling was a little inconvenient, it was very quiet and peaceful.

After all, the members of Crimson Palace were all women. Some people would always try to snoop around a place like that.

Upon arriving at Crimson Palace, David realized that life at the new Crimson Palace was difficult, for some of the amenities were still unavailable to the members.

Furthermore, there was a visible decrease in the members, and the ones around seemed to be extremely busy with their tasks. “Millie, why does Crimson Palace have so few people now?” David asked, baffled.

“Many didn’t want to leave, so these are the ones who were willing to come along…” she explained.

David’s brows scrunched up when he heard her explanation. He knew that all these challenges only existed because Cecilia had moved Crimson Palace for his sake.

Yet, he could not think of anything he could give Cecilia in return.

Only when David saw Cecilia did he see the weary expression she had. It came as no surprise, for moving was a very tiring task. “You’re here! Please take a seat!”

Still, despite her exhaustion, Cecilia beamed upon seeing them.

“Cecilia, you look so haggard! Why didn’t you tell us about this? We could have helped you out!” Lizbeth said as she walked over to the other woman.. “Lizbeth, this is just a small matter. I can deal with it myself. See, I’ve asked Millie to invite you here once everything’s stable,” Cecilia uttered.

“Okay. From now on, we’ll be living here with you. That way, we can help each other if anything happens,” Lizbeth said to her with a nod.

The conversation baffled David. He whipped his head toward Lizbeth and blurted out, “You’re planning to stay at Crimson Palace too?”

“Ahuh. We agreed on moving over here once Cecilia moves here. We’re all girls here, so it’s easier for us to take care of each other,” Lizbeth pointed out.

“You’re all going to stay here?” David repeated, still in disbelief. “Obviously. We’re already here, so we’re going to stay here. Aren’t we making things easier for you? You’ll get to see us all just by coming here,” Lyanna said, winking at David.

“In that case, isn’t Crimson Palace David’s harem? David’s really living like a king now, huh?” Renee remarked and giggled. David flushed as he was embarrassed.

At that, the women chortled, and the weariness on Cecilia’s face disappeared as she laughed away.

David did not linger long at Crimson Palace. After returning to Deragon Sect, he promptly instructed Godrick to send some people over to Crimson Palace to help the women build the amenities.

At the same time, Crimson Palace announced that they were merging with Deragon Sect. In other words, Crimson Palace had truly become David’s harem.

While David focused on developing Deragon Sect, Skylar was soaking in a large pool of black water in Warriors Alliance. His facial features were scrunched up as if he was enduring unbearable pain.

Black mist was coming out of Skylar’s body as he sat in the bubbling pool. He gritted his teeth as the veins in his temples popped.

“As long as you can hold on for forty-nine days, the refinement of your body will be successful. You failed to win against David because his body was too strong. Therefore, you have to refine your body too.”

You can see how much Lord Tanner values you by how willing he was to give you necrosis fluid to help with the refinement process,” said the spirit in Skylar.

“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll definitely survive this…”

Skylar ground his teeth once more before letting out a roar. The bubbling in the black water intensified.

—

A black sedan sped along a deserted road in Chanaea, carrying Kazuo and two other emissaries. They should have been on a plane home by that time.

The emissaries had no reason to stay since David had already killed Jun. However, after buying their plane tickets, they forfeited their seats and remained in Chanaea.

One of the emissaries asked, “Where are we going, Mr. Kawaguchi?” Kazuo’s gaze grew hooded as he replied, “Keep driving. Stop asking questions.”

The emissary was frightened into silence and continued driving as instructed. The car only pulled to a stop when the road ended at an abandoned area.

Kazuo alighted from the car and stared at the mighty mountain ahead. He smiled as his gaze landed upon a primeval forest at the foot of the mountain. “More than twenty years have passed. I never thought I would have a chance to return…”

After muttering those cryptic words, Kazuo darted into the primeval forest, followed closely by the two emissaries accompanying him.

After walking for over half an hour, Kazuo abruptly stopped and waved his palm. Two shadowy figures suddenly materialized in the space before him, and they charged at Kazuo, clearly armed with weapons.

Kazuo easily grabbed the weapons and threw them on the floor. The two figures stiffened in surprise. After exchanging knowing looks, they suddenly disappeared into thin air.

With another wave of Kazuo’s hand, the two figures promptly

reappeared. “You’re all a bunch of id*ots. The checkpoints haven’t changed at all in twenty years!” bellowed Kazuo furiously.

Right after Kazuo spoke, the two figures began to take on definition. They wore black samurai uniforms and held katanas. Confusion was palpable in their features as they looked at Kazuo and the emissaries.

The two emissaries behind Kazuo stared wide- eyed at the scene. They never imagined Jetroinian samurais would appear in Chanaea.

“Who are you?” asked one of the samurais. Coldly, Kazuo fired back, “Ask Ono Jiro to meet me. That id*ot…”

The two samurais were clearly stunned by his words. One of them whirled around and dashed off.

Soon after, he returned hastily with a middle- aged man.

When the middle-aged man saw Kazuo, he froze in shock before stepping forward to greet him, “Welcome, Mr. Kawaguchi. Why did you suddenly visit us? Has there been any new orders from the headquarters?”

Without a single word, Kazuo strode forward and slapped Ono twice across the face. Ono dared not utter a word of protest and instead willingly accepted his fate.

Meanwhile, Kazuo berated the man, “How can you be so stupid? You never changed the checkpoints at all! And how could you send such lousy samurais to stand guard? Has your skull gone numb?”

“Mr. Kawaguchi, this place hasn’t been discovered in years. No one ever comes here,” explained Ono. “Stupid! You think you can drop your guard just because no one has discovered this place?”

Kazuo slapped Ono several more times. Ono’s face swelled furiously, and he dared not say anything more lest he agitated Kazuo again.

A short while later, he led Kazuo and the emissaries into a massive cave. It was well- equipped with all the basic necessities.

The cave was inhabited exclusively by Jetroinian samurais, each of whom exuded a remarkable aura. The emissaries gaped at everything in the cave. They came to a room, where Kazuo waved his hand and announced, “Leave us now!” The emissaries left, leaving Ono alone in the room with Kazuo.

Ono hurriedly asked, “So, are there new orders from headquarters, Mr.

Kawaguchi? We are dying from boredom, trapped in this place for years…”

Chapter 345: Kidnapped

Kazuo took the opportunity to lecture Ono, “There are no orders. I dropped by to check this place and see if all of you were being complacent. You must always be on your guard as outlanders in Chanaea!”

“Yes, Mr. Kawaguchi. You’re absolutely right!” Ono replied faithfully. Kazuo added, “I’m bringing a woman here in a couple of days. Keep a close eye on her.”

“A woman?” Stunned, Ono said, “Mr. Kawaguchi, women are forbidden from this cave, as are Chanaeans. It’s an iron-clad rule.” “I know that, but this woman is vital to our research. I can’t take her back to Jetroina, so we can only keep her here,” explained Kazuo.

Ono’s curiosity was piqued. He asked, “Who is this woman? Why are you so interested in her, Mr. Kawaguchi?”

“You id*ot…” Kazuo trailed off with a frown. “You don’t deserve to know that.” Ever the obedient follower, Ono nodded eagerly and replied, “Understood!”

Kazuo only spent a day at the secret base before leaving. However, he left alone. Meanwhile, over ten men stood in the middle of a square at Deragon Sect, Jadeborough.

They were all skilled fighters brimming with vigor. Nearby, Godrick said to

David, “I’ve selected these men based on your requirements, David.” David nodded and replied, “In this case, quality is better than quantity. I trust you have briefed them on what to do?”

“Yes!” “Good. We’ll leave now. When we return, I hope you would have become a Top Level Martial Arts Marquis.” David clapped Godrick on the shoulder encouragingly.

Godrick asked curiously, “Where are we going. David? How can it boost one’s cultivation progress so rapidly?” David shot him a faint smile in response.

“You’ll find out when we get there!”

Then, he led Godrick and the other selected men to Encanta Island. The blood demon statue, which still stood on the island, was a bottomless pool of spiritual energy. Absorbing it would undoubtedly raise his peers’ cultivation speed immensely.

David had decided to help these gifted men to set foot in the heavenly realm. Unlike them, David’s cultivation progress was not suppressed by the lack of spiritual energy in the mundane world. Thus, he planned to use his blood to help them enter the heavenly realm and avoid the repressive nature of the mundane world.

In the near future, celestials would reappear once their spiritual energies reawakened. The martial arts world would then enter a slump. David wanted to act now and get a head start.

That was why David had asked Godrick to select his most gifted men. David could not bring everyone from Deragon Sect to the heavenly realm. That was simply impossible.

When David and the others finally arrived at Encanta Island, everyone was enchanted by the surroundings. Godrick exclaimed, “David, is this the famed Encanta Island? It looks just like what I imagine the heavens to be.”

Meanwhile, Norm had been on standby to greet David since learning of his visit. He welcomed David into the palace and straight onto the throne. David asked, “Have you observed anything. unusual about the statue while I was gone, Norm?”

“The statue hasn’t moved at all, Mr. Chance. The only thing is the statue is covered in dew right after midnight, and we have no idea why!” answered Norm. David furrowed his brows thoughtfully. “Dew collecting on the statue at night? Is it related to the wet weather?”

Norm shook his head and replied, “No. The weather hasn’t changed, but dew has never gathered on the statue like this before!” “That’s odd. Bring me to the statue later in the night!”

David wanted to see the situation for himself. After getting an update from

Norm, he turned to Godrick’s group and declared, “Get some rest. You can

spend the next few days familiarizing yourself with the island. I will teach you some new techniques after that.”

—

Godrick led the rest of Deragon Sect away Instead of resting, David used his blood to create pills that would free one from the shackles of the mundane world once one consumed it.

Nearing midnight, Norm sought David and led him behind the palace. The land behind the palace was still a pile of rubble like before. David stared at the mess as memories of his old battles resurfaced in his mind.

The blood demon statue lay on the ground, devoid of its former might. Soon enough, the clock struck midnight. The statue began emitting a faint glow, and drops of dew seeped onto its surface.

David stepped forward and touched the statue. A dew drop was instantly absorbed into his body, followed by a refreshing sensation, which he found immensely comforting.

He explained to Norm, “These dew drops are bursting with spiritual energy so don’t waste them. Send some men to collect them!”

Though David did not know the reason behind this phenomenon, he knew without a doubt that the dew drops were rich in spiritual energy.

Over the next few days, Godrick showed his men around Encanta Island, which went a long way in helping them to relax. David busied himself creating pills and

eventually produced a batch of blood-red pills containing his own blood. Then, he gathered Godrick and the others, instructing them to consume the pills.

The crimson color and bloody stench of the pills were repulsive, to say the least. Still, no one dared to disobey David’s instructions, and they dutifully swallowed the pills.

Warmth coursed through their bodies almost instantly. They could feel some changes in their meridians and even their blood.

Then, David’s spiritual sense took over the men’s consciences, and he began imparting new techniques into their minds.

He declared to the crowd, “From now on, you must forget the cultivation techniques of your past and focus on practicing these new techniques. Feel free to ask me for help if you have any difficulties.”

“Yes, Mr. Chance!”

Their excitement was palpable as they headed off to cultivate under David’s instructions.

While they were cultivating, David spent most of his time absorbing the spiritual energy from the blood demon statue.

The statue seemed to release spiritual energy every night which condensed into dew drops. David had Norm collect all the dew drops for Godrick and his men.