Novels by Camellia

As they turned to leave, Albert spoke generously to the other teams. Since they had arrived first, his group would not lay claim to this medium Ghost Fiend. He wished them every success in seizing the treasures.The other teams were utterly stunned to see them walk away so easily, then flooded with joy. They quickly thanked and praised Albert’s party. Unexpectedly, Albert’s team had earned a surge of goodwill along the way.Vance and the others, who knew the full truth, could only react with a mixture of amusement and helplessness. Albert truly never passed up any chance to gain an advantage.Time wore on. Albert’s group passed one medium Ghost Fiend after another without entering. Though this approach consumed time, they remained patient. High-grade Foundation Spirit Treasures were vastly more valuable than mid-grade ones.Two high-grade Foundation Spirit Treasures could be traded to Freya for one vial of Pseudo Nine-Star Soul Liquid. In contrast, even twenty mid-grade treasures woul

One side could only advance passively, while the other chose targets with clear purpose. Naturally, their final gains were worlds apart.Thus, in just half a day, Albert’s group conquered four small Ghost Fiends. Within them, they obtained five mid-grade Foundation Spirit Treasures and eleven low-grade Foundation Spirit Treasures.By this same point, most other teams would not even have laid eyes on a single mid-grade Foundation Spirit Treasure.This haul filled every member of the team with excitement. Even the steady and composed Vance could not help but beam with delight. He had entered the River Boundary Treasure Domain many times before, so he knew exactly how difficult it was to acquire mid-grade Foundation Spirit Treasures. This time, their efficiency was the most astounding he had ever witnessed.Still, one thing dimmed their joy slightly. Every time Foundation Spirit Treasures emerged, Albert and Emily stopped everyone from touching them directly.Clearly, their senses had pi

Judging from the malevolent ripples it exuded, it was a being comparable to a Two-Star True Demon.It had clearly sensed the looming crisis and begun devouring the other ghost trees to strengthen itself.Vance had no intention of granting it that chance. He took one step forward, and four towering divine platforms materialized. Vast divine smoke of divine rank rolled forth in torrents.Vance clenched his five fingers and threw a punch.The void itself roared violently in that instant. A glowing fist seal tore through the air, its surface seemingly covered in dragon scales, brimming with majestic and domineering power.The colossal evil tree creature let out a piercing shriek. Countless twisted, grotesque palms sprouted from its branches, merging together to form a horrifying palm-shaped shield.Yet an Upper Four-Star Divine Realm expert’s strike was far beyond what this Two-Star True Demon could resist. The fist seal crashed down. Countless branches shattered instantly, and deep fissu

In other words, Freya and her group were likely carrying staggering amounts of cultivation resources and gold coins on their persons.They were walking vaults.How bold they were, wandering around with such wealth and not fearing robbery.“What is the exchange rate?” Albert asked.Freya stroked her pale white chin and smiled, holding up two slender fingers.“Two high-grade Foundation Spirit Treasures for one vial of Pseudo Nine-Star Soul Liquid.”Albert’s mouth twitched upon hearing this.Freya, you black-hearted profiteer!“Two high-grade Foundation Spirit Treasures for one vial of Pseudo Nine-Star Soul Liquid? Freya, can you be any more of a swindler?” Albert’s face darkened, and he spoke sharply to the grinning woman before him.Within their Dragon Vault, one high-grade Foundation Spirit Treasure was normally valued at roughly thirty thousand Dragon Essence. A vial of Pseudo Nine-Star Soul Liquid carried the same price tag. Yet Freya demanded double that amount. Converted to Dragon

But Albert sensed an overwhelmingly dangerous aura emanating from Dask.Among all Two-Star Divine Realm experts he had met, Dask was undoubtedly the strongest.“Are you Albert?” Dask fixed his gaze on Albert’s face and asked in a steady voice.Albert gave a slight nod.“You know Kelly?” Dask asked directly.“She is an old friend. Naturally I do.” Albert replied calmly.Could it be that Dask was smitten with Kelly, learned of Albert’s close bond with her, and had come to pick a fight? It sounded melodramatic, yet plausible. Young men, brimming with vigour, often acted out of such impulses.Dask fell silent for a moment, then spoke. “If you run into trouble within the River Boundary Treasure Domain, I can help you once.”“Hmm?”Albert, Vance and the others beside him were all stunned. No one expected Dask, who had arrived with such an imposing air, to make this baffling offer.Confusion swelled inside Albert. “Why?”Dask answered. “I am here on behalf of someone.”“Kelly?” The answer wa

Albert and the others listened carefully. When dealing with fiendish creatures, nothing could be taken lightly. These beings were eerie beyond measure. Even those stronger than them could suffer a disastrous misstep, and such a mistake often cost them their lives. No one dared to grow complacent.Albert scanned the distance at the same time. Light within the River Boundary Treasure Domain remained dim, and space warped constantly, all caused by the presence of Ghost Fiends.These Ghost Fiends carved out pocket realms. What looked like open, unobstructed ground might trap anyone the moment they stepped forward, dragging them straight inside a Ghost Fiend.Thankfully, the Demon-Seeking Mirror offered them some guidance.The group raced onward. After a while, Vance halted. Before them stretched what appeared to be an unbroken plain to the naked eye. Yet upon closer observation, faint warping and an unreal, hazy quality marked the space.A cold, grim aura seeped outward from that zone.“T

Ito Keiko also stood up quickly and knelt down right behind her aunt. "Allen‑kun, please accept my bow of gratitude!" she said sincerely.Allen let out a soft sigh and spoke earnestly, "Please both of you get up. There is really no need for this. By chance, I lent the Ito family some help, but in the end, it is the Ito family’s own good fortune that allowed you to survive this disaster."Only then did Ito Emi and Keiko rise to their feet.Ito Emi turned to Ito Takehiko. "Brother, Mr. Allen is right. Beyond his help, our family has truly met with rare good fortune. We can absorb the market shares left behind by the Takahashi and Matsumoto clans. With the Takahashi family badly weakened, we can push forward our partnership talks with the Bruce family. At this point, the Bruce family will have no other choice but us.""No!" Ito Takehiko replied without the slightest hesitation. "From now on, we will not enter into any form of cooperation with the Bruce family."Ito Emi could not hide her

Allen told him the truth, "I was originally in Osaka to take over Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s production lines there. I heard Miss Keiko was staying in Kyoto, and since it was only a forty‑minute drive from Osaka to Kyoto, I decided to go visit her. I never expected to arrive just as the Fujibayashi clan’s ninjas were attacking her, so I stepped in."He sighed as he spoke, "It was pure luck. Had I shown up any later, there would have been nothing I could do."Ito Takehiko nodded, filled with lingering fear. "We truly owe everything to you, Mr. Allen."Anger welled up inside him, and he said coldly, "The Fujibayashi ninjas served Takahashi Machi. I cannot for the life of me figure out why he would target me. We were both competing for a partnership with the Bruce family. Even with past frictions and bad blood between us, there was no reason to send assassins after my daughter!"Allen’s brows drew tight at once. "What did you say? The Bruce family? Which Bruce family?!"Ito Takehiko expl

After the double‑leg amputation, the doctors had put him on a pain pump, so he barely felt any physical agony. Still, constant worry over Ito Keiko, who was far away in Kyoto, kept him from sleeping soundly.He had just dreamed that Keiko had met with misfortune in Kyoto. The nightmare jolted him awake at once, and he intended to tell his younger sister Ito Emi to send people to bring Keiko back to Tokyo without delay.Yet what he had never dreamed of was that when the ward door swung open, his beloved precious daughter Ito Keiko walked in together with his sister Ito Emi."Keiko?!" Ito Takehiko blurted out in shock. "What are you doing here?"Seeing her father lying pale and bloodless on the hospital bed, with thick bandages wrapped around his knees and everything below gone forever, Ito Keiko burst into tears and cried out, "Oto‑san!"She rushed over to the bedside, grabbed Ito Takehiko’s hand, and wept bitterly.It took Ito Takehiko a moment to collect himself. Relieved and deeply

Sitting in the passenger seat, Ito Keiko stayed tense throughout the whole ride. Even though Ito Takehiko had said over the phone that he was out of danger, Keiko still harbored quiet worries.A little over three hours later, Allen pulled into Tokyo and stopped at the gate of the University of Tokyo Hospital, the top‑rated medical facility in the city.This hospital boasted Japan’s highest global ranking and represented the nation’s pinnacle of medical care.Once the car came to a full stop, Keiko could not wait to push open the door and get out. Before stepping out, however, she turned to Allen and asked, "Allen‑kun, will you come upstairs with me?"Allen looked slightly awkward. "Your father might not want to see me."Keiko said earnestly, "Allen‑kun, you saved my life. No matter how big the misunderstandings or grudges between you two are, I believe Father will no longer hold them against you!"Allen thought for a brief moment and replied, "Very well, I will go with you."His reaso

Allen couldn’t help laughing and said, “If your dad heard that, he’d probably be furious.”Ito Keiko stuck out her tongue. She was about to speak when her phone suddenly vibrated.She looked confused. “Who would be calling this late? Could the servants have noticed we snuck out?”She quickly pulled out her phone and gasped in surprise. “Oh no, it’s Father!”She never expected her father to call her so late at night.She said nervously to Allen, “Allen‑kun, I need to take this call from my father…”Allen nodded with a smile. “Go ahead.”Keiko quickly answered the phone and asked cautiously, “Father, why are you calling me so late? Is something wrong?”Ito Takehiko’s weak voice came over the line. “Keiko, I’ve had an accident. I’m calling to make sure you’re safe. Is everything all right over in Kyoto?”Keiko asked anxiously, “Father! What happened to you? Are you badly hurt?”Takehiko replied, “Tanaka and I were hunted down by attackers. We barely managed to escape. But I’m afraid they

Upon hearing those words, Matsumoto Yoshito completely broke down. He lifted his head and shouted hysterically, “Why! Why wipe out my entire Matsumoto clan?! Why push for total extermination?!”The woman let out a cold laugh. “This is the price you pay for provoking the Bruce family!”Tears instantly streamed down Matsumoto Yoshito’s face. Mixed with blood, they made his whole look utterly gruesome.All will to live had deserted him. He mumbled, “Kill me. Kill me right now.”The woman nodded and pulled out a sunflower‑seed‑shaped carving of white jade from her pocket. “Matsumoto Yoshito, before you die, I want you to remember my name. I’m Suzie.”With a flick of her wrist, the jade sunflower seed shot forward at high speed.The next instant, a tiny bloody hole appeared in the center of Matsumoto Yoshito’s forehead. All life drained from his body, and he crashed to the ground, dead.Meanwhile, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.The police chief finally breathed a sigh of reli

By noon the following day.Carlson woke earlier than usual, gobbled down a hasty meal, hopped on his tricycle and headed straight for the secondhand flea market.Over the past few weeks he’d saved more than three hundred bucks, most of it earned driving Sage around. He planned to buy a bigger used tricycle and weld a new canopy onto it. When the rush comes after Phoenix Entertainment City shuts down late at night, he could take more short-haul fares and return his cousin’s vehicle sooner.A little past one p.m., Carlson stood inside the market and pointed at a blue used tricycle. “What’s the lowest price you’ll let it go for?”“Three hundred and fifty, no haggling.” The shop owner slouched in his chair and replied.Carlson mentally tallied the cash in his pocket. “Two hundred and eighty, if I’m serious about buying.”“Buddy, this bike’s seventy percent new.” The owner looked troubled and gestured toward the frame. “Pop the cover open and see for yourself. The protective film on the ba

“Ms. Sage.” Carlson glanced at the screen, confused. “Why are you calling me from this number?”“This is my backup line.” Sage’s voice was soft. “Are you free right now?”“What’s wrong?”“Come pick me up at my place. I need to go out to handle something.”“Sure.” Carlson swallowed a cold multigrain bun in one big gulp, his tone eager. “I’m heading over now?”“Yeah, come right away. Take me to Southmu District. I’ll pay you fifty bucks for the ride.” Sage instructed quietly. “Head straight upstairs when you get here, Room 709.”“Can I get into the building?”“There’s no security on duty downstairs this late. Just come in.”“Alright.” Carlson nodded. “I’ll call you if I can’t find your place.”“No need to call. Come straight up and help me carry a few bags.”“Got it, see you soon.”“See you.”The call ended. Carlson rubbed his frozen palms, pulled on his windproof knit hat, and climbed out from the back canopy of his tricycle.He’d closed up the stall early tonight and missed out on som

“I will carry out a full evaluation of the pharmaceutical plant project and deliver a comprehensive professional investment report to your mother.” The middle-aged man kept both hands flat against his thighs and bowed. “I ask for your full cooperation.”“Bullshit, I’m cooperating with nothing!”Mercer spat the curse and turned, walking straight out of the office.……Minutes later, Mercer stormed into his car. Not caring whether his mother was asleep, he dialed her number directly.Dozens of seconds passed before his mother’s weary voice came through. “What is it, son?”“Who sent this watchdog to audit my firm? What the hell is this about?” Mercer feared his father, but held no fear for his mother. How submissive he was around his father, so willful he became in front of her.“This was your father’s decision.”“What is he even trying to do?” Mercer raised his voice sharply.“Your father believes you lack sound judgment on this pharmaceutical plant project. He asked me to bring in a pro

“Pay attention, we’re in a meeting.” The Third Young Master pulled on a smile. “Did you catch everything we just went over?”“Yeah, yeah.” Theodore’s eyes stayed glued to his phone screen as he replied offhandedly. “You set the direction, we handle the execution details. We’ve already laid the groundwork at the Pharmaceutical Authority and Central Bureau. Once the project gets the green light, the approvals will come through right away.”“Any other suggestions?” the Third Young Master pressed.“None. We move forward with your plan.” Theodore shook his head.“Good, this is our tentative path. Pull together as a group and get this project off the ground fast.” The Third Young Master stood up, his voice strong as he rallied them. “Once the pharmaceutical plant is built, I guarantee each of you will clear an eight-figure profit every year.”……A dozen minutes later, the rest dispersed to seek entertainment. The Third Young Master kept Mercer behind alone. The two soaked in the bath, talki

Carlson dreaded this exact moment. The second the officers stepped into the alley, they barked at him.“I’m not causing trouble!” Carlson threw his hands up at once and shouted.“Get on the ground!” The lead officer sized him up, noting his tattered clothes matching the protesters’, and shouted the order again.“I’m just passing through, honestly.”“Why run if you’re just passing through? Get down!”“Sir, I’m only a street vendor trying to make a living.” Carlson kept his hands raised high. “This has nothing to do with me.”“Take him away.” The lead officer signaled his partners.“Is this your vehicle?” another officer asked.Carlson’s heart sank. “Don’t touch my cart. I told you I didn’t join the protest.”“We’ll sort out your involvement back at the station.” The officer reached to grab his collar.The rest moved toward the electric tricycle.Carlson had a special population registration on file. Once taken into custody, he would have no way to defend himself. He hurried to yell, “S

“You drink and carouse with him, calling him your brother. Such a catastrophic event unfolds, yet you hear nothing of it. What in the world is going on inside your head?!”Shaking with rage, the father continued, “The supplier negotiations in Raven City fell apart — you didn’t know. The Young Master’s uncle was murdered — you didn’t know either. One phone call from him, and you foolishly wire over the money!”“Dad, I…”The father kicked Merceron hard in the lower back, his finger trembling as he pointed. “The fortune I built with my own hands is not for you to squander like this. Keep muddling along, and get out of Zone Seven. I never want to see you again.”Merceron hung his head, eyes red, fists clenched, and said not a word.“Get out.” The father roared toward the door.“Dad, don’t get so angry. I’ll look into everything right away and keep close track.” Not daring to meet his father’s gaze, Merceron made a quiet promise and fled the study in disgrace.The father let out a long wea