Novels by Camellia

As Tina finished speaking, many onlookers gasped in secret shock, stunned by the enormous sum. It was an amount most Commanders could not amass over several years!Rupert could not help but let out a faint amused laugh and fixed Tina with a teasing stare. “Do you truly believe you are worth eighty‑thousand Dragon Essence?”Tina seemed oblivious to the mockery in his tone and replied calmly, “I may not be worth eighty‑thousand Dragon Essence on my own merits. Yet for every single day I stay within the Dragon‑Fang Guard, certain people from your Dragon‑Blood Guard will be deeply unsettled. That is where the extra value lies.”“Some may think it is not worth it, but others might consider it an excellent bargain.”As she spoke, Tina’s gaze locked directly onto Frith, whose face had turned dark. A faint, taunting smile tugged at the corner of her lips.Frith clenched her fists so hard her knuckles whitened. Tina was right. Every day Tina remained in the Dragon‑Fang Guard was another day of

“Commander Albert, you are truly high‑minded. Yet from what I hear, you are still on credit for the Divine‑Realm Art you just exchanged,” Rupert said, sounding somewhat surprised.Albert let out a short laugh. “Forget forty‑thousand Dragon Essence. Even if you offered four‑hundred‑thousand, I would still reject your wager.”“I gave Senior Tina my word that I would bring her to the Dragon‑Fang Guard to fulfill her wish. If I accept this bet, would I not be betraying her?”“Does Guardian Lord Rupert believe my promise is worth merely forty‑thousand Dragon Essence?”His words drew looks of surprise from the onlookers. Their gazes toward Albert shifted subtly. His speech marked him as a man of loyalty and integrity.“This Albert is someone you can trust,” Nessa, Grand Commander of the Dragon‑Scale Clan, nodded approvingly and whispered to Laura.Laura nodded slightly as well and replied softly, “Albert indeed has a fine character. He is a partner worth befriending and trusting. Back in th

“Who knows,” Nessa sighed. With this woman joining the Dragon‑Fang Guard, the faction was bound to rise. If she could advance further along the Peerless Path, she might even lead the Dragon‑Fang Guard back to its former glory.After all, the Ten‑Pillar Golden Platform was overwhelmingly powerful.As the two women talked, Frith, just as Nessa had predicted, grew infuriated by Emily’s unyielding, aggressive attitude. Her chest heaved and her face turned livid.Vast soul‑power began surging inside Frith, yet she forced it back under control. She ground her teeth and asked, “You must be Emily?”She had already heard the news of Emily defeating Nathan. If even Nathan had lost, her own Upper‑Two‑Star strength would likely not stand against Emily. A real fight would end badly for her.Facing Frith’s icy, furious stare, Emily spoke in a calm, flat tone. “If you seek trouble from now on, come straight for me. I will take on any trick you throw at me.”Nessa’s eyes lit up. She whispered in admi

“Commander Albert, I suggest you give our Grand Commander’s words serious thought. Otherwise, during the Ascension‑Rite Day in half a month, since we hold equal rank, you and I might end up on stage for the martial contest,” Osborne grinned, his smile edged with ferocity.“And I have already reached Upper‑One‑Star Divine‑Realm.”“Are you threatening me?” Albert got the message.“Hardly a threat. The martial duel at the Ascension‑Rite Day is standard procedure. It is just that your Dragon‑Fang Guard is so peculiar, putting a Consummate High Heavenly‑Spirit‑Realm cultivator in a Commander’s seat.” A mocking smirk tugged at Osborne’s lips. “It seems your status as the clan chief’s direct descendant carries a lot of weight within the Dragon‑Fang Guard. Vance is truly disappointing. He would even break the iron edict laid down by the Ancestor for the Five Heavenly‑Dragon Guards just to curry favor.”Clearly he believed Albert had obtained the Commander post solely because of his lineage as

Emily did not pause by any low‑or mid‑grade Foundation‑Building Spirit Treasures. She headed straight for the upper‑grade section and stopped there to examine the items carefully.For Divine‑Realm experts, Foundation‑Building Spirit Treasures mattered even more than Platform‑Forging Manuals. A top‑tier Foundation‑Building Spirit Treasure could truly deliver extraordinary effects.Emily was not browsing for herself, however. She was searching for something for Albert. She knew perfectly well how priceless the Nine‑Mark Sacred‑Heart Lotus he had given her was. That treasure would also grant Albert immense benefits, yet he had felt no urge to keep it and insisted on letting her use it to heal her wounds.Emily had not spoken much of it, but she was deeply touched inside. Now Albert stood on the verge of reaching the Divine‑Realm Realm, and he too needed a supreme Foundation‑Building Spirit Treasure to forge his Divine‑Realm Platform. That was a major reason she had followed him to the Bo

Moreover, Albert believed pouring cultivation energy into such a niche art meant only for internal strife would be a genuine waste.His time was far too valuable to dedicate to mastering a Divine‑Realm Art solely for infighting.He therefore discarded it without hesitation. Even so, the Dragon‑Blood Balance Art gave him some inspiration. He began searching for similar techniques that boasted a much broader effective range.After diligent searching, he discovered a seldom‑accessed jade slip tucked away in a corner.Dragon‑Blood Nightmare Art, low‑grade mid‑tier. Take personal items from the target such as hair or essence‑blood, blend them with one’s own Heavenly‑Dragon essence‑blood, and craft a dragon‑blood puppet. Using the puppet as a medium, cast nightmare magic to erode the target’s connection with cosmic energy and drain their soul power. The art heavily relies on bloodline purity; the purer one’s Heavenly‑Dragon bloodline, the more potent the weakening effect. It carries drawbac

“Go ahead.” Kane pulled out a cigarette and gestured for his team to stand by at ease. Hagen and the others took their seats. Pens, paper and recording cameras were all set up to preserve a full record of everything said.Oakley held out his hand. “Give me one.”Kane hesitated for a moment before handing him a cigarette and leaning forward to light it for him.Wrapped in wispy smoke, Oakley took a deep drag, tamping down the emotions churning inside him, and spoke first. “When exactly did Joren switch over to your side for good? Back when Finnegan died? Or when I lied to him and set up that scheme?”Kane lit his own cigarette, exhaled smoke, and fell silent for a short while. His voice came out hoarse yet firm. “It was today.”Oakley’s pupils narrowed in shock. “Today? That means he was never truly on your side before this?”“That’s right.” Kane replied.“That can’t be.” Oakley shook his head at once, thoroughly confused. “I could clearly tell he kept stalling my plans and hiding your

The boy’s head slammed hard against the cold wall, producing a dull thud. Tears welled up in his eyes as he stared at Oakley, his voice thin and trembling. “Mister, I’ll behave. Please don’t hurt my dad.”Oakley’s ferocious expression froze abruptly.His hands were stained with countless lives. Decades of evil had hardened his heart into stone. Yet, faced with the child’s pure, terrified gaze, the twisted will to die burning inside him wavered for a fleeting moment.“My dad and I don’t have money for medicine. The doctor said… he won’t live much longer.” The little boy choked back sobs, his palm clamped tight around the deadly grenade.Oakley’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He knitted his brows tightly, shoving the strange twinge in his chest aside, and barked sharply. “Keep moving down. Hurry!”Holding the grenade that could detonate at any second, the little boy stumbled down the steps, shaking with every step.The middle‑aged man lying injured on the floor dragged himself forward desperatel

Out on the street outside the shop, Kain led his unit to close in rapidly. He pressed his radio, his voice cold and crisp. “Confirm the target is inside.”“Confirmed!” An outer‑perimeter officer replied in a low tone.Kain’s gaze locked onto the shop entrance. He gave a sharp order. “All units move in. Two shield teams take point. He’s trapped. Prepare to breach.”【Shop Second Floor · Doomed Standoff】At the top‑floor stair landing, Oakley slid down to sit with his back against the cold wall, gasping for breath. Sweat mixed with blood dripped non‑stop from his jaw.After barely half a minute’s rest, heavy footsteps from downstairs drew steadily closer.Oakley lifted his head slowly. A sick, twisted smirk tugged at his lips. He ejected the empty magazine and reloaded with smooth, unnervingly calm movements.“Hiding in there solves nothing, Oakley.” Kain’s voice carried up from downstairs, calm and utterly domineering. “You cannot escape.”Oakley pulled two grenades from his chest pouch

Several officers swarmed forward. Batons and gunstocks rained down, knocking the man unconscious within seconds and rendering him completely incapable of fighting back.Through the viewing window of his riot shield amid the smoke, Joren scanned rapidly and spotted Oliver scrambling to flee.Oliver coughed violently and glanced back by instinct. The moment their eyes met, he raised his shotgun and aimed straight at Joren.“You wanted me dead? Come on!” Joren charged forward with his shield held high.Shotgun pellets slammed into the riot shield. The steel plate cracked instantly, and the brutal shock traveled up his arms, forcing Joren two stumbling steps backward.A seasoned marksman, Oliver reloaded fast. He avoided the shield’s front face and took precise aim at Joren’s exposed lower leg.Another gunshot rang out. A cloud of blood burst from Joren’s right calf. Crippling pain sent him staggering.“Let’s see you chase me now!” Eyes bloodshot, Oliver chambered another round, ready to

A cloud of blood burst from Oakley’s left shoulder. The brutal impact rendered his entire left arm useless.His arm went limp, and the young boy he’d been holding crashed heavily onto the ground.“Run! Get the kid out of here!” Dusk roared at the top of his lungs.Joren’s wife snapped back to reality. She grabbed her son off the ground and sprinted frantically toward the alley exit, desperate to get away.Kain spun his rifle around in a flash, chambered another round, and locked onto the fallen Oakley, ready to fire the killing shot.【Main Alley · Wade’s Motorcade】The distinct crack of a sniper rifle echoed in the distance. Wade shot upright in his seat, his face twisting with shock. “M88‑2 police sniper! That’s Kain’s crew!”The next instant, brilliant floodlights flared at the alley mouth, searing white light tearing through the darkness.Pierce stood beneath the headlights in a long overcoat, gun in hand. His expression was ice‑cold, oozing murderous intent.He fired a volley of s

【Outside the Compound · Ambush Spot Inside the Vehicle】Wade leaned back against the car seat, a cigarette clamped between his fingers, his eyes icy cold. "Oakley definitely senses something is wrong, but he has no idea Jason is already dead.""Weston, take your men inside to make contact. The second he steps out, take him down on the spot and rescue the hostages. Keep it clean, no loose ends."Joren sat in the back seat, his gaze fixed hard on the hardware at Oliver’s waist. His whole body was tensed, his mind filled with nothing but the safety of his wife and child.Weston shook his head. "I’ll go in myself. Quick and decisive.""Watch out for ambushes," Wade warned. "Open fire the second things go south, and the whole team will charge in to back you up immediately.""Understood."Weston pushed the car door open and stepped out, walking alone toward the pitch‑black compound.【Main Hall of the Compound】Oakley pressed the muzzle of his gun faintly against Joren’s wife’s back, his voi

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