Novels by Camellia

But Albert refused to be content with this. His goal was the ultimate boundary of the Consummate Advanced Heavenly Spirit Realm: the ten-thousand-meter Heavenly Spirit Diagram!This extreme threshold was the hardest trial before the God Realm. All prior pinnacle states Albert had reached paled in comparison.Still, Albert felt no fear. He could sense his abundant latent potential. Given enough time and fortunate encounters, a ten-thousand-meter Heavenly Spirit Diagram was not out of reach.He also aimed to raise his strength further before the Boundary River Treasure Domain opened. For this reason, he took missions relentlessly. Earning Dragon Essence was secondary; his true intent was to temper himself in battle and unlock his hidden potential.Through such all-out efforts, his Heavenly Spirit Diagram advanced a mere twenty meters over nearly a month.Precisely put, Albert now stood at nine thousand eight hundred and twenty meters.Soon after, another Boundary River Starfall Platform

If you held no such fears, why would you reach out to me suddenly after all these years? The Faceless Hades’ faint, ethereal laugh seemed capable of stirring the darkest impulses buried deep within one’s soul.Weston, your Bruce Supreme Clan appears mighty on the surface, yet hidden perils fester within. Your ancestor, Supreme Bruce, is already advanced in years. Wounded in the last Unification War during his battle against the Great Yin-Yang Demon Lord, his foundational essence was damaged. He has not stepped out for many years now, and I fear his end draws near.Once something befalls Supreme Bruce, your clan will crumble. The millennia of foundations you have built will be handed over, and you will struggle to defend yourselves.Weston crushed the teacup in his grip in an instant. Cup and tea dissolved into nothingness. His calm demeanor shattered, replaced by a grim, horrified glint in his eyes.The entity’s words had struck the fear that gnawed at his very core.The plight of the

The beam melted the void, leaving pitch-black scars that lingered long without healing.Albert and Emily watched, both struck with awe. The energy rolling off that dragon breath carried the stench of death. If it were them, even burning through every trump card they held would not be enough to resist it.The Golden Scale Cloud Dragon Formation truly deserved its reputation as Heavenly Dragon Ridge’s sturdiest bulwark.Terror, however, was absent from the black meteors harboring alien entities. On the contrary, the formation’s immense energy signature drew more meteors off course, all screaming toward their position.The cascading rain of meteors looked every bit like an apocalyptic disaster.Yet these incoming black meteors never collided with the Golden Scale Cloud Dragon Formation. An invisible, towering will suddenly manifested across heaven and earth.The moment this power appeared, it seemed to grasp the entire realm within its control.Tens of thousands of eyes from the Five Hea

The Blood Dragon Guard fell dead silent, every member’s face grim. They felt cut off and isolated. They knew full well that Rupert and Freya had burned their bridges, so Albert would never help the Blood Dragon Guard refine star orbs.The star orb refinement, once the Blood Dragon Guard’s greatest pride, had now been nearly matched by the other three guards. Their long-held sense of superiority was shattered.Daring not to openly voice resentment toward their Guard Lord Rupert, many Blood Dragon Guards instead cast reproachful glances at Freya.Freya sharply felt those stares. Cold rage welled up inside her. Her reputation, built over years of painstaking work within the Blood Dragon Guard, had been all but ruined by Albert. Every month from now on, when Albert refined star orbs for the other three guards, she would face this wave of blame. It was an endless torment.Freya trembled with fury.Albert paid no mind to Freya’s state. After finishing the refinement for the three guards, he

At this moment, their thoughts turned to Albert’s father, Andrew.That fearsome powerhouse who once wielded a Pseudo-9-Star Heavenly Dragon Soul crushed all peer prodigies beneath his heel. Even Silas, the member of their Dragon Bloodline with the best chance in a hundred years of reaching the King Realm, once lived entirely in Andrew’s shadow.It was plain to see the title of Heavenly Dragon Soul — Sovereign of All Dragon Souls — was thoroughly well-earned.“Impossible.”“How can he possess a Heavenly Dragon Soul? Didn’t he only have an ordinary dragon soul before?!” As shock swept over the crowd, Frith could not contain her outburst. Her features shifted wildly, refusing to accept what her eyes beheld.“He secluded himself for two months. That must have been when he underwent this evolution,” Rupert drew in a deep breath and spoke in a low, heavy voice. “I have heard tales. If one bears a dragon soul and carries exceptionally pure Heavenly Dragon blood, refinement through certain se

But what if Albert and Emily actually pull it off? When that day comes, they will become the most sought-after figures across all Five Heavenly Dragon Guards. Every other guard division will treat them with the utmost reverence. Star beads are critical to everyone’s cultivation. When it comes to matters that shape their own strength, all personal grievances take a back seat.In terms of prestige, Albert and Emily would become uncrowned Guard Lords.As their power continues to grow over time, with both reputation and strength in hand, the long-vacant position of Grand Guard Lord of the Five Heavenly Dragon Guards might very well fall into their grasp.Just thinking about it sent a shudder through Rupert.While Rupert’s mind churned with these tangled thoughts, the massive formation high above the Boundary River Starfall Platform roared to life. Clouds and mist peeled away, revealing the mysterious, fearsome Boundary River hanging in the untouchable high heavens.The formation rumbled,

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

"Cut the crap!" The Director roared in fury. "Why aren’t the workers out clearing snow? Go check the streets! Can vehicles even pass through?""Director, I want to get the work started," the deputy manager wore a troubled look. "Going out to work means getting paid. Why would I turn down money? The foremen only answer to Uriel. They won’t listen to me at all. Without him here, I can’t mobilize a single person.""Don’t beat around the bush." The Director pointed at him sharply, tone stern. "Does your company intend to keep bidding on projects? If you don’t want the job, just say so. Plenty of teams are lined up waiting to take over."The deputy manager scratched his head, still smiling faintly. "Director, don’t put me on the spot. I truly have no authority over the foremen below.""Fine. Effective immediately, contract renewal is suspended indefinitely. Your refusal to perform constitutes a breach of core terms." The Director’s face darkened. "Not only will you lose this project, you w

Black Street Precinct. Kane sat in the chair and spoke into the phone, issuing orders.“Alert our men in Southmoor District, and Peter in Kaiyuan. Tell them to work with Uria and make as much noise as possible.”Two hours after the incident, outside the hospital exam room.A graceful, striking middle-aged woman hurried over with four or five associates.Inside the room, Mercer lay in bed. When he saw her, he called out at once, “Mom!”“Son, how are you?” The woman rushed in, panic etched on her face, then stepped quickly toward the doctor. “Where are your injuries? How serious is it?”Mercer’s wounds were not life-threatening — only multiple contusions from blunt blows, a minor forearm fracture, and a beanbag round to the head. But he was skilled at playing the victim. He kept his composure in front of his mother, yet the moment he spotted the deputy chief of Kaiyuan Precinct behind her, he broke into loud wailing.“Mom, someone tried to kill me!”“Kill you?” The woman’s face paled. “

Carlson thought nothing of it at first. As he turned to grab seasonings, he spotted a van parked deep in the alley. Its lights were off, yet the engine kept running—the two men had climbed out from that vehicle.Twelve years behind bars had sharpened Carlson’s eye for people. He had seen every kind of criminal and heard countless case stories. Though the pair moved casually, Carlson could tell at a glance they were there for something else.Still, he was no cop and wanted no trouble. He focused on stir-frying the rice noodles and said nothing more.……Lobby of Phoenix Entertainment City.Merceran draped an arm around a striking woman, reeking of alcohol.“I’m not heading home tonight. I’ll play cards with Theodore and the others. Come find me after your shift.”“I’m worn out. I don’t feel like moving.”“I’ll send someone to pick you up. Get a massage… unwind.” Merceran breathed the words against her ear.“You’re awful.”“Ha.” Merceran laughed and patted her shoulder. “Head back early.

“I came here to talk about exactly that.” Uria got straight to the point, crossing one leg over the other. “Our cooperation has barely started, and trouble’s already knocking on the door.”Kane’s brows drew together. “What happened?”“A few days ago, Merceron sent Stanley to see me. He ordered me to stay out of the supply line business.” Uria recounted plainly. “I told him fine, I’ll back off, but they’d need to compensate for the lost profits. Stanley grew irritated during our talk and threw threats around.”“What exactly did he threaten you with?”“His exact words were that the cake Merceron’s circle has their eyes on is off-limits to me.” Uria sipped his tea and went on. “Last night the city warden’s director requested a meeting. I went to see him this morning, and he notified me they won’t renew the snow-clearing contract with my firm.”Kane froze.“You probably don’t understand how my business works.” Uria explained. “Snow-clearing projects go out for tender and get approved at y

Mercerlen lifted his gaze. “I’m going after him. Uriel is the critical node. If I bring him to heel, the rest of the factions planning to partner with Kane will grow wary, and the profit defense Kane built will crumble on its own. Conversely, if I can’t even take down Uriel, others will decide we lack teeth. They’ll feel safe teaming up with Kane to line their pockets, convinced we won’t dare strike.”“Sound logic,” Theodore nodded in agreement.“I need to rattle him.”“How?” Theodore asked softly. “Got a plan?”“Strike at what he values most.” Mercerlen stood up. “I’ll open the connections and deliver the message.”“Then move,” Theodore readily agreed. “He’s nothing more than a small-time operator with a little cash. Reining him in won’t be hard.”“I’ve got a lunch meeting with a few contacts at noon. Come with me?” Mercerlen extended the invitation.“Gladly. Mercerlen, I can also hook you up with a few high-profile figures,” Theodore smiled and flattered him.Mercerlen’s mood bright

“Merceron, Pierce has been acting strange lately.” The young man on the other end of the line spoke in a low voice. “He’s reaching out to local bosses across every district, openly recruiting new partners. Matsui from South Curtain is nearly locked in, and Uriah from Flatlands District plans to join in too.”Merceron’s brows snapped tight, and he cursed under his breath. “A bunch of blind fools! Do they even know who controls this territory?”“Should we notify the Third Young Master at once?”Just then, Theodore strolled slowly into the entertainment complex, glancing down nonstop at his messages, his expression calm and unruffled.……Theodore pushed open the private room door and saw Merceron slamming his phone down, his face clouded with murderous rage.Once he finished the call, Theodore raised an eyebrow. “Who got under your skin? You’re burning hot.”“Everything’s going south.” Merceron replied darkly. “The Third Young Master and his father left for a meeting in Vierra only a few