Novels by Camellia

This marked the official end of the Boundary‑River Starfall Platform trial. To secure Heavenly Dragon Ridge, the Golden‑Scale Cloud Dragon Formation fully activated once more and shifted into defensive mode.On the five golden lotus platforms, tens of thousands of warriors from the five guards gazed up at the firmament wrapped in the golden‑scale barrier, each with tangled emotions.The Dragon‑Bone, Dragon‑Horn and Dragon‑Scale Guards were filled with envy and awe. The Dragon‑Blood Guards grappled with dismay and a sense of peril after being overtaken for the very first time.As for the Dragon‑Tooth Guards, they erupted in joyous celebration.No one had expected Albert and Emily to push through all seven rounds.Thanks to their efforts, the Dragon‑Tooth Guards reaped over two hundred and sixty thousand Star Orbs in total.It was a staggering number that left every warrior of the five guards dumbfounded.None had imagined that seven rounds of Boundary‑River Meteors could yield such a m

Emily gave a slight nod and said, “Give this entire extra portion to Albert.”One tenth of the total was already a substantial amount. After all, ten thousand members of the Dragon‑Tooth Guards were waiting for their share. While Emily and Albert had refined the Boundary‑River Meteors to such an extraordinary standard, the formation power of the Dragon‑Tooth Guards had also been vital to their success.“Sister Emily,” Albert spoke up quickly. Emily walked the Peerless Path and also needed vast resources for her own cultivation.Emily said softly, “I will never rest easy until you break through to the God‑Realm first. I cannot focus on my own training with this weight on my mind.”Albert fell silent. His five‑year lifespan deadline was drawing nearer with every passing day. Though he was confident he could reach the God‑Realm within the final two years, Emily believed it would be far better to achieve this milestone sooner rather than scrambling desperately at the last moment.He hesit

The bulging veins on Vance’s forehead slowly faded. A dull ache throbbed deep inside him, and he cursed under his breath. “That bastard Rupert truly has some skill.”He was already wracked with internal pain from bearing the impact of three Boundary‑River Meteors, yet Rupert had seized four. His strength was indeed far greater.The Dragon‑Tooth Guards erupted in cheers. While Vance had only captured three, one fewer than Rupert, with Albert and Emily handling refinement, the final yield from these three meteors would surely surpass the Dragon‑Blood Guards’ four.Vance waved his large hand, sending the three Boundary‑River Meteors drifting toward the Dragon‑Tooth Guards. At the same time, he shot Albert a sharp glance. “I’ve captured the meteors for you. Now it’s up to the two of you!”Albert nodded with a grin. “All hail Commander‑Supreme. We will spare no effort in their purification and refinement.”Vance let out a low grunt, then added, “Each Starfall event runs for seven rounds. T

“Rupert is getting serious. He’s about to cast the Great Dragon‑Infant Art!” Timothy cried out in shock upon spotting the luminous spirit wrapped in dragon patterns.“The Great Dragon‑Infant Art?!”Albert froze at the name, then stared in surprise at the luminous spirit. He was no stranger to this technique; he had set his eyes on it back at the Heavenly‑Dragon Treasury.The quasi‑high‑rank Great Dragon‑Infant Art.Its effect was to boost any dragon‑soul below Lower‑Nine‑Star by half a star.“Rupert possesses a Pseudo‑Nine‑Star Frost‑Dragon Soul and a Lower‑Nine‑Star Ice‑Element Soul,” Timothy explained. “This Great Dragon‑Infant Art was made specifically for his Frost‑Dragon Soul.”Albert’s expression shifted. If so, Rupert would gain a Lower‑Nine‑Star Ice‑Element Soul alongside his Pseudo‑Nine‑Star Frost‑Dragon Soul enhanced by half a star.Though that half‑star increment sounded peculiar, there was no denying it would massively amplify Rupert’s combat power.Timothy’s tone turned g

Emily stretched out her jade‑like finger, sending a wisp of light‑attribute soul‑power surging into the Boundary‑River Meteor and triggering its internal reaction. Violent energy ripples burst outward, and countless cracks spread rapidly across the meteor’s surface.Within mere breaths, the meteor reached its breaking point. Under the gaze of tens of thousands of onlookers, it suddenly shattered.Countless star‑lights showered down across the sky.Each streak of light contained a glowing orb about the size of an infant’s fist. Brilliant starlight swirled across the orbs’ surfaces, dazzling and magnificent.Emily lifted her palm. Her light‑attribute soul‑power gathered all the scattered star‑lights and drew them together before her.“Envoy Emily, how many Star Orbs are there?” Timothy asked eagerly.Emily sensed the count briefly. Facing all those expectant stares, her red lips parted, and a joy‑inducing voice rang out.“Thirteen thousand five hundred.”The moment Emily’s clear, crisp

This was a size no one had ever seen before.Over the past hundred years, the most highly refined Boundary‑River Meteor on record had only shrunk to a little over forty meters. Yet now, Emily and Albert had forcibly raised that record all the way to thirty meters.The shock this dealt to everyone present was beyond comparison.How many Star Orbs could such a refined Boundary‑River Meteor produce? Surely at least ten thousand.At the very thought, the Dragon‑Tooth Guards felt light‑headed, almost breathless. Ten thousand Star Orbs from a single meteor? Such a harvest had once been unthinkable.And now, that dazzling Boundary‑River Meteor hung right before their eyes.“All hail Envoy Emily!”“All hail Commander Albert!”Thunderous, earth‑shaking cheers erupted among the Dragon‑Tooth Guards. Every face shone with wild joy. Nobody had expected that Emily and Albert working together could refine a Boundary‑River Meteor down to thirty meters.Timothy, the Left Dragon‑Tooth Envoy, wiped his

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

Kane raised his glass in a polite toast, wearing a measured smile. “Thank you for your hospitality, brother.”“Among all the younger generation in Novara, you’re the one I have highest hopes for.” Kennard clinked his glass against Kane’s, and both drained their drinks in one gulp.For the rest of the dinner, Kennard said nothing more about the supply-chain partnership. Instead, he and Ash traded casual small talk, putting on a relaxed mood, yet undercurrents lingered beneath the surface. No one touched on the core game again.About half an hour later, judging the time was right, Kane stood up to take his leave. Kennard rose to see him off in person, but Ash stopped him just in time.Ash smiled. “Stay and rest. I’m heading back to the city anyway; I’ll give them a ride along the way.”Kennard nodded and cautioned, “Drive slowly and stay safe on the road.”Kane lifted his hand in acknowledgement. “Thank you for tonight. Next time, it’s my treat.”Kennard smiled gently and nodded in agre

Carlson nodded silently. “I understand.”The sharp sound of the stamp hitting paper echoed through the quiet office.Hagen sorted the stamped documents, slipped them into a clear file bag, and handed it over. “When you apply for jobs later, this registration certificate has to be included in your employment records. Got it?”“I get it.” Carlson took the file bag respectfully. “Thank you for your help, sir.”“No big deal.” Hagen waved his hand.Carlson paused briefly, then looked up and asked cautiously, “Sir, could I get your contact info? I need to report here every quarter. I’d like to coordinate ahead of time to save myself the trouble of repeated trips.”Though confused, Hagen grabbed a pen and paper, scribbled down his name and phone number, and passed it to him.“Thank you.”“Live a good life. Don’t cross the line again,” Hagen reminded him casually.Carlson nodded in acknowledgement and turned, walking quickly toward the door.As soon as he stepped out of the office area, he ra

The young man stirred awake in a daze, glanced out the window and asked, “Heading somewhere?”Carlson asked, “How much to get to Blackstreet Precinct?”“One dollar and fifty cents.”“That’s steep. Can you cut me a break?”“Can’t do it.” The young man tossed out the reply, turned over and went back to sleep.Carlson hesitated for a long moment, then stopped haggling. He picked up his bag and kept walking down the road.A few minutes later, at an intersection.Carlson held out his hand to flag down a second e-scooter. The driver spotted where Carlson had come from, the luggage in his hand, and his shiny bald head. Without even discussing the fare, he sped off.Carlson’s mouth twitched. He gave up trying to hail rides and just walked along the street, occasionally asking vendors by the roadside for directions to Blackstreet Precinct.……After nearly an hour on foot,Carlson finally stepped into the lobby of Blackstreet Precinct. He turned to the officer at the duty desk and said, “Hello.

Ash extended an invitation right away. “Are you free tonight? Let’s meet up and talk some serious business.”Recalling Ingram’s reminder, Kane thought it over briefly and agreed. “Sure, I’m free this evening.”“I’ll send a car to pick you up.”“No need.” Kane declined politely. “Just send me the address. I’ll get there on my own.”“Alright, see you tonight.”After hanging up, Cruz glanced over and asked, “Was that Ash?”“Yeah. We’re discussing the partnership tonight.” Kane looked at him. “Want to come along?”Cruz touched the scratches on his face and shook his head helplessly. “I’m in no shape to show my face like this. I might lose my temper and stir up gossip. Take Pierce and Hartley instead.”“Fair enough.” Kane nodded. “Tell Hartley to get the car ready.”......At six in the evening, daylight faded into dusk.Dressed in plain‑clothes, Hartley drove Kane toward Slag Street.Dask had recently been promoted and swamped with official duties, so he could not tag along. Nowadays, whe

Meanwhile, Novara First Penitentiary.Harsh white fluorescent light filled the cell. A man in his mid‑thirties sat on the bunk, leaning against the wall, staring blankly into space, wide awake. His aura was restrained, yet dormant ambition smoldered in his eyes.A young inmate on guard duty glanced over and asked, “Sir, why aren’t you asleep this late?”A faint smile tugged at the man’s lips, and he spoke softly. “I’m getting out soon. Can’t sleep.”【Early Morning · Hotel Guest Room】At half‑past seven in the morning, daylight streamed bright.Two soft knocks rapped on the hotel room door. Still hung‑over and groggy, Kane yawned and got up to open it.Hartley stood in the doorway holding breakfast, his demeanor steady. “Sir, time to get up. Work starts soon.”“What time is it?” Kane rubbed his throbbing temples and stepped aside to let him in.“Seven‑thirty. The rest of us have already eaten.” Hartley set the breakfast on the table and twisted open two bottles of mineral water.Kane p

Moments later, a seasoned middle‑aged man was the first to speak up in agreement. “Captain Kane’s three rules are fair and sensible. With clear boundaries and bottom lines, we can all earn money and stay safe. That’s far better than the old days of constant bloodshed, never knowing if we’d live to see tomorrow. I’m the first to back this.”The rest nodded one after another, unanimous in their response.Kane filled a glass with strong liquor, looked straight at everyone, and spoke in a solemn tone. “These are not suggestions, nor drunken ramblings. They are the hard‑and‑fast rules for the Black District moving forward. Thank you all for cooperating with the precinct.”With that, he tossed back the entire drink in one smooth motion.Watching his decisive bearing, none of the men dared to crack casual jokes anymore.Kane set down his glass, wiped liquor from the corner of his mouth, and went on. “I lay down these rules, yet I also leave you a way to survive. I understand every one of you