Evander smiled faintly, unbothered by Elowen's indifference, and followed after her.Just as he was about to turn away, something seemed to catch his attention. His head shifted ever so slightly toward where Dustin stood.Dustin's heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged. He kept the same calm demeanor, his gaze sweeping casually over the chaotic scene before resting on the lake's shimmering surface. It was as if he were just another bystander drawn by the commotion.Evander's gaze lingered on him for less than half a second. He saw an ordinary-looking young man in plain clothes with an unremarkable presence, standing by the lake watching the scene unfold. To him, Dustin just looked like other curious onlookers nearby.The corner of Evander's mouth curled upward almost imperceptibly, forming an ambiguous smile. In that expression lay indifference, superiority, and perhaps a trace of contempt for ordinary people. It was something even he might not have been aware of.Wi

The woman glanced at Snowy, and the fox immediately strutted over and affectionately rubbed against her hand. A trace of warmth flickered in her eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by her usual cool composure."Thank you," she said. "Once I've recovered, I'll leave and won't trouble you anymore.""No worry," Dustin replied. "Just focus on your recovery. By the way, may I know your name?"She was silent for a moment before answering softly, "Blanche Frost."Over the next few days, Blanche stayed at the villa to recover. She spoke very little and spent most of her time meditating to restore her strength. Occasionally, she would stand by the window, gazing toward the distant mountains, lost in thought.Dustin soon noticed something unusual. Her recovery speed was astonishing. Injuries that would have left an ordinary person bedridden for months had healed to the point of near recovery in just a few days.One afternoon, he was trimming plants in the courtyard wh

"The Moseys' situation is unclear right now. You need to be careful too," Natasha said, sounding concerned for once. "Losing a rival like you would make life pretty boring."Dahlia seemed to laugh on the other end. "Don't worry. I'm not going to die before you do."Natasha snorted before hanging up.Dustin couldn't help asking, "What did she say?" "She said Anders is behind it and warned me to watch out. Things at the Moseys have become dangerous," Natasha replied, putting her phone away. "She said there are unknown factions involved now, and even she can't do anything about it."Dustin frowned. "Anders… I remember him. He's an ambitious guy. But if even Dahlia finds these factions troublesome, they're no joke.""Yeah. She said it might be connected to those 'special figures' who showed up in Oakvale recently," she said, looking out the car window. "Could the people you encountered in the park before be…""It's possible," Dustin responded with a nod. "The methods those two used

"How arrogant!" Narcissa roared as her hands formed a series of hand seals.A purple lightning bolt shot from her palms straight toward Blanche.Seeing that, Blanche didn't dodge. She just raised her right hand, and a white barrier shimmered into existence. The lightning struck the shield with a thunderous crack but dissipated harmlessly."How is that possible?" Narcissa's face twisted in disbelief. "You're seriously wounded. How can you still fight like this?"Blanche didn't answer. In a blur of motion, she appeared right in front of Narcissa and struck out with her palm. The attack looked effortless, yet the palm wind contained tremendous spiritual energy.Narcissa didn't dare to take it head-on. She retreated hastily while her hands moved rapidly, sending out purple energy blades one after another.Blanche weaved through the barrage with ease. Each blade missed her by a breath. At the same time, she struck forward with another palm.This time, Narcissa couldn't dodge in time.

As night deepened, Blanche traveled with Snowy, but they didn't venture far from Oakvale. She found a secluded cave in a remote forest area to rest and recover from her injuries.Yesterday's battle with Narcissa had ended in her favor, but it had aggravated old wounds. She needed time to stabilize her condition.Snowy lay quietly beside her, licking her front paw. Its amber eyes occasionally glanced toward the cave entrance with watchful alertness.Blanche's thoughts were far from peaceful. She knew Narcissa's vindictive nature all too well. If Octavius hadn't suddenly appeared and vouched for Narcissa, she would never have let Narcissa leave so easily. He seemed impartial on the surface, but his attitude was ambiguous, as if he had hidden motives.And behind Narcissa stood the Jornells of Amethysius, a powerful force among the hidden cultivator families, known for their ruthless methods."The Weston family…" Blanche thought of those ordinary people trembling under Narcissa's