They stood in silence, watching the ship sail farther into the horizon until it was a speck against the sea. Adam finally exhaled, his chest rising and falling with a long sigh of relief. The danger had passed—for now.He had already thought through every possibility that Dracula might have considered. Adam was not the type to gamble with lives for nothing. Every move had its weight, every risk its purpose.It was true that Winda had been struck by the poison, and true that its effects were as severe as he had described earlier. But there was one crucial detail he had deliberately left unsaid.The poison was born of fire. Solar in nature, it clashed violently with the same Solar force that resided in men. For warriors, this was disastrous. Once the poison entered their system, their energy turned into an accelerant, like pouring oil onto an already raging blaze. Any attempt to circulate divine force only stoked the fire further, spreading the corruption faster and with greater cruelty

Adam’s expression was cold and unwavering, his eyes carrying none of the mockery they expected. The seriousness in his face made Dracula falter for a moment. Against his better judgment, he began to believe there might be some truth in Adam’s words.Slowly, he turned his head toward Gunther and Nathaniel. His voice was calm, yet dripping with menace. “Which one of you is willing to try first?”The two men immediately shook their heads like frightened dogs. Their faces twisted with disgust. Drinking urine might not kill them, but the thought alone was unbearable. Worse, if this ever reached other ears, their reputations would be ruined. Warriors prided themselves on strength, not humiliation.“You dare refuse me?” Dracula’s lips curled into a sinister smile. The soft menace in his tone carried more weight than any shout.Romeo was far less patient. He stepped forward, his glare sharp enough to cut through flesh. “Enough hesitation. One of you will drink, or I’ll cut both your heads off

The Immortal Ascension Codex—an ancient method recorded within the Divine Code—had always carried a cruel requirement: destruction before rebirth, abolition before establishment. Only by completely abolishing one’s foundation could a cultivator rebuild and rise anew.Adam’s current situation, as tragic as it was, had forced him into that exact condition. His cultivation base was already shattered, his legs broken, his dignity crushed. In other words, the slate had been wiped clean.He had once dismissed the Codex, unwilling to throw away decades of painstaking progress just to start from scratch. But now, he no longer had a choice. This was his only hope for a comeback.The method, however, was nightmarishly difficult. For three grueling days, Adam struggled just to touch its threshold. His body was weak, his cage reeked of filth, and pain gnawed at him every time he tried to draw breath. Yet through sheer will, he finally managed to ignite the first sparks of cultivation again.And t

The woman tasked with assisting Adam introduced herself as Emily Corner. She wasn’t just some ordinary servant. She was a disciple of the Deadskull Organization, a name that carried weight in the underworld. Young, beautiful, and brimming with potential, Emily was already at the peak of her current realm, only a step away from entering the Grandmaster Realm. Her strength alone was enough to crush most seasoned warriors. With someone like her watching Adam closely, Selena was confident nothing could possibly go wrong.After the bath was prepared, Emily personally helped Adam into the steaming water. The grime and blood that had clung to his body for days washed away, and though the wounds on his legs still throbbed, the sensation of being clean again was almost intoxicating.When she dried him off and carried him to the chamber Selena had arranged, Adam sank into the soft bedding. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt the touch of true comfort. His body, ravaged by beat

“I’m not interested in your soup.” Selena’s voice was cold, her eyes narrowing into slits. “Tell me now, Adam. If you keep stalling, don’t blame me for what’s about to come.”Her expression was harsh, her tone cutting like a blade.Adam didn’t flinch. Instead, he smiled faintly, his calmness only further provoking her impatience. “Don’t be mad, Ms. Alvora. Anger causes wrinkles, you know. And wrinkles don’t suit someone like you.” His voice was almost playful. “This mushroom soup really is delicious. And the medicinal soup? Nourishing, beautifying. You should try them both. I’ll tell you everything you want to know—after you drink.”Selena froze for a moment, her instincts screaming at her. Something wasn’t right. She prided herself on her intuition, and right now, it whispered of danger. Her eyes flicked between the two steaming bowls, then back to Adam’s placid face.Across from her, Adam’s heartbeat quickened. Beneath the smile, he was tense, but not a flicker of it reached his eye