Albert was pulled along enthusiastically by Dale, climbing steadily upward along the stone staircase all the way. This half-blood elder brother chattered incessantly, rambling on and murmuring words of sympathy about how hard Albert must have endured all these years. Listening to the incessant buzzing in his ear, Albert felt a touch of helplessness wash over him. This elder brother had such a lazy air about him, so why was he so annoyingly talkative... Still, the warmth Dale radiated was genuine, never once giving Albert the impression of feigned cordiality.Clearly, Dale harbored no ill will toward him at all.Nor did Isabel. In their brief encounter earlier, though she had regarded him with curiosity and scrutiny, there had been more than a hint of genuine kindness in her gaze as well.This made Albert begin to believe the words Angel had spoken to him before—his two uncles’ attitudes toward him were likely truly amicable.A quiet sense of relief settled in Albert’s heart. He had co

That said, not just anyone could ring the Dragon Bell—it imposed extremely stringent requirements on one’s innate talent. Thus, over the years, very few had managed to accomplish this feat.Dennis lost no time in asking, Albert, do you possess a Dragon Soul? And what star grade is it?To even attempt ringing the Dragon Bell, there was another prerequisite: one must be born with a Dragon Soul.Albert answered honestly, My Dragon Soul is Six-Star.The atmosphere in the hall turned frosty in an instant.The smile that had just bloomed on Dennis’s face froze abruptly. Cyrus beside him looked equally stunned. Albert was the son of Andrew and Charlotte—given the peerless talent of those two, the bloodline they had forged together should undoubtedly be extraordinary. In their estimation, if Albert did inherit a Dragon Soul, it should be at least Eight-Star, if not higher.Just what was this Six-Star business?!Even Dale and Isabel, standing in the corner, wore expressions of bewilderment. Th

Dale and Isabel stepped forward, sized him up curiously for a moment, then said, You’ve got some serious game, little brother—hiding your light under such a thick bushel!Albert smiled modestly and replied, I thought the Inner Divine Continent was swarming with Eight-Star and Nine-Star talents, so I figured it’d be better to keep a low profile.The two of them couldn’t help but roll their eyes. While the Inner Divine Continent was indeed more blessed with resources than the Outer Divine Continent, it wasn’t that extreme.Now that you’ve been directly inscribed into the Upper Genealogy, it’ll save you a ton of time, Isabel explained. Everyone on the Upper Genealogy gets a generous batch of cultivation resources every month. The most valuable among them are High-Grade Soul Pills and Soul Essence—combined, these are worth millions in total.Albert’s eyes lit up instantly at her words. High-Grade Soul Pills and Soul Essence?These were exactly the cultivation resources he needed most righ

The position of Great Lord of the First Courtyard has remained vacant for years, and all affairs within the courtyard have fallen into chaos. This matter has lingered unresolved for more than a decade, inflicting severe harm on the First Courtyard. For the sake of the Dragon’s Fang Vein as a whole, I, Kenton, humbly beg the Lord of Dragon’s Fang Vein...to reinstall a Great Lord for the First Courtyard!Kenton’s words hung heavy in the air, chilling the atmosphere at once. Nearly all those present were senior leaders of the Dragon’s Fang Vein—including venerable elders of great seniority and the lords of the four courtyards—and they all knew exactly what Kenton was after.It was none other than the title of Great Lord of the First Courtyard. After all, Kenton had lingered in the First Courtyard for years, trapped in the position of Second Lord. Though he had seized great power over time, whenever men spoke of the First Courtyard’s Great Lord, they still spoke of Andrew, who had left l

This difference stemmed mainly from the fact that Dale and Isabel had experienced Thomas’s sternness since childhood, and thus held a heartfelt reverence for him. This feeling inevitably left them nervous and walking on eggshells in his presence.Albert was meeting Thomas for the first time. He knew nothing of his personality, nor had he personally felt his grandfather’s authority, so he saw him more as just a somewhat extraordinary elder.Thanks to Albert’s presence, this small gathering never grew too dull in the end.Yet Dale and Isabel still did not stay long. After finishing the simple vegetarian meal their grandfather had cooked, they quickly made their excuses and slipped away.As they left the courtyard, even Albert could sense their tense bodies relax.Thomas watched the two young ones depart, the warmth fading slightly from his aged face. He lifted his wine cup and drained it in one gulp, then chuckled self-deprecatingly to Albert, This old man is quite a bore, isn’t he?You