“So what did you tell Miss Heart?” Alistair asked. “Don't worry, Mister Reid, I didn't dare to reveal anything to her. But I made her understand that asking too many questions could end badly for her.” Beggar John replied. Alistair pursed his lips as he pondered John's words. It seemed Isabella was still interested in him. But more importantly, why was she searching for primordial dew?“Did she tell you why she was looking for primordial dew?” “No, but I have an inkling as to why,” John said. “It might have something to do with her younger brother who has been unwell for quite some time now. There's not much information on the illness plaguing him but creating a cure for it seems to require primordial dew.”“I see.” Alistair nodded in understanding. Alistair took a slow sip of the green tea, the warmth of the liquid contrasting with the cold, calculating gears turning in his mind.The mention of primordial dew was significant; it was a legendary catalyst, often used to bridge th

The sincerity in Isabella's voice made it clear that she had no evil intent. Alistair respected those willing to put aside their pride for family. “I'll have to see your brother first.” Alistair calmly remarked. “No problem at all,” Isabella said almost immediately. Isabella didn't waste a single second.She tapped on the intercom to the driver's partition, her voice regaining a sliver of its usual command, though it still wavered with a frantic undercurrent. "Change of plans. Head to the penthouse. Now. Ignore the traffic lights if you have to."The limousine banked hard to the left, tires chirping against the asphalt as it pivoted toward the more secluded, affluent district of Haven.As the city lights blurred past the tinted windows, Isabella turned back to Alistair.She looked as though she wanted to say a thousand things—to apologize, to thank him, to beg further—but she settled for twisting the silk handkerchief between her fingers."My brother's name is Julian," she said so

“I feel fear for the young master and his well-being. He has already been through so much at the hands of incompetent healers. Do you think I would want to risk his life by allowing a scammer like you to get close to him?!” Wilfred bellowed, though he refused to meet Alistair’s piercing gaze.He turned to Isabella, his voice dripping with forced sincerity. “Young Miss, look at him. Do you really believe this man can save Master Julian after so many others have failed to do so? What are his qualifications to prove that he is capable?”“Do you not trust my judgement, Wilfred?” Isabella asked with a frown.“I do, but I also know that right now, you are more affected by what's happening than anyone else and so can be prone to bad decisions. That is why I am here to guide you when that happens. Young Miss, believe me when I say that this man is using your grief to worm his way into our inner circle. If he touches the young master and something goes wrong, there would be no way to rectify t

“Is that so? And what could be wrong with your brother?” Thaddeus asked.“Master Thaddeus can you believe this quack claims that master Julian isn't sick? He actually said that the young master is being refined with the help of a soul eater needle.” Wilfred said before Isabella could respond.“Refined?” Thaddeus raised a brow.Then, he walked over to inspect Julian before shifting his attention to regard Alistair with deep suspicion. Clearly, he had no intentions of corroborating Alistair's deduction as he asked. “What's your name?” “Alistair Reid,” Alistair replied calmly, his hands tucked loosely into his pockets. He didn't move an inch to accommodate the older man’s aura of self-importance.Thaddeus let out a sharp, mocking bark of laughter. “Reid? I’ve never heard of such a name in the Great Healer Circles. And you claim the boy is being refined? Preposterous. Miss Heart, the ‘soul eater needle’ is a myth from ancient folklore used by charlatans to explain away complicated neur

"What are you doing?" Thaddeus sneered, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of genuine concern. "That’s not medicine. That’s—""That is Spirit-Anchoring," Alistair cut him off. He turned to the bed and began placing the Seven-Star Silver Needles.Unlike Thaddeus’s proposed gold needles, these silver ones were cool to the touch, their mountain-water essence acting as a thermal buffer against the Dark Alabaster's heat.As the third needle pierced the skin near Julian’s neck, the cardiac monitor suddenly flatlined.A long, high-pitched beep filled the room."He's dying!" Wilfred screamed, lunging forward. "I told you! He's killing the young master!""Stand back!" Alistair roared.The air in the room suddenly vibrated.The "Jade" sheen on Julian's skin turned from a translucent white to a sickly, pulsing purple. Beneath the skin of his back, something moved—a long, thin object that looked like a parasite trying to burrow deeper into the bone."There it is," Alistair whispered.He didn't r