Nick Crane felt the world blur before his eyes. By the time he steadied himself, he realized he was standing inside the Jade Tower.The interior stretched around him in every direction, shrouded in a thick, ashen mist. He could sense an immense power permeating the space, pressing against his awareness, yet no matter how he reached for it, it remained beyond his grasp. Whatever this force was, it far exceeded anything his current cultivation could command.He turned toward one of the tower's narrow windows and looked out. The world beyond was impossibly vast, stretching farther than any landscape he had ever seen, as though the tower existed in some separate dimension entirely.What is this place?Unease crept through him. He had no idea how to leave.Then, without warning, a gentle feminine voice resonated through the tower's interior, filling the gray space with warmth."Nick, my child. I never imagined you would come this far.""I would have pre

Nick Crane didn't buy any of it. He refused without a second thought."Whatever it is, say it over the phone.""What the hell!" Ashlyn Winters was practically seething on the other end. "You absolute blockhead! I'm throwing myself at you here. Are you seriously going to turn me down. ""I'm hanging up.""Wait! Can you at least let me finish. " Her voice crackled with fury. "This has to do with you. If you won't let me come up, I'll march straight to the hotel and bang on your door until you can't sleep even if you wanted to!"Nick felt nothing but exasperation. Ashlyn was undeniably stunning, with looks that could stop traffic and a figure that left men speechless. A genuine knockout by any standard. So why did her personality run completely opposite to her appearance?Still, she was the kind of woman who meant every word she said. Anyone bold enough to plead on his behalf in that kind of setting was no ordinary person.He let out a heavy sigh. "Fi

Ashlyn Winters made no move to pull away from Nick Crane's embrace. Her expression carried a trace of bitterness, a quiet ache she couldn't quite suppress.It was too late for regrets. If she had met Nick sooner, perhaps she would have chosen to be with him. But the marriage between the Cavanaugh family and the Winters family had already been settled. If she broke the engagement, her entire clan would suffer the consequences."Nick, I know you're powerful. Even the Sunblade Warlord shows you respect." She drew a steadying breath, convinced that his fearlessness came from ignorance. She decided to lay out the truth plainly. "But you don't understand what the Cavanaugh family is. Their holdings in the Southeast may not rival the Walton family in sheer wealth, but they are far from simple. On the legitimate side, the Walton family stands as the premier dynasty. But in the underworld, the Cavanaugh family sits firmly at the top. Their methods are vicious and underhanded. In pr

It happened so fast that no one in the room had time to react.Ten luxury sedans pulled up beneath the hotel, and more than twenty fighters climbed out. Every one of them carried an unmistakable edge, their killing intent barely concealed beneath expensive suits. At their head strode Roland Yardley, broad-shouldered and imposing, his narrow eyes radiating a vicious, predatory energy.The moment the group swept into the lobby, Roland's gaze hardened. "Find the man named Nick Crane. Now."The receptionist behind the front desk went pale, stammering under the weight of that stare. She didn't dare refuse, and within seconds she had given up Nick's room number.Upstairs, Nick sat cross-legged on the floor in quiet meditation while Ashlyn Winters rested on the bed. The room was still, the only sound her steady breathing.Then the reinforced door exploded inward with a deafening crash.Ashlyn bolted upright, wide-eyed. Nick was already on his feet, placing him

Nick Crane laughed at that. "What exactly are you? You think you deserve to be compared to a dragon?""What did you just say?" One of the Martial Warriors behind Roland Yardley erupted in fury.Roland's expression turned vicious. This Nick truly had no idea how close he was to death. If he didn't teach this fool a lesson, the man would never understand how far above him the heavens truly stood. He gave a single sharp glance, and all twenty-odd fighters fanned out in unison, forming a tight ring around Nick."Get him."Ashlyn Winters stood frozen, unsure what to do.Nick let out a thunderous shout and drove his fist into the first warrior who lunged at him. The impact landed like a cannon blast, and the man never even managed to throw a punch before he was sent hurtling backward through the air. The remaining fighters gritted their teeth. "All together, now!"Ashlyn clutched Nick in terror, pressing herself tightly against him. He wrapped his left arm ar