Magic doctor ceo lady's humble husband - A novel reading online. Synopsis : Fade Chen, who came down from Tianwu Mountain, had a miraculous medical skill that could cure all kinds of diseases. His martial arts skills were unrivaled. Read the full story fr....
Previous Chapters Here (1381-1395)
Chapter 1396 Manager Liu shook his head and said, "Mr. Chen, I'm sorry. Encyclo Hall's consultation opportunity is a rare auction item of the company. There is only one opportunity every month, and many people want to consult us and get answers. "Therefore, I apologize, for I can't privately sell this opportunity to you!" Fade's face changed from hopeful to disappointed, but he was understanding. "It's my fault for not doing my research properly before coming here. I'm sorry for putting you in this difficult situation. In that case, I'll wait till the auction starts." "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Chen!" Manager Liu nodded gratefully and said, "Mr. Chen, since you are Romeo's friend, I won't let you leave here empty-handed. I'll give you a piece of insider information in advance. Based on my experience and the previous auction data, a single consultation will usually be auctioned off for about one billion yuan." "One billion yuan!" Fade exclaimed. It wasn't a low price, especially when it was only for a single session. However, it wasn't too expensive for Fade. Fade nodded, doing calculations in his mind. He flashed Manager Liu a grin, and thanked him happily. "No need to thank me, Mr. Chen. You are Romeo's friend, so you're my friend too." Manager Liu said, currying favor with Romeo through his words. Mr. Chen, Romeo told me that you are a martial artist and a doctor. He also told me that you are very good with drug formulas or something like that." "If you want, you can also put some drug formulas or medicines up for auction in Encyclo Hall, Manager Liu offered. Fade had never thought about this, and he considered it for a moment. Fade knew many drug formulas, but they would lose their worth if they were put up for auction. Instead, he had nourishing pills he made before that could be put up for auction. In this way, he could recover a part of his funds if anything unexpected happened at the auction. "Speaking of this, I really do have an item that I'd like to put up for auction," Fade said. What is it?" Manager Liu asked curiously. Fade immediately retrieved a small jade bottle from his pocket, which contained the nourishing pills he previously prepared to exchange for information from the Luo family. "Manager Liu, this is a nourishing pill that I refined. It can soothe nerves, activate the collateral circulation, clear away heat and toxins, and promote longevity. If taken long term, it may extend one or two years of life." Manager Llu's face dropped when he heard about the functions of the nourishing pill. In his opinion, the functions were too worthless. As for longevity, it was indeed something that many people were seeking after. However, the effect of prolonging one or two years of life was probably exaggerated. "Nourishing pill. It's the first time I've heard of it," Manager Liu commented unenthusiastically. "I made it myself." Manager Liu became even more uninterested when Fade said that. "Mr. Chen, if the amount of the pill is too little, I'm afraid when we put it up for auction-" Fade understood what he meant and interrupted, "Manager Liu, my nourishing pill is not just any ordinary pill. I did not exaggerate the effects of the pills. If you don't believe me, you may ask the professionals to evaluate its quality. Manager Liu frowned. Mr. Liu, Instructor Chen is not an ordinary person. The things he would show us " are absolutely one of a kind." "Is it true?" Manager Liu was still unimpressed, but out of respect for Romeo, he picked up the phone and muttered some instructions to the receiver. Shortly after, an elder dressed in a long robe walked into the office. When Manager Liu saw the elder, he instructed, "Olaric, please examine this pill." "What is it?" Olaric shot a glance at the pill nonchalantly. 'It's some pill to preserve health. It is said that it promotes longevity. If taken long term, it may even extend one or two years of life." Olaric immediately sneered at the claim, "What a joke! That is complete nonsense. Do you know what that means? t means that even the treasured Heaven Level medicines can't compare to it. How dare you say that this pill can prolong your life for one or two years? It's nonsense." Manager Liu's eyes darted towards Fade and immediately said, "Olaric, please take a look at the pill first." Olaric swung his robe and replied disdainfully, "I already know that it's fake just by listening to your exaggeration. Manager Liu, please don't make me come here only to show me this kind of product again. You're wasting my time." He turned around and left. Manager Liu stared at Fade in silence. Romeo felt embarrassed. After all, he knew both men personally, and they were his friends. He never intended for it to turn out like this. Just as Romeo was about to say something nice to ease the tension, Fade stepped forward and declared, "If the appraisers of Encyclo Hall are of this standard, then I question the authority of the company. Manager Liu and Olaric's faces blanched, and they looked at Fade coldly. Olaric turned around and narrowed his eyes at Fade. "What did you say?" "I said, your skills are not enough. You couldn't even see the effect of the pill. How were you qualified as an appraiser in the first place?" Fade didn't hold back as he spat out the words. "My skills are not enough? Do you know who I am? I have worked in the imperial hospital for 15 years, and I used to be the National Chinese Medical Doctor. I have worked in Encyclo Hall for more than 20 years and have mastered thousands of drug formulas. You have the nerve to question my skills?" Olaric was visibly agitated, and his spit flew as he spoke. Fade stared at Olaric and replied calmly, "So what? No matter how experienced you are, you can't even see how good my pill is. So, you're not good enough." "You are an arrogant man! How dare you-Olaric was on the verge of punching him on the face as he glared at him with his eyes wide open. "I'm not an arrogant person. You'll know once you've tried my pill." "Are you trying to provoke me?" Olaric snarled. He remained silent for a moment and spoke, "Alright then, I'll make you give up. I'll examine your pill now. If it doesn't have the effect that you claimed it has, then you'll have to kneel down, apologize to me, and get out of Capital City." "Alright!" Fade lightly agreed. Romeo's anxiety intensified as things were starting to get ugly. He stepped forward and was about to say something, but Fade stopped him. "I have confidence in my pill." Then, Olaric began to examine the pills as everyone watched him with full attention. The moment when Olaric opened the jade bottle, a faint medicinal aroma filled his nostrils. Manager Liu and Romeo didn't think there was anything unusual, but that was not the case for Olaric. His face suddenly turned serious.
Chapter 1397 Olaric paused for a moment before he slowly poured out the pill from the jade bottle into his palm. He narrowed his eyes to observe the pill, and the expression on his face became more and more serious. Then, he scraped out some powder from the pill and sampled it by placing the powder on the tip of his tongue. Just then, his face began to change into different expressions. He frowned, grinned, and his facial muscles trembled, as if he had tasted something unusual. He tossed the entire pill directly into his mouth and savored the taste of the pill. After a while, Olaric's eyes suddenly lit up in excitement. He stared at Fade and asked, "How... How did you make this pill? How did you do it?" The corners of Fade's mouth quirked up as he said, "Olaric, can you tell me what is your judgment on the authenticity of my pills now?" Manager Liu and Romeo looked at Olaric curiously, and their faces were full of expectation. Olaric sighed. "This pill lives up to its name. It can indeed prolong a person's life. It may even be more effective than what Mr. Chen has claimed. If taken for several months, the pill may extend one's life by two or three years." "Dr. Huang, is this true?" Manager Liu was intrigued. As Encyclo Hall's manager, he knew exactly what the rich martial artists were seeking after-power, money, and strength. However, what they yearned for the most, was longevity. The higher their status, the more afraid of death they were, and the more desperate they were to pursue longevity. The medicine that Fade presented indeed had the effect of longevity and the results were significant. If they announced this information publicly, the rich and influential people in the entire Capital City would probably kill to get their hands on it. Olaric was certain about the value of this medicine. He nodded excitedly. "Yes, it's absolutely true, I have tasted it. The technique used to combine the ingredients in this pill to achieve the effect of prolonging life is unique, even I have never thought of using it." Fade crossed his hands over his chest and watched them with a grin on his face. Olaric stood in front of Fade, bowed, and pleaded, "Mr. Chen, I'm sorry. I was blind. Fade smiled and helped Olaric up. "You're too serious, Dr. Huang. In fact, I should ask for your forgiveness for provoking you earlier." "It's my fault. I am the one who should apologize, Mr. Huang sighed. "It should be me-" Fade argued. Romeo couldn't stand watching them argue anymore. He chuckled and said, Mr. Huang, Fade, now that the misunderstanding has been resolved, it's all good now. Please stop apologizing to each other! Mr. Liu will be worried to death. Manager Liu rubbed his hands anxiously and approached them excitedly. He said to Fade, "Mr. Chen, how many nourishing pills do you have left? What's the price that you would like to auction it for? Do you have any concerns? Do you-" Fade smiled and interrupted, "There is not much stock left. I only have ten bottles in total. As for the price, you may set it according to the market condition!" "Only ten bottles!" Manager Liu thought it was unfortunate. Olaric glared at Manager Liu and chided, "Ten bottles of this miraculous pill that can prolong one's life, and you still think it's too little? Do you think we are selling cabbage?" "Yes, yes, I'm too greedy Manager Liu smiled ruefully. "In that case, Mr. Chen, I will arrange the auctioning of the nourishing pills on your behalf. You can rest assured that you're going to get a good deal." "I trust your abilities, Manager Liu," Fade said, beaming in satisfaction. Afterward, Fade and Romeo got up from their seats, intending to leave. Manager Liu and Olaric escorted them downstairs and waved goodbye to them reluctantly as they got on the car and left. Three days later, Encyclo Hall's auction officially began. This time, Manager Liu took it upon himself to send someone to pick Fade up without waiting for a reminder from Romeo. The auction was held in a theater which was huge enough to accommodate more than 500 people. More than half of the wealthy families in Capital City had attended the auction. Fade saw some familiar faces as he walked into the theatre. Although he didn't know many people from Capital City, he still had some friends in the circle. When they saw Fade, they came over and greeted him. Among the attendees were people from the Chung family, Dante from Dante Entertainment, Kaeran from Szeto Academy, and more. Of course, his enemies were also there. He could feel the icy stares of his rivals stabbing at him as he walked across the theatre, their expressions obviously unhappy. Fade scanned the place briefly and easily spotted the families and influencers that rivaled him. There was the Ding Family, whom Fade had broken their legs before. The Ding family was involved in the logistics business. There was also the Yang Family which had Leighton and Thomson whom he had just fought with. They were in the Martial Arts League. As he was focusing on observing the attendees, two other families approached him. They were the Luo family and the Han family. He had complicated feelings towards both families. He had a good relationship with Gentro Luo, and Johnson Han was Fade's subordinate in the Five Elements Squad. The two families were considered to be on good terms with him. However, due to the incident that happened during the gathering in Siheyuan some time ago, Audrea Han and Sandra Luo were displeased with Fade and Joey. Their tension grew when Joey's investigation involved the ancestral temple of the Luo family. As a result, they had a fallout. Although it didn't seem like a big deal, the Luo family had since held a grudge against them. That was the reason why the Luo family was coming towards Fade now. Their facial expressions were unusually hostile as they spotted him in the crowd. Gentro sped up his pace and stepped forward to greet Fade, but Sandra stopped him from behind, "Brother, what are you doing! Fade has fallen out with our family. Why do you still associate with him?" "Sandra, what happened between our family and Fade was not that big of a deal. Why are you doing this? Besides, Mr. Chen is a powerful martial artist. Having him as a friend is a good thing for our family!" Gentro defended. Sandra puffed her cheeks and objected, "Brother, everything you said is true, but that was before he offended Romeo of the hidden family. Since he has offended such an influential figure, it won't do us any good to continue to associate with him." "But-" Gentro refuted. Their argument was cut short as someone let out a warning cough. Beside him, Master Luo muttered, "The auction is about to begin, Gentro. Stop wasting your time and go arrange the seats." "Yes, Grandpa!" Gentro had no choice but to carry out Master Luo's orders. He shot Fade an apologetic look, lowered his head, and hurried past Fade.
Chapter 1398 Barton immediately held his father by the arm enthusiastically. "Dad, please slow down. I heard that there's good stuff put up on auction by Encyclo Hall, a Longevity Pill that can prolong life. When the time comes, we will bid one for you, Dad." Master Luo nodded with a smile and walked past Fade as if he didn't know him at all-as if Fade wasn't even there. He left, surrounded by a group of people. Sandra held Audrea's arm as they walked past. The two girls frowned and glared at Fade, snorting at him with contempt. Dante, Kaeran, and the others who stood beside Fade shot a worried look at him as they saw their interaction. "Mr. Chen, how dare the Luo family treat you with disrespect? How about we get in their way during the auction later?" "That's right. We can't let them have it their way." Fade waved his hand and said faintly, "There's no need to do that. Just bid for the things you want. Let's not care about them." The seats in the auction house were arranged according to the guests' status and influence. The more influential ones were seated in the front row, whereas the less powerful ones could only sit in the back row. The Luo family's status was relatively superior, so they were seated in the middle of the second row. The only families seated in front of them were the Yang family, the Hsing family, and the other families related to the hidden family. There were also a few of Encyclo Hall's respected guests in the front row. After the Luo family settled into their seats, Sandra turned to look at Fade, who was chatting behind her. A mocking sneer grew on her face. "Ha! That guy actually has the audacity to attend such an occasion. He should look at himself, who does he think he is? He'll probably just hide in the corner and watch." Gentro frowned and lectured, "Sandra, don't say that about Mr. Chen." "Brother, why are you so protective of Fade? He has already fallen out with our family, and Joey has also clearly rejected you. Why are you still trying to please them even when they have given you the cold shoulder? You are embarrassing our family, Sandra replied. Gentro's face sank when she brought up Joey's name. He didn't say anything, he just sighed and lowered his head. Audrea's face fell as she noticed his reaction. Just then, Manager Liu appeared. The people immediately got up and greeted him warmly. Master Luo stood up to greet him too. He shook his hands and they exchanged pleasantries. Everyone was polite towards Manager Liu, not because of how good he was at doing his job, but because of the company that he represented-Encyclo Hall, an Earth Level Clan company. The statuses of these familles from Capital City were inferior compared to an Earth Level company like Encyclo Hall. Manager Liu was already used to this kind of interaction. After he finished making small talk with everyone, he strode towards the back of the auction house. Everyone's eyes followed him, looking back curiously as they gossiped. "What is he going to do back there? Are there any guests who deserve to be greeted by Manager Liu over there?" "It can't be. Those who are worth being greeted by Manager Liu in person have already been arranged to sit in the front rows. How could they be sitting in the back?" "Perhaps there's something going on back there?" The crowd discussed Manager Liu's mysterious actions as he went straight up to Fade with a smile. He bowed and reached out to shake Fade's hand. " Mr. Chen, thanks for coming." Fade nodded in acknowledgment and shook nds with Manager Liu. "I'm sorry for the trouble previously" "No trouble at all!" Manager Liu waved his hand dismissively. "I should thank you instead, Mr. Chen. After we announced the information about your ten bottles of nourishing pills, we attracted a lot of attention, including many foreign tycoons who came just to bid on one or two bottles of your pill." "Really? But why is my nourishing pill not on the auction list?" Fade asked. Manager Liu replied with a proud grin, "We did some repackaging and promoted your nourishing pills under a new name. It's the twelfth item on the list. Longevity Pill, that's your nourishing pill." "I see!" Fade exclaimed in realization. Manager Liu immediately lowered his voice and whispered to Fade, "The last item on the list is the consultation session with Encyclo Hall. I see no potential competitors today. Mr. Chen, I'm certain you'll easily win the bidding at one billion yuan, just like what I've told you before. Fade acknowledged his comment with a smile. "Thank you, Manager Liu. I will remember the kindness that Encyclo Hall has showed me." Manager Liu chuckled, "Mr. Chen, you're too courteous. By the way, a master from Encyclo Hall Clan would like to see you after the auction ends. I don't know if you're "It's an honor that the master of Encyclo Hall would like to see me. I'll visit him as soon as the auction ends," Fade said. "You're too polite, Mr. Chen, Manager Liu said and looked at the time. The auction is about to begin. Mr. Chen, please come and sit in the VIP seat in front!" he invited. "The VIP seat? Wouldn't that cause trouble to you, Manager Liu?" Fade knew the rules of the seating arrangement in the auction house. That was why he sat in the corner of the last row instead of fighting for the front seats. Mr. Chen, you are Romeo's friend and also Encyclo Hall's honored guest. You deserve to sit in the VIP seat." "In that case, thank you, Manager Liu." Fade was not a coward, so he walked towards the seat. Fade accepted Manager Liu's sincere invitation and went straight to the VIP seat in the middle of the first row, then immediately settled into the seat. Their exchange attracted much attention, and they became the topic of discussion among the guests. They looked at Fade and began pointing their fingers at him. Those who didn't know who Fade was, began asking around to know more about him. On the other hand, those who knew him were discussing his identity and status. They wondered how long he had been working closely with Encyclo Hall. The Luo family was seated right behind Fade. Sandra and Audrea's faces which were filled with disdain, turned into shock when they saw Fade sit down in front of them on the seat reserved only for the most respected guest. They knitted their eyebrows and watched puzzledly. What's going on? What is Manager Liu doing? Why did he let the kid sit in the VIP seat?" the crowd murmured. "Are you kidding me? There are so many powerful figures in the room, but instead, they chose to let that guy sit in the VIP seat?" "Did they make a mistake? No matter what, he doesn't deserve to take that seat." Sandra, Audrea and Barton gazed at Fade, wide-eyed. The members of the Luo family were equally dumbfounded. Master Luo was the calmest among them. He made a face, let out a cough, and hushed, "Where he sits is none of our business. Let's just take care of our own matters." "Alright!" The Luo family grew silent but remained baffled as they stared at Fade from behind.
Chapter 1399 The lights in the hall dimmed. The host walked up the stage, and everyone hushed. The auction has officially begun. Without further ado, the host briefed the rules and immediately announced the commencement of the auction. The first item auctioned was a Black Level martial arts manual, which was considered a high-grade item. A few families and individuals seated in the back raised their bid cards and bid on the item. They finally sold it for two million yuan. The following items were auctioned off one by one, and the prices of the subsequent items kept rising. Soon after, more than a dozen items had been auctioned. Fade did not bid for any of the items. However, the Luo family behind him bid several times during the auction and successfully bought two martial arts manuals. They were so overjoyed that they kept laughing throughout the auction. Sandra and Audrea, on the other hand, had been whispering behind Fade's back. "He sits in the VIP seat, but he didn't bid at all. What is he doing here? Watching a show?" "Poor guy. I bet he doesn't have money to bid for the items. "That's true. The lowest reserve price of the items is at least a million yuan, and the price can easily go over a million. So it's normal that he can't afford it. Ignoring their gossip, Fade waited patiently for the following item. The next item was the nourishing pill that Encyclo Hall would auction on his behalf. It was now known as the Longevity Pill, according to the auction list. Many guests were also looking forward to seeing the next item like Fade. After all, no matter whether they were rich men or martial artists, none of them would say no to longevity. As everyone whispered and stared at the stage expectantly, Olaric, dressed in a long robe, appeared and announced in a clear voice, The next auction item is rather unique, so let me introduce it to you. "This is Longevity Pill. Just as its name implies, it has the effect of extending one's lifespan. At the same time, it may also cure various minor ailments. According to our estimation, if you take three bottles of the pill continuously for 3 months, it might extend your lifespan by two to three years The crowd buzzed in excitement as they heard about the pill's miraculous effect, and they couldn't stop discussing it. "Prolong one's lifespan by two to three years? That's too impressive. I want to buy it." "But, what kind of pill has this effect? It seems too exaggerated! Could it be fake?" "It's fake! Are you kidding me? This is Encyclo Hall, and the appraiser is Olaric. Do you know what this means?" "I believe Encyclo Hall won't make such a mistake, but it still sounds too far fetched to me." "No matter what, this kind of pill is extremely rare, and I'm going to buy it." In the midst of the crowd's heated discussion, the Luo family also began to talk about it among themselves. "Longevity Pill that extends one's lifespan. It is what our Old Master needs the most, so we must bid for it! "Yes, this is a rare oppurtunity "That's right. The quality of Encyclo Hall's items is guaranteed. There won't be any mistakes. We must bid later!" Almost everyone from the Luo family showed interest in the Longevity Pill. Everyone, except for Gentro. He frowned while he thought of something and asked, "The function of this Longevity Pill is similar to that of Mr. Chen's nourishing pill, isn't it?" At the mention of Fade, everyone in the Luo family suddenly turned to look at him, their faces ostile. "Gentro, don't mention the person who has fallen out with our family." "That's right, brother! How could Fade's so-called nourishing pill compare to Encyclo Hall's Longevity Pill? They're not even on the same level," Sandra added immediately. Even Master Luo chided, "Let's not talk about the past, and focus on the present." Since Master Luo had already spoken, Gentro didn't dare to say anything else. He nodded and said, "Yes, Grandpa, I understand. At this moment, the discussion among the crowd became increasingly lively. Many grew impatient and started to holler at Olaric. "Olaric, don't keep us waiting. Let's start the auction!" "That's right, we're losing our patience." "How much is the reserve price? I'll try my best to bid on one or two bottles. As the guests urged him to start the auction, Olaric explained, "This Longevity Pill was offered by a special guest from Encyclo Hall. The stock is limited and there are only ten bottles in total, so it is extremely valuable." "The Longevity Pill will be auctioned off per bottle. The reserve price of each bottle is fifty million. The bid increment must not be less than one million. Now, we'll start with the first bottle. Everyone can now bid! As soon as Olaric finished announcing the rules, the auction hall bustled with noise. "Fifty million!" "Fifty-two million!" "Fifty-five million!" "Sixty million!" The price soared all the way. In less than a few minutes, it rose 80 million before it started to increase slowly. The Luo family was also actively bidding for the pills. They had raised the price to 90 million, but their opponents had no intention of stopping and continued to raise the price. The Luo family hesitated for a moment, and Master Luo didn't raise his bid card. "One hundred million yuan for a bottle, that is too high. Besides, the effect of the Longevity Pill may not be as good as they claim. Let's just wait and see, since there are still nine more bottles left. Maybe the price will drop." At last, the first bottle of Longevity Pill was bought by a wealthy merchant at the price of 100 million yuan. The bidding for the second bottle of Longevity Pill began immediately. As the bidders already had a clue on the reserve price of the first bottle, the price of the second bottle rose even faster. In less than a minute, it exceeded 100 million yuan and finally reached 120 million yuan. The Luo family once again participated in the bidding. The bidding price soared to more than 100 million yuan, which wasn't what they expected. Barton looked at Master Luo and asked, "Dad, do we need to raise the bidding price again?" Master Luo was silent for a while before he finally let out a disappointed sigh. He waved his hand and said, "Let's not continue to raise the price and wait for the following bottles. don't believe that these people don't have any sense of reason to stop raising the price of this pill." Master Luo once again gave up the bid for the Longevity Pill. The second bottle was finally sold at 120 million yuan. The bidding for the following bottles went on without delay. The bidding price of the next few bottles of pills also rose rapidly, and they were still constantly growing. When the seventh bottle was auctioned off, the price had already been increased to 150 million yuan. The pills had already risen to such a high price, which made the Luo family, who hadn't even gotten a bottle of it yet, look embarrassed. "What's going on? Is everyone crazy? The price is still constantly increasing even when it is already so expensive!" "So many rich people have already bid for the pills. They probably have no more money left for the ones left!" "Yes, we will start bidding for the next bottle!" The Luo family held on to their plan, but when the prices of the eighth and ninth bottles grew to 130 million yuan and 100 million yuan respectively, the faces of the Luo family turned pale. Panic flashed across Master Luo's calm face.
Chapter 1400 Olaric, who was standing on the stage raised his voice. "This will be the last bottle of Longevity Pill. If you miss it this time, it will be very difficult for you to come across it again in the future. If you want it, you must seize the opportunity!" The crowd burst into cheers in an instant. "Fifty million!" "Eighty million!" "One hundred million!" "One hundred and fifty million!" The price rose rapidly. The Luo family saw this and knew that their plan was in vain. According to the current trend, there was no chance that the Longevity Pill's price would drop, and the final price would only be higher. Master Luo couldn't sit still anymore. He knew that if he missed this opportunity, it would be difficult for him to come across the pills again in the future. At this moment, he couldn't care about anything else and raised his bid card directly. "One hundred and eighty million." As he announced the price, the scene suddenly went quiet. After all, there were not many people who could afford the price. Just when Master Luo thought he was going to succeed, a voice next to him said, "One hundred and ninety million." Master Luo couldn't help but clench his teeth and raised the price again. "Two hundred million yuan." The price exceeded 200 million yuan in one stroke, which immediately gave rise to a discussion among the crowd. The opponent thought for a moment, clenched his teeth and declared the price of 210 million yuan. Master Luo's eyes turned red with anger, but at this moment, he couldn't care less about anything else and continued to bid. "220 million yuan. The other man finally shook his head after hesitating for a while, bowed to the Luo family, and said, "Congratulations, Dormer" Immediately after signing the payment, the staff handed the last bottle of Longevity Pill to him.. After he received the pill, his gloomy expression turned to a grin. The relatives next to him comforted him, one after another. "Grandpa, it's your gain to buy a pill of this grade." "That's right. Money is not a problem at all. For our family, it's no big deal for us to take out this little bit of money" "Dad, your health and longevity is not something that can be exchanged with money. Dormer felt better after listening to his grandchildren's comfort. Although he was unhappy for spending so much more than he planned to buy 1 Longevity Pill, he decided to set the matter aside for the time being. He carefully opened the jade bottle and poured out a pill. "This pill, look at its color and its fragrance. It must be something good!" "The items auctioned by Encyclo Hall are certainly not bad." "Sure enough, it is my gain. It's worth it even though I spent more than 200 million yuan for the pills." While the family members were flattering Dormer, Gentro stared at the pills and frowned. Upon seeing this, Sandra shouted on purpose, "Brother, what's wrong with your expression? Grandpa bought good medicine, but why do you look so unhappy? Suddenly, all eyes were on him. When Dormer saw the expression on Gentro's face, his face darkened. Gentro glared at Sandra and immediately explained, "Grandpa, it's not that I'm unhappy, it's just that I'm a little suspicious." "What's on your mind?" Dormer asked. "I... Gentro was reluctant to speak, but when he saw the serious look on Dormer's face, he said, "I feel that the taste and color of this pill are almost exactly the same as the nourishing pill that Mr. Chen gave me last time." The faces of the Luo family suddenly darkened when he brought up Fade. Sandra was the first to speak. "Brother, you were brainwashed by Fade, weren't you? Even before the auction started, you already said that the Longevity Pill is: similar to the nourishing pill, and now you're saying that they are the same thing. Do you really love to speak up for Fade?" Sandra's father, Barton, also spoke, "Gentro, Grandpa is finally happy. Do you really have to disappoint him like this?" "No, I'm not. I just thought-" Gentro tried to explain. But at this time, his father, Leroy, shot him a glance, and then said to Dormer, "Dad, Gentro doesn't mean that, he just said it casually. Don't take it to heart." Dormer nodded, waved his hand, and said, "The next auction is about to begin. Pay attention to the following item!" Although he said so, Dormer still couldn't help but stare at the pills in his hand with a questioning look on his face. As the crowd was waiting for the auction to start, Olaric, who was on the stage, did not go down. After exchanging a few words with the staff, he took a document and went down the stage with it. Everyone's faces were filled with curiosity. "What is Olaric doing?" "That's the bill. They've just signed ten bottles. Is there anyone who hasn't paid yet?" "What's happening?" As the crowd stared in bafflement, Olaric walked over to the VIP seats and handed the document to Fade. "Mr. Chen, ten bottles of Longevity Pills have been auctioned off, and the profit from the auction is one billion five hundred and sixty million yuan. Our company deducted ten percent as the processing fee, and your final profit is one billion and four hundred million yuan. Please sign here." Fade nodded, took the pen and paper, and signed his name on the document. Initially, he prepared ten bottles of Longevity Pills for the Luo family. However, their discussion didn't end well as he expected, so he did not manage to give it to them. Instead, he took the opportunity to auction them off in Encyclo Hall, and he sold them for more than one billion yuan, which added to Fade's wealth. Now, since he was more well-off, he had more confidence in winning the bid for Encyclo Hall's consultation session. When the others overheard the conversation, they were more confused. Olaric noticed their curiosity, so he stood up and explained, "Just now, the ten bottles of Longevity Pills were entrusted by Mr. Fade to Encyclo Hall to be auctioned. His explanation caused quite a commotion, and everyone's eyes were focused on Olaric and Fade. Some of the guests were smart enough to put on a diplomatic smile and greeted Fade politely. Some even asked Fade if he still had any more Longevity Pills as they wanted to buy some in private. On the contrary, the Luo family, who was sitting behind Fade, looked extremely gloomy as they were stunned beyond belief. "Longevity Pill was... was entrusted by Fade to Encyclo Hall for auctioning?" What... what the hell is going on?" " "Could it really be that this Longevity Pill is the nourishing pill that Fade gave to father?" "Isn't that a scam to auction off that sh*tty nourishing pill as Longevity Pill?" Sandra said, her face full of displeasure. She despised everything about Fade. Olaric, who was standing in front of them said coldly, "Mr. Chen entrusted our company with the nourishing pills, and they have been tested by Encyclo Hall. I have personally examined it. Miss Luo, are you doubting my ability and the reputation of Encyclo Hall?" Sandra blanched under Olaric's questioning. She didn't know how to respond.
Chapter 1401 Dormer's face darkened as he glared at his granddaughter, then forced a smile and said, "Master Huang, I'm sorry. The child is still young and immature. Please don't take it to heart. The Luo family has no opinions against Encyclo Hall." "That's good to hear!" Olaric snorted, then swung his sleeves and turned to leave. There was absolute silence on the Luo family's side. Everyone stared at each other with a heavy expression, and they didn't know what to say. Especially Dormer. There was a grave expression on his face, and his hand which held the jade bottle trembled. Barton and others quickly put in good words as soon as they noticed Dormer's reaction, attempting to comfort him. 'Dad, it doesn't really matter whether this medicine is Fade's or not. It doesn't affect us as long as the medicine is effective. "Yes, it's just spending more money, isn't it? That amount of money is nothing to our family!" Not only did their words fail to cheer Dormer up, but they angered him even more. The muscles on his face twitched, and his lips curled into a snarl. After all, the Longevity Pills were originally intended as a gift for the Luo family from Fade, and he could have gotten them for free. But now, he had spent over 200 million yuan for only a bottle. A sense of remorse rose in his heart as he thought about how the tables had turned. Barton seemed to have read Dormer's mind. He edged closer to his side and whispered in his ear, "Dad, there's no need to regret it. Compared to the money you spent, offending the Hsing family is the bigger problem. Dormer's face relaxed a little at the mention of the Hsing family. Fade had offended Romeo and the hidden family. The Luo family was smart enough to break off their ties with Fade, so they managed to escape the great misfortune that was about to come down upon Fade. With that in mind, the matter of the Longevity Pill was not so upsetting anymore. The auction carried on. Countless expensive and precious items were auctioned one by one, arousing everyone's enthusiasm for the auction. The price of the items also increased as the crowd grew more excited. Fade, too, had spent over 300 million yuan to buy a precious medicinal herb, which was worth it. All the items were auctioned off one by one, and finally, the long-awaited moment had arrived. Manager Liu stood up and announced, "The final item for the auction today is a single consultation session with Encyclo Hall." "The reserve price of this item is fifty million yuan, and the minimum increment for each bid will be fifty million. The bidding starts now!" Although the reserve price and the starting price were extremely high, everyone was already mentally prepared for it. Therefore, none of them felt surprised, and there were no objections. The crowd fell into a heated discussion immediately. Many of them exchanged their views on the price and the item, but not many were involved in the bidding. It was not like many people could afford the price anyway. Besides, they were less willing to pay such a high price for only a single session. "Five hundred million yuan!" "Five hundred and fifty million. "Six hundred million yuan." The price continued to rise. When the price hit 800 million, there were only two or three bidders left. Looking at the current situation, Fade knew that it was his time to act. So, he raised his bid card and yelled, "Nine hundred million yuan." Due to his unique identity as a VIP guest, his participation in the auction attracted plenty of attention. Everyone's eyes were on him, as were few his competitors. One of the competitors hesitated for a moment before finally shaking his head and lowering the bid card in his hand. Another competitor, a proprietor with a huge protruding belly, thought for a moment and raised his bid card. "One billion yuan." Fade raised his card again without hesitation. "One billion one hundred million!" The other man seemed to have noticed Fade's determination. He lowered his bid card after hesitating and saluted to Fade. "Congratulations, Mr. Chen." Fade clasped his hands and nodded to the man, then looked at Manager Liu, who was standing on the stage. Manager Liu nodded and raised the mallet as he announced, "One billion one hundred million yuan, first calling! Is there anyone else who wants to challenge the bid?" "One billion one hundred million, second calling. Last chance for anyone else who would like to bid for the item." "One billion one hundred million, third calling! I hereby announce-* "Wait a minute!" Just as Manager Liu was about to announce the auction result, a clear voice resonated in the hall. Suddenly, everyone's attention was drawn to the source of the voice as they all turned around to look at the person curiously. A man who looked about 27 or 28 years old stepped into the hall, and all eyes were on him instantly. He had a handsome face, eyebrows that were shaped like two swords, and eyes that shone like stars. Dressed in a plain white robe, he looked neat and clean, like an elegant prince who walked out from a fairytale. His appearance became the primary attention in the hall. Who is that? He's so handsome!" " "He looks so young. Does he come from a powerful family?" "Even if he is from a powerful family, he did not abide by the rules. I don't think it's a good idea to interrupt the auction." Amidst the whispers of the curious guests, Manager Liu spotted the man. He looked equally surprised, and his eyes flickered. "Faxon-Young Master Chiang is here. Invite him to his seat," he ordered immediately. As soon as he uttered Faxon's name, everyone in the hall burst into an uproar and fell into a deep discussion. "Faxon, isn't he the top genius in the Martial Arts League?" "That's him. The second place on the Dragon List." "I heard that Young Master Chiang has an exceptional background. It seems like he might be related to the hidden family." What is Young Master Chiang doing here? Does he also want to bid for " something?" Fade couldn't help but glance at Faxon a few times when he overheard the people's discussion. Faxon walked straight to the front row and glanced at the seat he was brought over to by the servant. He did not sit down. Instead, he went directly to Fade and looked down at him. Fade raised his head and stared back at him, unflinching. Faxon stared at Fade for a while and noticed Fade's challenging posture. He said, "Encyclo Hall's consultation session is mine this time." Fade frowned at his statement. He was determined to win this consultation, and Faxon's arrogant attitude made him upset. He responded coldly, "I'll take it instead." "You don't seem to understand what I just said. I said the consultation session is mine," Faxon repeated, his tone serious. Fade snorted and stared right into Faxon's eyes. "If you want it, then bid for it. Don't pretend like you can afford it if you don't have money." "You-" Upon hearing Fade's words, Faxon raised his perfectly shaped eyebrows and glared at him. "Very well, I'll remember you now. He turned around and looked at Manager Liu. "I bid one and a half billion yuan. Manager Liu's face froze in disbelief, then he looked at Fade apologetically. Fade dipped his chin to signal to him that it was all right. Then he narrowed his eyes at Faxon and said loudly, "One billion six hundred million yuan.
Chapter 1402 The exchange between Fade and Faxon had startled everyone else in the hall. Soon enough, they began talking about it. "Young Master Chiang also wants the consultation opportunity." "From the looks of it, it seems like Fade is not going to give in as well!" "How dare he compete with Young Master Chiang? Is he a fool?" "That's right. Does he think he can beat Young Master Chiang in terms of background and strength?" Amid the crowd's chatter, the Luo family members who were initially upset became at the sight of the confrontation between the two men. Smug grins painted across their faces as they gloated over Fade's unfortunate encounter. "Is Fade out of his mind? How dare he confront Young Master Chiang?" "If he had stood down just now, Young Master Chiang might've appreciated his understanding. But now, he has offended Young Master Chiang by competing with him for the bidding!" "He will ruin himself sooner or later with that kind of temper He's a dead man walking now. Let's just sit back and watch the show." Faxon did not seem to expect that Fade would challenge him. He stared at Fade for a few seconds, then said in a low voice, Two billion yuan. I bid two billion yuan." His offer caused another uproar among the crowd. Faxon directly increased the bid by 400 million yuan this time, setting the price at two billion yuan, which was twice as much as the previous price of 1 billion yuan. In other words, this meant that Faxon was determined to win the bid, and it served as a warning to Fade. Fade furrowed his brows when he heard the bid. Two billion yuan was indeed beyond his expectations. However, this consultation session was an opportunity to help Joey find her parents, so he must bid for it. Besides, he was not short of money. Not only did he just earn over one billion yuan from the pills, but he has also generated a huge income from his business throughout the recent years. Besides, there was also the money from the powerful families who were under his control. His net worth would be tens of billions. To spend several billion yuan to bid for the consultation opportunity was not a big deal to him. Therefore, instead of backing down from Faxon's threat, he offered, "Two billion five hundred million. The audience gasped in amazement as soon as he uttered the price. He had gone so far as to raise the bid by 500 million yuan, which was even higher than Faxon's increase. Everyone was surprised by his madness and determination. "Is Fade really that rich?" "The audacity! I wonder what his background is like. "That was not a wise thing to do. It's not about money at all. It's about Young Master Chiang's reputation!" "He's offending Young Master Chiang and upsetting him even more. Is he trying to get himself killed?" Faxon's face scrunched in frustration as he glared at Fade before shouting, "Two billion seven hundred million." Fade blurted immediately, "Three billion. "You Even Faxon felt the price was ridiculous this time. He glared at Fade, gritted his teeth, and seethed, "Do you know what you are doing? I already told you that I am determined to win this bid." Fade glanced at him and snorted with disdain. "Determined to win? Then pay for it. If you don't have the money, then don't play the game. Faxon's face darkened upon the remark, and he clenched his teeth hard. He scowled at Fade and said, "I bid three and a half billion yuan. As soon as Faxon finished announcing the price, Fade cut in, "Four billion." "You- Faxon felt the pressure as he couldn't afford to catch up with the price anymore. He bared his teeth at Fade as if he wanted to swallow him alive. Fade crossed his arms casually and sneered, "What about me? This is an auction. If you want to win the item, you have to pay for it. "You-" Faxon's face was flaming red, and his eyes bulged in anger. He clenched his fists so tightly that his fingers dug into the flesh of his palms. He was barely restraining himself from beating Fade up. What now? Now that you don't have the money, you want to beat me up? " Speaking of a beating. I'm fine with that, so let's get on with it. Fade threw a few punches in the air and stared at Faxon with a relaxed expression. Fade's actions were a mockery to Faxon, which angered Faxon so much that he almost burned up. Suddenly, his vital energy burst out from him with a whoosh. His violent energy surged towards Fade and enveloped him. The fight between them was on the verge of breaking out. Just then, Manager Liu hollered, "Young Master Chiang, this is Encyclo Hall, and we have rules here. Please remember that." What he said was actually a warning to Faxon. Although Faxon came from a powerful background, Encyclo Hall was nevertheless superior to him, and they would never condone his reckless attitude. Therefore, Manager Liu was obligated to remind him of that. Faxon shifted his gaze to Manager Liu in response and held back his anger. Glaring at Fade, he jabbed a finger at him and muttered, "Very well. Fade, right? I'll remember you. Then, he flung his sleeves and walked out of the auction house. Fade pursed his lips, unconcerned. He did not take Faxon's threat seriously. The auction resumed normally. Manager Liu shot an apologetic look at Fade. Mr. Chen, according to the rules, you just bid four billion yuan, so now-" " Even Manager Liu himself felt the price was incredible. Although the opportunity to consult in Encyclo Hall was very precious, four billion yuan was too much. The cost was totally beyond the normal range. Fade didn't care much about the money. He waved his hand and said, "Manager Liu, don't sweat it. Since I have already bid the item for four billion yuan, let's carry on according to this price." "I- Mr. Chen, I'm terribly sorry that such a thing happened. I did not expect it at all, so- Manager Liu was apologetic, but Fade didn't think it was a big deal. The crowd once again fell into a heated discussion. "Fade is so amazing, he scared Young Master Chiang away by winning the bid." "You call that amazing? I think he doesn't even know the disaster that awaits him!" "That's right. Young Master Chiang comes from a powerful family. Fade has pushed him to the wall by not only embarrassing him so badly but also robbing him of the opportunity to consult Encyclo Hall. He will suffer the consequences soon." "The young man is too frivolous. He forgets himself just because he has some money. He doesn't know that money does not mean everything in this world." At this moment, the Luo family pretended to lament Fade's unfortunate encounter with smug grins on their faces. "He dares to offend Young Master Chiang. He's a dead man now." "Of course. Young Master Chiang is not a man to be trified with. Plus, with his previous grudge with the Hsing family, he's done for." He's so full of himself. He's asking for it!" What's more, in the end, he spent four billion yuan on an item which is only worth one billion yuan. What a fool!"
Chapter 1403 Ignoring their sarcastic remarks, Fade told Manager Liu, "Manager Liu, it's just four billion yuan. I can afford it. Let's go through the formalities!" Manager Liu nodded ruefully and apologized to Fade nonstop as he went through the formalities with him. His apologies were drowned out by the guests' growing chatters, as they were still enthusiastically discussing the incident between Fade and Faxon. When they were about to complete the paperwork, a booming voice interrupted, "Manager Liu, there's no need to do this." Everyone turned towards the source of the voice. A man in his late fifties walked out from backstage with a friendly grin on his face. As the guests wondered about the man's identity, Manager Liu gasped in surprise. He turned around hastily and bowed. "Master Soh, you're here." "Mr. Chen, this is Mr. Lathrob Soh from Encyclo Hall. He's the master from our company who would like to meet you, the one I mentioned to you about just now," Manager Liu introduced quickly. Upon hearing this, Fade nodded his head courteously at Master Soh and said, "Master Soh, delighted to make your acquaintance. I'm Fade Chen." "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Chen! I should have came earlier to greet you. I'm really sorry for keeping you waiting." Master Soh was interestingly respectful to Fade. "Master Soh, that's very kind of you." Fade chuckled and shot a questioning glance towards Manager Liu. Manager Liu was equally baffled as he stared back at Fade and flicked his gaze towards Master Soh instead. Master Soh had initially arranged to meet Fade in private, but instead, he came to see him publicly. There must be something going on. The sound of the guests shifting in their seats and their chatter about Master Soh's appearance suddenly filled the hall. "He's a member of Encyclo Hall Clan, and he's also Manager Liu's boss. He's a real big shot!" "Encyclo Hall Clan is the pinnacle of all Earth Level Clans. It's undeniably a powerful clan. "I've heard a lot about Lathrob Soh. Apparently, he is a martial arts expert himself, and he has already reached the final stage of the Earth Level!" "Why would such an important figure turn up at this moment just to talk to Fade? "Well, maybe they were talking about some kind of business!" Just as everyone was busy guessing, Lathrob grinned at Fade and then instructed Manager Liu, "Exempt Mr. Chen from the four billion yuan charge for the final auction item! We'll gift it to him free of charge." "What? Free of charge!" Manager Liu gasped. To think that Lathrob would exempt such a massive sum of payment from Fade! After all, this wasn't an insignificant amount of money, but an enormous asset worth four billion yuan. As for most of the guests who were sitting in the back rows, even their net worths did not reach four billion yuan. But now, Lathrob was actually willing to let go of Fade's four billion yuan debt with a single order. What he did was truly incredible. Even Fade himself gaped at Lathrob astonishingly. "Master Soh, I... I appreciate your generosity. However, rules are rules, so I'll pay for the item!" Lathrob smirked and waved his hand dismissively. "Mr. Chen, please don't mind. Four billion yuan is nothing to Encyclo Hall. In fact, it is our honor to befriend you, as our friendship is far more valuable than four billion yuan. Then, he turned to Manager Liu and ordered, "Please carry on and complete the paperwork. If they were to audit the amount, tell them it's on me." "Alright, Master Soh!" Manager Liu bobbed his head as he quickly completed the formalities. Shortly after, he handed Fade a custom-made card and said, Mr. Chen, this is the ticket for the consultation session with Encyclo Hall. You may consult us at any time as long as you show us the card: Fade dipped his chin in acknowledgment as he slipped the card into his pocket and thanked him. The guests below stage drew in sharp breaths as they watched. Their faces were full of surprise. At the same time, the Luo family, who had just mocked Fade for buying only a piece of information with four billion yuan, were so shocked that they were at a loss for words. They could only watch everything with dark expressions on their faces. Barton turned to Dormer and hissed, "Father, don't overthink it. Even if that kid was lucky enough to save four billion yuan, it doesn't matter. After all, he offended the Hsing family, and they are not the people to be trifled with. When the time comes and the Hsing family seeks revenge, he probably won't live long enough to spend his money anymore" "Exactly!" Sandra echoed. Dormer's downcast face turned slightly more pleasant when he heard Barton's explanation. Just when Fade was ready to leave after accepting the card, he heard a familiar cry. "Instructor Chen." A figure came running over from backstage and approached Fade eagerly. "Instructor Chen." Fade narrowed his eyes to make out the person's face. He raised his eyebrows as he realized that the person was Romeo. "Romeo, why are you here? What's the matter? Romeo replied with a delighted smile, "Instructor Chen, my father wants to see you. I know that you are here to attend the auction, so I brought him here." Then, he turned around to look behind him, as if he was expecting someone. A burly man in his late forties walked out from the dark. The crowd gasped in astonishment as they saw the man. Almost everyone at the scene knew who he was. That man was Harmon Hsing-the head of the Hsing family in Capital City, and Romeo's father. Although the Hsing family had kept a low profile, due to their relations with the hidden family, Harmon had an extremely prominent reputation in the capital. Even the Luo family's Old Master Dormer's status was far inferior to Harmon's. "Hello, Mr. Hsing!" Fade greeted. The man laughed and patted Fade on the shoulder. "You are Fade, right? Romeo has told me about you. Because of your positive influence, Fade, he grew up and dropped his arrogant attitude. I really have to thank you for this!" "Master Hsing, it was nothing. I didn't do anything." Fade chuckled. "Fade, I can't thank you enough. Please, call me Uncle" Harmon patted Fade's shoulder again. "Come, let's go in and have a chat." Lathrob nodded in agreement at the side. There's a reception room inside. Let's go in. Fade was satisfied with the arrangement. He walked between the two elderly men and went inside. The guests outside, who were still seated in the hall, stared at them with their jaws wide open. "What... what's going on? How come even the head of the Hsing family knows Fade?" "Their relationship isn't that simple. It seems like they have a close friendship!" "What connections does the kid have? Even Master Soh and Harmon Hsing favor him." The crowd was confused by what they just witnessed, and the Luo family was just as shocked. Especially Barton, who had just made fun of Fade for offending the Hsing family, and predicted that Fade would not have a good end. At this moment, his jaw dropped so wide that he couldn't think of anything to say. The other Luo family members stared at Fade as he left the hall, rendered speechless by the special treatments he had received throughout that day. They couldn't understand why the Hsing family, who was supposed to be Fade's enemy, suddenly treated him so kindly.
Chapter 1404 Everyone's questioning gaze focused on her. "Sandra, you were the one who told us that Fade offended the Hsing family. Tell us, what is going on now?" Sandra, who was equally confused, waved her hand in a panic and blurted, "I-I don't know! Fade did offend Romeo at that time. Audrea's brother, Johnson, said so himself. I swear!" "In that case, how do you explain this?" One of the family members questioned. "Fade is very close to Master Soh, and he calls Harmon his uncle. His connections and backing are even more powerful than our family's! Since we have offended Fade, I'm afraid..." Someone said worriedly. Another family member lowered his head in remorse, "Fade used to be courteous to our family. He even offered his nourishing pills in exchange for information. But instead, we... Alas, if we chose to trust him back then, our family would have achieved greater heights!" They shouldn't have said those things, especially in Dormer's face. Witnessing Fade's success was already hurtful to the Luo family, and listening to their remarks was like rubbing salt into their wounds. Dormer's face turned pale, and his expression stiffened. He collapsed onto his seat and didn't say a word. He was shattered. On the other hand, Fade, Lathrob and Harmon were in the lounge located backstage, chatting while enjoying a nice cup of tea. Fade thanked Lathrob and Harmon for their kindness and asked if they had anything he could help with. After all, he knew that no one would be kind to him with no motive. Although some things seemed transactional, it was understandable. Lathrob and Harmon took the hint and immediately corrected him with a smile, "We truly don't have any other intentions, Fade. We just wanted to have a chat with you after our chat with Baldrick. Also please, send our regards to Master Hsuanyuen." Fade finally understood why Lathrob and Harmon took great notice of him. They knew about his relationship with Aldred from Baldrick, so they treated him kindly. He sighed quietly as he thought about Aldred. To him, he was just a wretched and shameless scoundrel, and he would never have thought that he was revered by many. Fade complied as he nodded, "I'll send him your regards. "I really appreciate it, Fade. "Thank you." Lathrob and Harmon's faces lit up as they heard his reply. Without further ado, Fade skipped the pleasantries and went straight to business. He pulled out the consultation card that he received and began to inquire about Joey's parents. As soon as Lathrob received Fade's queries, he opened up a secret passage and ordered Manager Liu to retrieve the related information. In less than 15 minutes, Manager Liu returned with a customized USB flash drive and handed it to Fade with both hands, " we've found based on the details you provided. Mr. Chen, here is the information Fade's heart pounded heavily against his chest as he accepted the flash drive. He was overwhelmed with emotion. "Thank you!" He slipped it into his pockets, stood up, and bid goodbye to Lathrob and Harmon before leaving the auction house. When Fade returned to the school dormitory, he did not check the contents in the USB flash drive. Instead, he called Joey and told her about it. She immediately rushed to Fade's apartment as soon as she received the news. The two of them quickly sat in front of the computer, plugged in the USB flash drive, and entered the password to access the files. A document appeared as soon as they hit the enter button. Joey gripped the computer mouse tightly and hovered the cursor over the document. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she was about to click it. Fade noticed her hands shaking. He inched closer and patted her on the shoulder softly. Joey, relax." "Let me do it." He took over the mouse and clicked on the document. A window filled with dense text popped up on the screen, with a few pictures and links attached. The two of them held their breaths as they stared at the screen and read through the content attentively. They finally finished reading the document after half an hour. Joey's face turned pale, and her eyebrows raised skeptically, as if the contents in the article was hard to believe. Fade rubbed her shoulders and said, "Joey, if you're still unconvinced, we will go to the Luo family tomorrow to confirm this with them." "This... I... She hesitated. "If you still can't make a decision, then don't. You should rest. Don't overwork yourself, he said softly when he saw the troubled expression on her face, "You can make a decision when you feel better. "Okay," she nodded half-heartedly as her eyes filled with unspeakable sadness. "Lie down and rest if you're tired. You can sleep here tonight," he looked at her and said. She was silent for a while before she tilted her head gently and stretched out her arms. "I want you to carry me, Fade!" She said as she pouted her lips. What she did reminded Fade of when they were growing up on Tianwu Mountain. Joey was five years younger than him. When she was little, she would always follow him wherever he went, stretching out her arms and asking him to carry her, just like what she was doing now. His heart softened. He gently leaned over and wrapped her in his arms. Her body felt soft against his, and she smelled nice. However, he held no impure thoughts about her. He tenderly picked her up and put her on the bed, "Rest well, Joey," he whispered. She was unwilling to let go, and her arms wrapped around his neck tightly. She hugged him and pulled him onto the bed. "Fade, I want you to hold me until I fall asleep, just like when we were kids." "Alright. I'll hug you to sleep. Little Joey, let me tell you a story. He held her in his arms and told her a bedtime story from when they were kids, "A long, long time ago, in a faraway land..." The next morning, a golden beam of sunlight shone through the window and hit Fade's face. He slowly forced his eyes open as he laid lazily on the bed. As he slowly opened his eyes, he felt something soft in his arms. He looked down and realized that Joey was snuggling against him, sound asleep with a faint smile on her peaceful face. He glanced further down and accidentally caught sight of her soft and fair skin under her collar. His gaze wavered, and he looked away as he withdrew his arm gently, not wanting to wake her up. However, she was startled by his movements. She flinched and rubbed her sleepy eyes. When she saw him lying beside her as she opened her eyes, she shrieked, "Fade, what are you doing on my bed? Were you trying to do anything inappropriate to me?" She swiftly covered her chest with both hands and stared at him warily. Her dark eyes sized him up as if she was looking at a criminal.
Chapter 1405 Fade chortled at Joey's reaction and tapped on her head, "Silly girl, take a closer look. This is my bed. Have you forgotten what happened last night?" After he reminded her, she immediately recalled what happened the night before. Her pretty face flushed red in embarrassment, and she lowered her head coyly. She quickly got off the bed and ran to the bathroom, "I'm going to wash up. He was amused by her embarrassment and deliberately teased, "Joey, the story I told you last night was good, wasn't it? I'll tell you the story again next time." She heard him from the bathroom and squealed. She turned on the tap on purpose, attempting to drown out his words with the gushing water, "Stop talking. I can't hear you! I can't hear anything: I don't know anything... After a while, she came out of the bathroom. Her cheeks were still flushed, and she looked embarrassed. Fade stopped teasing her, and he became serious. He coughed and asked, *Joey, have you given a thought about whatever happened last night? Do you want to visit the Luo family?" Her face darkened at his question, and she became silent. He didn't force an answer from her. Instead, he quietly watched her from the side. A few minutes later, she glanced up at him as she nodded seriously and said, "Yes, let's visit the Luo family." "Great, I'll let Gentro know!" He scrambled for his phone and searched for Gentro's number. Both families were not on good terms. However, the Luo family was worried that they would be caught in the middle since Fade had offended the Hsing family. Harmon had shown favor to him the day before. The Luo family had nothing to worry about. Therefore, he believed that as long as he made it clear that the Hsing family was on his side, there was no reason for the Luo family to shun him. He thought about it and was about to make the call. Just then, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, and saw that it was Gentro. Fade was surprised. He picked up the phone, "Hello, Gentro. How can I help you?" On the other end of the line, Gentro sounded a little anxious, 'Mr. Chen, I-I'm sorry to disturb you. It's my grandfather. He wanted me to ask if you're free. We would like to apologize to you in person, so... He understood what Gentro was trying to say. The Luo family probably saw what happened the previous day and finally came to their senses. They now realized that Fade was not someone to be messed with, so they wanted to admit fault, apologize to him and get on his good side again. He paused before he answered, "Yes, I'm free." "That's great! May I know when would be a convenient time for you? We'll come to the school to apologize to you... "I am free now. There's no need to come to the school. I'll go to your house." "Alright, sure. I'll arrange for it right away. Mr. Chen, are you at school? Shall I send someone to pick you up?" Gentro quickly asked. Fade nodded and replied, "Okay!" He hung up the phone and turned to Joey, "Someone will be here to fetch us soon. We'll go to the Luo family and figure everything out." "Okay!" She responded. An hour later, they arrived at the Luo family's manor. The only difference from their first visit to the Luo family was that almost everyone in the Luo family stood at the door and greeted them respectfully as they got out of the car. "Mr. Chen and Miss Chen, please have a seat!" Dormer invited them to sit on the main seats when they entered the living room, as he stood respectfully before them. Fade sat down without hesitation. Then, Dormer hurriedly apologized to him, clasping his before his est. "Mr. Chen, we wrongly believed the rumors and realized that we were being misled. Our family misunderstood you, Mr. Chen, and we made a huge mistake. For this, we apologize to you and ask for your forgiveness. Dormer waved his hand as he spoke, and two figures came in bowing. They walked towards Fade and knelt with a thud. Their backs were exposed, and there were thorns tied to their backs that were cutting their flesh open. Blood oozed from their wounds. Fade examined their faces and immediately recognized them. They were Sandra and Borton, the father and daughter who enjoyed making fun of him. Now, they came to him, completely humbled. "Mr. Chen, we were wrong. We sincerely apologize and ask for your forgiveness," The two knelt in front of him and pleaded. Fade looked at them and was silent for a while. In the end, he sighed softly and waved his hand, "Let bygones be bygones. Please stand up!" The Luo family beamed with joy as they heard his response. They quickly clasped their hands together to thank him and then stood up. His eyes glinted as he thought about their reactions. It didn't matter whether or not the Luo family's apology was sincere. They did put on an interesting show. Besides, there was no need for him to hold a grudge against the Luo family. What's more, if Joey's matters were real, she and the Luo family would be more closely related. Hence, he couldn't risk ruining his relationship with the family anymore. "I would like to take my sister to the Luo family's ancestral shrine for the matter we discussed before. Can we go now?" Dormer bowed and answered quickly, "Yes, of course. Mr. Chen and Miss Chen, please follow me!" They got up and followed Dormer to the Luo family's ancestral shrine. They arrived at the ancestral shrine, passed the mourning hall, and finally came to the library behind the shrine. Fade and Joey began to search for information about the Luo family based on the corresponding clues. An hour later, they came out of the ancestral shrine, and they looked serious. They stared at the Luo family strangely. As they returned to the living room, Fade looked at Dormer and asked, "Master Luo, there's something I want to ask you but I'm not sure if it's a question you could answer." "Mr. Chen, please ask. I will tell you everything I know, Dormer replied. Fade nodded and glanced at Joey, I would like to know about Daisy Luo. Please tell me about her!" Everyone's facial expressions suddenly stiffened at the mention of Daisy Luo. For a moment, the room was silent, and no one made a sound. Seeing their response, Fade snorted, "If you don't want to talk about it, then Dormer quickly replied, "No, no. We are willing to talk about it. We're very willing forget it to. He glanced at Fade and Joey, let out a long sigh, and then started to explain, "Daisy was my youngest daughter, and she was born after Leroy and Borton, my two sons. She was clever since she was a little girl, and she was the apple of my eye..."
Chapter 1406 Fade listened attentively and finally figured out the whole story. Daisy was Dormer's youngest daughter. She had always been smart, so he doted on her and trained her to one day bring honor to their family. However, much to his surprise, Daisy was not interested in running a business, even though she was extremely clever and gifted. Instead, she was passionate about martial arts. He disagreed with her interests at the start, but she was stubborn. She started learning martial arts secretly, and interestingly, displayed remarkable potential. His attitude gradually softened as he noticed her talent and determination, and he began to accept the fact she was getting trained. Until later, when she became acquainted with Harold Chiang, a young martial artist, the entire Luo family's attitude completely changed. They suddenly supported her to study martial arts and kept hinting for her to take her relationship with Harold to the next level. The reason for their sudden change in attitude was because Harold had an exceptional background. He was from the Chiang family, a hidden family. Although the Luo family was considered influential, they could never compare to bigger and more powerful families like the hidden family. The Luo family would be thrilled if Daisy and Harold were romantically involved. Even Dormer himself had gone to visit the Chiang family in person to push things forward in secrecy. What made things easier was that Harold seemed to fancy Daisy as well, and he agreed to consider marrying her. To the Luo family, it was good news. They cheered in excitement and treated Daisy as if she was a precious treasure. However, she was neutral towards Harold. She clarified to her family that she only saw him as a friend from the martial arts circle and had no plans of dating him Harold and the Luo family couldn't be bothered. They believed that with Harold's status and capabilities, it was only a matter of time before he would win her heart. At the Martial Arts Convention that same year, Harold planned to propose to Daisy in public after winning the championship. However, his plans were ruined when he lost the finals to an underdog - Moore Chen. Initially, Moore was a nobody, but in a few years, he rose to become an outstanding young martial artist of his generation. Later, when people learned that he once entered the Dragon Mausoleum, they assumed that his martial arts directly related to it. Harold and the Luo family were frustrated as their plan was foiled, and what made it even worse was that Daisy met Moore after he won the competition. The two fell in love at first sight and were completely smitten with each other. Moore even came to the Luo family for a marriage proposal. As the new champion of the martial arts world, Moore's potential and capabilities were unmatched, and he would be a good match to Daisy. However, the Luo family knew what sort of powerful background Harold came from, and they looked down upon Moore and immediately rejected his proposal. Then, they contacted the Chiang family and quickly arranged a marriage between Daisy and Harold, forcing her to marry into his family. As one would expect, Daisy would never agree to be forced into marriage. The family fell into utter chaos. Eventually, she left on her wedding day and eloped with Moore. What she did was a slap in the Luo family's face, and they saw her as a humiliation to their family. On the other hand, the Chiang family was furious. They immediately issued an order to hunt the two of them down and kill them afterward. Although the Luo family was worried about Daisy's safety, they didn't dare confront the Chiang family. Therefore, they could only watch silently from the side without another word. After all, the Luo family was in the wrong. If the Chiang family blamed them, they would probably suffer tremendously. After more than a year of searching, the Chiang family stopped their hunt. They announced that Moore and Daisy were killed, and it was the end of the chapter as the Chiang family had finally gotten their revenge. The Luo family didn't dare to ask more. They silently accepted the news and trod cautiously since then. Fearing that they might offend the Chiang family again, the Luo family covered up everything related to Daisy and forbade family members and outsiders from mentioning this again. They acted as if nothing happened, and Daisy never existed, until now. When Fade and Joey came to the Luo family and mentioned Daisy's name, they were forced to reveal the past they buried for nearly twenty years. Fade turned to look at Joey after Dormer finished the story. One of her clues was a piece of jewelry marked with a special pattern. The information they found from the Luo family's ancestral temple described it as a pattern unique to Daisy. If all of these were true, Joey's real identity was about to be unraveled. She was undeniably Daisy's daughter, and there was a huge probability that Moore was her father, the underdog of that competition. There was still so much more to find out. Did the Chiang family successfully murder Daisy and Moore? What exactly happened during all that, and why did they abandon Joey and sent her to his master? Only Daisy and Moore had the answers. "Joey, are you okay?" Fade asked softly. Her lips curled into a faint smile and her eyes were expressionless. She replied after pausing for a moment, "I'm fine, Fade." He continued, "Then do you have anything else to ask the Luo family?" Joey glanced at the Luo family. Initially, she wanted to ask more about Daisy. However, she was annoyed by the panic and fear in their eyes as they looked at her, so she lost interest in asking them about it. Dormer was willing to force his daughter to marry Harold for his benefit, and he allowed the Chiang family to chase after his daughter to provide the so-called protection for his family. Joey felt disgusted by his actions and could not bear to take one more look at his cowardly face. Fade and Joey did not want to linger any longer. They left the Luo family as soon as they could.. When they returned to school, he applied for a leave of absence on her behalf and rented a hotel room. He decided to let her stay in the hotel so that she could get better rest. Fade continued attending classes in school while he carried on his training with the Five Elements Squad in the Stealth Team base. Time flew by quickly, and the Martial Arts Convention was almost here. There were more martial artists in Capital City than usual. Almost all the hotels were occupled. Some of them came to participate in the competition, while some were just guests who came to watch. A few days before the Martial Arts Convention began, Fade gave Jasmine special training, and sure enough, her combat skills improved significantly. Although she was only a beginner at Black Level, she was cultivating a high level technique that Fade was teaching her. Besides, she had a rare Green Wood Spirit. The combination of both made her positive energy much stronger than an ordinary martial art practitioner.
Chapter 1407 With Jasmine's current combat skills, she could easily defeat an ordinary intermediate or even expert Black Level martial artist. The competition was only a day away. Fade did not let Jasmine continue her training. Instead, he wanted her to rest and prepare herself for the big day. He also applied for a leave from school to prepare for the Martial Arts Convention. As soon as he returned to his apartment, his phone rang. He sighed as he pulled out his phone. His eyes immediately widened as he saw the caller ID, and he picked up the phone. "Tom, it's been so long since the last time we talked!" "Fade, how are you? It's been a while," Tom laughed on the other end of the line. 'Indeed. Is there anything I can do for you?" Fade asked. Tom chuckled, "Well, I'm in Capital City. Are you free? I would like to invite you out for dinner." "You're in Capital City?" Fade was surprised. " Why are you here? Forget it, since you invited me, we'll meet and talk in person! Where are you now?" "Alright. I'm in St. Roland Hotel. Is it convenient for you to come over?" Fade immediately answered, "St. Roland Hotel is not far from my place. Could you wait for me? I'll be there in half an hour. He immediately left for St. Roland Hotel as soon as he hung up the phone. Shortly after, he arrived at the entrance of the hotel. Tom, who was waiting in front of the hotel, greeted him with a warm embrace as soon as he got out of the car. "Fade, you're here. I haven't seen you in ages," Tom said with a huge grin on his face. "Yes, it's been too long," Fade gave him a huge pat on the back. Tom gestured towards the entrance and said, "Brother Fade, I booked a private room. Let's go in and eat while we chat "Sure!" Fade nodded and walked into the hotel alongside him. Tom, why are you here in Capital City?" He asked as they were heading towards the restaurant. Tom replied with a smile, "Well, I came to Capital City this time for the Martial Arts Convention. "The Martial Arts Convention," Fade was surprised. Tom explained, "I've been travelling for more than a year, but I wasn't slacking off. I've been practicing martial arts, and now, my skills improved a lot." Tom released some of his positive energy as he spoke. Fade sensed that Tom had become a beginner of the Black Level. For a martial artist at his age, his achievement was remarkable. "You've made great progress. I'm looking forward to your performance at the Martial Arts Convention, Fade patted his shoulder. "Thank you for your kind words. I'm counting on that, Tom gave him a wink and smiled, "By the way, I came here with some friends. They are in the private room. You'll get to know them later." "That's great!" Fade replied cheerfully. As they entered the private room, he saw three people sitting at a round table. There were two men and one woman. One of the men looked slightly older than the others, about 34 or 35 years old. He looked composed and serious. The other man and the woman seemed relatively young, about 25 to 26 years old. Tom tilted his chin towards the young man and introduced, "Fade, this is Halge Xu. Then the young woman, "This is Lillian Gui." Finally, he gestured at the older man, "This is Hertzel Pel." We were acquainted through martial arts training. This time, we've come to Capital City to participate in the Martial Arts Convention together" Tom said excitedly. Then, he introduced Fade to his friends, "Everyone, this is Fade. He's the Brother Fade whom I was telling you about." Fade nodded and flashed a smile at them as Tom spoke. He stretched out his hand to greet them, "Hello, I'm Fade Chen." However, the three of them looked at him suspiciously and then snorted. They sat in their seats, unwilling to stand up to greet him. They didn't seem very fond of him. Especially the young man, Halge. The corner of his mouth curled into a sarcastic smile, "Tom, so this is the so-called powerful Brother Fade? I don't see anything powerful about him." Tom's face darkened as he heard his remark. He glared at him and snarled, "Halge, are you doubting me? You're no match for Fade's capabilities." "Is that so?" Halge was unconvinced. His body jerked, and a wave of positive energy gushed out. He looked towards Fade as if he was about to fight against Lillian, who was standing at the side, chimed in, "Tom, you're not bluffing, right? him. Halge is a martial artist from the Three Fists Clan. He's not someone whom a self-taught martial artist can compete with!" Fade sensed the energy of the two people. Halge was roughly an intermediate of the Black Level, whereas Lilian's was even weaker. She was only a beginner of the Black Level. To Fade, fighting against martial artists at this level would be like squashing ants. He was disinterested in them. He turned his head away after he took a glance at their faces. However, what he did seemed cowardly in their eyes, and they got more arrogant. They sneered at him.. What's the matter? Are you backing down? Are you too afraid to go up against me?" "Tom, you are bluffing about your Brother Fade. I'm a little disappointed with how he is behaving now!" "Halge, Lillian, you've crossed the line. Brother Fade is a really powerful man. I believe he's not interested in arguing with you, but please don't try him," Tom's face darkened as he glared at both of them. Halge was furious. He slammed the table and stood up as he yelled, "Tom, you are the one who crossed the line! You told us that you'll be introducing an expert to us, but you brought this guy here. It's such a waste of our time. Lillian pursed her lips. "That's right. The Martial Arts Convention is tomorrow. I'd rather spend a bit more time training while we have the time. What a waste of time to even be here. It's absolutely... "You... Tom was so infuriated that he could barely control himself from slamming the table... At this moment, Hertzel, the composed man who was silent, frowned and chided, "That's it, stop bickering." Obviously, Hertzel was the most authoritative among them. Everyone shut their mouths and looked at him after he shouted. Hertzel said in a deep voice, "Since we agreed to work together, then don't make a fuss over such a small matter. We are self-learners, and we can't compare with those powerful ones. Thus, we must unite and depend on each other. Maybe then, we will have a chance to win. Do you understand?" Tom nodded, but Lillian pouted and retorted unhappily, "Of course we have to unite, but we've agreed on four people, and now Tom brought another person. What does this mean? Does he want us to carry the group and share our resources with him? You know what, it took us a lot of effort to qualify for this Martial Arts Convention." Halge bobbed his head approvingly as she spoke. Now, even Hertzel frowned suspiciously at what she said.
Chapter 1408 Tom's face darkened. He was about to explain. Fade stood up, interrupting him. He looked at them and spat, "Don't you worry about me needing your resources. I am already qualified to participate in the Martial Arts Convention. I am not planning to steal anything from you!" The three of them who stood across him were stunned by what he said. Their eyes widened as they gasped silently, but later, their facial expressions went from surprise to doubtful. Fade noticed their skeptical expressions, but he did not feel the need to explain anything to them. He patted Tom's shoulder and smiled, "I've got stuff to do, and I have to go back to school now. Let's talk after the Martial Arts Convention!" "Fade, I... Tom hurriedly got up to persuade him to stay, but when he caught sight of the look on his three friends' face, he stopped himself, "I'll walk you out, Brother Fade." "Alright!" He nodded, and the two of them left the room. As they reached the hotel entrance, Tom furrowed his brows at Fade apologetically. "I'm terribly sorry. I just wanted to introduce my friends to you. I didn't expect that they... "It's alright. Those in the martial arts circle always put their interests first. Besides, there's nothing wrong with them being vigilant, Fade laughed it off as he waved his hand dismissively. "You should prepare yourself and give it all you got in the Martial Arts Convention tomorrow. "Alright, I will." Tom bobbed his head as he watched Fade enter the car and left the hotel. Halge and Lillian were busy scarfing down food when Tom returned to the room. When he got back, he was infuriated by their attitude, and he glared at the two of them. "Halge, what was all about? I invited Brother Fade here, but why did you two do that?" Lillian slowly put down her bowl and chopsticks and sneered. She glanced towards Tom and said, "Tom, don't pretend anymore. You have been bragging non-stop about your Brother Fade throughout our journey. It was just a trick to convince us to take him with us to participate in the Martial Arts Convention. However, you have to know that we worked hard to earn our resources and the qualifications. Did you ask us before you decided to share them with an outsider?" "That was not my intention. Besides, Brother Fade is a strong martial artist. He doesn't need my help if he wants to participate in the Martial Arts Convention. You worry too much." Tom defended. However, the two of them remained unconvinced. "Fade? Strong? You must be joking. I probed how capable he was when he came in, and I couldn't detect any trace of positive energy. I could tell that he was a nobody with just one look at his face. You've got to be kidding!" "That's right, Tom. You fawned over us to partner with you. Don't forget where you stand, Lillian said coldly. "You two... Tom clenched his fists so tight that his knuckles cracked. He was trying hard not to start a fight. At this moment, Hertzel slammed the table and warned, The Martial Arts Convention is tomorrow. Now is not the right time to fight among ourselves. Let's talk about it after the competition." Tom looked at them, and his face turned dark. He swung his arm and turned away to leave the private room. "I've lost my appetite. I'll go back to my room to rest." The three of them stared at Tom as he left. Halge tilted his chin towards Hertzel as he complained, "Hertzel, it looks like you chose the wrong person to be on our team!" Lillian quickly chimed in, "I thought that he was an honest and hardworking person who was willing to put in the grind, but little did I know that he had other intentions." Hertzel frowned and hesitated, The Martial Arts Convention is about to begin. Let's talk about it later." "Then we'll have to endure this brat for a few more days," Halge and Lillian snorted. Fade got up early the next morning and left Capital University with Jasmine. They drove to the Martial Arts Convention. The Convention was happening at Swallow Lake this year, located in the northern suburbs of Capital City. The suburban district was sparsely populated and surrounded by scenery which was beautiful and suitable to be used for a Martial Arts Convention. Fade saw a lot of cars driving towards Swallow Lake. The passengers in those cars were martial artists with majestic positive energy. Some of the arrogant ones even released their positive energy as they were still in their vehicles to show off and challenge others. They finally arrived at their destination after an hour and a half of driving. Fade parked his car and walked towards the lake nearby to take a look at the venue. Rows of spectator seats had been set up around Swallow Lake, and they were divided into separate areas for the participants and guests. Several steel fighting rings were set up on the lake. These were the arena for the competition. In the middle of the lake was a two-story arena. This would be the main arena for the Martial Arts Convention. The match had not started yet, but many people gathered around Swallow Lake. Some of the martial artists were busy greeting their old friends, whereas some made new acquaintances. A few smart business owners took the opportunity to set up stalls by the lake. They were selling all kinds of products: cultivation methods, martial arts techniques, weapons, and pills. As expected, there were also various kinds of gambling stalls. Among them, the most popular one was the bet on Martial Arts Convention's winner. The popular candidates were selected beforehand, and their Information was displayed at the gambling stall. Everyone was busy analyzing and discussing the possibility of the candidates winning the championship as they decided who to place their bets. At that moment, Tom, Halge, Lillian, and Hertzel were walking towards a large gambling stall. Halge and Lillian looked at the stall with interest as they walked over. "Let's go and place our bets too!" Halge suggested. Lillian quickly supported him, "Yeah, if we can win the bet, even if we lost the match, our trip will still be worth it." Tom wasn't interested initially, but he followed Heertzel unwillingly when he saw him walking towards the two of them. The stall owner promoted enthusiastically as he saw new customers walking towards his stall, "Lady and gentlemen, would you like to place your bet?" Halge raised his eyebrows, "We don't know much about the candidates. Could you please introduce them to us?" The stall owner was amiable. He patted his chest and said, "Of course! Look, the twenty people on the ranking board are the popular candidates for the championship this year. They are basically the top twenty of the Dragon List." Who is the most popular person?" Lillian cut in. She was too impatient to let the stall owner finish his explanation. The owner smiled and pointed his finger at the top of the list, "Young Master Faxon is the most popular candidate." Why is it so?" Halge asked. " "Young Master Faxon is from the Martial Arts League, and he ranks second on the Dragon List. Besides, rumour has it that he is related to the hidden family. Such a powerful person is, of course, the most popular one. Halge, Guilian, and even Hertzel's eyes lit up with excitement when they heard the stall owner's explanation.
Chapter 1409 The stall owner immediately asked when he saw their faces, " bet on Young Master Faxon? He's almost a sure win!" Would you like to Their eyes shifted between the stall owner's encouraging gaze and the customers around them who were placing their bets. Most of them were betting on Faxon. Although the payoff was low, the risk of losing was low. As long as they placed a huge enough amount of money into the bet, they would probably win big. They got excited as they thought about this. Halge and Lillian glanced at each other, then pulled out their bank cards, "We'll bet on Faxon, 50 million each." They handed their bank cards to the stall owner. Hertzel, who remained silent the whole time, also reached for his bank card. He waved the card in front of the stall owner and said, "I'll bet a hundred million. As the three of them were about to place their bets, Tom knitted his eyebrows, his face was full of concern and he asked, "Do you want to give it a second thought? This is too risky Halge glanced at Tom and said, annoyed, "How can you call yourself a martial artist? You're too much of a coward to even place a bet!" "That's right. No wonder you're so weak, Tom. You're not even a match for Halge and Hertzel," Lillian mocked. Hertzel shot a look at Tom and said, "Tom, it's fine if you don't want to place a bet. It's absolutely your choice. His tone was calm. The three quickly placed their bets after going through the paperwork. Tom's face grew weary as he suddenly thought of something. "By the way, boss, you said that Faxon is the most popular candidate, but he is only ranked second on the Dragon List. What about number one on the Dragon List? Why isn't he among the more popular candidates?" He blurted. Halge and Lillian paused and hesitated as they heard his question. They looked at each other with skepticism and panic on their faces. After all, they had just placed their bets. If another popular candidate suddenly appeared, it was already too late for them to change their bets. They turned to stare at the stall owner accusingly. The stall owner chuckled and replied, "I figured that none of you are from the Capital City. You don't know much about how the Dragon List works, do you?" "You're right, we're not from Capital City. They nodded. The stall owner immediately explained, "Well, everyone was certain that Faxon would be number one when the Dragon List was announced. However, an underdog appeared, beat Faxon and became number one on Dragon List. His name is Fade Chen. "Fade Chen!" Tom gasped in surprise as he heard the name. He immediately thought of the Fade he knew. "Could this Fade be my Brother Fade?" He thought. Halge and Lillian knew what Tom was thinking and sneered at him. "Tom, are you being silly? How can your uncivil friend be number one on the Dragon List? "Haha! Tom, you must have been overwhelmed by what happened yesterday. Are you too desperate to find a capable friend?" Tom frowned and ignored their insults. Instead, he continued to ask the stall owner, "Boss, Fade ranks first on the Dragon List, but why is he not one of the more popular candidates? Did he not participate in the Martial Arts Convention?" The boss shook his head. "No, it's not like that. In fact, according to the information we got, he will be participating in the competition. However, we have little information on him before he was ranked first on the Dragon List. We couldn't find any public records of his combat history. Therefore, we don't know what he is capable of. Besides, rumors said that he was ranked number one in Dragon List because he has connections with the Martial Arts League. "Anyway, Fade, who is ranked number one on the Dragon List, did not display convincing combat skills. Thus, he wasn't listed as one of the more popular candidates. A few of the customers beside them also nodded in agreement. They began to discuss Fade and Faxon. From their discussion, they seemed to look up to Faxon, but doubted Fade. Fade was a nobody who suddenly came in first on the Dragon List, and this was enough to cause a stir. The people were not wrong to doubt his abilities. It was natural for them to do so. The stall owner stared at Tom, who was nodding half-heartedly, and said with a smile, "What do you think, young man? Do you want to place a bet too? You will definitely win if you bet on Young Master Chiang Tom hesitated but finally shook his head and said, "Forget it, I am not interested." The stall owner immediately turned his head away as he heard Tom's reply. He suddenly became disinterested in him. Tom strode off. Halge and the other two approached him, holding their bets in their hands. "Tom, are you short of money? I'll lend you some to place a bet. Remember to give me 5% interest when you win the money!" Halge giggled. Lillian snorted, "I thought you were a generous person, but who knew you're a stingy guy." Tom frowned and ignored them as he was about to speed up his pace.. However, at this moment, he heard someone calling him, "Tom!" He turned around and saw Fade. He was walking towards them with a friendly grin on his face. Tom returned his greeting with a surprised smile, "Brother Fade, why are you here?" "Didn't I tell you yesterday? I registered for the Martial Arts Convention, Fade smiled at him with his arms crossed in front of his chest. "This, I... Tom was embarrassed as he was reminded of what happened the day before. Haige and the others were mocking Tom and constantly reminded him of how difficult it was for them to qualify for the Martial Arts Convention. He was so influenced by them that he thought that Fade wouldn't be able to participate. Halge, Lillian, and Hertzel's faces darkened as they saw Fade. A look of displeasure painted across their faces. "You're participating in the Martial Arts Convention? Haha! Are you trying to pull something?" "It'll be so embarrassing once he gets exposed for what he is. However, some people are thick-faced, so they don't mind being humiliated! Haha!" Tom brushed off their insults and walked towards Fade. Then, he noticed Jasmine, who was standing beside Fade. His eyes widened in surprise. "Brother Fade, this is..." Fade smiled and said, 'This is my friend, Jasmine Zhuo. She's here to attend the Martial Arts Convention and practice her skills. "Jasmine, this is Tom Wei, a good friend of mine," Fade introduced as he gestured towards Tom. Jasmine nodded at him and bowed. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Wei. I'm Mr. Chen's student. He's the one who taught me martial arts." Tom quickly waved his hand and replied, "Miss Zhuo, there's no need to be so formal. You can call me Tom." Halge and the others were also drawn to Jasmine's beauty. Especially Halge and Hertzel. When they saw Jasmine, a young, innocent and coy looking lady, their eyes lit up, and their hearts raced. "Fade has such dumb luck. How did he get such a beautiful female student?" "D*mn, why am I not as lucky? I'm so much better than him."
Chapter 1410 On the other hand, Lillian snorted coldly as jealousy was written all over her face, "What a joke. He doesn't even have the capability, yet he still dares to accept students. I'd like to see what she learned from a teacher like him." Fade disregarded their remarks. Instead, he turned to Tom and said, "Time's almost up, and we'll need to go in soon. Our seats are right there. Do you want to join us, Tom?" He shook his head. "My seat is right here, Brother Fade." "Alright then. I'll see you after the competition." Fade waved goodbye to Tom and led Jasmine towards their seats. He turned around and walked towards his seat too. Lillian stood next to him, still jealous and displeased. She stared at Fade and Jasmine as they left and spat, "That's the VIP area for the participants from the Martial Arts League. Look at him deliberately walking over there. Tell him to stop pretending. What a joke!" "It'll be interesting if they get thrown out later." Halge stared at them enthusiastically as if he was waiting to watch something good. Tom furrowed his brows, attempting to defend Fade. However, at this moment, they spotted a man and a woman waving at Fade as they walked quickly towards him and greeted him warmly. "You're finally here, Mr. Chen. This way, please." "Hello, Mr. Chen. This must be Miss Zhuo. Please have a seat!" Such greetings were normal under normal circumstances. However, everyone was confused as the two people were greeting Fade warmly. Both of them were Galeno's disciples, Hollace and Lucille. Both of them possessed remarkable strength and were ranked 12th and 18th respectively on the Dra List. They were also two of the hore popular candidates betted as the Martial Arts Convention's winner. To receive such warm treatment from two popular star contestants was a great honor. Inevitably, Fade attracted everyone's attention, and of course, their doubtful glances.. Something clicked in Tom's mind as he watched them from afar. He glanced towards him and exclaimed, "Could Brother Fade be the Fade who ranked first on the Dragon List?" Halge and the others snickered at his claim. "Tom, are you out of your mind? That guy could never come first on the Dragon List. You're kidding, right?" "Lucille and Hollace greeting him doesn't mean anything. Perhaps he used some alternative measures. I've seen too many people like him pretending to be someone they are not, just to impress others. Haha!" "But..." Tom felt that his hunch was right. As he watched Fade exchanging pleasantries with Hollace and Lucille, a group of men in uniforms walked past him. Halge and his group stared at the group of men in uniforms. Their eyes filled with reverence and admiration, "It's the Stealth Team's Five Elements Squad!" Noticing the group, the passersby pointed towards them and started talking about them. "The Five Element Squad is here. They're incredible. No wonder they're the elites of the Stealth Team!" "Of course. The five captains of the Five Elements Squad are all in the top twenty on the Dragon List. They're also among the more popular candidates for this competition." "But the Fire Squad captain, Lester, has been replaced. I heard it has something to do with their new instructor." "Yes, I heard about it too. Their instructor was supposed to be the Gold Squad's captain, Romeo, but they replaced him with another person in the end. No one knows who the new guy is." "An instructor to the Five Elements Squad must be someone powerful." Amidst the crowd's discussion, the Five Elements Squad marched towards the VIP area and walked towards Fade. They stood at attention and saluted in unison, "Good morning, Instructor!" they shouted. Fade nodded and muttered, "Okay. We're in public, relax. Don't be so serious." "Yes, Instructor Chen!" The Five Elements Squad replied. Then, they began to chat and laugh. When the others saw their exchange, they immediately fell into a heated discussion. "Did you hear that? The Five Elements Squad just called the young man their instructor. Is he the new instructor for the Five Elements Squad?" "He looks so ordinary. Does he have what it takes to be their instructor?" "Don't judge a book by its cover. Those who can be instructors are definitely something." "Yeah. Besides, Lucille and Hollace were very friendly towards him. He must be somebody powerful." As the crowd was buzzing in excitement about Fade, Tom was overwhelmed with disbelief. "This, I..." His eyes widened as he yelled in excitement, "Brother Fade is really Fade Chen, first on the Dragon List!" Halge and the others frowned as they heard Tom yell. Instinctively, they wanted to refute Tom. Based on their impression of Fade, he was too ordinary, and he would never be number one on the Dragon List. However, they couldn't explain why Hollace and Lucille were so respectful towards him and why the Five Elements Squad called him their instructor. There could only be one reason. Fade was really first on the Dragon List. There was no other explanation. "Could it be that the kid really is... Hertzel's face was filled with incredulity as he asked weakly. "No, it can't be..." "That's impossible. How... Halge and Lillian were still unconvinced. Just then, a staff member approached Fade, "Are you Fade Chen, first on the Dragon List? Please sign here to register." Fade nodded, picked up the pen, and swiftly signed on the paper. This confirmed Fade's identity. Those who were doubtful towards him stared at him with astonishment as they tried to digest the news. "H-How is this possible? He... He is really first on the Dragon List." Halge and Lillian's jaws dropped as they cried out in disbelief. Shortly after, their faces darkened in fear. "W-We have offended him. If... Even Hertzel, who was always calm, couldn't hide the anxiety on his face. Just when everyone was surprised and worried, Fade chatted for a while. Suddenly, someone let out a hearty laugh, "You must be Fade!" Fade turned his head towards the voice and saw a burly man in his sixties. The man had a huge grin on his face as he walked towards him. He patted Fade's shoulder. "Fade, I've been looking forward to meeting you." Hollace and Lucille hurriedly explained, "Mr. Chen, this is our master" Fade's heart skipped. He knew Galeno was their master. He was one of the leaders of the Martial Arts League, a Heaven Level Late Stage expert, and the sixteenth on the Divine Dragon List. "Nice to meet you, Master Zhu!" Fade bowed and greeted him respectfully. Galeno patted him on the back and laughed, "Don't be so formal, boy. You can call me Old Zhu
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