The Ashworth Family, quiet for some time, suddenly became the center of a shocking piece of news that dropped like a bombshell on Aethelburg.
Rumors spread that the family’s fifth daughter, Seraphina Ashworth, had been grievously injured in an ambush.
Her cultivation was said to be completely destroyed, leaving her confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life.
Someone had even photographed Seraphina Ashworth leaving the Ashworth estate in a wheelchair, heading for the family’s private airport, with the entire family there to see her off.
With the ambush on Seraphina Ashworth causing a massive uproar in Aethelburg, Paul Ashworth made a public statement.
He declared that the Ashworth Family would not rest until they found the culprit, and that his daughter was going abroad for medical treatment.
With these words, Paul Ashworth indirectly confirmed to the public that Seraphina Ashworth’s severe injuries were real.
The Ashworth and Lan families mobilized their forces to find the perpetrator, practically turning Aethelburg upside down and throwing everyone into turmoil.
The news instantly swept through the capital, leaving everyone outside to wonder who would dare to provoke one of Aethelburg’s three great powers.
Around this time, Mr.
Ashworth also appeared before the public, nonchalantly stating that his own injuries were minor and the rumors had simply been exaggerated.
Sitting in his study and reading the news about the Ashworth Family, Cecil Winters was utterly baffled.
He couldn’t figure out what they were plotting.
RRRIING—
“Patriarch Winters, suspend all operations for now.
I will inform you and Patriarch Montague of any future plans.
That is all.” The voice that came from the other end of the phone was hoarse.
Cecil Winters’s brow furrowed.
“Mr.
Summers, why?” he asked, confused.
“We had an agreement…”
“That is not for you to know.
You only need to do as I say.” With that, the person on the other end of the line hung up with a sharp CLICK.
Cecil Winters lowered the phone, a vicious glint in his eyes.
“The Ashworth Family.”
***
On the plane, Seraphina Ashworth reclined lazily on a sofa, gazing pensively out the window.
After formulating the plan yesterday, Seraphina Ashworth had immediately bid her family farewell and departed in a hurry with her four companions.
The tasks of spreading the rumors and managing the fallout were left to the rest of the Ashworth Family.
“Miss, it’s all been handled.” Hayden Ashworth had just received a message from the family and immediately came to report to Seraphina Ashworth.
Seraphina Ashworth drew her gaze from the window and turned to look at Hayden.
“Good.
You all should get some rest.
It won’t be this easy once we land.”
“Understood.” Hayden nodded and turned to leave.
Seraphina Ashworth lowered her eyes slightly, thinking of everyone back home.
‘My family…
wait for me.’
Their month-long ordeal in the Amazon Rainforest was finally over.
After a quick wash, Seraphina Ashworth and her four companions sprawled inelegantly on the plane’s sofas.
For the past month, every nerve in their bodies had been stretched taut, but thankfully, their skills had almost returned to their previous peak.
“Seraphina, come look!
Quick!” Trudy bounded in excitedly from outside, leaped into Seraphina Ashworth’s arms, and tugged on her sleeve, urging her to come out.
“You four get some rest.
We’ll be setting off for the Nameless Isle soon.
I’m going to take a look outside.” Seeing how excited Trudy was, Seraphina Ashworth figured it must have spotted some rare treasure.
She gave her instructions to Hayden and the others, then stood up with Trudy in her arms and headed out.
“Lead the way.”
Trudy leaped from Seraphina Ashworth’s arms and led the way, with Seraphina following behind.
“We’re here!
We’re here!” Trudy zipped over to a massive ancient tree.
“There, Seraphina, look at this person,” Trudy gestured, pointing at the man beneath the tree.
Seraphina Ashworth looked where Trudy was pointing.
The moment she saw the person under the tree, time seemed to freeze.
Handsome.
So handsome it took her breath away.
So handsome he seemed unreal.
He was a man whose beauty could incite the wrath of both gods and men.
Even Seraphina Ashworth, who had been surrounded by attractive people her whole life and was almost immune to good looks, couldn’t help but be entranced.
Seraphina stared at him, almost forgetting to blink, forgetting the time, forgetting where she was.
It was as if he was the only person in her world.
How could such a handsome man exist in this world?
His ink-black hair fell casually across his forehead, framing a face that seemed carved from jade.
His rose-hued lips were pressed into a thin line.
A black shirt and black trousers encased a lithe, powerful frame, making him look like a bewitching flower from Hell, blooming in the darkness.
Cold, imperious, and exuding an aura of extreme danger.
Seraphina could tell with a single glance that the man was poisoned.
Yet, aside from his slightly pale complexion, he showed no other signs of it.
‘His endurance is incredible,’ she thought.
“Seraphina, save him!
Quick!”
Trudy’s words snapped Seraphina back to reality.
She slowly approached the man.
Just as she reached out to check his pulse, he suddenly opened his eyes.
Caught off guard, Seraphina’s gaze met his.
The man’s jet-black eyes were as deep as a frozen pool, radiating an intense, oppressive aura.
When the man saw Seraphina Ashworth’s clear, cool eyes, he was momentarily stunned.
The young woman’s features were exquisite.
Her long, thick eyelashes curled upward, framing cool, proud eyes that were as deep as they were unreadable.
She exuded an aura that was surprisingly comforting, and for a moment, the man’s icy heart skipped a beat.
The man found it strange himself.
He had never liked women getting close to him, so why did he feel no aversion to this girl’s approach?
In fact, he found he rather liked it.
Seraphina lowered her gaze to avoid his, instead focusing on the poison affecting him.
It was Heart Shattering Flame, one of the ten deadliest poisons in existence.
She reached into her pocket, pretending to retrieve medicine from it, while actually pulling a bottle of Nine Revolutions Soul Reviving Pills from her interdimensional space.
She took out a single elixir and offered it to the man before her.
‘Whether he takes it is his problem,’ she thought.
‘I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart.
It’s only because Trudy asked.’
The man looked at the fair, slender hand before him and, without a second thought, took the elixir directly from her palm, completely forgetting his usual caution and his aversion to being touched.
After he swallowed the elixir, the man could clearly feel the poison in his body begin to recede.
Seraphina was startled by his action and snatched her hand back.
She stood up and turned to her companion.
“Trudy, we’re leaving.”
Seeing that Seraphina was about to leave, the man’s heart clenched.
“Wait.”
His voice, though cold, was deep and magnetic.
Seraphina looked back at the man, puzzled.
“Is there something else?”
“What’s your name?”
Seraphina replied languidly, “Hmm, that’s not important.
It’s not like we’ll ever see each other again.” Her only focus right now was building her own power base; everything else could wait.
Besides, the man before her was clearly extraordinary, and she had no desire to invite trouble.
Cradling Trudy, she quickened her pace and left.
The man watched her cool, aloof silhouette retreat into the distance.
He tried to stand and go after her but found that the elixir was still working, rendering him unable to move.
He stared in the direction she had disappeared, his eyes dark and profound, an unreadable emotion flickering within them.
What Seraphina Ashworth didn’t know was that for years to come, the man would search for her, never once giving up.