Ch. 1051..1060

Chapter 1051

James pulled Maxine off the ground and left.

After they had walked a few meters away, they suddenly heard someone exclaim angrily.

James felt a powerful force sweeping toward him.

The intensity of the threat raised goosebumps all over his skin.He pushed Maxine away with all his strength and turned around as he raised his hands to confront the threat.

Boom! The forces collided and resulted in a loud explosion.

Remnants of the forces lingered in the air and caused the nearby Caden disciples to stagger from its sheer potency.

Those without True Energy fell to the ground and coughed up blood.

James felt the powerful force surge through his palm and into his body.His arm went numb, and he stumbled several meters backward.

In addition to that, the Blood Energy in his body bubbled over and caused blood to gush out of his throat.He forced himself to withstand the pain as he swallowed a mouthful of his own blood.

Tobias stood firmly on the ground and his eyes shone grimly as he glowered at James.

He could barely process the fact that James was strong enough to withstand an attack from him.

"James, you’ve done well in hiding your strength."

"Heh."

James smirked.

Tobias questioned, "Your True Energy has grown a great deal.Seeing as you're still standing, am I right in assuming you’ve already entered the sixth rank?"

This outsider...is a sixth-rank grandmaster?! Everyone stared at James in disbelief.

They never thought it possible that James had already reached the sixth rank so quickly.

James smiled lightly and did not reply Tobias’ question.

Instead, he changed the topic and asked, "Can I take Maxine with me?"

Tobias clasped his hands behind his back as he replied, "Of course.However, I'd to remind her that once she steps out of these gates, she’ ll no longer be a part of the Caden family nor have anything to do with us."

James did not say anything in response and turned to leave.

He walked to Maxine and pulled her wrist saying, "Let’s go."

Maxine followed James without any hesitation and they both left the Cadens’ compound.

James' face immediately turned pale after they walked outside.He could not endure the strain any longer and gurgled blood.

"James..."

Maxine was startled and quickly took out a tissue to wipe the blood away from his lips.

"He’s so powerful."

James’ face was clammy and ashen as he muttered weakly, "I didn’t expect Tobias to be so strong.One light blow was enough to agitate my Blood Energy this much."

Maxine put her arm under his shoulder and supported James.

"Are you alright?"

James waved her away.

"It’s just a minor injury and isn’t anything serious.I’ll be fine after I rest for a bit."

"You’re too reckless.How could you reveal your strength so easily?" Maxine reprimanded him.

‘It’s alright."

James said, "I’ve always had people aiming for my head.It’s not something new.I’ve been hiding my strength for so long, but it won’t be necessary anymore since I plan to take action against Mr.Gabriel.I’d like to see who has the balls to come for me then.I'll get rid of anyone that tries to touch me.Plus..."

James paused and said, "I don’t trust Tobias.I want him to see me as a threat.Only then will he start to take action.He might try to get rid of me, and as soon as that happens, he’ll expose himself."

Tobias was kind and caring toward him.However, it was precisely why James was suspicious of him.

His intuition was telling him something was off about Tobias and that he was just interacting with James through a facade.

Hearing this, Maxine went silent.

"Let’s go." James turned around and left.

Chapter 1052

Maxine followed closely behind James.

After the two left, Tobias walked out of the Cadens’ mansion.He stood at the gates watching the figures of James and Maxine gradually disappear from his view.His wrinkled face gradually darkened as he murmured, "When did this kid’s energy get so strong? Even if he had opened his Governor Vessel, Conception Vessel, and Eight Extraordinary Meridians, it's impossible for his True Energy to have gained this amount of power in such a short time."

Tobias was confused and could not come up with a plausible explanation for James’ newfound strength.

This left him increasingly anxious and restless.

After leaving the Cadens’ mansion, James and Maxine found a secluded place to rest for a while.

James sat in the lotus position and circulated his True Energy to quell the Blood Energy in his body.

While healing his injury, he asked with his eyes still closed, "Did anything happen in the outside world in the time I stayed with the Grand Patriarch?"

"Nothing significant has happened.Ah, wait! Quincy called from Cansington, saying she was overwhelmed and needed your advice.Since you were practicing in the backyard, I didn’t think bother you about it."

"What's the situation in Cansington?"

"Madelyn has been acting quickly.Within a month, they launched countless new drugs and promptly seized the domestic pharmaceutical market.They’ve also signed contracts with hospitals across the country and become the primary drug supplier for major hospitals.Meanwhile, Messiah is on the brink of bankruptcy.Apart from recruiting some smaller families and businesses, there hasn’t been much development on that front."

Maxine briefly explained the recent development in Cansington.

"We're not in a rush.Our target is Mr.Gabriel.We must eliminate the ones closest to him first before moving onto the main event.Madelyn will be our first target,"иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σмJames said calmly.

"Um...By the way..."

Maxine suddenly recalled something and said hesitantly, "While you were practicing the Thirteen Heavenly Swords, Tiara got engaged, but..."

James glanced at Maxine.

"But what?"

Maxine spoke haltingly, "I wanted to ask for your opinion but didn’t want to interrupt you since you were busy practicing the Thirteen Heavenly Swords technique.I took matters into my own hand and ruined her engagement ceremony."

"Huh?"

James’ posture crumbled as he turned to Maxine in shock.

Maxine twirled a lock of her own hair and smiled.

"Although you and Thea have reconciled, I was worried you might regret it.So, I disguised myself as you and snatched Tiara away from her engagement ceremony.Then, I sent her back to Cansington."

James had a hard time trying to come up with a coherent response to Maxine’s rash actions.

Maxine was creating conflicts for no good reason.However, he could not entirely disapprove of Maxine’s actions.He was still unsure of his feelings for Tiara.

"You don’t need to do this anymore...But thanks."

Maxine pouted and smiled.

"Thea is a decent woman, but Tiara is also a good girl.She looks soft but is surprisingly determined.She’s been waiting for you to give her an answer all this while.Yet, you’ve never said anything.I took the liberty of telling her that you'll bring her to live in seclusion in the countryside after sorting out all the troublesome things.She was ecstatic and even said she didn’t care that you were with Thea.She’s happy just being able to stay by your side."

Maxine spoke as if what she did was a trivial matter.

James pinched his temples and said in a resigned tone, "Are you trying to make things difficult for me?"

"That’s because you've grown up in the mundane world.In the ancient martial art world, it’s completely normal for a strong man to have several wives."

"Is that so?"

James was at a loss for words.

"Of course."

"The strong dictate the rules of society.If you really desire it, it’s not a big deal if you want Thea, Quincy, or all of them by your side.You’re not only strong but you're also a hero.You’re destined to have more than one woman at your side."

Hearing this made James even more speechless.He never thought about it that way.

Throughout his whole life, he wanted to spend it with only one person.

A person’s heart had only enough space for one person.

How could he marry them all? The idea itself was extremely unthinkable.

Chapter 1053

‘The strong dictate the rules of society, huh?’ James repeated Maxine’s words in his heart and felt more convinced as he kept telling himself that.

He quickly shook his head and chased that temptation away.

Turning to Maxine, he asked curiously, "If it were you, would you want to share your man with other women?"

"Me? "

Maxine was blindsided by his question.She was not expecting James to direct whatever she said back at her.

Ever since she was a child, she grew up in the Caden household and as a result, had been exposed to the rules of the ancient martial world from a young age.

Everything in her life had been essentially predetermined.She knew that she was basically a tool to form marriage ties with other families in the future.

Marriage was not something that she had given a lot of thought to previously.

The only thing she had thought about before was that she would marry a highly capable martial artist.

As for what kind of person he was or how many women he had, it was not something she could control.

"I probably would."

Maxine said as she put a finger on her chin, "If he’s talented and strong, who am I to monopolize him?"

Hearing this, James smiled bitterly.He could not understand Maxine's logic.

Despite that, he also fell into thought.He had been indecisive in the past.

This made him let many people down.

If he could marry them all, everyone would be satisfied right? As soon as the idea crossed his mind, he quickly vetoed it.

Absolutely not.

That would not be fair to anyone.

Not to Thea or Tiara.He shook away the messy thoughts and continued circulating his energy to heal his injuries.

Maxine stood aside quietly and watched him.

After a while, a smile inadvertently crept up on her face.She had always thought her fate would lay entirely in Tobias' hands.

It had never crossed her mind that she would one day leave the Cadens.

Finally, she ended up free from the burden of being a Caden and the heavy shackles that accompanied it.

She stretched out her arms, raised her head, and felt the breeze.

Breathing in the fresh air, she whispered happily, "The feeling of being free to do as I please and not have to perform perfectly feels so good.I wonder how long it’ll last."

Maxine knew that Tobias expelled her from the family because he did not want to get caught up in the battle of political forces.

Despite that, Tobias still wanted to use James as a weapon to kill Mr.Gabriel and, if possible, to dispose of the other three families as well.

Thus, he expelled her from the family to give James as much of an advantage as he could provide.

When James protected her earlier, she felt her heart race like never before.

Honestly, she liked that feeling a lot.

James had rested for a while, and he successfully suppressed the rampaging Blood Energy in his body and stood up.He noticed Maxine giggling beside him like a fool.

"What’re you laughing about?"

"Huh? Maxine suddenly came back to her sense and put away her smile.иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σмShe asked, "Was I smiling?"

"Yeah."

James replied sincerely, "You seemed to be smiling very happily."

"No, I wasn’t."

Maxine turned around.She was slightly nervous and embarrassed to have exposed such a side to James.She hurriedly changed the subject and asked, "By the way, when are you planning on making a move against Mr.Gabriel?"

James said, "I need to meet with the King first and ask about the selection of a new Red Flame Army commander.It’s already been a month, and the results should be out by now.After I take over the position, we can start planning from there.Let’s go."

James walked away, and Maxine trotted quietly behind him.

Maxine's hands swung about carelessly, and she unconsciously began smiling once more.

Suddenly, a question popped into her mind, and she asked curiously, "By the way, James.Which one of them do you actually like?"

"Is it Thea, Quincy, or perhaps Tiara who you spent an intimate night with before?"

Chapter 1054

James closed his eyes and thought for a while.

Finally, he answered, "Thea."

She was the sole reason he stood here today.

In order to save him, Thea ended up burned and disfigured horribly.

That made the next ten years of her life a living hell.

Because of her sacrifice, he had sworn to protect Thea for the rest of his life.

"Is that so? What about your first love, Quincy? She believed you were alive and waited ten years for you.

"As for Tiara, you’ll have to take responsibility for that too.After all, she’s with your child."

Hearing this, James froze instantly.He turned around and stared at Maxine as the color drained from his face.

"W-What did you say?"

Maxine laughed teasingly and said, "Tiara’s pregnant."

"What?!" James exclaimed in disbelief.

"She’s pregnant?"

"Yeah.Remember how I pretended to be you at Tiara’s engagement ceremony and took her away? She was overjoyed and told me everything.She planned to have the child by herself, but her family forced her to get engaged.She was basically left with no choice but to agree."

Maxine said with a bright smile, "Congratulations.You're going to be a father soon! How’ re you feeling? Are you excited? Are you thrilled?"

James was neither excited nor thrilled.His blood ran cold.

‘How can this be?’ He asked with a serious expression, "Does Thea know that you sent Tiara to Cansington?"

"S-She doesn’t.I didn’t even dare to tell her.What would we do if she acted impulsively? She’s a grandmaster of the third rank and the God-King Palace’s master.Tiara, on the other hand, is just a commoner."

Maxine patted James’ shoulder and said with a smile, "Don't worry.You can just hide it from Thea and buy a villa for Tiara so she can give birth to the child and raise it peacefully"

"Maxine, I seriously owe you one.If it weren't for you, Tiara would’ve gotten engaged to someone else, and I wouldn’t even know she was pregnant with my child."

James looked at Maxine gratefully.

Although he was unsure how to handle the unexpected situation, Maxine did indeed help him.

"I said it earlier, didn’t I? You don’t need to thank me."

Maxine pretended to pout and then chuckled.

With her hands behind her back, she whistled and walked away.

James got lost in his thoughts for a while and eventually chased after her.

"I think I should go back to Cansington to check on the situation."

"You decide.I’ve been expelled from the Cadens, so I’ll follow you wherever you go and do whatever you tell me to do."

Maxine smiled sweetly.She seemed to be in a good mood after leaving the Cadens.

"Alright.I'll head back to Cansington first and meet the King later."

Tiara’s pregnancy was not something James had accounted for.It had already been three months.

How could she hide such an important thing from him? Instead of booking a plane ticket, James headed directly to the military region to take an army helicopter to Cansington.

Gloom showed up when he arrived at the military region’s gate.

He walked toward James with a smile and said, "James, after countless meetings and much deliberation, the parliament has decided to appoint you as the commander of the Red Flame Army and agree to also let you keep your position as the commander of the Black Dragon Army.You can do whatever you want now without worry.However, the consequences are something you'll have to deal with yourself."

"Alright." James nodded.

Now that he was commander of the Red Flame Army, he had the power to enforce the law across the country.

"Do it as soon as possible." Gloom said with a serious tone, "The appointment of you as the commander had been discussed for a very long time because many people were opposed to it.Since you've got a lot you want to accomplish, you shouldn’t drag it out too long and deal with all of them quickly, especially Mr.Gabriel."

"I'll do it as soon as possible," иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σмJames replied.

"Are you heading back to Cansington?"

Gloom looked at James quizzically.

"Yeah, something unexpected happened."

Gloom clapped him on the back as he reminded James, "Bring the Blade of Justice with you.If you kill without the King’s authorization, you’ll be breaking the law.Since you’re a law enforcer now, you shouldn’t knowingly go around breaking the law."

Chapter 1055

After Gloom said his piece to James, he left as quickly as he came.Maxine stayed silent until Gloom was completely out of sight.Then, she asked, "Are we still returning to Cansington?"

"Yeah." James nodded.

Tiara’s pregnancy was an important matter that he wanted to confirm with his own eyes.

If he held it off, James did not think he would be able to sleep soundly at night.

Maxine’s eyes crinkled as she smiled knowingly.

"Love is a trivial matter.The country’s affairs are much more important.Didn’t you hear Gloom say that you should act quickly and deal with Mr.Gabriel as soon as possible?"

James’ lips curved into a frown and he asked, "Then, should we immediately go for Mr.Gabriel? I had planned to get rid of his closest companions first."

"Don and Maxine shut down his idea immediately and said, "Your ultimate target is Mr.Gabriel, not Madelyn.If you eliminate Madelyn first, you'll end up giving Mr.Gabriel a heads-up.He’ll then be able to take precautions against any following attacks.I suggest that we strike immediately and catch him off guard." James pensively rubbed his chin.

Maxine’s proposal had valid points.

However, he was still worried.

Mr.Gabriel was not fighting alone, he represented a whole faction.

The severe chain reaction that could be caused by his death might be extremely severe.

James took a deep breath and put the problem aside for the time being.He said, "I'll call Tiara first to inquire about the pregnancy."

Maxine made a gesture telling him to go ahead.

James took out his phone, searched for Tiara’s number, and made the call.

Soon, someone picked up the call.

"James."

A cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Uhm, Tiara..."

James could not help but feel nervous when he heard Tiara’s voice.He wanted to ask about the pregnancy but did not know where to start.иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σмHis throat quickly dried up so he ended up taking a big gulp of saliva as he prepared to speak.

"H-How are you?"

"Good.I’m good."

Tiara’s sweet voice answered nonchalantly.

"I’m staying at Cynthia’s place right now.Don’t worry about me, and go ahead with your big plans!" Tiara said with a lighthearted chuckle.

James hesitated for a bit before he finally summoned the courage and dragged the pressing question he had out of his throat.

"A-Are you pregnant?"

Maxine burst out laughing when she saw James’ expression.He was so nervous and chose his words so carefully that he seemed like a child who was trying to explain their mistake.

James ignored Maxine and walked away with his phone in hand.

On the other side of the phone, Tiara replied hesitantly, "D-Didn’t I tell you about it a month ago? Have you really forgotten that quickly?"

James felt like a huge boulder was weighing down on his body.It made it hard for him to breathe.

"O-Okay, that’s all I wanted to confirm with you.A-Anyway, you should take care."

James stammered a few courteous words and quickly ended the call.

Tiara stood outside the door of Cynthia’s villa in Cansington.Her beautiful face was wrinkled with guilt after she heard the sound of James hanging up.

She muttered quietly, "J-James, I-I didn’t want to lie to you, but Maxine told me to..."

She sighed as soon as she said those words to herself.

Initially, she had already decided to get engaged to a suitor her family had chosen for her.

However, Maxine suddenly appeared at the engagement ceremony and gave her a lecture saying that she had to seize her opportunity for happiness.

Afterward, Maxine forcibly took her away with a promise to help her.She even convinced her to tell James that she was pregnant.

Tiara lowered her head and walked into the villa.

As she was entering the door, Thea suddenly walked out.Thea frowned upon seeing Tiara and asked, "What're you doing, Tiara? You look rather suspicious."

Chapter 1056

"Huh?"

Tiara raised her head and saw Thea.

Panic washed over her as she replied hastily, "I-I’m not doing anything in particular."

Thea put her arms on her hips and looked at Tiara arrogantly.

Then, she said disdainfully, "Tiara, you shouldn't think my husband likes you just because you’ve slept with him once.My husband is a national hero, and it’s not unusual that he’d sleep around with women casually.I advise that you don’t pester him.He doesn’t have time for idle chatter"

"I-I’m not pestering him! He was the one who asked me to come to Cansington," Tiara mumbled softly as she looked down.

"Hmph."

Thea snorted dismissively at her and left.

Tiara clenched her phone tightly and walked inside with her head still lowered.

As soon as she entered the villa, Cynthia pulled her aside and whispered in a concerned voice, "What happened? Is Thea harassing you again?"

Tiara shook her head gently and said, "No, she didn’t harass me! Cynthia...I was wondering...Should I not have come back?"

"No, I think there’s no problem about you coming back.James and Thea are divorced, so you have every right to pursue your own happiness.Don't be afraid, be brave! You have to take life by the reins to seize your happiness," Cynthia said earnestly as she reassuringly rubbed Tiara’s back.

"But..."

"No more buts! By the way, is it true that you’re pregnant?"

Cynthia looked at Tiara’s stomach suspiciously.

After coming to Cansington, Tiara secretly told Cynthia about her pregnancy and even showed her the medical report.

However, Cynthia noticed no physical signs that suggest that Tiara was even pregnant.

According to the timeline, it has been 12 weeks but her tummy showed no bulging whatsoever.

"Mhm." Tiara nodded gently.

"Does James know?" Tiara nodded again.

"Does Thea know?"

Tiara shook her head and said while trembling, "N-Not yet."

"Okay.I’m going to do my martial squats in the yard.You should be careful and don’t do anything reckless! You have to keep the baby safe, okay?"

Tiara continued walking with downcast eyes.

James, who had called from the to confirm the news, seemed troubled again.He and Thea had just managed to reconcile and even finally had sex together.иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σмHe had decided to treat Thea well but was now indecisive because of the news that Tiara was pregnant with his child.

Where would his humanity be if he did not take responsibility for this outcome? Yet...

If he took responsibility, then what about Thea?

"What’s the matter, James? You’re going to make those wrinkles a permanent part of your face if you frown any harder," Maxine walked over and asked after she noticed his distressed demeanor.

James looked at Maxine with a stressed grimace.

"Tiara’s really pregnant.What should I do?"

Maxine shrugged and replied offhandedly, "How would I know? You shouldn’t be dwelling on this.Your priority right now is to kill Mr.Gabriel as soon as possible.With that in mind, you should also get the Blade of Justice.Also, I think that we’ll have to act on both sides simultaneously."

"Both sides?" James was confused.

"Yeah.You’ll kill Mr.Gabriel while Thea leads the fighters from the God-King Palace to attack Madelyn.You destroyed the research facilities before.After Madelyn took over the Emperor’s role, she must have resumed what they were researching before.Before you take action, we have to find the research facilities and destroy them as part of our plan."

"Wait...I never told you about it.How did you find out?" Maxine winked.

"Of course, I have my own methods.Listen to me this time.Not only will you kill Mr.Gabriel, but you'd also be able to eliminate all his subordinates.However..."

Maxine's expression suddenly turned serious.

"As you said, killing him will definitely have untold consequences.We can’t be sure how many people will reveal themselves or what they will do.I’m certain that the descendants of the Gu Sect, the Mavericks, will undoubtedly rear their ugly heads.

Fortunately...

"You're no longer the James of the past.You'd certainly be able to stand alone with your current strength.These problems wouldn’t amount much to you now.I also look forward to you resolving everything, retiring, and living an idyllic life in seclusion with your harem of women in the countryside.How beautiful does that sound?"

Maxine looked at James with a big grin which revealed the dimples on her face.Her smile was contagious

Chapter 1057

James looked curiously at Maxine.

For some reason, he felt that Maxine had suddenly changed.

Despite her age, she had always been mature, steady, and calm when dealing with things. Yet now, she was acting like a mischievous little girl.

“Let’s go. We need to find a place to stay for now. We'll iron out the details later.”

James turned around and left.

Meanwhile, a handsome young man was sitting with his legs crossed at Madelyn’s villa in Cansington. He looked at Madelyn, who was engrossed in reading a war novel. With a look of dissatisfaction, he cleared his throat and said, “Madelyn, it’s been more than a month since I’ve come to Cansington. When will you fulfill your promise?”

Madelyn put down the book and turned to him with an expression of extreme displeasure. She clicked her tongue. “Didn’t I already give you your money? Just use that to get any type of woman you desire in this city. If you can’t get the woman you want, it just means you don’t have enough yet. How about I give you another tens of millions so you can spend it for the time being?”

Fabian's face was full of dissatisfaction. There were two reasons he left the Medical Valley. One was to experience worldly pleasures, and the second was to challenge

James’ medical skills.

Yet, even after all this while, he still had yet to obtain a suitable woman or meet James himself.

Madelyn stood up and said flatly, “Then, it’s settled. I’ve got other things to do so I won’t be accompanying you any longer. If I may just leave you with a piece of advice. Get one of the luxury cars from the garage and drive it around the university district. I’m sure you'll find what you want that way.”

After giving her personal advice, Madelyn walked off.

A young man appeared in front of her as she walked out of the villa door.

The man was dressed in a black coat and duckbill cap. He lowered his head and whispered, “Ms. Gabriel, I've brought some news from the Capital.”

Madelyn asked, “What is it?”

“This morning, there has been news that Maxine has been expelled from the Cadens. Turns out she had selfish intentions and tried stealing martial art manuals from the Cadens' library. The Cadens were furious and wanted to strip her cultivation base, but James interfered and brought her along with him.”

“Oh?” Madelyn's face darkened when she heard this information.

She murmured darkly, “James hasn't shown up for a month.

Meanwhile, the King had been holding countless meetings to discuss the appointment of a new Emperor. The day they finally came to a result, иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σмMaxine also happened to suddenly get kicked out of the Caden family?”

Madelyn knew that there was more to things than meets the eye.She racked her brains, and her eyes widened slightly when a thought suddenly flashed across her mind.

Madelyn immediately headed to the airport and purchased a plane ticket back to the Capital.

Meanwhile, James arrived at the Emperor's Mansion in the Capital.

Since the death of the Emperor, the place had been vacant. Now that James had become the new commander of the Red Flame Army, he naturally inherited the Emperor’s title as well as his mansion.

James sat on a sofa in a guest room of the Emperor’s Mansion.

Maxine was in the process of sharing her speculations with him.

“After what happened last time, Madelyn won’t establish new research facilities in Sol and would probably do it abroad instead. However, they shouldn’t be too far away and are likely in a neighboring country. We must find the location of all the facilities as soon as possible if you want to put an end to them permanently.”

“Mhm. ”

James smoked a cigarette and shook off the ashes. He nodded lightly and said, “I’ll send someone to investigate this matter.”

Maxine cautioned him, “Do it fast. You’re the Dragon King of the Southern Plains, the commander of the Red Flame Army, and also the Five Commanders’ leader. Additionally, you’ve got a good relationship with Blithe King. Not only that, the girlfriend of your subordinate, Black Shadow, is the daughter of the general guarding the Northern Border. You’re basically the most powerful man in Sol, but... Only in Sol. If by chance, their research institutes are abroad, you'll have to use other means to investigate them.”

Maxine paused for a while and continued. “Blake is a suitable candidate for the job. He’s the Assasin King and the Dark Castle’s founder. Although the people under the Dark Castle are relatively ordinary assassins, their organization is practically a global network. It’ll be easy for them to catch wind of any information in international borders.”

Chapter 1058

“Also, I think you should bring Thea to the Capital.

“While this is all going on, you’ll have to ensure that everything in Cansington is operating safely. You’ll be fighting in the front line but at the same time, you can’t let your rear end catch on fire. Desperate people will do anything to save themselves when they’re forced into a corner. It'd be best to leave some people from the God -King Palace in Cansington to protect Quincy and the others.”

Maxine conducted a simple analysis and carefully presented her thoughts on every part of their plan.

“Mhm.” James nodded. It was a well-thought and sensible plan. He picked up the phone and called Blake.

“James, it’s good to hear from you, brother! I’ve got good news to share with you. I succeeded in cultivating my True Energy.”

Blake’s joyful exclamation was the first thing James heard when he answered the call.

James was shocked.

Blake progressed at an astonishing speed. He managed to cultivate his True Energy in slightly over a month.иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σм This seemed totally natural for a descendant of the Gu Sect.

“I’m in the Capital and I’ve got a new mission for you. Come here and I'll brief you on the details in person.”

“Alright.” Blake agreed without hesitating.

Afterward, James called Thea and asked her to secretly make her way to the Capital.

“Also...”

After James had made the two phone calls, Maxine spoke again, “If I were Mr. Gabriel or the faction that was behind him, I’d take extreme measures if I was cornered.”

Maxine explained her rationale, “Mr. Gabriel's death would mark the beginning of a battle between the two factions. Once the Gu Sect realizes there’s no hope of winning, they'll try to attack and seize Sol by force using Gu.

“Over the years, they’ve been pouring funds into researching Gu. The result is an artificial virus that’s able to modify a human’s body structure, which can make an ordinary person incredibly strong. We’ll need to take this into account while preventing a battle from breaking out.

“You can contact several of your general friends. However, there’s no guarantee they aren't from the Gu Sect. The only people we can trust are the Black Dragon Army. They must be deployed to the Capital to protect the city.”

James made a groan of disagreement. “If I dispatch the Black Dragon army, wouldn't that move alert our enemies instead?”

“I’m not asking you to do it now. I mean after Mr. Gabriel’s death. The Black Dragon Army has to enter the Capital and join forces with the Red Flame Army to keep the other faction in check. As long as we can prevent them from taking action, everything else will be resolved quite easily.

“After all these things are settled, the next thing to worry about will be the Mount Thunder Conference. Whoever becomes the new Great Grandmaster will be able to command all the martial artists in Sol. We can’t let someone from the Gu Sect snatch the title. Otherwise, all our efforts will go to waste.”

“Huff.” James took a deep breath.

Everything was so complicated. Fighting on the Southern Plains was much simpler.

James picked up another cigarette and lit it.

Maxine eyed the cigarette and chided him, “Also, you should smoke less. It’s only been a short while since your last one and you've already smoked so many.”

James ignored her advice and pretended not to hear it.

“The Ancient Four and the countless ancient martial artists have always avoided involving themselves in political quarrels. After the new Great Grandmaster is selected, will it finally spur them into action?”

Maxine nodded affirmatively. “Yes, definitely. Ancient martial artists don’t acknowledge anyone else other than the Great Grandmaster. A hundred years ago, the Great Grandmaster from the Mount Thunder Sect stepped forward and called for support.

Only then did other ancient martial artists join the battle. After his death, all sects and martial families hid in seclusion. They vowed never to interfere with worldly matters again. This is why the position of the Great Grandmaster is crucial.

“Moreover, I suspect Mr. Gabriel is confident he’ll obtain the position since he proposed the Mount Thunder Conference right when the Ancient Four was about to have a go at each other. He wanted to prevent the Ancient Four from conflicting. Otherwise, the situation would be out of their control.”

As he listened to Maxine speak, he opened his mouth to ask her a question, “In your opinion, who’s the strongest person in the world currently? Who's the most likely to win the position of Great Grandmaster?”

Maxine shot him an incredulous look. “How would I know? It depends on whether the eighth-rank grandmaster decides to participate or not. It'll be a fight between the seventh-rank grandmasters if he doesn't join in.”

Chapter 1059

Maxine continued. “The only eighth-rank grandmaster we know of is the Great Patriarch of the Blithe family. They’re demonstrating great ambition and will definitely attend this conference. If the Blithes are part of the Gu Sect, that’ll be troublesome for us.”

Maxine was worried.

James had no supporters. It was not feasible for James to face an entire faction all on his own.

“It’s no big deal. The King will lend me a hand if the situation turns dire. After all, it’s a battle between two factions and not mine alone.”

“I'm relieved, but...”

Maxine glanced at Jams and said, “If the eighth-rank grandmaster doesn’t attend, then the Great Grandmaster will be selected from the seventh-ranked grandmasters. You've already stepped into the sixth rank, and with your Invincible Body Siddhi, you have a chance of standing against a seventh-rank grandmaster. There’s a real possibility of you winning the title of the Great Grandmaster. Even if you don’t fight for it, you still have to...”

“What do I still have to do?” James looked at Maxine and cocked his brow.

“You'll have to sabotage the conference,” Maxine smirked.

“Now, with everything laid out, we need someone to sabotage the conference so it can’t proceed smoothly.”

“Oh, what's your plan?”

“I don’t have one yet. I’ll have to see how everything unfolds first.”

James and Maxine discussed the details of their plan in the Emperor’s mansion.

Meanwhile, Madelyn arrived in the Capital and made her way to an independent suburb courtyard to look for Mr. Gabriel.

“Mr. Gabriel, the situation has changed. The King may be planning to take action soon.”

Madelyn looked at the middle-aged man warming himself by the fire with a worried look on her face.

Mr. Gabriel asked calmly, “What did you hear, pray tell?”

“James has been appointed as the new Emperor.”

“That’s not a surprise. The position has been vacant for some time now, and someone had to be appointed eventually. Unfortunately, our side did not manage to garner enough votes,” Mr. Gabriel replied offhandedly.

Madelyn took a breath before continuing, “Maxine was kicked out of the Cadens. These two incidents aren’t a coincidence. The three families from the Ancient Four are targeting the Cadens. иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σмNow that the relationship between the Blithes and the Cadens has fallen apart, the Cadens don’t have any allies. The only way for them to protect their family is by allying with the King.”

“That cunning fox Tobias knew that if he declared his allegiance right now, other families would follow suit and start picking sides.

The forces will be clearly divided, and a battle will break out. Thus, he kicked Maxine out of the family so she could help James without involving the Cadens.”

Madelyn explained her view on the situation.

Mr. Gabriel did not seem the least bit perturbed and said indifferently, “So what? What can James do?”

It was all part of his plan to force the Cadens into a corner where they would have no choice but to ally with the King.

When that happens, the other three families that show resentment toward the Cadens would naturally choose an opposing side.

He waved his hand and said, “Go back to Cansington. Our time is running out. We need to speed things up.”

“Understood.”

Madelyn silently and reluctantly left the room. She specifically rushed back to Cansington to warn him, but Mr.

Gabriel seemed entirely unbothered. It was as if this was all part of his plan too.

After leaving the room, Madelyn murmured with a serious expression, “Could it be that Mr. Gabriel is holding onto a trump card? I wonder who or what it is.”

Madelyn was unable to figure it out and stopped thinking about it. She shook her head and left the courtyard.

At the same time, James and Maxine were waiting for Blake and

Thea’s arrival.

The two rushed over to the Capital once James had called them.

At noon, Blake arrived at the Emperor’s Mansion.

“Tsk, tsk! James! You were already Dragon King of the Southern Plains, and now you're also the new Emperor in charge of the Red Flame Army? You are only second to the king in terms of power in Sol!” Blake began to ramble after sitting down.

Chapter 1060

James glanced at him and said, “Let’s cut the flattery short. I need you to go on a mission.”

Blake immediately straightened up and asked, “What kind of mission is it?”

“You were there when I killed the Emperor. He has been secretly researching Gu venom and turned it into a virus to create unkillable superhumans. Now that Madelyn has taken over his job, they must be continuing to research this online. I need you to use the Dark Castle's influence to locate their new research facilities.”

Blake’s expression immediately turned serious as his lips pulled into a thin line. “James, you think too highly of me. The world is such a big place. Where am I going to find them?”

James said, “According to our analysis, the research base should not be that far from Sol. It’s probably in a neighboring country, so you should focus your investigation on neighboring countries. The Dark Castle’s network practically encompasses the world. I’m sure it won't be a big deal for you.”

“Alright. I'll try my best.” Blake nodded. He was still counting on James to give him a set of martial art manuals. So for now, he could only obey James’ orders.

“I need it as soon as possible. Give me a result in three days.”

“That's impossible.” Blake shook his head and balked.

“Unless you give me a vague location to start looking, three days is nowhere near sufficient.иσνєℓєвσσк.¢σм I'll have to search the entire globe since you don't have a location. It’s impossible to find them within three days. I'll need at least a month.”

“No. One month is way too long. I can’t wait any longer. Do it quickly. I'll also arrange for other people to aid in your investigation.”

“Fine. I’ll do my best,” Blake complied.

After delivering his mission to Blake, James called the Dragon Palace abroad.

The Elite Eight established the Dragon Palace under his orders.

Their purpose was to establish a new power so that he can get out of future messes in the Capital.

He feared the King would get rid of him after he served his purpose.

After finding a solution to the issues that plagued the Capital, the

King could easily get rid of him just like how the previous King got rid of the Owens and Davises.

James called May and received the report on the Dragon Palace’s recent progress.

The Elite Eight had been cultivating all this while, and some had already managed to cultivate their True Energy. Thus, successfully becoming grandmasters. The Dragon Palace has been operating actively throughout the globe and obtained countless fortunes during this time. It developed a remarkable influence globally in such a short period of time.

James stated his request and asked the Dragon Palace to investigate the research facilities established by Madelyn.

After relaying the order, he hung up the phone.

“James, I’ll take my leave first. Contact me if there is anything else. I'll report to you as soon as I have news.”

Blake did not linger in the Emperor’s Mansion for long. After bidding farewell to James, he quickly left.

Soon, Thea arrived.

“Honey...”

Thea rushed over and hugged James, burying her face into his arms. She pouted and said, “You've been gone for more than a month! I miss you so much!”

“Ahem...”

Maxine coughed gently to interrupt them and said, “We're here to discuss important matters. Your lovey-dovey act can wait until tonight.”

Thea let go of James and sat beside them. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she asked, “Did you call me here because something came up?”

“Yeah.”

James nodded and said, “It’s a very important matter. The cooperation of the God-King Palace is vital to this operation.”

James explained their plan in detail.

While he dealt with Mr. Gabriel, he needed Thea to lead the God -King Palace to destroy the research bases that Madelyn had established and wipe out everyone relevant to the research, including Madelyn.

“Sure thing.” Thea could barely contain her excitement.

After waiting for such a long time, she could finally help James. Her eyes lit up with determination and she confidently stated, “Honey, I won’t let you down!”