Chapter 1

"It's my first time, so go easy on me…"

A woman lay on the bed with a blush on her face. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Wyatt Coleman held an adorable teddy bear as the memory of the scene from three months ago appeared in his mind. It was on that fateful night that his wife, Hayley Lawson, had conceived.

They were going to have a baby girl.

Whenever Wyatt wasn't occupied, he would sit there with a silly smile on his face. He had imagined his daughter's appearance countless times since finding out about Hayley's pregnancy—it had made him completely forget about his past.

Once upon a time, he'd been the Drakon—a man who was at the peak of the martial world. But in his final battle, the love of his life had died tragically. He'd also suffered from serious injuries and lost all his cultivation.

In his despair, Wyatt decided to leave everything behind. He sealed his powers with the Dragon Seal and left Yonada.

Later, he met Hayley. And now, they would have a daughter together.

…

When Wyatt returned home, he sensed that something was amiss. The atmosphere felt a little odd. His parents-in-law, Cole Lawson and Maya Lakey, as well as his brother-in-law, Matthew Lawson, were sitting on the couch with grim expressions on their faces.

Wyatt found this strange. Thanks to him secretly helping Hayley out, her career had skyrocketed. Now, she was the president of a company, with a net worth of billions of dollars.

It was their wedding anniversary today, and he'd prepared a special gift for her—a contract to work with Toledo Corporation.

But why did everyone look so upset?

"I'll be in the kitchen." Wyatt didn't want to get on anyone's nerves, so he started making his way to the kitchen.

"Come here, Wyatt. I have something to tell you," Cole finally said. In the past, he hadn't even been able to afford a nice outfit. Now, he wore expensive clothing and looked like a nobleman.

"What is it, Dad?" Wyatt hurried forward.

"Take a look at this." Cole pushed a document toward him.

Wyatt looked down at it. On the first page, the words "divorce agreement" were printed clearly. They'd even been bolded!

His expression changed slightly. "What's this supposed to mean?"

Cole took a drag of his cigarette. "It means what you think it does. Hayley isn't the same person she used to be; she's a company's president with a net worth of billions of dollars now. Even our family has become one of the most prominent families in Yonada. As for you…

"You might be good at calligraphy, but that's your only strength. It's inappropriate for you to continue leeching off us and remaining married to Hayley. You'll only turn her into a laughingstock."

Wyatt's smile was nowhere to be seen. He felt bitter.

He hadn't expected to get a divorce agreement in return for everything he'd done for the Lawson family. They had no idea that everything Hayley and the Lawsons had now was all thanks to him. After all, Wyatt wasn't an ordinary person.

He soon regained his composure. "Is this what you guys want, or does Hayley agree with you?"

"It's none of your business who wanted this to happen." Cole flicked his cigarette and gave Wyatt a stern look. "All you need to do is sign the divorce agreement—I hope you'll realize what's good for you. We've had the fortune of living together for three years, so it's best for this to end on a good note."

"If this is something that only you guys want, I won't sign the papers," Wyatt said without hesitation. No one had the right to take away his and Hayley's happiness!

At that moment, Maya slammed a hand on the table. She couldn't take it anymore.

She glared daggers at Wyatt and screeched, "We wanted to end things nicely, seeing as you've served us all this while. But I didn't expect you to be so shameless! Since you want a reason, I'll give it to you!"

She stood up and pointed at him. "You've become nothing but an obstacle to Hayley's future, you worthless piece of shit! Look at all the people she's socializing with now—they're either bigwigs in the business world, wealthy people, or even managers of large companies, at worst.

"You, on the other hand, are a loser that no one wants to have anything to do with! Now that the Lawson family has become part of the upper crust, there's no longer a place for you here. Pack up your things, and get the hell out of here now!"

Wyatt took a deep breath, looking desolate.

Just then, Matthew shot to his feet and said, "You've been leeching off Hayley for three years now, Wyatt. You're nothing but a lapdog to her. Did you really think of yourself as her husband?

"Hurry up and sign the papers, then get the hell out of here! Otherwise, you'll have to pay the price!"

"I'll ask this one more time. Is this what Hayley wants?" Wyatt asked.

"Damn it!" Maya furiously gave Wyatt a shove. "Are you an idiot? Why can't you understand us?"

"Step aside, Mom. Let me teach him a lesson. I'll break his legs if he refuses to sign the divorce agreement!" Matthew grabbed a baseball bat as he spoke. Then, he dashed toward Wyatt.

He raised the bat and was about to hit Wyatt on the head with it when a cold voice rang out from behind him. "Stop!"

Hayley approached them. She had a beautiful face and a sexy body. Her fair skin glowed. Beside her was a handsome young man in a sharp suit.

He was William Porter, the scion of Porterworks Corporation. He and Hayley looked intimate with each other as they stepped out of the bedroom together.

Wyatt trembled all over. He stared at Hayley in disbelief. He understood everything when he saw the hint of guilt in her shifty gaze.

Still, he held on to a sliver of hope. His voice was shaky as he asked, "H-Hayley, is this true?"

Hayley's heart ached a little at the sight of his pale face, but she still nodded. "Yes, it is. Let's get divorced, Wyatt."

"Do you agree with what your parents said earlier? Do you also think that I'm not worthy enough to be with you now?" Wyatt grimaced.

Hayley nodded. "You and I live in different worlds now. We're not right for each other anymore…"

Wyatt took a deep breath and slowly shut his eyes. He felt like his heart was being sliced apart. After what seemed like a century, he opened his eyes and slowly walked over to the stuffed teddy bear that he'd placed in the corner earlier.

"I agree to the divorce, but I'll only sign the papers after our daughter is born." This was as far as he could go.

Hayley shook her head. Then, she heartlessly stabbed Wyatt in the heart with her words as she said, "She's… gone."

"What?" Wyatt's eyes widened, and the veins in his forehead bulged. His breathing hitched.

"I… I got an abortion," Hayley said, looking a little tortured.

Wyatt stood there, trembling and feeling as if he'd been struck by lightning.

The teddy bear in his arms fell to the floor.

Chapter 2

"That… That can't be true. I just bought her a teddy bear—look at how cute it is! I'm sure she'll love it."

Wyatt stared at Hayley. "She's still around, isn't she? You were lying, weren't you? Hayley—"

"That's enough!" Hayley shut her eyes. A tear rolled down her face. Her voice was like a cold and sharp dagger; it stabbed Wyatt right through his heart, making his blood run cold.

"I wasn't lying. Our daughter's gone now. I'm sorry, Wyatt…"

Wyatt collapsed to the floor with a pained howl. His eyes turned bloodshot as he writhed and trembled violently on the floor. His nails dug into his palms so deeply that they drew blood and painted his fingers red.

His poor daughter had already left this world, without even having the chance to see what it was like.

The Lawson family sneered at his torment. Not only were they not sympathetic in the least, but they were filled with contempt for him.

"Why?" Wyatt roared like a savage beast.

"I'll tell you why." Maya strutted over to him and looked down at him imperiously. "This is the height of Hayley's career. It'll be ruined if she gets pregnant now.

"That's why we can't keep the child. We can't let it turn into an obstacle on her path to success, like you. One more thing—I'm the one who brought Hayley to get the abortion." She smiled cruelly.

After a few minutes of silence, Wyatt slowly got to his feet. He'd already calmed down, but his eyes were as cold as ice.

He stepped forward and signed the divorce agreement without hesitation. His handwriting was beautiful. It was a mockery of the ugliness of the situation.

Then, he picked the teddy bear up like it was his everything.

Hayley's heart ached when she saw how broken he was. "I can compensate you for this, Wyatt. You can take anything in this house with you if you want. As for money…"

She pulled out a check. "Name your price. Anything's fine."

Maya wasn't happy about that. "How can you say that, Hayley? Think about how expensive everything here is and how hard we had to work to get to where we are now! That loser can't take any of our things!

"He's leeched off us for three years. We've gone above and beyond for him. You're not allowed to give him even a dime!"

Hayley frowned. "Mom, don't say such things. Wyatt—"

"I don't want your things or money. I only want the clothes in that wardrobe."

Wyatt walked toward the bedroom. There was a wardrobe in there filled with beautiful clothes that he'd made for his daughter. He had sewed them all by hand.

He packed the clothes by wrapping them in a bedsheet. He also put the teddy bear in there. Then, he swung the makeshift bag over his shoulder.

He looked at the pendant in the shape of a snake—the Snake Pendant—that hung around Hayley's neck. He said, "That's mine. Return it to me."

Hayley took the pendant off without hesitation and returned it to Wyatt.

Then, he took out the contract for a business deal with Toledo Corporation. "Today was supposed to be our wedding anniversary, so I'd prepared a gift for you. It doesn't mean anything anymore, though."

He threw the contract to the floor and walked to the door, looking glum.

"Look at him, Mom. Doesn't he look like a dog that's just lost a fight?" Matthew sneered.

"He really does!" Maya cackled.

Just then, Wyatt stopped at the entrance. He turned and swept a gaze over them all.

Then, he looked at Hayley and said, "Mark my words, you'll regret this. I swear on my life that I'll avenge my daughter!"

The icy dominance in his gaze made Hayley tremble on the inside.

"What the fuck? That loser said that we'll regret this! Hah, I've never heard a bigger joke in my life. I can't even imagine how happy I'll be to have him gone!" Maya laughed hysterically.

Matthew picked up the contract. "Wait, is this a contract for a business deal with Toledo Corporation?"

Toledo Corporation?

Both Hayley and William were stunned at the mention of it. Toledo Corporation was one of the biggest conglomerates in Jarilo. It had invested billions of dollars in several projects in Yonada.

Almost all the companies in Yonada were dying for a chance to work with them. This was also one of Hayley's reasons for getting divorced—she wanted to be ready for an opportunity to work with Toledo Corporation.

"It must be fake." William gave the contract a perfunctory look and sneered. "It seems like your useless husband has a few tricks up his sleeve, Hayley. He can even forge a contract."

Hayley frowned. Was this the gift Wyatt had prepared? Did he think he could make her happy with a forged contract?

She'd been feeling a little guilty over the divorce, but it now seemed that she'd made the right decision.

"Well, the situation's a lot more straightforward now that you're divorced, Hayley. I'll think of a way to make you a member of Jarilo Club." William pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses.

Jarilo Club!

Everyone's eyes lit up at the mention of that. Jarilo Club was a private association. Its president was the renowned Ann Moore.

Toledo Corporation belonged to the Moore family, and Ann handled all of the company's projects in Yonada.

The members of Jarilo Club were either wealthy or powerful, and its membership was a status symbol.

To become a member, one had to meet specific requirements, among which was that one had to be a single woman. This was also one of the reasons why Hayley had divorced Wyatt.

"Thanks for this, Mr. Porter. Since you're the scion of Porterworks Corporation, you must have many connections. Hayley's career will only get better with your help." Cole and Maya gave William sycophantic looks.

"You're a thousand times better than that loser, Mr. Porter! If Hayley had married you right from the start, I bet she'd already be the wealthiest woman in Yonada!" Matthew also spoke in an ingratiating manner.

"You flatter me." William's words were humble, but he looked like he was enjoying the praise.

Just then, he caught sight of a calligraphy artwork hanging in a corner of the room. He hurried over to it and exclaimed, "This is beautiful!"

"What the hell is that? Fuck! It's something that fucker left behind. Get rid of it! We don't want it to ruin the living room's ambiance!" Matthew snarled.

"This is 'Rippling Spring!'" William's eyes grew brighter. The calligraphy was beautiful. When his gaze landed on the author's name, he exclaimed, "Mr. Cowan wrote this!"

"Who's that?" Cole asked.

"Mr. Joseph Cowan is a calligraphy master who's been living in seclusion in Yonada," William explained when he saw how lost the Lawsons looked. "A piece of his work would be worth at least 100 thousand dollars in the market."

"What?" Maya was dumbstruck. Cole froze halfway through sipping his tea.

Even Hayley looked incredulous. "You must be joking, William."

"Not in the least. My father's the vice president of Yonada Calligraphy Association, and I'm also a member. Despite the high price Mr. Cowan's works fetch, there isn't any supply to meet the demand.

"A few days ago, a bigwig from Shoresea City spent two million dollars on one of Mr. Cowan's artworks. There were only two words written on it, which means each word was worth a million dollars!"

William took a deep breath, then asked in astonishment, "Wait, why do you guys have Mr. Cowan's work here? And it's authentic, too."

After a long silence, Hayley said dazedly, "This… was written by Wyatt."

Chapter 3

Wyatt had written it?

William looked incredulous. Was Wyatt actually the renowned Joseph Cowan?

"Wait, is that loser's calligraphy worth that much? Are you sure you have the right person, Mr. Porter?" Maya asked.

"I'm positive. The style and overall sentiment are exactly like Mr. Cowan's. Besides, he's even signed it." William was nonplussed.

How could Wyatt actually be Joseph when he was so young?

He looked at Hayley. "Are you sure Wyatt wrote this?"

Hayley was about to nod, but she thought about how Wyatt had tried to trick her with the forged contract. There was a chance that he'd done something similar for the artwork.

"I can't be sure. Wyatt said he wrote it, but who knows whether he was telling the truth?"

"That settles it, then. Wyatt's always had good handwriting." Cole stood up.

Maya couldn't sit around anymore. Suddenly, she regretted kicking Wyatt out so abruptly.

If they could lock him up and make him write anything, they could sell his works at a price of 100 thousand dollars per word. A thousand words would rake in 100 million dollars!

"No, I have to drag him back." Maya grabbed the artwork and gave Matthew a look. The latter got up and hurried out of the house with her. They wanted to chase after Wyatt.

On the other hand, Cole stubbed out his cigarette after only taking a single drag. Then, he ran to Wyatt's room to search for all his artwork.

"Don't just stand around, you two! Hurry up and look around for anything! One word of his is worth a million dollars!" Sweat beaded on his forehead out of anxiety.

William quickly got to work when he heard that. He and Cole scoured the room, turning everything upside down as they searched for more artwork.

Meanwhile, Hayley remained rooted to the spot. She didn't look too pleased. They'd just kicked Wyatt out of the house, yet now, everyone was anxiously digging around for his calligraphy artwork.

The situation seemed rather mocking.

…

Wyatt headed to his old house with his daughter's clothes on his back.

Although he was bitter over Hayley divorcing him, he didn't resent her. What he resented was the fact that the Lawson family had taken his daughter's life!

She wasn't just Hayley's child; she was also his! What right did they have to make such a decision without consulting him?

She'd already been three months along. She had a life, a heartbeat, a tiny little body, and maybe even her own thoughts…

And now, she was gone!

A wave of hatred surged through Wyatt. The Lawsons were nothing but heartless murderers!

He had to get even with them. He wanted the rest of their lives to be filled with regret over the idiotic decisions they'd made today! Wyatt wanted to avenge his daughter!

In truth, he'd only thought about being an ordinary person for the past three years. Sadly, it had taken him that long to realize that he couldn't even protect his own daughter if he were to remain like this.

If that were the case, he'd be better off reverting to his old self. After three years of living in seclusion, many people had to have already forgotten about the Almighty Drakon.

Wyatt clutched the Snake Pendant, which hung from his neck. Once he shattered it, he'd be free of the Dragon Seal. Then, he'd go back to being the Almighty Drakon who reigned supreme.

But… he couldn't decide whether he wanted to do it. He'd lost his cultivation, and his internal injuries had yet to fully recover. Even if he were to break the Dragon Seal, he still wouldn't be able to cultivate.

Wyatt had more than enough power to deal with a regular person, but if he were to run into a martial expert, it would probably cost him his life.

After a long moment, Wyatt sighed deeply. He loosened his grip on the Snake Pendant.

Just then, his phone rang.

It was a call from Thomas Moore, the head of Jarilo's Moore family. He was also Wyatt's old friend and the one who'd given Wyatt the business deal with Toledo Corporation.

"I heard that you've just gotten divorced, Wyatt. Congratulations! I'm just about to set off some fireworks in celebration!" Thomas sounded pleased.

"Damn you, you old coot." Wyatt smiled bitterly. Thomas had received the news so quickly.

"My granddaughter, Ann, happens to be in Yonada now. I'd like you to meet with her later.

"She's gorgeous, and everyone calls her the prettiest lady in Golde City. She's also the queen of the business world! She's about five foot five—"

Wyatt cut him off. "Cut to the chase, Tom. I'm not in the mood for this right now."

Thomas snickered. "Alright, then. I have some good news for you. I've found a 500-year-old crimson mushroom. I'm sure such a rare item should be able to give you what you want."

Wyatt's eyes lit up. A 500-year-old crimson mushroom was enough to heal his injuries! "I'll head to Golde City right now."

"Hold your horses, buddy. I spent a fortune on this mushroom, and I want it for myself. How can I just give it to you so easily?" Thomas sounded haughty.

"Alright, alright. Tell me what you want." Wyatt knew that he wouldn't do anything that wasn't in his favor.

Thomas' tone turned rather heavy. "Toledo Corporation's run into some trouble in Yonada. No one else can handle it, so I'll have to ask you to deal with it.

"My gorgeous granddaughter is going to seek you out in a while. I'll give you the crimson mushroom once you resolve the issue."

"Deal!" Wyatt didn't even hesitate.

The crimson mushroom was much too important to him. With it, his injuries would be completely healed. Once that happened, he could release the Dragon Seal and restart his path of cultivation.

How could he avenge his daughter if he didn't have the power to back himself up?

Wyatt's gaze turned resolute as he lowered his phone. Even his footsteps were lighter and faster than before.

When he arrived at the neighborhood's entrance, a Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up before him. The door slowly opened, and a long, slender leg stretched out.

Chapter 4

The leg was long and slender. A translucent stocking clung to it, which added to its allure. Even just a brief glance at it was enough to make Wyatt's heart speed up.

A gorgeous woman stepped out of the car. She appraised Wyatt for a while before approaching him.

She wore a long white dress that had gold and purple trimmings. She was sexy and alluring, but the air she exuded was noble and regal.

Her face was drop-dead gorgeous, and she looked like a goddess. Her eyes were bright and drew one in. She smiled and held out a hand in Wyatt's direction.

"You must be Wyatt Coleman. I'm Ann Moore. My grandfather should've told you about me already."

Ann Moore?

Wyatt was taken aback. So, this was the heiress to the Moore family. She was indeed gorgeous.

"Hi, I'm Wyatt Coleman." They shook hands. Ann's hand was smooth and supple.

"Toledo Corporation has run into some unresolvable crisis, Mr. Coleman. We hope that you'll lend us a hand," Ann said bluntly.

"Yeah, I know. Tom has already told me about it." Wyatt pointed at the run-down apartment behind him. "Just give me a second. I need to head home for a while."

Give him a second? Ann frowned slightly.

No other person would've dared to keep her waiting, not when she'd come all the way to meet them in person. Still, she had no choice but to wait since Thomas was the one who'd told her to seek Wyatt out.

Wyatt returned to the apartment, which was his and Hayley's marital home. It was located in an old neighborhood.

With his help, Hayley's career had skyrocketed. She and the Lawson family had moved out of this apartment two years ago, leaving it to Wyatt.

When he entered the apartment, he put down the bed sheet full of the clothes that he had made for his daughter. He looked at the clothes, feeling like someone had taken a piece of his heart away.

Tears rolled down his face without him even realizing it as he tidied the clothes.

Men didn't cry easily. At least, that was the case when one had yet to experience something that was truly heartbreaking.

Just then, someone kicked the door down and barged into the apartment. It was Maya and Matthew.

"Wyatt!"

"What do you want?" Wyatt asked coldly.

"You really are here, you loser!" Matthew sneered and pointed at the artwork he held. "Did you write this?"

Rippling Spring?

Wyatt glanced at it and nodded. Matthew and Maya exchanged a look of glee. Then, they looked at Wyatt again, as if he was a cash cow.

"You have pretty good handwriting. Look, I'll do you a favor since you don't even have a job. I'll pay you two thousand dollars a month if you write something for me every day. How's that?" Matthew already had a plan.

Wyatt snorted. He only needed to write a single word to earn tens of thousands of dollars, yet Matthew only wanted to pay him two thousand dollars a month.

He said coolly, "I'm not interested. Get lost."

"What? How dare you reject me, you loser?" Matthew was infuriated.

Maya held him back and approached Wyatt with a bright smile. "Come now, Wyatt. We used to be in-laws, didn't we? It's easy to just write a few words, isn't it? Since Matt has asked nicely, you should just agree to it."

"In-laws? Now that Hayley and I are divorced, I have nothing to do with you." Wyatt sneered.

Maya's expression immediately darkened. "How can you just kick your mother-in-law to the curb like that, you imbecile? You have to do as we say, whether you like it or not!"

"Get the fuck out of here!" Wyatt looked furious.

"You're asking for it, you fucker!" Matthew grabbed a nearby stool and charged at Wyatt with it.

Wyatt dodged him deftly, causing Matthew to slip and almost fall.

Just then, Maya quickly ran over to the pile of baby clothes. She sneered and said, "If you don't write us a thousand words today, I'll burn all of your daughter's clothes!"

Matthew ran over to her with a lighter. He grabbed the teddy bear and waved it before Wyatt goadingly. He turned on the lighter and held it close to the teddy.

"Are you gonna write or not, fucker?"

Soon, the teddy started burning. A pungent smell filled the air.

"You bastard!" Wyatt couldn't stand it anymore. He gave Matthew a tight slap, sending him flying. The latter crashed against the wall, and blood started flowing down his face.

Wyatt rushed forward to put the fire out, but the teddy had already been burned to a crisp. The longer he stared at it, the angrier he became. He grabbed Matthew, who'd just gotten to his feet, and slapped him several times in succession.

Matthew's face became swollen from the slaps, and two of his teeth flew out of his mouth along with some blood. He was unrecognizable.

"How dare you hit Matt? I'll kill you!" Maya took off her shoes, aiming the sharp heels at Wyatt's eyes. He grabbed her hand and shoved her away, making her land on her butt.

"Get the fuck out of here!" he roared. The rage and dominance in his eyes made Maya think that he was the devil incarnate.

"Hurry up and come here, Bob! Someone's attacked me!" Matthew made a call. His face was covered in blood.

He used to be an insignificant little gangster, but now that he had some money, he called himself Big Matt and had a bunch of lackeys always following him around.

Soon, Bob Smith, a burly man covered in tattoos, showed up with several gangsters. They all looked menacing as they held their weapons.

"Get him, guys! Teach him a lesson!" Matthew pointed at Wyatt.

The gangsters surrounded Wyatt while wielding their weapons threateningly.

"Hmph."

Wyatt didn't look scared in the least. He took off the Snake Pendant and flung it to the floor. As it shattered to pieces, it revealed a dragon-shaped pendant inside.

It was the Emerald Pendant!

Wyatt's gaze softened when he saw it. He felt bad about keeping this old friend of his buried for the past three years.

But now that the Snake Pendant was no more and the Emerald Pendant was back, it could only mean one thing—the Almighty Drakon had returned!

Chapter 5

When Wyatt picked up the Emerald Pendant and slowly straightened up, everyone felt that there was something different about him.

The gangsters surrounding him felt a chill run down their spines.

"Get him, Bob! Look at what he did to me!" Matthew pointed at his swollen face as he shouted ferociously.

"Get him!" Bob glanced at Wyatt before waving a hand.

"I'd like to see you try!" Just then, a woman's stern voice rang out.

Ann hurried into the apartment. She had two bodyguards with her.

Matthew's heart pounded when he saw her. She was gorgeous, and those beautiful legs in stockings only added to her sex appeal.

"Take care of this for Mr. Coleman." Ann frowned at the scene before her. One of her bodyguards stepped forward and made quick work of the gangsters. Even Bob was given a slap before he scurried off.

As someone whose job was to protect the heiress of the Moore family, the bodyguard had to have some skills.

Wyatt narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected Ann to help him take care of the situation.

Either way, the Snake Pendant had already been shattered, and the Dragon Seal had been lifted. There was no changing the fact that the Almighty Drakon was back.

Ann looked at Maya and Matthew. "Wyatt, these two are…"

Before Wyatt could say anything, Maya screeched, "I get it now! No wonder you were so quick to agree to the divorce, Wyatt. It turns out that you already have a mistress! This slutty vixen—"

Ann gave her a tight slap before she could continue. How could she stand by and allow someone to insult her like that?

A clear handprint appeared on Maya's face.

Maya screamed hysterically. "How dare you lay a hand on me? Do you know who I am? I'm Hayley Lawson's mother! You're dead meat! Kill them, Matt! Avenge me!"

"How dare you hit my mother, you bitch? You asked for this!"

Matthew charged at Ann. His face was still covered in blood. But before he could even get close to Ann, one of her bodyguards kicked him and sent him flying.

He crashed roughly into the door. It was a sturdy wooden door, but the impact left a huge dent in it.

As he lay on the floor, he howled in pain. He'd probably broken an arm.

"You people are monsters!" Maya pointed at Ann, then at Wyatt. She snarled and said, "My daughter's Hayley Lawson. I won't let you off the hook, not when you've done this to my son!"

"Slap her until she learns her lesson." Ann had already been in a bad mood to begin with. How could she possibly allow Maya to scream and shout at her like that?

The bodyguards stepped forward and carried out her instructions like they were robots. They didn't care whether their target was a man or a woman.

"Forget it. Let them go," Wyatt suddenly said.

Ann immediately waved a hand.

"Just you wait!" Despite being on the losing side, Maya still threatened them. She helped Matthew to his feet and crouched down to pick up the calligraphy artwork before leaving.

"Leave the artwork," Wyatt said coolly.

"What? Isn't it enough for you to beat Matt up? How dare you try to take what belongs to my family too?" Maya's expression changed.

Wyatt snorted. The calligraphy artwork was his. When did it become something that belonged to the Lawsons?

It wouldn't have been wrong to say that in the past, but he and Hayley were divorced now.

Despite her pretty face, Ann was a tough and resolute person. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to handle a company like Toledo Corporation.

With a look from her, the bodyguard immediately stepped forward and snatched the calligraphy artwork from Maya's hand.

"This is how you wanna do it, huh? Fine, then. Just you wait, you cheating scum. I swear that I'll get revenge for this!" Maya snarled.

"Slap her!" When Ann uttered these words again, Maya hurriedly fled with Matthew in tow.

Ann glanced at the calligraphy artwork, and her expression suddenly changed. She exclaimed in shock, "Isn't this Mr. Joseph Cowan's work? Is it authentic? I can't believe that shrew had Mr. Cowan's authentic artwork!"

"That's mine." Wyatt held out a hand.

"No!" Ann held the artwork close to her bosom. She'd been a strong, commanding woman just seconds ago. Now, she was as gentle as could be.

"Give this to me, Wyatt. My grandfather loves all of Mr. Cowan's works. I'm sure he'll jump with joy if I were to give this to him. Pretty please?"

Her beautiful eyes were filled with a pleading look that would make men everywhere fall prey to her.

From Ann's perspective, all she knew was that Thomas only had one of Joseph's calligraphy artworks. He hung it in his study like it was a precious treasure, but the words on it weren't exactly the nicest. Joseph had written "You old coot!" on it.

Despite that, Thomas still regarded it as his prized possession. Compared to the artwork he had, "Rippling Spring" was a much better and more elegant phrase.

Ann said, "I'll buy this from you. Name your price."

She was even swinging Wyatt's arm as she wheedled.

"Fine. You can have it." Wyatt was lost for words. He would just give her the artwork for Thomas' sake.

Ann was delighted. She quickly tucked the artwork into her blazer pocket, keeping it close to her heart.

"Didn't you come here because you wanted me to help with something?" Wyatt asked.

"Oh, that's right. Yesterday, several of Toledo Corporation's employees suffered from bad stomach aches after having lunch in the cafeteria, and they haven't stopped purging since.

"The doctors have no idea what's wrong with them and said that they've caught some strange disease. Those employees are now unconscious, and it looks like their lives are on the line…

"There are more than a dozen lives that need to be saved. If they all die, Toledo Corporation will face a huge crisis."

Wyatt considered the matter. "Take me to them."

Aside from his martial arts prowess, Wyatt was also an accomplished doctor. Although he'd now lost his cultivation, he was still a medical expert.

He and Ann soon arrived at the best hospital in Yonada, Hearthstone Hospital. It had been built by the Moore family.

Two burly men in black suits stood guard outside the ICU ward. One of them stopped Ann. "Mr. Moore's already brought Dr. Hugh Coulson, the best doctor in Yonada, to check on the patients, Ms. Moore. There's no need for you to head in there."

"Where is Dr. Coulson?" Ann asked.

"He's already treated them with acupuncture. He's having a drink with Mr. Moore in the lounge now."

Ann looked at Wyatt. "Do you wanna head in there to check on them?"

Wyatt glanced at the patients through the window. He frowned slightly. "Yes."

"Get out of the way!" Ann looked at the bodyguards.

"Mr. Moore has given orders that no one's allowed in there, Ms. Moore. Please don't make this hard for us…" the bodyguard said, looking conflicted.

She gave him a slap. "Fuck off!"

He and the other bodyguard lowered their heads and backed off.

When Wyatt entered the ward, he saw that there were 13 patients in total. Black energy pulsed around their chests, and they all looked tormented.

Their shirts had been taken off, and there were needles all over their chests.

"What's going on here?" Ann asked grimly.

One of the bodyguards said, "Dr. Coulson said they'd been poisoned, so he did some acupuncture to remove the poison. He said that they have to remain inserted for the next two hours to make sure that all the poison is extracted. He also warned us not to touch the needles before—"

Before he could finish speaking, his expression suddenly changed.

Wyatt had suddenly stepped forward and removed all the needles from a patient's chest!

Chapter 6

"What the hell are you doing?" The two bodyguards ran forward to stop Wyatt.

"Don't move!" Ann glared at them, then turned to Wyatt. "Are you sure about this?"

Wyatt nodded before removing the needles from a second patient. He'd gotten to the eleventh patient when a man with a white beard came running. "Stop, you fool! What are you doing?"

The old man, Hugh Coulson, was furious. He stepped forward and shoved Wyatt away. "Are you trying to kill these people, you imbecile?"

Wyatt looked at him. "Are you Dr. Coulson?"

Hugh was a renowned holistic healer in Yonada. Even Wyatt had heard of him.

"Yes, I am." Hugh pushed Wyatt again, looking enraged. "These people have all been poisoned, and the Poison-Be-Gone that I've administered will need two hours to take effect. Now that you've removed the needles, your actions are no different than unplugging a patient's oxygen tube!

"Not only have you sent my efforts down the drain, but you've also signed these people's death certificates. What are you trying to achieve by doing this?"

Wyatt frowned. "Your methods are wrong, Dr. Coulson."

"What? How dare you doubt me?" Hugh almost jumped in anger. He pointed at Wyatt and bellowed, "I've been saving people since I became a doctor. You—"

"I'm not doubting your achievements. I'm just stating a fact. These people haven't been poisoned. They've—"

"What nonsense!" Hugh roared. "Take him to the police! He's trying to murder these people!"

The two bodyguards wanted to step forward, but Ann's men stopped them. She said, "Wyatt's the doctor I've brought to check on these employees, Dr. Coulson."

"Ms. Moore!" Only then did Hugh notice her. His brows were deeply furrowed as he said, "Listen to me, you need to arrest him immediately. Otherwise, these 13 people will die!"

"I…" Ann thought about what Thomas had told her. Although she felt that Wyatt was being rather rash, she still said, "I trust him."

"Why, you—" Hugh became furious again.

"What's going on here?" A middle-aged man entered the ward. He exuded an air of pride that only someone in a position of power would have. He was Ann's uncle, Weston Moore, and he was one of the Moore family's more notable members.

When Hugh saw him, it was as if he'd found someone who could save the day. He hurried over to Weston and told him of Wyatt's "crimes".

"Capture him!" Weston was also infuriated.

"Trust me, Uncle Wes. Wyatt can cure them," Ann said.

He gave her an icy look. "Do you think he's anything like a doctor, barging in here and removing those needles without a word? Besides, he looks like he's still wet behind the ears. What could he know about medicine?

"Dr. Coulson's a miracle doctor who's renowned in Yonada. Why are you choosing to place your faith in some greenhorn instead of him?

"Think about the lives that'll be lost if you make the wrong call here, Ann. When the time comes, your status in the family will be at risk, let alone your right to call yourself the person in charge of our business in Yonada! Weigh the consequences yourself!"

Ann trembled at his words but still forced out her reply through gritted teeth. "I'm placing my faith in Wyatt, Uncle Wes!"

Wyatt didn't wait for Weston to say anything else. He said, "There are two more patients whose needles I haven't removed. It won't take long for us to see who's wrong and who's right."

He stepped aside and started channeling his life force, preparing himself for the upcoming treatment. Although he'd broken the Dragon Seal, there was no changing the fact that he'd lost his cultivation.

No matter how hard he tried, he could only summon the slightest sliver of life force. Still, it would be enough for him to administer the treatment.

Just then, something went wrong. The two patients who still had their needles in suddenly started trembling in pain. The black energy that had been pulsing around their chests started moving toward the other parts of their bodies.

The equipment that was keeping watch on their vitals also started beeping and blaring.

"What is…" Hugh's and Weston's expressions changed. They'd be blind if they couldn't tell that this was a sign of the patients' conditions worsening.

On the other hand, the patients whose needles Wyatt had removed seemed to still be in stable conditions.

Weston didn't look too happy. "What's happening, Dr. Coulson?"

"This… This shouldn't have happened. They've been poisoned, and I've administered the best treatment to expel the poison. How could things have gotten worse? They should've become better." Hugh couldn't understand the situation.

"Why aren't you removing the needles?" Wyatt suddenly opened his eyes.

Ann immediately darted forward to remove the needles from the remaining two patients. Shortly after that, they settled down. The black energy, which had already spread all over their torsos, slowly returned to gather around their chests.

The visible change proved Wyatt right. Hugh's face turned red with humiliation.

As Wyatt slowly stood up, he said, "Please leave. I'm going to start treating them now."

Weston snorted and gave Hugh a cold look before leaving the ward.

After everyone was gone, Ann shut the door and drew the curtains. She asked curiously, "What's wrong with them, Wyatt?"

"Prepare a jar for me. You'll soon see what's happening."

Wyatt grabbed some silver needles and approached the first patient. He channeled his life force and quickly administered the needles.

A total of 37 needles were administered from CV 17 to GV 24. Then, an odd scene appeared before them. The black energy gathered around the patient's chest started moving along the path of needles that Wyatt had administered.

It stopped when it reached the patient's philtrum.

"Come out," Wyatt roared. As he flicked his fingers and inserted a needle into the patient's nose, a black leech crawled out from the patient's nostril.

It was about two inches long and was furry. There was an eerie pattern on its back, giving one the feeling that it was something evil.

It was disgusting, and it had crawled out of the patient's nose. It made Ann feel nauseous.

Wyatt opened the jar and put the leech in.

Then, he repeated the process for the remaining 12 patients. Leeches were forced out of all the patients' bodies before being placed into the jar. Wyatt screwed the lid on tight.

"What are these things?" Ann was dumbfounded.

"Venomous leeches." Wyatt frowned. "And they carry heart-devouring venom, which is one of the worst types you'll find. These leeches will settle down in one's chest and slowly nibble away at their hearts, eventually leaving them without hearts as they die horrible deaths."

"That's so scary!" A chill ran down Ann's spine. "But why were there venomous leeches in these employees' bodies?"

"They wouldn't have appeared out of nowhere. Someone must've secretly done this to cause trouble for Toledo Corporation!" Wyatt said, breathing heavily.

He was a little low on energy after administering treatment for so many patients in one go.

Ann looked grim. The fact that someone who was capable of pulling such evil tricks was secretly lying in wait made her feel chills down her spine.

Who in the world had she offended to deserve this?

After half a minute, she pointed at the jar and shouted, "Look, Wyatt!"

Wyatt looked down at it. The 13 leeches had crawled and arranged themselves into a strange formation. They seemed to vaguely form the word "Die".

Chapter 7

Maya and Matthew got into the ambulance while Wyatt was at the hospital.

Maya was furious. She hadn't expected Wyatt, who had always been obedient to her, to dare to hit her.

He had also viciously attacked Matthew.

On the way to the hospital, Maya called Hayley to complain.

"Mom, what's wrong? I'm in a meeting right now. I'll call you back later," Hayley whispered.

Maya wailed, "Why are you still in a meeting? That bastard Wyatt is causing chaos!"

"Mom, what happened?"

Maya sobbed as she said, "Matt and I went to find Wyatt to ask about the calligraphy artwork. He tried to steal it when he learned that it was Mr. Cowan's original artwork."

"When we refused to give it to him, he hit me and severely injured Matt. Matt's currently in critical condition, and the doctors are trying to save him."

"What?"

Maya stopped the meeting immediately. She was extremely shocked. "Matt's in critical condition?"

"Can you please stop exaggerating? It's just some external injuries and a broken arm. It's not life-threatening!" The paramedic in the ambulance glared at Maya.

Hayley felt relieved after hearing the paramedic's words. "Mom, you're overreacting. Wyatt's a gentle person. He wouldn't resort to violence."

"Gentle, my ass! You didn't see him, but he looked ready to kill us! We'd probably be dead if we hadn't run fast enough."

Hayley was speechless. She couldn't imagine Wyatt being violent.

"By the way, Mom, how did it go when you asked him about it? Was that calligraphy artwork really written by him?"

"That bastard didn't write it at all. Why would he fight us for it if he had written it?" Maya's heart ached over the loss of the artwork. "That's Mr. Cowan's original calligraphy artwork. It's worth millions of dollars.

"Hayley, you need to find someone to arrest Wyatt immediately. We need to reclaim our family's prized possession."

Hayley advised, "Mom, that artwork originally belonged to Wyatt. It's understandable that he took it back. We don't need it anymore."

"How can we not need it? He's committing a robbery…"

Before Hayley could hang up the phone, Maya quickly added, "Don't hang up yet. There's more. Wyatt has a mistress. He and that wench attacked us together."

"A mistress?" Hayley laughed in disbelief.

After living with Wyatt for three years, Hayley believed that she knew him well enough. She believed that he wouldn't spare another woman a glance, no matter how beautiful she was.

"Okay, Mom. I need to get back to my meeting. I'll call you later," Hayley said casually.

Maya became hysterical. "Hayley, your brother and I were beaten so badly that we need to be hospitalized. I might as well die if you don't care about us. Don't stop me! I'm going to jump out of the car…"

Hearing Maya's distress, Hayley relented. "Alright, Mom. I'll give Wyatt a call later to ask him what's going on. If he had really hit you, I won't let him get away."

"Hayley, you must avenge me…"

…

The word "Die" that had been formed by the 13 venomous leeches in the jar chilled Ann's hands and feet.

It was undeniably a declaration of war, a threat, and a demonstration.

As the queen of the business world and the eldest daughter of the Moore family, she had experienced many storms.

But being faced with such a weird and sinister situation made her slightly panicked.

"What should we do?" She looked at Wyatt helplessly.

Wyatt remained calm and smiled. "I've already solved this problem for you. Whether I'll continue to help you depends on Mr. Moore's intentions."

Ann was stunned and rushed to call her grandfather.

She returned not long after. "Wyatt, my grandfather said that he'll send you the crimson mushroom immediately. Please help me solve the problem completely. He'll also send you some reptilian grass within a month!"

Reptilian grass!

Wyatt's eyes gleamed. This was a medicinal herb known for its health benefits and strength-boosting properties.

The old man really knew what Wyatt needed and offered him an irresistible deal.

Now that Wyatt had lifted the Dragon Seal, the most important thing was to train and regain his previous strength. Only then could he seek justice for his daughter.

"Alright. Then, I'll help you till the end," he assured with a faint smile.

Ann was delighted. "So, what should we do now?"

Wyatt pondered for a moment and said, "Their target is obviously Toledo Corporation. It's most likely a business rival. You should know better than me who's behind all of this."

Ann narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "I have a few people in mind but no certain answer."

"Keep investigating, and you'll definitely find clues. They'll attempt another attack after this failure. I believe that they'll reveal themselves soon, so we can't fall into disarray now—"

Before he could finish speaking, Weston and Hugh barged in.

"It's been so long. How's the treatment going?" Weston asked eagerly.

"They're back to normal," Ann answered, gesturing to the monitoring equipment.

Weston took a look and found that the indicators displayed on the equipment showed that the patients' vitals had returned to normal.

"Ah, Mr. Moore, I was right after all," Hugh said with a smile as he stroked his beard. "My acupuncture treatment had helped to eliminate the toxins from their bodies, which led to their recovery."

"Huh?"

Ann and Wyatt exchanged a surprised look.

It was clear that Hugh had almost made a huge mistake. The patients had been saved by Wyatt, but Hugh was eager to take the credit for it.

"Dr. Coulson, you're truly remarkable," Weston praised.

Wyatt remained silent. He didn't care who got the credit. His focus was solely on the crimson mushroom.

Unable to take it any longer, Ann interjected, "It was Wyatt who cured them. Why are you taking the credit? Besides, these employees weren't poisoned. They were cursed.

"If you use acupuncture to detoxify them, that'd only aggravate the venomous leeches and accelerate their death. Have you forgotten what happened just now?"

"Nonsense! What venomous leeches? They were obviously poisoned. Without my acupuncture treatment, how could they have recovered?" Weston stubbornly argued.

"If you don't believe me, just see for yourself. The venomous leeches are right here. They were all forced out by Wyatt." Ann pointed to the glass jar on the table.

Hugh stepped forward to inspect the jar and sneered. "What venomous leeches? These are clearly just caterpillars. Wyatt must have brought them here to deceive you. Can't you see that?"

As he spoke, he picked up the jar.

"Don't open it!" Wyatt's expression changed.

But it was too late. Hugh had already opened the jar with a smirk. He sneered and said, "Look, it's just a cate—"

Before he could finish speaking, a black venomous leech shot into Hugh's nostril with lightning speed.

Hugh's face twisted in agony. Soon, he felt an excruciating pain pierce through his heart.

He fell to his knees in pain and begged, "Dr. Coleman, save me—"