"Some people will never just sit quietly and watch."
A hand suddenly pressed on the shoulder of the man in black, a power like never before quietly descended from behind him. Although it was just a gentle press, it felt as if a mountain bore down on him, causing him to feel an unprecedented immense pressure.
The man in black immediately became panic-stricken.
His shoulder felt as if it were pinned down by a huge stone, even his breathing became incredibly heavy; the force was not only acting on his body but seemed to penetrate his flesh, striking deep into his soul!
He instantly saw the person who had abruptly stood by his side.
The old man immediately narrowed his pupils.
The Duke with the Iron Mask from the Fischer family, a figure like a demon, whose brutality could even be considered average overseas.
He had concealed his presence using his unique power of bloodline; theoretically, he shouldn't have been detectable!
"Actually, since you arrived in Nasir City, every move you made has been completely under His great control. It was impossible for you to avoid us. In fact, I was also wondering if you had any more accomplices. Now it seems there aren't any."
Black waters continuously emerged from Darren's hands, and the old man seemed to be completely drowning, utterly unable to exert his extraordinary power.
"This is!" his complexion drastically changed.
Actually, after climbing to the 5th Rank, Darren's "Black Tide" ability had also improved. He could even neutralize the power of a low-level Monarch Extraordinary Exponent for an extended period, albeit continuously consuming his spiritual power.
The man in black's complexion turned pale, his forehead oozing with sweat, but he did not give up resisting. Instead, he clenched his teeth, his muscles tensed, trying to find a chance to fight back under this pressure.
His eyes conveyed fear and anger, yet also an unyielding spirit burning fiercely.
The many guests surrounding the wedding banquet remained oblivious, with each ray of light in the banquet hall weaving a dreamy atmosphere. People still wore happy smiles on their faces, completely immersed in the ambiance created by the event.
The battle-hardened man in black constantly pondered in his mind; Duke Darren Fischer was also an Extraordinary Exponent at the Lower Monarch Level, his strength certainly couldn't be much stronger than his own.
Therefore, this ability of his to nullify one's strength surely could not be maintained indefinitely.
If that's the case, he just needed to keep struggling and would eventually break free. Then he could unleash his extraordinary power to wreak havoc at the wedding and immediately use a forbidden rare artifact to escape.
Darren simply smiled at him as if he entirely disregarded the possibility that the other party might think of escaping.
And just then, a strange silver liquid, like a lively silver serpent, silently slithered along the ground.
The liquid shimmered with a mysterious light, its surface seemed to be covered with a layer of fine mercury, yet it was more agile and elusive than mercury.
The man in black was staring at Darren, completely unaware of the silver liquid that was gradually drawing near.
Suddenly, that silver liquid—as if driven by an invisible force—accelerated sharply, turning into a bolt of silver lightning that silently struck the man in black.
The old man's astonished gaze flashed with disbelief, but before he could react, the silver liquid had completely engulfed him!
The silver liquid, like a creature with life, gently yet irresistibly swallowed the old man whole!
The figure of the old man gradually blurred within the silver light and eventually vanished without a trace, leaving behind only faint ripples of silvery on the ground, slowly spreading out and then subsiding, as if nothing had ever happened.
And after fulfilling its purpose, the silver liquid too seemed to lose all its power and slowly disappeared from the ground.
Darren watched this scene calmly; the sudden attacker was a Spiritual Dragon that the Fischer family had raised for decades. Although it hadn't fully matured yet, it already possessed the strength of the Lower Monarch Level.
"Well done, Spiritual Dragon..."
The wedding proceeded smoothly.
As the melodious wedding march began to play softly, Queen Peggy, dressed in a custom-made pure white wedding gown, her head adorned with a crown set with countless sparkling gemstones, walked down the red carpet. Her steps were firm, her eyes shimmering with light.
Arte remained deeply contemplative, occasionally glancing at Queen Peggy with a still-confused look in his eyes.
The ceremony was conducted in a solemn yet warm atmosphere, Bishop Zane's gentle yet forceful voice echoed in everyone's hearts with each vow, until thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue!
The applause lingered on, mingling with cheers and blessings that rippled wave after wave, as the guests rose to their feet, celebrating this historic celebration together.
The wedding went smoothly, and several days passed, Charlotte had been hiding in Hecate's room for a long time, her physical condition had completely recovered.
She finally couldn't contain her worry for her teacher anymore, and was eager to leave.
"Teacher, please don't die..."
During this time, Charlotte had become very good friends with Hecate.
She herself was confused, never expecting to befriend someone from the Fischer family; it was an unbelievable event, but it had indeed happened.
Should she still kidnap Hecate and leave...?
Charlotte's heart was incredibly torn, caught in a painful vortex. She was sure that Hecate was just an ordinary, kind, and gentle girl, like a sister to her. Even if she wanted to take revenge on the Fischer family, she shouldn't lay a hand on her...
She didn't know how to face these complex emotions, nor did she know how to make a choice.
The thought of revenge was tempting within her; Charlotte yearned to punish the person who had hurt her in the same way, for the Fischer family to taste the bitterness of pain.
But whenever this thought emerged, she would recall the kindness and warmth from Hecate, and her heart would be filled with conflict and struggle.
She began to question whether she should be driven by hatred, allowing herself to become as cold and ruthless as her enemy. Should she let go of past grievances and use tolerance and understanding to dissolve the hatred? Yet, these thoughts made her feel indignant and wronged. Why should she easily forgive the person who had hurt her?
Thinking of her family made Charlotte feel painful again, and her anger reignited.
I cannot betray my own family! I'm sorry, Hecate!
Finally, Charlotte took a deep breath and made up her mind completely.
So, when evening came and Hecate returned smiling, holding a plate full of cakes, Charlotte suddenly rushed to her side, drawing her own dagger and coldly pressing it against her fair neck.
"Charlotte, what are you doing?"
Hecate seemed startled, the plate shattering on the floor, the cakes wasted.
Charlotte took a deep breath again, inwardly apologizing, and then declared firmly,
"I won't kill you, but you have to come with me, Hecate!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a great sense of guilt surged within her.
However, Hecate's subsequent reaction completely astonished Charlotte.
"Too bad, you did not pass the test, just a bit more..."
"I like intelligent life forms with human-like wisdom, just as humans like cats and dogs. Charlotte, you are one I find quite interesting..."
"It's really too bad."
Suddenly, Charlotte found herself unable to move, and the once exceedingly gentle Hecate was now behind her at some point.
She reached out, slowly embracing Charlotte's body, resting her head beside her face, revealing a chillingly tender smile.
"Since you've failed the test, you shall stay forever, Charlotte."