The Ex-Con Who Conquered the World novel Chapter 81

But Stefan saw it instantly. This wasn't landscaping. This was a formation. Cleverly arranged.

"A Gathering Formation?"

His eyes narrowed, a chill settling in them.

This was designed to do one thing: pull the vein's energy together, concentrate it. The natural result? The Profound Cold Earth Vein would eventually dry up completely.

The pieces clicked together in his mind. Someone outside the family knows about this vein. Another cultivator. They set this up to harvest the vein's energy for themselves.

Which meant Sara's six-month coma wasn't an accident. Whoever did this had used the Mystic Cold Pulse Energy—combined with the Solar Flare Powder—to poison her slowly. Undetectably.

Stefan didn't linger. Didn't investigate further. He just kept running, as if nothing had happened.

Someone in the Stewart family is working with this cultivator. Someone who wanted Sara gone.

His gaze drifted toward the North Compound Villa and then the South Compound Villa.

*****

Philip stood on the balcony of the third floor in North Compound Villa.

Beside him, an old man with grey hair but a surprisingly vigorous presence—his energy pure, powerful, belying his years.

Both of them were watching the artificial lake. Watching the figure running around it.

Despite the distance and the dark, the old man could see Stefan running around the lake clearly. He asked, "That's him?" His voice was calm. "The one who woke Sara up?"

"I can't say for certain he did it alone. When he treated her, no one else was in the room." Philip's voice was careful. "But after he left? She woke up."

Philip began, "Mr. Nelson. I don't like loose ends. Sara's awake now. That's a variable I didn't plan for."

Robert Nelson smiled—a slow, confident expression. "You worry too much. I gave you my word. I keep my word."

Philip turned to look at him. "Then what's your next move?"

Robert's eyes narrowed, focusing on the distant figure.

If I'm right, there's a Gathering Pearl at the center of that formation. All the concentrated energy from the vein is being stored inside it. When the timing's right, whoever set this up will come back for it. And once they take it... the vein becomes ordinary. Useless.

His jaw tightened. Which means I need to move fast. Find them before they find the pearl. No way I'm letting them walk away with it.

The Profound Cold Earth Vein was the key to everything. Without it, the True Dragon Meridian would never awaken. Failure wasn't an option.

Originally, his plan had been straightforward. Locate the vein, then absorb its energy directly—right there at the lake. If he did that, it would surely draw the attention of the Stewart family, and some secrets would inevitably be exposed.

Now? Now someone else had done half the work for him. They'd built the formation. They'd concentrated the energy. All he had to do was take the pearl at the right moment.

Then he could absorb everything in private. Quietly. Completely. Perfect.

"Damn."

A wry smile touched his lips.

He hadn't been trying to absorb the energy. But his body didn't care about his intentions. The Mystic Cold Pulse Energy was seeping into him anyway—drawn by his Solar Apex Vitals Body. The True Dragon Meridian was already responding. Already feeding.

"If I don't deal with this soon..." He could feel it building. The Solar energy inside him, stirred by the cold, began to rise.

He stopped running, turned, and walked out of the Stewart Mansion.