Wizard: My skills can be upgraded indefinitely.

The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the ruins of the eastern district of East City.

Gravel, bloodstains, and charred pits.

The five corpses had been cleared away, leaving only dark red stains on the ground, which gleamed like rust in the morning light.

The patrol team kept a safe distance around the cordon, and no one dared to approach.

Those dark purple remnants of the curse still hissed in the cracks of the stone slabs, occasionally bursting into a tiny black flame.

"Here last night..."

A young guard's throat bobbed, his fingers unconsciously gripping the hilt of his sword.

"Several high-ranking wizards have died!"

The old captain squatted down, rubbed his fingertips on the charred marks, and brought them to his nose.

A faint smell of sulfur mixed with the putrid stench of blood.

He stood up and looked towards the distant Time Mark Tower, his face deeply etched with wrinkles.

"It's like this every time there's a family election. I hope... it won't affect us ordinary folks."

***

At the same time.

West of the city, Edwin's private estate.

"Bang!"

The crystal glass slammed against the wall, shards scattering along with the amber-colored liquor.

"waste!"

Edwin's chest heaved violently, and the collar of his dark red robe was ripped open, revealing gruesome scars underneath.

He stared at Grover kneeling before him, his eyes bloodshot.

"Seven people, five dead, and you still have the nerve to run back?!"

Grover knelt on one knee, his left arm wrapped in thick bandages, blood seeping from deep within the fabric.

He lowered his head, his voice hoarse.

"Young Master, there's more than just Adel... she has two more level-two bloodline body-refining wizards with her."

He paused, his throat dry.

"The bloodline fluctuations of those two people... are exactly the same as Edel's."

Edwin's breath hitched. "Exactly the same?"

He slowly turned around, walked to the window, and gripped the window frame tightly with his fingers.

The wooden window frame groaned under its own weight.

"This is... a second-tier bloodline potion that can be stably refined?"

The voice was very low, as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.

He knew all too well what this meant.

Behind him, Grover continued his report, each word uttered with heavy breaths.

"Last night, Morris also escaped with serious injuries; he used his last 'Shadow Escape Blood Talisman'."

"The potion that Delia took... I didn't intercept it."

Edwin closed his eyes, feeling as if magma was churning inside his chest.

The seven level-two wizards were all his people, two of whom were core members he had been cultivating for decades.

Five were broken overnight.

What's even more terrifying is that... Edel's strength has exceeded everyone's expectations.

"She's been hiding it too well... no, it's that damn potion master."

Edwin opened his eyes, lightning flashing deep within his pupils.

"Go contact the third brother."

He turned around, all the rage gone from his face, leaving only a chilling killing intent.

"Tell him that I agreed to the previous conditions."

Grover looked up, a look of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

"Young Master, you mean..."

"Let's join forces."

Edwin interrupted him, his voice eerily calm.

"We must suppress her before she fully matures, otherwise, in two years, it will be our death day."

***

East of the city, Adrian's apothecary workshop.

The underground chamber was filled with a pungent, overpowering smell of herbs.

Morris lay on the stone platform, his chest wrapped in bandages soaked in medicine.

His face was ashen, and each breath he took was damp and noisy, like a broken bellows.

Adrian stood by the stone platform, his slender fingers holding a dark purple potion.

The medicine flowed slowly inside the tube, and tiny insect shadows could be vaguely seen wriggling deep inside.

"Ever since that potion master appeared... Xiao Qi's strength has changed dramatically."

Morris spoke, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

"The bloodline potion he concocted... is too pure."

He coughed, and blood foam seeped through the bandage.

"The two people beside Edel... are definitely not ordinary second-tier bloodlines."

Adrian didn't speak, but slowly injected the medicine into Maurice's vein.

As the medicine entered his body, Morris shuddered, and dark purple lines appeared on his skin.

The lines spread like a spider web, eventually converging on his chest and slowly enveloping the terrifying fist mark.

"I've seen it with my own eyes, it's truly extraordinary."

Adrian withdrew his hand, took out a silk handkerchief, and slowly wiped his fingers.

His movements were elegant, but his eyes were as cold as frost.

"So... we can't let her continue to develop."

The door to the secret room was pushed open, and a gray-robed steward strode in, bowing as he handed over a scroll of encrypted letter.

Adrian took it and lightly traced the sealing rune with his fingertip.

The letter unfolded, revealing only one line of text.

"See you at the usual place tomorrow at noon – Edwin"

He stared at the line of text for three seconds, and a slow smile crept onto his lips.

"Finally... they couldn't sit still anymore?"

Last night, he sent Morris to participate in the interception, but the losses were not significant.

Since you're going to be my older brother, then if you suffer a loss... don't complain.

He held the letter to the candle flame, and the flame rose, turning the paper to ashes.

Ashes fell, spreading a thin layer on the stone slab.

……

12 Golden Oak Street.

The underground laboratory was filled with a faint smell of blood and the fragrance of herbs.

Delia leaned back in the soft chair next to the lab table, her shoulder wound already re-bandaged.

Beneath the bandages, pale green ointment slowly seeped into the flesh, repairing the damaged meridians.

Her face was still pale, but her breathing had become steady.

Adele stood before her, holding the wooden box she had brought back from the old alley.

The box lid was opened, and twenty milky-white neutralizing agents were neatly arranged.

It glows with a warm, soft light under the crystal lamp.

"Is it worth it?" Delia suddenly asked, her voice very soft.

Adele's fingers paused, and she looked up. "What?"

"You exposed Karl and Crollind because of these potions."

Delia looked at her, her deep brown eyes filled with worry.

"Those two... were supposed to be your last trump card."

After a moment of silence, Adele held up a vial of medicine.

Through the crystal tube, tiny silver specks of light can be seen deep within the liquid, like a miniature starry sky sealed inside.

"The reason why a trump card is a trump card..."

She spoke softly, her voice echoing in the laboratory.

"It's because it can deliver a fatal blow at the most crucial moment."

She put down the medicine and turned to look out the window.

The morning light had completely illuminated the sky, and the crystal ball at the top of the Time Trace Tower appeared dim in the sunlight.

"In last night's battle, we killed five people and seriously wounded two. Grover and Morris... both used their last resorts to escape."

She paused, her fingers unconsciously tracing the cold edge of the lab bench.

"From today onwards, Second Brother and Third Brother may truly join forces, or... they may part ways."

"If they join forces, they will mobilize all available resources to attack us from every angle."

Delia pursed her lips, wanting to say something, but in the end she only sighed.

"Miss, we..."

"Last night was the best time to strike, and we won."

Edel interrupted her, turned around, and silver veins flowed deep within her dark blue eyes.

"Although some things were exposed, last night's battle... made one thing clear to everyone."

She walked up to Delia, knelt down, and took her cold hand in hers.

"I, Adele Just, am no longer the seventh pick who can be manipulated at will."

"I have fangs, and I have the confidence... to tear apart all enemies and reclaim the patriarchal position that belongs to my father."

Delia looked at the almost burning light in her eyes, and a surge of heat suddenly welled up in her chest.

She nodded emphatically and squeezed Adele's hand.

I will always support you.

The laboratory door was pushed open, and Nassenger strode in.

His face was solemn, and he was holding a roll of parchment in his hand.

"Miss, this is a message we just received."

He handed over the parchment, the edges of which still retained the warmth of the sealed magic.

Adele took the paper and unfolded it; there were only a few lines of text on it.

"The family elders have intervened. At 3:45 noon, all heirs in line must be present in the ancestral hall meeting room."

She stared at those three lines of text for a long time, her fingers slowly tightening.

The edges of the parchment were pinched to create fine creases.

"Ha! So you've finally... intervened."

……

The midday bells pierced through the fog and echoed over the city of East.

The ancestral hall is located at the deepest part of the family castle and is a building entirely constructed of dark blue boulders.

There were no windows, only a heavy black iron door.

The door panel is engraved with intricate patterns of time, each pattern shimmering with a faint golden light.

When Edel reached the door, several other figures were already waiting there.

Edmund and several young figures gathered together.

They were competitors at the very bottom of the pack, carefully trying to keep the nominal big brother in check.

Edwin stood to one side, wearing a dark red robe with gold trim, with a thunder eagle crouching quietly on his shoulder.

But the crimson in the eagle's eyes was more piercing than ever before.

Adrian was still dressed in dark green, with long, slender fingers, and was slowly peeling a grape.

His movements were elegant, but his eyes were as cold as knives.

Aisha was all alone and looked extremely lonely.

Suddenly, everyone turned their heads at the same time to look at Adele as she approached.

The moment their eyes met, the air seemed to freeze for a second.

"Seventh Sister".

Edwin grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

"Did you sleep well last night?"

Adele remained expressionless, only nodding slightly.

"It's good that you care, Second Brother Lao."

Adrian put the grapes into his mouth and chewed them slowly.

"I heard the old alleys in the East District were quite lively last night."

He raised his eyes, and dark purple curse patterns slowly flowed deep within his pupils.

"A lot of people died."

Edel met his gaze, and a fleeting glimpse of dark gold veins appeared deep within her deep blue eyes.

"Third Brother is really well-informed."

She paused, her voice calm.

"However... it's best to avoid getting involved in such a lively scene, lest you... get yourself into trouble."

Adrian's smile froze, and his fingers unconsciously tightened.

Grape juice seeped through his fingers, staining his pale skin red.

Just then.

With a creak, the heavy black iron door slowly opened inward.

Behind the door was a deep darkness, with only a few faint candlelight flickering in the deepest part.

An aged voice came from the darkness, calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"Come in."