An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2409

“Ms. Aurora, please don’t tease me. The Celestial Alliance is filled with experts. Someone like me couldn’t possibly take on a disciple,” Dustin said with a smile. “But of course, we’re friends. If you ever want to chat about martial arts, just let me know.”

“Alright, if I ever need advice, you’d better not say no,” Aurora replied with a playful wink.

She was just testing how he would react. Aurora didn’t really want to be his disciple; she just wanted to get closer to him. Now that she had a reason to ask for his guidance, she felt happy.

Once everyone was seated, the conversation flowed easily. They talked and laughed about all sorts of topics.

The two Marshall sisters exchanged flirty glances across the table, a sign that anyone could notice.

However, Dustin kept a polite smile. He either ignored their hints or cleverly redirected the conversation.

He knew what they were after. With his recent win and growing popularity, the Celestial Alliance would likely try to recruit him.

Becoming an honorary consultant for the Celestial Alliance was still a distant position. There wasn’t a strong connection between him and the guild. But if he became an elder—or married one of the Marshall sisters—his status would change completely.

But Dustin wasn’t interested in any of that. He had only accepted the honorary position because of Grace. Joining the Celestial Alliance was out of the question. He didn’t want to be just another pawn in someone else’s game.

After the feast, everyone finally left.

Dustin watched them go before heading back to his room. He placed the jade box containing the Dracan essence on the table.

a moment later, a figure slipped through the window. It was so quiet that it was hard to notice. When the figure stopped, it revealed a woman in blue with delicate features. It was Grace, who had used the Face-Changing Art.

“You’re here? Take a seat,” Dustin said as he poured two cups of tea and pushed one toward her. He had hinted at their private meeting during the feast.

“Thank you,” she replied with a smile, her eyes landing on the jade box. “Is this the reward from Sacred Wyrm Summit?”

“Yes. Want to take a guess?” Dustin asked, wanting to test her again.

“It looks so mysterious. Could it be the Dracan essence?” Grace raised an eyebrow.

“Wow, you’re sharp. I can never get anything past you,” Dustin said, genuinely impressed.

He had been surprised when she guessed the enhanced serum from the Hall of Gods before, but now she had immediately identified the Dracan essence in the jade box. It was clear she was no ordinary woman.

“This isn’t anything special. We both know that Sacred Wyrm Summit’s Forbidden Ground has many rare treasures. It was only a matter of time before the Dracan essence showed up,” Grace said, smiling faintly.

She continued, “And Arion has an uncanny ability to predict things. With a little insight, he probably figured out your identity and intentions. By offering you the Dracan essence as part of the championship prize, he kills two birds with one stone.”

“You’re so smart. Go ahead and open it,” Dustin encouraged, nodding toward the box.

Grace didn’t hesitate. She quickly opened the jade box, but when she saw what was inside, her expression froze in shock.

“Wait… am I seeing this right? Three Dracan essences?” Her eyes widened in disbelief.

She had expected that his reward might be Dracan essence, but she never imagined there would be three. It was almost too unbelievable. What kind of place was this?

“Why is the Sacred Wyrm Summit attracting three Dracan essences?”

Dustin smirked and replied, “What do you think? Surprised? I felt the same when I first saw all three.”

“This is unbelievable!” Grace’s eyes shone with excitement.

The happiness hit her so suddenly that she could hardly believe it. With four out of the five Dracan essences in her possession, she only needed one more to bring back the nation’s glory. Everything was happening so quickly; it felt almost unreal.

“All that’s left is the fifth Dracan essence. The future looks bright,” Dustin said, stretching and letting out a satisfied sigh. With their mission nearly complete, he felt a heavy burden lift from his shoulders.

“I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done. If you hadn’t won the championship, who knows when we would have gotten these Dracan essences?” Grace said, her voice filled with appreciation.

“Don’t mention it. You’ve helped me before, so I’m just returning the favor,” he replied with a casual shrug.

“By the way, I’m curious. Why is there so much Dracan essence here? Is there a secret hidden in the Forbidden Ground of Sacred Wyrm Summit?” Grace asked, shifting the topic.

“You’re right,” Dustin’s expression became serious. “The Ancient Sage shared a secret with me. There’s a Dracan force beneath the Forbidden Ground of Sacred Wyrm Summit. That’s what’s pulling all this Dracan essence here.”

“A Dracan force?” Grace’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you sure?”

“The Ancient Sage said it himself, so it’s probably true,” Dustin nodded.

“That explains why the royal Dracan force was destroyed and the country remained stable. There’s another Dracan force beneath Sacred Wyrm Summit, holding the nation’s fate,” she said, her face lighting up as she pieced everything together.

“I understand what the Hall of Gods is up to! They plan to use this Combat Tournament as a cover to destroy the Dracan force under Sacred Wyrm Summit and take control of the fate of Dragonmarsh.”

Just then, Dustin’s ears perked up. He quickly lowered his voice and warned, “Someone’s coming. You need to hide now!”