An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2541

Nathaniel approached the vault and knocked swiftly on the door. With a deep rumble, the heavy door slowly creaked open.

Inside, the treasures sparkled with brilliance—emerald pendants glowed with an otherworldly light, a bronze cauldron bore mysterious engravings, and ancient tablets shimmered with a strange, ghostly glow.

At the center stood an ornate box encased in bulletproof glass.

Nathaniel stepped forward, entered a code, and lifted the protective cover. He opened the lid to reveal another Dracan essence nestled inside.

The orb, about the size of a chicken egg, emitted a soft glow. Within it, a stream of dragon-shaped energy coiled and twisted endlessly.

“This one’s a keeper,” he muttered.

Nathaniel placed the Dracan essence from Dustin next to the first one. A grin spread across his face.

These orbs held the power to defy destiny—a force that could completely turn the tides.

He had gone to great lengths to obtain the first essence, never expecting the second to come so easily. Clearly, his fortune was changing.

Once he collected all three Dracan essences, he could activate the formation to harness their combined power. Then, he would be the luckiest man in Dragonmarsh. The throne would be within reach, and no one would dare to challenge him.

After carefully securing both orbs, he took a moment to admire them before reluctantly closing the box and lowering the protective cover.

Nathaniel exited the vault and restored everything to its proper order.

He had personally designed the vault and the secret chamber, fortifying them with elite guards and deadly traps. Any intruder daring to enter wouldn’t leave alive.

As he shut the door behind him, he sternly reminded the guards to remain vigilant and not let their guard down.

Once he confirmed everything was secure, he clasped his hands behind his back, hummed a tune, and made his way back to his private quarters.

By midnight, silence had blanketed the vast estate. Only a few patrols moved through the grounds; most of the mansion’s residents were fast asleep.

In a quiet guesthouse, Dustin suddenly sat upright in bed, fully alert.

He reached into his pocket, drew out a finely crafted compass, and infused it with a trace of true energy.

Immediately, the needle began to glow faintly. It spun a few times, then came to a stop—pointing southwest.

Dustin turned the compass again, but the needle remained fixed in the same direction.

“It works,” he murmured, satisfied.

Grace had placed a tracking seal on the Dracan essence—one so subtle that ordinary people would never detect it.

With the compass in hand, Dustin could now pinpoint the Dracan essence’s exact location.

“It’s about time.”

He glanced at the sky, then changed into dark clothing, donned a mask, and quietly slipped out of the room.

Before leaving, he placed a seal inside as a precaution—if anyone entered, he would know immediately.

Moving like a shadow, Dustin glided silently through the mansion. At times, he leaped across rooftops; other times, he blended seamlessly into the darkness.

He had already memorized the layout and patrol patterns. This allowed him to avoid danger zones and bypass the guards without triggering any alarms.

After an extensive search, he finally located the secluded courtyard. Scanning the area, he noted the guards stationed at every entrance. There were no blind spots.

Reaching the chamber undetected was impossible. His only option was to silently neutralize the guards and sneak in.

Prepared for this, Dustin took out a stick of intoxicating incense and lit it in a corner.

As the smoke began to rise, he fanned it gently, allowing the breeze to carry it toward the two gate guards.

They sniffed the strange scent, and before they could react, both collapsed to the ground.

Dustin raised an eyebrow. “This stuff really works.”

Grace had given him the incense, claiming it could incapacitate anyone below the grandmaster level. She had been right.

He scaled the wall with ease and dropped into the courtyard.

Using the same method, he swiftly dispatched the remaining guards.

Though skilled, the guards had let down their vigilance. That made them easy targets—none had expected a break-in, much less from an ultimate grandmaster whose cultivation far surpassed theirs.

With the area cleared, Dustin checked the compass again and followed its direction until he reached the building hiding the chamber.

He held his breath and listened at the door. Hearing nothing unusual, he slowly pushed it open.

But after only two steps inside, a faint click sounded beneath his feet. Instantly, dozens of poisoned arrows shot out from the walls.

In a blur, Dustin vanished. His body flickered as he dodged and deflected every arrow midair with a flick of his fingers. Traps like these were no threat to him.

“This room may look ordinary, but it’s hiding something,” he murmured.

Holding the compass, he moved about until he stopped at a particular wall.

Inspecting it closely, he searched for a hidden mechanism. After a moment, he found it and gave it two twists.

With a deep rumble, the wall shifted aside, revealing a staircase descending into the earth.

A flicker of excitement lit Dustin’s eyes—he had finally found it.