“Dad, the Elixir of Vigor is immensely valuable, such a divine medicine is rare and sought after.”
“Any decision about it must be made with great care,” Maisie Carlisle said seriously.
Listening to his daughter’s analysis, Zion felt a pang of realization.
Indeed!
The Elixir of Vigor and its miraculous effects were as legendary as any mythical potion.
Even though he was Lysander King, able to summon the allegiance of thousands of powerful forces with a wave of his hand, he could not find such a treasure.
He had never even seen it.
Only those in the highest circles possessed such divine medicine.
With his current strength, it was still out of reach.
Now that the divine medicine was before him, a once-in-a-century opportunity, it could only be reassuring if firmly grasped in hand.
“I’ll speak with Harriet shortly,” Zion nodded in agreement.
At that moment, Layla approached with a slight smile:
“Sir, I have other matters to attend to, and must not stay long.”
“Congratulations again on finding your daughter.”
She and Zion were not close, having only met a few times when she joined the Dragon Creek Society.
Thus, her visit was merely a formality.
Zion stood and shook hands with Layla, smiling, “Ms. Woods, your attendance at my daughter’s birthday party is much appreciated.”
“Once things settle down, I’d like to invite Ms. Woods to visit Pelens.”
Nearly a thousand people were present, including many billionaires.
Yet, Zion stood to bid farewell only to Layla.
This woman was legendary.
Trained from childhood under the Green Liniment Ghost Doctor, it was no exaggeration to call her a prodigy.
At five, she could identify hundreds of herbs by scent; by ten, she was treating and prescribing medicine on her own.
By fifteen, she ranked among the top twenty physicians in Ostrad, developed her own acupuncture techniques, and gained fame for treating depressive disorders.
At twenty, she entered the top ten physicians in Ostrad, joining the ranks of the elite.
Now at twenty-seven, she was already among the top five.
In recent years, only Mr. Price and the Medical Saint were more renowned than her.
It was rumored she had recently become a Grandmaster, a once-in-three-hundred-years prodigy highly celebrated worldwide.
She had cured thousands of terminal cases and made connections with many powerful individuals.
Naturally, Zion showed her respect.
“Ms. Woods, have a safe journey!” Maisie Carlisle also stood to bid farewell.
Layla nodded with a smile, said nothing, and turned to leave the hotel.
“Dad, why are you smiling?” Maisie Carlisle asked, tilting her head as she saw her father smiling at her.
Zion replied with some pride, “It’s rare to see you so polite at these events.”
“Why so well-behaved today?”
Maisie Carlisle snorted lightly, “Can those people compare to Ms. Woods?”
“She’s a renowned figure even in the Eahta circles, the youngest divine physician in Ostrad, a pillar of the medical community!”
“I heard Ms. Woods summoned a hundred billion dollars in investment with a wave of her hand, planning to crush the Sharp’s Group.”
“Who among her peers dares to compete with her?”
Zion nodded, remarking, “Not just the youth, even among our generation, those who can gather a hundred billion dollars in investment are few.”
“She truly is a once-in-three-hundred-years genius, with unmatched strength and spirit.”
Others may not know, but his daughter, usually unconcerned with business and preoccupied with play, knew of Layla’s fame, which spoke volumes of her influence.
Layla’s decision to invest in the rural area of Niarak was a blessing for the locality.
Rose dared to confront Layla head-on, and failure was inevitable.
Zion was somewhat aware of the recent events in Niarak, but not in detail.
His focus was on cultivation, no longer on business matters.
Indeed, since marrying Simone Watson and encountering the terrifying Jenkins family, he had lost interest in making money.
In this world, what reigned supreme, unbound by any rules?
Immense wealth?
Awe-inspiring authority?
No, none of these!
It was power, the ultimate power to destroy everything and hold the world in your grasp.
This power exists only among practitioners.
When you possess this power, wealth and authority come at the beckon of a hand!
The entirety of Ostrad, and indeed the world, must heed your mood!
This is why Zion, despite being the honorary chairman of the Dragon Creek Society, never attends the gatherings.
He has gradually withdrawn from the business world.
The banquet concluded after numerous twists and turns.
Outside the Emperor Hotel, Flynn told Harriet Hamilton, “Go to work tomorrow, and as soon as someone takes you to Pelens, contact me immediately.”
“Okay!” Harriet Hamilton agreed, though she felt unsure and did not want to trouble Flynn anymore.
After Flynn and Rose left, Xavier Caldwell took her to the dressing room.
The Hamilton family was asked to leave, leaving only Zion and his daughter inside.
“Dad-”
Harriet Hamilton fiddled with the hem of her dress, feeling more uncomfortable than calling Maisie Carlisle ‘sister,’ and even a bit scared.
“Come! Harriet, sit down!” Zion beckoned from the sofa.
Harriet Hamilton sat awkwardly at one end of the sofa, deliberately keeping her distance from Zion.
Maisie Carlisle humphed and sat on the adjacent sofa, staring coldly at Harriet Hamilton.
“Harriet, I’ve thought it over, and I believe it’s best if I keep The Elixir of Vigor safe for you,” Zion began straightforwardly, with a smile.
“Ah? This…” Harriet Hamilton looked troubled.
Zion chuckled, “You heard Mr. Summerfield too; The Elixir of Vigor is a priceless treasure, and it’s dangerous to keep it on you.”
“I’ll just hold onto it temporarily and give it back to you when you return to Pelens.”
“Dad, I…” Harriet Hamilton hesitated, clutching the clay pot.
She was naive, but not foolish.
She knew this was Maisie Carlisle’s doing and felt extremely saddened.
Her safety was a secondary concern; they really wanted The Elixir of Vigor.
Giving it up meant it would be hard to get it back.
Seeing Harriet Hamilton’s troubled face, Maisie Carlisle scoffed, “Dad, she doesn’t trust you!”
“In her eyes, that country boy is more important than you.”
Zion’s smile stiffened, and a chill appeared on his face, “You carrying The Elixir of Vigor without me nearby to protect you worries me too much.”
“Let’s do this, you’ll come back to Pelens with me tonight.”
“Ah? Tonight? No! No…” Harriet Hamilton shook her head repeatedly.
“No?” Maisie Carlisle sneered, “You asked to stay in Niarak for five days, probably planning to elope with that despicable man.”
“If that’s the case, Dad will have to kill him.”
Harriet Hamilton’s mind buzzed, her face paled, and she hurriedly shook her head, “No! It’s not like that, Flynn is just my brother, there’s nothing between us.”
“Dad, you must believe me, please don’t trouble him, I beg you.”
Zion sat there, silent, as cold as a mountain covered in snow.
“Nothing? Who would believe that!” Maisie Carlisle rolled her eyes, sinisterly saying, “Unless you leave The Elixir of Vigor with Dad as collateral, even a three-year-old wouldn’t believe you!”
It all came back to The Elixir of Vigor.
Harriet Hamilton’s tears began to flow.
Her heart ached deeply.
It was bad enough that Maisie Carlisle coveted The Elixir of Vigor, but her own father also lusted after this gift.
Do you want it that badly?
“Take it then… take it…” Harriet Hamilton sobbed, reluctantly gazing at the clay pot in her hands as tears soaked her long dress.
Maisie Carlisle snatched the clay pot, holding it close, her eyes gleaming with triumph.
Zion stated coldly, “Harriet, I can allow you to date, but my son-in-law must be a paragon of virtue, an extraordinary being.”
“That country boy is clearly not suitable. You have five days to break it off with him, or I will make him disappear!”
With that, Zion stood and walked past Harriet Hamilton without any words of comfort.
“Whimpering…” Harriet Hamilton buried her face in the sofa, her grievances bursting forth.
Maisie Carlisle, holding the clay pot, stood beside her and coldly laughed, “See? I am Dad’s little princess, and you are just a lowly wretch!”
“I will always get what I want, even if it’s your gift!”
“Only I will have the last laugh!”