Written by Colin?
Henry stared in disbelief. The legendary Master Ashen was actually Colin Cox?
"That loser's calligraphy is worth this much? Henry, are you sure you're not mistaken?" Kate Galloway asked.
"There's no mistake. The brushwork, the presence, the visual impact—this is undoubtedly Master Ashen's authentic work. And look, there's even his signature seal on the back."
Henry was equally puzzled. Colin was so young—how could he possibly be Master Ashen?
"Are you certain Colin wrote this?" He turned to Iris.
Iris was about to nod, but then she remembered how Colin had just tricked her with a fake contract. This calligraphy could be fraudulent too.
"I'm not sure. Colin claimed he wrote it, but who knows if that's true."
"Well, there you have it. Colin always did have excellent penmanship." Maxwell rose from his seat.
Kate couldn't sit still either. Having thrown Colin out so abruptly, she suddenly felt a twinge of regret.
If they'd kept him locked up at home writing calligraphy, with each character worth a hundred thousand dollars, a thousand characters would be... a hundred million!
"No, I'm going after him."
Kate grabbed the calligraphy scroll and shot Gerard a meaningful look.
Gerard immediately jumped up and hurried out the door with his mother, chasing after Colin.
Meanwhile, Maxwell crushed out the cigarette he'd barely started and rushed to Colin's room to search for more of his work.
"Don't just stand there—start looking! Each character is worth a million!" Maxwell was sweating with urgency.
At his words, Henry sprang into action, joining Maxwell in turning the room upside down.
Iris remained where she stood, her expression uncomfortable.
Her entire family had just thrown Colin out, and how long had it been? Now they were frantically searching for his calligraphy. The irony wasn't lost on her.
Meanwhile, Colin walked toward the Old House, his daughter's clothes bundled on his back.
Iris divorcing him—that stung, but he didn't hate her for it.
What he hated was that the Fox family had taken his daughter's life!
That child wasn't just Iris's. She was his daughter too.
What right did they have to make that decision without him?
Three months. His daughter had been three months along. She'd already developed into a tiny life, with a heartbeat, a small body, the first stirrings of awareness...
And just like that, she was gone.
Rage erupted from Colin's chest, blazing skyward.
"The Fox family—every last one of them is a murderer!"
He would settle this score. He would make them regret that foolish decision for the rest of their miserable lives.
He would get justice for his poor daughter.
The truth was, these past three years, Colin had only wanted to live as an ordinary man.
But in the end, he'd made the bitter discovery that he couldn't even protect his own child.
"If that's how it is, then I'll become who I used to be. After three years of silence, I suppose everyone's forgotten the name 'Dragon Lord.'"
Colin gripped the Serpent-Ember Jade at his chest.
The moment he shattered it, the Dragon Seal would break, and he would once again become the Dragon Lord—the man whom all eight regions once revered.
But... he still couldn't bring himself to do it. His cultivation was completely gone, and the injuries inside him hadn't fully healed.
Even if he broke the seal, he wouldn't be able to cultivate.
He could handle ordinary people easily enough, but against a true martial arts master, it could cost him his life.
After a long moment, Colin let out a heavy sigh, and his grip on the jade slowly loosened.
His phone rang. It was Amos Floyd calling—the patriarch of the Southland Floyd family, and an old friend.
That Longtide Group contract had come from the old man himself.
"Colin! Heard you got divorced. Congratulations! I was just about to set off firecrackers to celebrate." The old man's voice dripped with schadenfreude.
"You old bastard." Colin laughed despite himself. The man's information network was terrifyingly efficient.
"Perfect timing, actually. My granddaughter Marjorie happens to be in Seacliff. You should meet her. She's absolutely stunning—'moon-shaming, flower-eclipsing beauty,' they call her. Known as Well Spirit's most beautiful woman, the Queen of Commerce, five-foot-seven..."
Colin cut him off. "Old man, just tell me what you want. I'm not in the mood."
Amos chuckled. "Fine, fine. Here's some good news: I've found a five-hundred-year-old Blood Spirit Reishi. A treasure like that should be exactly what you need."
Colin's eyes lit up.
A five-hundred-year Blood Spirit Reishi would be enough to fully heal his injuries!
"I'll head to Well Spirit right away," Colin said immediately.
"Hold on now. I spent a fortune acquiring this. I half want to eat it myself—you think I'm just going to hand it over?" The old man's voice turned smug.
"What do you want me to do." Colin knew the man never did anything without a motive.
Amos's tone grew serious. "Longtide Group has run into trouble in Seacliff. No one else can handle it. You're the only one I can ask. My granddaughter—beautiful as a flower, I might add—will come find you shortly. Once you've dealt with the problem, I'll give you the Blood Spirit Reishi."
"Deal!"
Colin agreed without hesitation. The Blood Spirit Reishi was too important.
With it, he could fully repair his internal injuries. And once that was done, he could break the Dragon Seal and return to the path of cultivation!
To get justice for his daughter, he needed power. There was no other way.
He pocketed his phone, his gaze hardening with resolve. His pace quickened.
When he reached the entrance of the residential complex, a Rolls-Royce Wraith glided to a stop in front of him.
The door slowly opened, and out extended a long, porcelain-white leg.
