Now, the emotions of everyone present were nothing but sheer terror, and even more than that, regret. Especially those who had sided with Elly and her son were so frightened they could hardly endure it.
They were afraid that the next corpse lying on the ground would be their own.
The male servant who had led Asher here was even worse. He was so terrified that he wet himself, nearly unable to stand upright.
Asher slowly walked toward Elly, the greatsword in his hand still flickering with faint flames.
At that moment, a golden barrier suddenly appeared in front of him, forcing his steps to come to a halt.
Asher looked up and saw that Robert had already stood up. In a cold voice, he said, "Enough, Asher. Anything can be talked out. You've caused enough trouble today."
The instant Robert finished speaking, a massive energy sphere suddenly descended from the sky.
Robert reacted sharply, forming a barrier at the fastest speed possible, enveloping the entire area of the grand hall.
Even so, the violent shockwave immediately swept through everything outside, turning everything within a radius of dozens of meters into utter chaos and ruins.
A thunderous roar rang out. "Insolent brat, return my daughter's life to me!"
High above, the head of the Valerius family, Thora, stood amid blazing light. Five radiant spheres of light floated around him, spinning unceasingly. The hem of his cloak streamed and twisted in the wind. His bell-like eyes were wide open, staring down at the ground in furious rage.
Robert glanced toward Tina's maidservant and instantly understood what had happened.
He looked up and laughed loudly. "Thora, it's just a matter between the younger generation. Is it really necessary to make such a big scene? Besides, the moment Tina arrived at the Aurelius residence, she began shouting and hurling insults at Asher. Not only did she offend Asher, she also insulted the honor of the entire Aurelius family. That said, Asher is still at fault in this matter. How about we all sit down and talk things through calmly. What do you say?"
Seeing how Robert now protected his own people, who could have imagined that just moments ago he had been preparing to divorce Liona and leave Asher to his fate, life or death be damned?
That was why it was said that with power, one had everything. Familial bonds were as fragile as paper. Yet the moment Asher revealed his Talent, Robert immediately became all smiles and used his strength to shield him, not hesitating even if it meant standing against the Valerius family.
But how could Asher possibly let this opportunity to raise his own renown slip by?
Thora was the head of one of the three most powerful families in Talentia. His prestige was certainly not low. It was the perfect chance for him to test whether he could unlock a second card.
To the current Asher, everything in this world felt like a game. The moment Thora appeared, he wanted to kill him, so to him, Thora was nothing more than a boss that needed to be taken down.
Thinking this, he stepped forward without the slightest hesitation. Robert naturally sensed Asher's movement and couldn't help glancing over, thinking that although Asher had suddenly obtained a Talent, he was arrogant to the point of stupidity.
Then again, after enduring humiliation for so many years, perhaps Asher now wanted to explode.
But Thora was a B-rank Awakened with an A-rank Talent. Even Robert himself would have to yield to him. How could a brat like Asher, who had only just awakened, possibly be his opponent?
He looked at Asher, his expression solemn and cold. "Asher, I know you have many grievances, but what you need to do right now is stay quiet and admit your fault."
Robert had already made up his mind. No matter how many concessions Thora demanded, he had to keep Asher alive.
Asher's Talent was definitely rank A. His brilliant future would pull the entire Aurelius family upward.
Asher sneered at Robert. "Just a moment ago you were ready to leave me to live or die as fate would have it. Who are you putting on this fake act for, old man?"
Robert clearly hadn't expected Asher to speak to him like that. He was so furious that veins bulged on his forehead and his entire face flushed red. "You! Insolent wretch!"
At that moment, Liona also arrived. She grabbed Asher's hand and said anxiously, "Asher, listen to your father for now."
She didn't care much for Robert either, but at this moment she couldn't let Asher go off to his death. At the very least, Robert could still protect Asher's life no matter what happened.
Seeing Liona step in, Robert temporarily suppressed his temper and let out a cold snort.
Asher held Liona's hand, his voice utterly unwavering. "Mother, I've already said it. From today onward, leave everything to me."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he shot into the sky like a spark.
Liona froze in shock, while Robert almost instantly erected ten layers of barriers, blocking Asher's path.
An arrogant brat. Robert wanted to show Asher that there was always a higher mountain beyond any peak.
Yet all he saw was Asher swinging his greatsword forward. Flames erupted and coiled tightly, forming something like a powerful drill. Asher's speed did not slow in the slightest. The only sound that could be heard was the simultaneous shattering of countless barriers, fragments raining down through the air like a shower of luminous debris, illuminating the stunned and panicked faces of Robert and Liona.
Robert's pupils trembled. At this moment, doubt truly began to take root in his heart.
Was Asher's Talent really just rank A, as he had predicted?
Or had Asher been pretending to be foolish all these years, secretly cultivating in the shadows? That possibility was simply absurd.
Then there was only one explanation left. Asher's Talent was even… above rank A!
Because with ten barriers stacked like that, even Thora would find it difficult to break through with a single all-out strike. Yet for Asher, it was as if he had pierced through a few sheets of paper!
In Thora's vision, a streak of fire shot up from the ground, pierced through Robert's protective barriers, and appeared right before him.
A youth with blazing red hair. Beneath his feet, two blazing fire orbs spun endlessly. In his hand was a greatsword, strands of fiery veins wrapping around his arm all the way to his shoulder, radiating a smoldering heat.
"Asher?"
Thora spoke. Although he had received a secret report from his maidservants, he still had not expected that the one who caused today's upheaval was truly Asher. A foolish, useless child, yet today he had not only killed Tina, but also his own half-brother. Moreover, both of those he killed were Awakened who had cultivated for many years.
It was indeed an impressive display, but now that he stood before Thora, this was no longer his stage!
Thora looked at Asher with contempt. "You hid it well, brat, but you're far too arrogant. I really didn't expect Robert to actually allow you to come up here."
Given Robert's personality, he should have done everything possible to keep Asher alive.
But regardless of what schemes Robert might have had, Asher had killed his daughter. Today, he would make Asher die right here!
"Brat, prepare to die!"
Thora roared. At the same time, one of the five spheres of light that had been circling his suddenly shot forward, then split apart, transforming into countless spheres of light of equal size. In the blink of an eye, they filled the sky, encircling Asher as innumerable powerful beams of energy blasted out!
Each beam carried a violent explosive force. Asher was engulfed in the storm of light, his figure almost completely invisible. To the onlookers, all they could see was a blazing mass like a small sun, accompanied by one deafening explosion after another.
It sounded slow when told, but everything happened in an instant.
Liona screamed, "Asher!" and immediately tried to fly into the air, only to be restrained by Robert.
She roared, "What are you doing?! Let me go!"
Robert remained unmoved. Asher was already at the center of the battlefield, his life or death effectively decided. He would not let Liona rush to her death. Her strength still had value to the family.
The violent fluctuations in the sky drew countless gazes from outside. Many eyes turned toward the heavens above the center of the Aurelius family estate. All the members of the Aurelius family watched this battle, filled with regret as a newly born genius seemed about to be buried just like that, all because of a single moment of arrogance...