Mark Brooks only felt a surge of burning energy, like an iron hammer smashing fiercely onto his forearms. The tremendous impact shattered his 'Evergreen' stance, forcing his feet to alternately stamp the ground as he staggered backward seven or eight steps before barely managing to stop his retreat.

His exposed elbows were now marked with several charred spots, hanging naturally and trembling uncontrollably. His face flushed red, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

In contrast, the young man landed lightly, calm and composed, exuding the air of a noble scion.

Of course, Mark Brooks recognized this brocade-robed youth. His name was Edward Brooks, three months older than himself, and in terms of family seniority, he was considered a paternal cousin. In cultivation, he was far superior, having reached the mid-stage Spirit Disciple level a year ago.

Now, seeing his restrained and long breath, with slightly bulging temples, he was probably just a step away from the high-stage Spirit Disciple level.

“Mark Brooks, I didn’t expect a useless person like you to actually practice the ‘Turtle Technique’ to the point of showing a hint of its true essence. That’s quite rare.”

After landing a blow, Edward Brooks clasped his hands behind his back and strolled closer at a leisurely pace: “I knew you went to the perilous peak to search for treasure. Just now, seeing you sneaking around, I figured you must have found something this time. What good stuff did you get? Let your elder brother have a look.”

Mark Brooks’s heart tightened. He hadn’t expected that, despite all his caution, he was still being watched in secret. But the Scarlet Flame Spirit Fruit was something he had risked his life to obtain and was of great use—how could he hand it over?

“This time when I explored the perilous peak, I almost fell to my death. I didn’t dare go up again, so I didn’t find anything valuable.” Mark Brooks retreated a few steps without betraying any emotion, his mind racing.

“Nothing valuable? Then let me check for myself.” Today, Edward Brooks had reaped a bountiful harvest at the entrance of this ‘Little Paradise’. No one he could bully had escaped his grasp. He still had a first-grade spirit herb, a hundred-year-old ginseng, tucked in his chest.

“Edward Brooks, don’t push me too far.” A sharp glint flashed in Mark Brooks’s eyes.

“Nonsense. With trash like you, so what if I bully you?” Edward Brooks sneered arrogantly.

Mark Brooks’s expression didn’t change, but his mind was spinning rapidly. Because the ‘Light Cocoon’ in his sea of consciousness was causing trouble, nearly all the mysterious energy he had cultivated was being siphoned away, leaving his cultivation stagnant. Faced with such blatant bullying, he was powerless to resist.

Trying to escape would be difficult. The only option now was...

“Trash, seeing how you’re hiding something, you must have something good. Hand it over, and you can go back and reunite with your useless brother.” Edward Brooks’s eyes lit up, pressing in even closer.

Suppressing his anger, Mark Brooks’s gaze appeared calm as still water. Inwardly, he thought, it seems today’s matter won’t end peacefully.

“Angry now? Trash, you’re trash, your whole family is trash. Your useless brother had his leg broken, was forced to break off his engagement by someone with her lover, got humiliated in public, and didn’t even dare fart in protest. He’s completely disgraced our Chen family. Tell me, how does your whole family still have the face to stay in the clan? If it were me, I’d have found a blade of grass to hang myself long ago.”

Edward Brooks spared no effort in his ridicule, pressing in step by step: “Haha. But, your little sister Grace Hamilton is actually pretty good—beautiful and talented. Tsk tsk, if your whole family knelt and begged me to marry your sister, maybe I’d have my father plead with the clan leader to give your family a little compensation for cripples.”

“Edward Brooks, I did find a treasure.” The fury in Mark Brooks’s heart had reached its peak. His face was cold as ice, his gaze burning like a sword. He slowly reached into his chest.

“Really? Then hurry up and hand it over!” A flash of greed appeared in Edward Brooks’s eyes.

Mark Brooks’s gaze was icy and sharp as he took out a jade box and produced the Scarlet Flame Spirit Fruit.

“Ah, it’s the Scarlet Flame Spirit Fruit?” Edward Brooks was overjoyed—sure enough, it was a treasure, a real prize: “Good, good. Hurry up and give it to me~”

“Idiot!” Mark Brooks sneered coldly, “With your brains, you still try to rob people?”

“What did you say?” Edward Brooks never expected the always low-key Mark Brooks in the clan would dare insult him like this. He trembled with rage, his face turning green: “You—you’re asking for death.”

Mark Brooks let out a cold laugh, then raised his hand and swallowed the Scarlet Flame Spirit Fruit in one gulp.

“Mark Brooks, you, you, you…” Edward Brooks was dumbfounded, shocked and furious. A useless beginner Spirit Disciple dared to swallow an unrefined Scarlet Flame Spirit Fruit? Wasn’t he afraid of being consumed by fire poison?

“What are you you you-ing about!” In Mark Brooks’s qi sea, it was as if a raging fire had been ignited. As the mysterious energy circulated, the fire poison instantly spread throughout his body, making his chest heave violently in pain.

The power of the Scarlet Flame Spirit Fruit’s fire poison revealed itself. His once-clear eyes were now tinged with crimson, like an enraged and ferocious beast. Enduring the excruciating pain, he mocked coldly, “Why didn’t your father just smash a beast like you against the wall back then? No, your father’s a beast too. An old beast giving birth to a little beast—makes perfect sense.”

“You’re the beast! You’re the beast who wastes heaven’s gifts!” Enraged, Edward Brooks was completely furious. His figure flickered, a streak of fiery light coiling around his palm as he sent a fierce gust of energy hurtling toward Mark Brooks.