The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne looked at her with a bemused expression that could only be described as watching a simpleton’s antics. “After all the times you've slipped through my fingers, did you really think | wouldn't take precautions? If I let you escape again, where would that leave my reputation as a genius?” Samantha was at a loss for words.

Rising to her feet, Vivienne approached Samantha with a commanding presence. “It seems you have no questions for me, and you're not in the mood to answer mine either. So, let's go!” Samantha's gaze inadvertently drifted towards the window. Silence reigned outside, not a soul in sight.

No one was coming to her rescue.

It dawned on her that this time, she couldn't avoid her fate.

A devilish grin spread across Samantha's face. “I have to admit, you're impressive. But | haven't lived these ninety years for nothing. You aren’t the only one who knows how to use poison...” As she attempted to channel her inner energy, her expression suddenly froze.

What was happening? Why couldn’t she harness her inner energy? Vivienne’s lips curled into a slight smirk, watching Samantha's stunned face. “We've faced off so many times, and | actually had a bit of respect for you. You're the first one who's givena run for my money. But how could you becso naive?” A sinking feeling gripped Samantha. Clenching her teeth, she fixed her eyes on Vivienne. “What are you implying?” With a casual stance, hands in her pockets, Vivienne looked down at Samantha. “Why do you think | went through all this trouble to capture you?” Samantha glared back in silence.

Vivienne indulged her with an answer. “It’s to prevent any possible escape attempts or suicide. Did you think you could use your inner energy to detonate a bomb inside you and take us down together? Sorry, I'm too young for that. | haven't had enough quality twith my dear Mr. Wolf to check out just yet. So, when | cin, | not only drugged you but also used silver needles to seal your energy points.” Thomas was speechless. Leopold was flabbergasted.

Vivienne and Percival were literally constantly flaunting their love.

Samantha's voice was laced with disbelief. “Impossible. You don’t possess the skills of the ancient warrior lineages. You don’t even have energy points, so how could you seal mine without my noticing?” She could live with the fact that Vivienne had poisoned her without her noticing. After all, Vivienne’s medical skills were far beyond hers, and it would be understandable. However, she refused to believe Vivienne had sealed her inner energy.

She had only lived till 90 because of her powerful inner energy. Even members of the ancient warrior lineages would not be able to seal her energy points with such little effort.

Vivienne chuckled. “I may not be much, but during those ten years at Emerald Mountain, | pilfered a secret tfrom my mentor’s ancient warrior lineage. It just so happened to teach about inner energy. And it was quite effective, enough to seal yours with silver needles.” The secret twas written in the cryptic script of the ancient warrior lineage, which she couldn’t understand.

Fortunately, the book had illustrations. Back then, she had studied everything she could, eager to learn something fresh and unexplored.

The illustrations in that book were fascinating, like a martial arts manual. She had once asked Finnian what it was, and he dismissed it as a worthless book. Despite her coaxing and threats, he wouldn't tell her the truth.

So, she simply stole it and taught herself.

But learning inner energy required a step-by-step approach, following the manual’s exact instructions. She only looked at the illustrations without knowing how to use them, which almost drove her to madness.

When she awoke, she found herself in an ice cave. She remembered clearly. That was the first ther mentor had scolded her, and for a full five hours, no less.

But she was stubborn and insisted on learning. Seeing no other choice, Finnian finally translated the book for her and personally guided her practice.

However, before encountering the ancient warrior lineages, inner energy was meaningless to her, so she never used it.

Until now, capturing Samantha.

“You actually possess inner energy,” Samantha said in utter shock.

She could never have imagined that Vivienne had inner energy and that she hadn't sensed it at all. Those with inner energy could sense each other's presence.

For example, whether someone's inner energy was stronger than theirs was always perceptible. But she hadn't felt Vivienne’s energy at all.

“Genius has no bounds,” Vivienne drawled.

The room fell silent once again.

At this point, Samantha realized that she no longer held control over her life or death. Her eyelids drooped, and she murmured with resignation, “I’ve lost.” Vivienne smiled, then turned to Thomas. “Take her away.” Thomas nodded, “Yes, madam.” He and Leopold, along with the others, secured Samantha, preparing to escort her away.

Suddenly, the air was charged with a powerful aura that robbed everyone of their senses in an instant. Vivienne and Percival’s expressions changed simultaneously as they shouted, “Hold your breath!” Everyone complied.

Before Vivienne's words had fully settled, a figure charged towards Samantha.

Vivienne and Percival immediately launched an attack.

Before they could make contact, the assailant swung a palm out, and Vivienne and Percival felt an invisible pressure bearing down on them.

It was like a colossal mountain, aiming straight for their hearts.

“Percival! Madam!” “Percival! Vivienne!” “Vivienne!” “Young Master!” Thomas, Leopold, and the disciples from the Emerald Monastery cried out in unison, panic-stricken.

They were sweating bullets because they were paralyzed! Just like that, in the blink of an eye, everyone but Vivienne and Percival seemed frozen in place, unable to move, as if their feet were encased in concrete.

They wanted to rush over to see how Vivienne and Percival were doing, but their limbs wouldn't cooperate.

Percival, hand pressed against his chest, supported Vivienne with the other. “Vivienne, you alright?” he asked, concern lacing his voice.

Vivienne lifted a hand to wipe away the blood trickling from the corner of her mouth and managed a weak, “I'm fine.” But the truth was, she was far from fine.

That man had struck with just a palm strike - not even touching them - and yet her insides felt as if they’d been shattered.

He was incredibly powerful!Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All Books Updates...

She looked up at their assailant to see him single-handedly lifting Samantha off the ground, his voice cold as steel. “Child’s play!” The man wore a macabre mask, something out of a Halloween nightmare, obscuring his entire face, making it impossible to discern even the slightest feature.

He exuded the aura of someone not to be trifled with - a mere flick of his wrist seemed enough to dispatch them all to the Grim Reaper.

It seemed, however, he wasn’t there to claim their lives, merely to take Samantha away.

After he left, the others found themselves able to move again.

“I'm going after him!” Thomas declared, his voice filled with a mix of rage and determination as he took off in pursuit.

They had planned for so long, and just when they had Samantha cornered with nowhere to run, someone swooped in to whisk her away.

Thomas couldn’t stand it. This time, he would catch her - even if it killed him.