Under the hazy night sky, a swift figure darted along the eaves and around the corners of the quiet ducal estate.
Hogg wasn't weak anymore!
Although he had no battle qi, that actually made him harder for enemies who liked sensing battle qi to detect.
Step by step, he infiltrated the most central part of the ducal estate.
But that was as far as he got!
Without battle qi, ordinary people were quick to overlook him.
But Duke Paterson was the younger brother of King Clyde, and his guards were no ordinary men!
An experienced guard wouldn't overlook a mysterious figure using the cover of night to inch toward Duke Paterson's bedroom.
Even if Hogg had no trace of battle qi about him and didn't look like much of a threat,
they still wouldn't ignore him!
A Level 7 guard stepped out of the shadows and stopped Hogg, who was dressed as a servant and wearing a simple disguise.
He demanded sharply, "Which steward do you serve, and why are you here at this hour?"
As he spoke, he sized Hogg up.
"I don't think I've seen you before." As he said this, the guard's hand had already closed around the hilt of his sword.
At this point, Hogg had no intention of hiding anymore.
From his investigation, Hogg had discovered that Duke Paterson was the one who had attacked him all those years ago.
After enduring years of torment, Hogg had infiltrated the estate prepared to kill Duke Paterson, even if it meant exposing himself.
Lin Lei had grown strong enough by now. Even without him, the Baruch Family's revival and rise were only a matter of time!
He glanced at Duke Paterson's bedroom. Knowing there was no way he'd pass the guards' questioning, Hogg attacked without hesitation.
Boom!
The guard sensed something was wrong, but hadn't taken Hogg seriously. Hogg punched him squarely in the stomach.
The man flew like a cannonball, his body curling like a shrimp as he smashed through the bedroom wall behind him.
Anyone could tell that something had happened!
The guards rushed out in unison, blocking Hogg just as he was about to charge into the bedroom.
But Hogg showed no fear. He took out the lifeline Lei Lin had given him and crushed it.
As the token crumbled, two magic arrays appeared.
One converged toward the center, causing faint silver light to surface across the blood-red pill.
The other spread outward, enveloping Hogg in a protective barrier.
Hogg stared at the barrier around him, momentarily stunned. That little rascal Lei Lin really put some thought into this!
Then, without a word, he swallowed the pill in his hand. He clearly intended to use the secret medicine to unleash his bloodline power and gain a burst of strength.
He'd used his lifesaving trump card the moment he showed up!
Lei Lin, who had been keeping watch with his scouting ability, realized what Hogg was planning. His brow twitched as he thought, Heh, I gave you that medicine so you could just use it right away?
It was supposed to save your life!!!
At the same time, he realized why Hogg had acted despite everything going so well in Wushan Town and his Bloodline Awakening seeming within reach.
First, this matter must have been tormenting him all along, leaving him unwilling to endure it any longer.
Second, the Dragonblood Pill Lei Lin had given him as a precaution had given him enough confidence.
That was why, even after tracing the matter back to Duke Paterson, he hadn't planned to stop!
As Lei Lin lamented how unpredictable life could be, Hogg's body began to change violently.
Lei Lin had perfected the Dragonblood Pill's effects. It quickly stimulated Hogg's bloodline, allowing him to transform smoothly into a Dragonblood Warrior covered in silver scales.
Watching this, Lei Lin remarked, "Huh, still just one head!"
"Tch, I thought he'd have two, since the pill was made from the blood of a mutated Twin-Headed Silver Dragon."
"But those silver scales are quite pretty. His overall look isn't bad!"
Lei Lin was more concerned with how Hogg looked after transforming. The guards facing Hogg, however, were concerned with whether they'd live.
The moment Hogg crushed the token and the barrier appeared around him, they realized he was no ordinary intruder.
They attacked the barrier desperately, hoping to stop Hogg.
But it was no use!
This barrier was something Lei Lin had specifically prepared to buy Hogg time for his awakening. A group of Level 7 guards had no chance of breaking it in such a short time.
Once Hogg had fully transformed into a Dragonblood Warrior, the terrifying pressure of his aura made them feel as if death itself were calling.
Hogg didn't care about the pain that came with his first transformation after his bloodline reacted.
He ran his hand over the dragon scales covering his body, overcome with excitement.
This was what he had longed for his entire life!
But he quickly forced down his excitement. According to Lei Lin, the medicine's effects would last only three minutes.
Under these circumstances, he couldn't waste a single second!
As the guards watched in terror, transformed Hogg slaughtered them all, sparing not one.
Then, amid the scattered limbs and mangled flesh, he stormed into the bedroom, seized Paterson, and fled.
Paterson, in Hogg's grasp, put up no resistance. He was already unconscious.
And judging by the unnatural angles of his limbs, they were clearly broken.
Lei Lin sensed his injuries. Yeah, the bones were shattered!
"At least Uncle Hogg hasn't completely lost his mind. He still knows to carry the man off. I thought he was going to take revenge right there!"
"But after three minutes, he'll just be weak for a night. When Uncle Hogg finds out tomorrow that he's still a perfectly healthy Dragonblood Warrior..."
"Yeah, he should be pleasantly surprised!"
"I should..."
Just as Lei Lin was about to leave, something unexpected happened.
His scouting ability sensed that Gilmore, the Radiant Church's Cardinal, was on his way.
If Hogg kept fleeing along his current route, he would most likely run straight into Gilmore.
Lei Lin: "..."
He silently looked up at the stars and thought, Uncle Hogg...
You're not actually determined to die, are you?!
Lei Lin thought about the rule he'd worked out through his previous observations: minor trends could change, but major trends couldn't. He fell silent.
He simply watched Hogg and Gilmore's movements.
I hope they don't meet. I hope they don't—
But Murphy's law loved teaching people a lesson. When it came to disappointing people, it never failed!
Gilmore and Hogg still crossed paths!
The battle broke out at once!
After all, Hogg's current appearance didn't look like that of a good guy, no matter how you looked at it.
And with Duke Paterson in Hogg's grasp, Gilmore attacked immediately.
Hogg was currently transformed into a Dragonblood Warrior, but he was still no match for a Level 9 Great Mage.
Especially with Gilmore seizing the chance to strike first, Hogg barely had any opportunity to fight back!
All he could do was endure Gilmore's relentless barrage of magic attacks!
Before you continue