“Michael,youhaven’tchangedabit.Youonlyevershowyourgoodsidetopeople.Lookatyou,youlooklikeyou’llcopseat anymoment.Andyet,you stillpretendlikeeverythingisokay,”Ronaldsaid helplessly.


    “Iheardthatyou’ve swallowedtheCelestialPearl.Canyourbody handleit?”heasked.“Don’t worry, Sir Reeds. The pearl is a sacred relic. It won’t harm Mr. Robinson’s body and wibsorb the poison inside. It’ll also help him increase his cultivation level,” Dustin exined.


    “Oh,really?”Ronald raised hisbrowsslightlyandchuckled.“A blessing in disguise. Don’t you think so, Michael? With this pearl, you’ll have a chance to break


    throughtheultimategrandmasterlevel.”


    “Let’sjustleaveittofate.”Michaelshookhishead.He said, “The pearl is a valuable treasure. It’s bound to attract a lot of attention. It might bring us quite a bit of trouble in the future.”


    “Restassured,Michael.AslongasI’mhere,noonecantakethepeaway.”Ronaldwasconfident.


    Micheaughed. “Areyougoingtoprotectme24/7?”


    “No,you’vemisunderstood.It’snotyouthatI’mprotecting,butthepearl.”


    Allofasudden,RonaldthrusthishandintoMichael’sabdomen.Heforcefullytookoutthegolden.


    pearlinhisstomach.


    Hishandwascoveredinbloodand bitsofinternalorgans.


    “Huh?”


    Everyone wasstunned.Their eyeswidenedindisbelief.


    RonaldhadbeenchattinghappilywithMichaeljustmoments ago.Noneofthemhadexpected


    himtoattackMichael andripopenhisabdomen.


    Itwassuchacruelmove!


    Lookingatthesinistersmileon Ronald’s face,Michaelwasbaffled.


    Yearsago,Michael hadsavedRonaldwhen hewasindanger.Theyhadbeascloseasbrotherssincethen.


    Theysetoutonthepathofthemartialworldtogether,forgingaformidablereputation.


    Michael knew the dangersofthemartialworldand howunpredictable humanswere.However,neveronce hadhesuspectedRonald.Afterall,theysharedadeep bond!


    “W–Why?”MichaelfixedhiseyesonRonald intently.Hepaidnoattentiontothrge woundonhisabdomen.


    “I’msorry,Michael.I’vewantedtheCelestialPearlforalongtimenow.Ineverthoughtthatit’dendupinsideyou.Ihavenootherchoice,”Ronaldsaidbluntly.


    Heneverthoughtoftaking Michael’slife.However,Michaelsomehow endedupswallowingthetreasure.


    Ronaldhadnochoice buttokillhimtogetthepearl.


    “Youcouldhavejusttoldmethatyouwantedthepearl.Iwould’ve givenittoyouwithouthesitation.Why didyouhavetodothis?”Michaelwas indisbelief.


    Wastheirfriendshiplessvaluablethanthepearl?


    “Giveittomewithouthesitation?” Ronaldsnorted.


    “Michael,doyouthinkI’makid?TheCelestialPearlisasacredrelicofthemartialworld.


    “It’salsothemainelementweneedtobreakthroughtheultimategrandmasterlevel.Howcouldyoupossiblygivesuchapreciousitem tome?Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    “Thepearlisnowhereasimportantasourbond.Ijust don’tunderstandwhy,”Michaelsaidbitterlywhiletouchingthewoundonhisabdomen.


    Indeed,humanswouldchangeovertime.Backthen,Ronaldwasan uprightman.Hehated evil.


    Afteryearsofnotseeinghim,MichaelneverexpectedRonaldtochangesomuch.


    “Michael,Iwantto bethemostrespectedpersonin themartial world.Iwanteveryobow


    downtome!Whoeverblocksmypathwillhave todie!”


    AssoonasRonaldfinished speaking,he ppedMichael’s chest.


    Michaelwassentflyingseveralfeetaway.