On their way back, Sophia walked with her head lowered.
She had never felt so restrained before.
It was a natural reaction.
Just like when Bertha first discovered that John was the King of Horizon—she had nearly dropped to her knees in reverence. But Bertha had quickly adjusted, since John was her younger brother.
Sophia, however, was different.
Her connection to John came through Anita. Their acquaintance was still new, their interactions sparse.
Previously, she felt gratitude and admiration toward him. But now… now she dared not show her emotions so freely. In front of him, she felt humbled, almost small.
John's identity as a cultivator had shaken her to her core.
Of course, John noticed her change. She trailed behind him by several steps, as though afraid of walking too close.
"Miss Long, do I look like a monster to you?" he asked with a bitter smile.
"What?" Her head snapped up, startled. "No... No, Mr. Lopez, I just— I..." she stammered, clearly flustered.
"It's okay. I get it," he said gently.
He slowed his pace until he was walking beside her again.
At first, she instinctively pulled back again, maintaining distance. But slowly, she relaxed, allowing her steps to fall into rhythm with his.
John noticed and chuckled. "At this pace, Miss Long, I think Robert will arrive at the Long Family long before we do."
Sophia blushed in embarrassment.
Yet somehow, her tension eased.
So Mr. Lopez was still as easy-going as ever...
After a moment of comfortable silence, she finally asked, "Mr. Lopez, why are we waiting for Guardian Tennat at the Long Family? Wouldn't it have made more sense to wait at the Zephyr Wolf-hunting Ground? He'd arrive sooner."
Her question was logical. After all, Hardy was dead. Naturally, his father, Robert Tennat, would be furious and rush over. Waiting at the scene of the incident would've made things quicker.
John's eyes glinted coldly. "Because some members of your family have annoyed me for too long. I'll take this opportunity to deal with them as well."
Sophia's heart skipped a beat.
She knew exactly who he meant.
When they returned to the Long Family estate, the first person to greet them was Brooke.
Brooke's eyes widened slightly in disbelief. "Back already? That was fast."
He knew about Hardy's plan—after all, he was the one who had suggested it. According to the arrangement, John should be either dead or half-crippled by now.
Yet here John stood, perfectly unharmed, even looking a little amused.
"Surprised we returned so early?" John asked, his gaze calm but cutting.
Brooke's expression flickered, then he forced a smile. "Just a little, yes. I didn't expect Sophia's actual combat training to end so quickly."
"Well," John replied coolly, "something special happened."
Brooke opened his mouth as if to ask further but caught himself. He wanted to know what exactly had occurred at the Zephyr Wolf-hunting Ground but feared revealing too much by probing.
He decided he'd find a private place to call Hardy instead.
But John beat him to it.
"We ran into Hardy at the hunting ground."
Brooke's eyes lit up. "And then?"
"I killed him," John said casually, as if describing a stroll through the garden.
Brooke stood frozen.
"In the name of a friendly match, Hardy tried to frame me as a murderer," John said with a shrug. "Unfortunately for him, I caught on—and dealt with it."
He spoke so calmly, as though discussing the weather.
But Brooke's face drained of color.
His plan had gone off without a hitch up until the crucial moment—framing John. After that, all he needed was a cultivator to cripple him and the deed would be done.
So... what happened?
Had Hardy underestimated John's strength and been killed before he could even call for backup?
It seemed likely.
Yet Brooke still couldn't believe it.
Hardy was the son of Robert Tennat—the Guardian of the Central Martial Arts League. Who would dare to kill such a person?
"Mr. Lopez, you do love to joke," Brooke laughed nervously, backing away. "Excuse me, something urgent just came up..."
He spun around and walked briskly toward a secluded spot. As soon as he was alone, he pulled out his phone and dialed Hardy's number.
Beep… Beep…
No answer.
Brooke frowned deeply.
Could it be…? No. No, that's impossible.
Killing Hardy would be suicide. His father, Robert Tennat, wasn't just anyone—he represented the authority of the Central Martial Arts League. No cultivator would ever provoke such power.
Hardy must be busy. That had to be it. Maybe he couldn't answer right now.
Brooke clung to that thought, unwilling to accept the alternative.
Half an hour later…
A thunderous roar erupted from outside the Long Family estate, shaking the entire compound.
"John Lopez! Get the fuck out here right now!"
The voice echoed like a divine judgment.
Robert Tennat had arrived.
Everyone in the Long Family was startled. They rushed out of the inner yard, faces pale with fright, desperate to see what could have enraged Guardian Tennat so greatly.
Arno, Buck, and Brooke followed the others to the entrance.
While most wore expressions of confusion, Brooke was the exception.
An overwhelming sense of dread began to tighten around his chest.
Could it be… John hadn't been lying?
Had he really killed Hardy?
And if so—Robert's wrath would be the beginning of a disaster that would engulf the entire Long Family.