The Rich Cultivator-Chapter 254. Vegus City

Mana spat in the ground, "Say that after you remove your fiendish claws from her breast."

Tyler hands were groping her breast with regretful expression.

"Oops... Sorry..." Tyler muttered, pulling his hand back instinctively. But Lady Qiao’s grip was firm, her eyes pleading.

"You can do anything to me," she whispered, desperation dripping from her voice.

Tyler’s expression remained indifferent. "Mana," he asked calmly, "did she have anything to do with the destruction of the Redwood Family?"

Mana’s figure flickered into view, her face cold as she nodded.

Tyler’s expression remained indifferent. "Mana," he asked calmly, "did she have anything to do with the destruction of the Redwood Family?"

Mana’s figure flickered into view, her face cold as she nodded.

Tyler immediately withdrew his hand, stepping back. The warmth in his demeanor vanished as if a switch had been flipped. Lady Qiao’s hopeful expression faltered, and her knees buckled slightly.

Lady Qiao suddenly lost her consciousness for a moment when she regained her senses, she felt no pain, but her life was rapidly fading. Her gaze drifted downward, and horror dawned as she saw a knife buried deep in her stomach. Blood began to pool beneath her as her breathing grew shallow.

The last thing Lady Qiao saw before the darkness claimed her was her husband’s lifeless body sprawled next to hers.

Unknown to her, Mana had possessed her body for a fleeting moment, delivering the fatal blow.

The act was swift, clean, and without malice.

"She won’t feel pain," Mana said softly, her voice devoid of emotion. She stepped away from the dying woman, her gaze unwavering. "When the Redwood Family was attacked, she didn’t just stand by. She brought the family’s maids into this household and forced them into unspeakable horrors, driving them to their tragic ends."

Tyler’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing, allowing Mana to continue.

"Giving her a painless death... ," Mana concluded, "... is the only mercy I could offer."

┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉

It had been a week since Mana successfully took over the cedar wood business on Cedar Island. Under her meticulous guidance, the newly formed merger was officially renamed Cedar Wood Company. The shift marked a new era for the island’s most lucrative resource.

The cedars of Cedar Island were unlike any other in the world, boasting unique properties that enhanced Aura manipulation. Even rarer were the underwater cedar trees, harvested using specialized techniques, which added a layer of mystique and value to the company’s portfolio.

With the industry now monopolized, Situ, the newly appointed head of the Cedar Wood Association, made a bold decision: to raise the prices of cedar wood significantly.

It wasn’t a gamble. The unique qualities of Cedar Island’s trees ensured there was no competition. Buyers who relied on the wood’s Aura-enhancing properties would have no choice but to pay the premium. The move all but guaranteed immense profitability for the company in the coming years, solidifying its dominance.

Meanwhile, Tyler, Mana and Isha already left the Cedar Islands. They arrived at the Vegus City.

Vegus City was a sprawling metropolis teeming with activity. Its harbor buzzed with the constant movement of ships, traders, and travelers.

Tyler had a specific reason for coming here. After a year, the flagship of the White Merchant Group was finally making its way to the continent. This wasn’t just any ship—it was his home. It was his whole journey from the south.

Tyler’s gaze shifted to the horizon, where the sails of a massive ship became visible in the distance. The sight of the White Merchant flagship approaching filled him with a sense of happiness.

"Let’s go greet our ship," Tyler said, stepping onto the bustling docks of Vegus City.

As the ship docked at Vegus Port, Tyler leaped onto its deck with an air of familiarity. He felt as if he had returned home. His gaze swept over the crew, and a satisfied smile graced his lips.

"Tuman," Tyler called out.

A tall, disciplined man with sharp features stepped forward. Tuman, the son of the former captain of the White Crown Army and now the chief guard of the White Merchant Group, exuded a quiet authority. He jumped down from the deck above with ease and bowed deeply.

"Captain," Tuman greeted, his voice steady and respectful. The crew behind him followed suit, bowing in unison to Tyler.

"Good... Welcome to the Ixalaria Continent," Tyler said warmly, his smile widening.

The days following their arrival were marked by significant changes. Many crew members—particularly the slaves whom Tyler had freed—chose to disembark, seeking new lives on the continent. Tyler, true to his word, gave them a generous sum of money to start afresh. Gratitude shone in their eyes as they departed, thanking him for not only their freedom but for giving them a chance to rebuild.

However, not everyone left. A large number of the crew, driven by their love for the sea, opted to stay. They wanted to continue exploring new horizons with Tyler as their captain.

Addressing them all, Tyler laid out his plan. "For those who wish to continue the ship merchant business, I will provide new ships. You’ll form your own crews, establish separate trading routes, and expand under the White Merchant Group’s name. The South has vast, untapped markets—make them ours."

The crew’s faces lit up with excitement and anticipation. Many had never imagined that their captain would entrust them with such responsibility or provide them with their own ships.

Tyler appointed Tuman to oversee the logistics and execution of the plan. Once everything was in capable hands, Tyler, accompanied by Mana and Isha, departed for Dusk City and the academy he had recently acquired.

Arriving at Dusk City

Upon reaching the Teleportation Hub in Dusk City through Teleportation Array, the group stepped out into the urban environment. Tyler retrieved a sleek flying car from his storage device, and they set off toward their destination.

As they cruised above the city’s streets, Isha’s attention was drawn to an amusement park undergoing reconstruction. Workers zipped through the air on hoverboards, tirelessly restoring the long-abandoned attraction.

"That’s also Tyler’s property," Mana remarked, noticing Isha’s curiosity. "He bought the amusement park and is having it rebuilt."

Isha’s eyes widened in surprise. "You own this too?"

Tyler chuckled. "I’ve also secured the rights to operate the city’s tram system. It’s currently being upgraded. But the biggest investment I’ve made here is the academy."

Their car hovered toward the edge of the city, where the green landscape began to blend with the desert. Tyler gazed out the window, admiring the transformation.

"They’ve already turned a lot of desert into green fields," he murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

Soon, the academy came into view. The sprawling complex of buildings, which had once looked like discarded toys scattered across the ground, now floated majestically in the air. The academy’s arrays, once dormant due to a lack of funding, had been fully restored under Tyler’s ownership.

The buildings shimmered, held aloft by intricate arrays that allowed them to hover. Students could now only access the buildings using hoverboards. Well since there are no students now. It’s doesn’t matter.

The scrambled letters in front of the academy is also Floating in the Air, showing the name.of the Academy in Grand manner.

Inside the Academy

Within the academy’s private chambers, a solitary figure floated inside a cylindrical tube. Serena, her serene form suspended in the Time Freezing Capsule, lay in a state of stasis. The capsule, an extraordinary piece of magical and technological craftsmanship, consumed a staggering amount of Aura and Prana stones to maintain its functionality.

A goblin girl, diminutive but industrious, tended to the capsule with unwavering dedication. Her hands moved swiftly as she refilled the chamber’s energy reservoirs, ensuring the capsule continued its vital work. Though the task was demanding, her expression remained focused.