Chapter 213: What a Piece of Trash

"Renee!"

Seeing his daughter regain consciousness, Erasmus rushed to her side, overflowing with relief.

"Dad…"

Renee looked around the room, confusion clouding her eyes. The surrounding crowd filled her with apprehension.

"You scared me to death, Renee! You were unconscious for several days!" Tears streamed down Erasmus's face. Although cultivators were supposed to sever emotional attachments on their path to immortality, few truly could.

"Do you believe me now, Master Erasmus?" Falcon sneered. "This is only a temporary fix. If I don't continue treatment, Renee will revert. And let me be clear—I'm the only one who can cure her frosty condition. Everyone else is a charlatan! Make up your mind, and get rid of them!"

Josephine stepped forward, furious. "Who are you calling a charlatan? You look like one! Stop boasting with that worthless bronze mirror! If you're so great, throw it away and let's see who's better!"

Falcon's eyes glinted as he looked at Josephine. Instead of anger, a leering smile spread across his face. "Everyone else can leave, but she can stay. I admire her ferocity."

"What a piece of trash!" Josephine spat.

Stunned, Falcon wiped the spit from his face, his temper erupting. "I'll kill you, you bitch!"

Josephine instinctively took a step back, but Jared stepped forward, shielding her. He scoffed disdainfully. "You act high and mighty because of the Starry Compass? Without it, you're nothing. It's a powerful artifact, wasted on you! A cultivator using it achieves double the results with half the effort. But a useless piece of trash like you can't even use it!"

Jared's words struck a nerve. Falcon's fury blazed; he'd defeated Leonidas and healed Renee only because of the Starry Compass.

"You're just envious! Jealous of my magical artifact! If you're so great, show me yours! How will you absorb Renee's frosty energy?" Falcon challenged.

"I am the greatest magical artifact," Jared retorted with a snort. "Only ineffectual people rely on external items."

Falcon's expression darkened. Leonidas, too, looked grim; Jared's words resonated with him, as he had used a jade scepter to treat Renee.

"You intend to absorb the frosty energy directly into your body?" Falcon asked.

"Exactly," Jared replied calmly.

"Haha… What a joke! Renee's frosty constitution is why she survived so long. The average person wouldn't last a day! Yet you dare absorb the energy yourself? If you succeed, you can ask anything of me. Fail, and you'll apologize on your knees, and that girl will warm my bed!" Falcon's malice sent shivers down Josephine's spine.

Jared's eyes narrowed, a murderous aura radiating from him. "Are you sick of living?"

Though their relationship wasn't officially confirmed, both Jared and Josephine understood their feelings. He considered her his girlfriend and wouldn't tolerate her harassment.