Chapter 40 The Highcliffe Twins " Yvette , you think too highly of yourself ! " Leander shook his head with a cold expression . " What you say may be useful to others , but it holds no meaning for me . 40 Finished " Is knowing Colin an opportunity ? Let me be clear . I do not need any opportunities . I depend solely on my own strength for everything . Besides , Colin reaching out to me does not mean he truly wants to get to know me . " As for what happened at the bar tonight , I only acted because I was confident I could handle it . I do not require you to remind me of anything ." Yvette's expression shifted , but Leander continued in the same bland tone . " Yvette , your perspective is too limited . The world you perceive is merely the surface . " The things you regard as important , wealth , power , connections , background , mean nothing to me . " After Leander finished speaking , he turned away and waved to Madeline , leaving one last remark . " Compared to what you value , there is one thing that is eternal and transcends all . " That is raw strength , the power that can control everything ! " Yvette stood there for a long time before suddenly snapping back to her senses . When she looked up , Leander had already left the villa with Madeline in tow . When she recalled Leander's words , she could not help but shake her head . Her eyes were filled with deep disappointment . She had kindly warned him , hoping Leander could be more self - aware and change himself so that he would avoid the same mistakes . However , Leander had shown no gratitude , even going so far as to call her self - righteous and narrow - minded . Did he really think wealth , power , connections , and background were unimportant ? Did he think that the raw strength was what truly mattered ? To her , what he said was nothing but a terrible joke . In this day and age , how could someone with exceptional martial arts skills still gain power as easily as they could in the past ? Even if such a thing were possible , it should not matter to Leander since he only knew basic 1/6 19:27 Sat , Oct 11 Chapter 40 The Highcliffe Twins ( 46 ) #Finished martial arts . His skill was a far cry from the legendary figures who could leap from roof to roof and split mountains with a wave of their hands . " It seems he hasn't learned his lesson yet . " Her gaze dimmed as she sighed . " I have said what needed to be said . If you continue to cling stubbornly to your childish ideas , one day, you will pay a much heavier price for your foolishness . " Through the night , Leander and Madeline walked side by side along the street . Leander paid no attention at all to what Yvette had said earlier . In this world , wealth and power were merely superficial things . True exceptional talents and prominent figures possessed immense strength ! For example , the Ashcroft family of Highcliffe . Although the Ashcroft family had a strong foundation in business , politics , and military , what truly led to its rise through the years were the martial art skills passed down through generations . As long as the Ashcroft family's martial artists stayed strong , the Ashcroft family of Highcliffe would not fall . Ever since he was abandoned by his biological father , Gareth , and thrown into a desolate mountain as a child , he vowed to become the strongest in the world . In the past ten years , he has traversed treacherous mountains and dangerous places , often risking death . Finally , he created the unique and unparalleled martial arts technique " Devourer's Ninefold Path " which made him invincible . No matter how rich or powerful someone might be , he did not take them seriously . He could easily take them down , for who could stop him ? " Leander , are you truly okay ? " Madeline still felt uneasy . " Silly girl , what could possibly be wrong with me ? I am perfectly fine , am I not ? " Leander smiled and shrugged his shoulders . Even though Leander's smile was bright and warm , Madeline still felt a twinge of worry . According to what the three women speculated before , Leander was threatened and humiliated by Tobias in the past three hours . His dignity would definitely be greatly injured . She wanted to keep probing but feared reopening Leander's wounds . Thus , she kept quiet . " By the way ... " 2/6 19:27 Sat , Oct 11 Chapter 40 The Highcliffe Twins Finished As the evening breeze brushed past their figures , Leander suddenly asked , " Is there something special you wish to do ? I remember you said when you were young that you wanted to be a singer . " Madeline's long hair danced in the wind , her flowing tresses gracefully moving . She gazed into the distance , her eyes filled with longing . A moment later , she lowered her head with disappointment in her eyes . " That is just a childhood dream . After my mother passed away , I realized how cruel this world is . " Even if I want to be a singer , reality will not permit it ." Madeline raised her head , forcing a smile . " Right now , I will work part - time at the bar , prepare for the college entrance examination , get into a good university , and earn a stable income . " As for the dream of being a singer , I will pursue it when my life is steady . " Leander looked at this strong yet troubled girl and silently sighed . It seemed that Hazel's death had a significant impact on Madeline . " Madeline , don't be so pessimistic . Leander suddenly smiled . " Perhaps one day , a record label or entertainment company will suddenly ask you to sign a contract with them ! " Madeline shook her head . " Leander , you are just trying to cheer me up . Why would I ever be so lucky ? " Leander smiled and did not push the issue , but he had already made plans for her in his mind . He was now Madeline's only family . Naturally , he would protect her dream . The two returned to their apartment and chatted for a long time in the living room before finally heading to their respective rooms to sleep . The next morning , they left together for school . At the same time , over a thousand miles away in Highcliffe , a young man and woman also walked together on the street with their backpacks . The boy was around sixteen or seventeen years old . He stood tall and walked with a confident demeanor . His bright eyes sparkled , revealing him to be more than what he seemed . 3/6 19:27 Sat , Oct 11 Chapter 40 The Highcliffe Twins 32 Finished If someone were to closely examine him , they might be surprised to find him looking rather similar to Leander . The girl walking next to him was no ordinary girl either . Dressed in a plaid shirt with lace trim and striped straight - leg pants that accentuated her curves , she captivated everyone around her . There was an ethereal flair to her beauty as her flawless features were perfect down to the very minute details . The air of elegance and nobility she naturally exuded could rival that of any royal princess or noble girl , evoking both admiration and respect from those around her . People kept glancing at them . The men were captivated by the girl , unable to shift their gazes away for a long time as they secretly envied the boy . The boy ignored the gazes of those around him and looked at the girl . His eyes were filled with undisguised affection . " Daphne , our grandfathers publicly announced our engagement yesterday . You seem unhappy , though . " The girl named Daphne slightly tilted her head in response as she coldly looked at him . " Yes , I am unhappy ! " She decisively responded , causing Ethan's eyes to narrow . " Ethan , you Ethan's heart ached . He clenched his fists as the light in his eyes should know very well that I've only ever liked your older brother ! " dimmed . " My older brother ? " Ethan knew that Daphne , the great beauty of Highcliffe , had always liked that other body . That other boy was Ethan's older brother , who had been branded as the cause of the Ashcroft family's downfall by Reginald ten years ago . Gareth had personally stripped him of his martial power and expelled him from the family . Even though Leander had been gone for ten years , Daphne had never forgotten him . Despite spending a decade with her , Ethan still could not win her love . " Ethan , you should understand the actual cause for everything you possess today , including your unrivaled status and the admiration of many young heirs from prominent families in Highcliffe . " Daphne continued with a serious expression , saying , " If Leander had not been expelled from 4/6 19:27 Sat , Oct 11 Chapter 40 The Highcliffe Twins the Ashcroft family , do you really believe everything you have now would be yours , considering his talent ? " 39 Finished Ethan fell silent , unable to argue against her . As a child , Leander had shown extraordinary talent , surpassing all his peers . Even Ethan felt inferior in comparison . Had Leander not been expelled from the Ashcroft family and lost his martial power , all the admiration , accolades , and even the future position of head of the Ashcroft family would belong to Leander , not to him . Daphne quickened her pace . " Ethan , I am the only daughter of the Florian family , which has always maintained close ties with the Ashcroft family . My grandfather arranged for me to marry you , and I will not oppose it . This is for the benefit of our families . " Still , let me be clear : even if I marry you and become your wife , I will never love you ." " In my heart , he is the only one ! " Ethan followed behind Daphne . His eyes shone with frustration . " Leander is already dead . He has been gone for ten years ! " He could not imagine how a ten - year - old child , stripped of his martial power and abandoned in the mountains , could have survived . When Daphne heard that , she suddenly lifted her head and looked up at the clear sky . Her eyes were full of hope . " He would not have died . With his stubbornness , there was no way he would have given up ! " A slight smile appeared on her lips . She looked so beautiful that even Ethan found himself momentarily stunned . " Leander , I know you are still alive . I believe you are still out there . I , Daphne Florian , once promised that if you say the word , I will follow you without hesitation . Even if the whole world opposes us , I will never waver . " I will wait for you in Highcliffe . I'm waiting for you to say the word ." Ethan stood beside her with his heart burning in jealousy . He had known Daphne for over ten years . They spent nearly every day together . They walked to and from school , yet he had never seen her smile so beautifully at him . She was always cold and distant , keeping him at arm's length . Yet now , at the mere mention of someone who had been gone for ten years , Daphne smiled like a blossoming flower . It was a smile that could captivate the world . How could he not feel 5/6 19:27 Sat , Oct 11 Chapter 40 The Highcliffe Twins jealous ? He clenched his fists tightly , his energies surging as his heart roared with fury . " Daphne , you belong to me ! 39 Finished " One day , I will stand at the pinnacle of the world . I will surpass my father and even those who reign over the martial realm . " I will prove to you that I am stronger than my brother . I am the one who truly deserves you . " At that moment , Ethan possessed two strands of martial power . One was his own , and the other had been taken from Leander by Gareth and surgically grafted onto him . Since he had received Leander's martial power , Ethan's cultivation had rapidly improved . Even at a young age , he had reached the peak of Martial Grandmaster . He was just one step away from entering the Martial Sovereign realm . He felt confident that he could prove to Daphne that he was the true martial genius of this era , destined to become a pillar of the martial world . As for Leander , he had long been relegated to the past . Even if Leander were still alive , without his martial power , he could no longer cultivate . How could he ever compare to Ethan now ? Meanwhile , far away in a classroom in Mornwick , Leander blankly stared at the pull tab of a soda can in his hand . Send Gifts 1 。 50 1 6/6