Failto Hope is tied up within moments, and set on the ground. He could only look as Kairos pocketed his relic daggers and gave it to his grandson. For many practitioners, their weaponry is important to them as their lives.

He shouted mightily, “Give it back! Return it!”

But the two boys only ignored him. There isn’t a single thing he could do right now.

As a Double S ranker, Kairos had to use the high-quality Frost Spider’s threads to bind him. Ironically, not only is it able to capture a powerful cultivator, it is the same material used to as cover for Emperor Galahad’s throne cushions.

“Untie me, boy! Don’t you know who I am?” The Grand Patriarch shouted furiously. The shame of being captured by a kid gave him a tremendous sense of defeat that crushed his confidence. He already knew that this feeling of despair would stall his path of cultivation indefinitely

Now, there is no one else besides himself that could help him get out of this slump, but there is still one easy method to resolve this crushing vexation which chains him.

To slay Kairos.

Unfortunately, no matter how much he wishes to deny it, he cannot lie to himself that he is no longer a match for the boy.

Kairos looked at him and patiently said, “You just tried killing me a short while ago. Why should I let you free?”

“Jim! Tell your friend to untie me!”

“No, Grand Patriarch.” Jim shook his head and looked at his grandfather stubbornly.

“You ungrateful child. Let me go!”

“You don’t see me as your child” he whispered.

“Jim, boy… you need to think of the family first. You should understand that you’re not as important to the Hope house. But your father is, and, I am! Tell your friend to…”

He could not finish his words, as a glare from Kairos cut him off and caused him to shiver involuntarily even under the bright sunlight.

While Failto Hope was speaking, Jim who had faced death without shrinking, started to have his eyes turn red and watery.

No matter what they encountered previously, even when he was frightened, Jim’s heart had always resolutely believed that the group would survive as long as they stick together. But, in the end, he is still a 13-year-old boy that looked up to his father and wish for his grandfather to dote him.

When Kairos saw this, the rage that welled up from within, caused his aura to change from a soothing ocean, into a boundless sun that wishes to dry up the seas.

“Silence,” He said softly, but the single word held an authority that made Failto Hope obey against his will.

It lasted for only a second, but it caused the Grand Patriarch’s face to turn beet red thinking that he was frightened by the boy.

“What did I say wrong? He is only a bastard child. The son of a whore!”

Anger flashed across Kairos’ eyes, but Jim who was keeping his head down looked up and replied with a powerful voice, “You may look down on me. But you have no right to demean my mother after what she had done for the Hope family… Though you and father never deserved it”

…..

What Lyla did in the past was tremendous indeed. In a way, she can be considered as one of the founders of Hope family’s businesses, but not only was she never recognised by her own partner, Cannot Hope, she was restrained within their mansion most of her life.

Long ago, when Lyla was still a young girl, her parents had sold her to her uncle because they ran out of money to feed themselves.

Such incidents are rather frequent within any nation in the Mortal Realm, though cruel, people could make any decision when it comes to their survival.

Her uncle quickly became bored with her, and she was sold to a brothel. But in that place where she found hell, an unexpected kindness from a gentleman changed her life once again.

An old man with pure white hair stepped into a brothel for the first time in his life. Having outlived his ‘last’ family member, and lost his purpose in life, he had convinced himself to explore the ‘other side’ before taking his own life.

When he stepped into this place, he immediately started feeling ashamed of himself. But seeing the beautiful ladies, he realised that he could not remember the last time he had a woman and eventually gave in to his carnal desires. The old man made some excuses for himself, and without looking, he randomly chose a lady.

As luck would have it, the one he picked that night was young Lyla. When he took a closer look at her, his mind instantly cleared.

Lyla looked just like his granddaughter that passed away, and he couldn’t find it in him to continue.

That night, she found herself a protector. And he, an unlikely heir.

The old man spent a fortune buying her freedom and used the rest of his life teaching her to read, to write and how to do business.

She took over his assets and taken care of him till his passing. Until one day, she met fell in love with a youthful Cannot Hope.

At that time, he had lost everything that Failto Hope prepared for him and the business he created. Even his wife, who died of a sudden illness.

Lyla took pity on him.

Seeing his children were starving, she took his family in, to stay at the old man’s mansion.

But things progressed far too quickly afterwards.

She taught him how to do businesses as she was taught, and by his convincing, gave him a sum of money to try.

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She was amazed by how quickly he learned, and even more by his prudence with money. The funds she gave him become a larger pool, and she allowed him to pocket the earnings.

Soon, under the care of the two, the old man’s businesses flourished.

Lyla felt a great warmth in her heart when she saw what her foster father had left for her, grow. And her brilliance rubbed off onto the man.

Cannot Hope’s advances were swift and passionate, and when she believed he loved her, she told him her past.

He convinced her that the past is history, and it gave her hope to finally wash away the feeling of inferiority that had long budded in her heart.

Soon, because of love, Lyla gave everything she has to him.

Under his administration, the business started to take form and gain momentum.

Unfortunately, the more successful he becomes, the faster he changed.

Cannot Hope craved for bigger challenges. He had become proud of his own talents and did not want his success to be given by a woman.

When the business grew, until it stretched across the lands, he no longer brings her to the balls that the nobles invite. He felt that her past would one day resurface and become a stain on his career.

For the sake of keeping up the appearance of his success, Cannot Hope married another. A middle-rank nobleman’s daughter.

A woman, he thought, more fitting for his status.

Then, he forced her to move into her own basement.

And it was then, that she found herself with his child.

…..

Failto Hope had never treated Lyla as a member of his family. She was never married to his son, and therefore he had never recognised Lyla nor her son, Jim.

But the next words that Kairos said made him silent.

“You seem to have mistaken the situation the Hope family is in. Do not forget who is in charge now.” He placed a hand on Jim’s shoulder.

The warmth of Kairos’ palm seemed to seep into his body, and it transformed into a confidence that allowed him to raise his head when facing his father and grandfather.

Kairos had asked him thrice before if he dared to stand up against his father. This time, Jim has finally decided.

When Kairos visited Jim and found out the plight his brother was in, he had once proposed that taking away Cannot Hope’s wealth might be the only way to turn the man away from seeing everything as figures.

All his life, Jim had not experienced the warmth of a family, and the hope of realising that dream of his made him agree to Kairos’ plan. But he wasn’t confident if they could do it, and he quickly becomes uncertain.

At that time, they were up against the business titan, the Hope enterprise. Out of all the possible moves, they could do, Kairos finally found a single, narrow path, to make his proposal into a reality. But to make one’s father bankrupt, destroying his confidence in the process, and tear Cannot Hope away from the one thing he found value in, was a risk which results no one could predict. And eventually, that plan of his was delayed.

Afterwards, when they found Ling’er, Xuan Xian’s daughter’s horrible condition due to the Hope enterprise, Kairos asked Jim once again. Yet Jim was still unable to bravely rise up to face that domineering, authoritative figure, he had grown up seeing.

When they returned after saving Jones, they found that the shop which supported the lives of so many classmates’ families were bankrupted and the staff were imprisoned.

At that time, Kairos asked again. Then finally Jim nodded.

He had always thought that his father is an infallible person. That he could never make a mistake.

If they take that confidence away from him, will he still be the same person?

But now, hearing the things that Kairos had said for his sake, and how his grandfather thinks of him, Jim’s heart hardened.

Placing Failto Hope on the land wyrm, they headed to Saint City.

In the meeting room in the Trade Federate, Cannot Hope is already listlessly awaiting them.

His dishevelled hair and sunken eyes spoke volumes about his current mental state.

There was little response elicited from him when he saw Kairos and Jim coming into the room, but when he saw his doting father carried in, his eyes widened in shock.

“How dare you treat my father this way! Unbind him immediately!”

Kairos, however, responded coolly, “He was caught in his attempt to assassinate me. Do you know what the consequence of attacking an Earl is?”

Cannot’s face turned pale when he heard it. He could not believe his ears. It should be easy for his father, who is a Double S ranker, to assassinate the boy. And even if he fails, it ought to be easy for him to escape without a trace.

How was he captured? Did someone assist him?

But Kairos wasn’t finished, and he interrupted his thoughts, saying, “Do you know the consequence of attempting the murder of a 3rd Class Official?”

When Cannot Hope heard this, it was as though someone splashed a pail of ice water on him, and he shivered involuntarily.

The punishment for attacking an Earl is death, but to try and take the life of an Official is a crime that would cause every family member of the perpetrator to be punished.

“What about an attempt on a Red Robe?” Kairos said, driving the final nails into the coffin.

The light went out of Cannot Hope’s eyes, and he whispered to himself, “It’s finished. Everything is finished…”

If Failto Hope succeeded, things would turn out well even if an investigation is carried out, he has the confidence to bury any evidence. But the problem is, his father was captured, and there is no way to wriggle his way out.

“W…what do you want,” Cannot Hope finally gave in, after his shred of defiance has been crushed.

“Sign it!” Jim took out a contract of agreement and slammed it on the table before his father.

No matter financially, or legally, the Hope enterprise is finished, and his life is in Kairos’ hands.

Cannot Hope placed a shaking finger onto the paper and infused a little of his Ki into it.

Every person’s Ki signature is unique and impossible to forge. With his mark stamped onto the papers, the Hope enterprise now officially belongs to Jim.

The two boys turned and walked out the door without a word, leaving Failto Hope still bound and lying on the ground.

The father and son that are left in the room stared at each other silently.

“Jim, what're your plans now?” Kairos asked solemnly.

His brother turned and faced him with a faint smile on his face, and a tinge of relief in his eyes, he said softly, “I want to focus on my cultivation. Boss, you are far too strong, and we brothers are afraid you will leave us behind.”

Although their cultivation speed is quicker than Kairos, the latter always far outstrip them in martial prowess. It could not be helped that they worry about being unable to assist their friend in a battle. Nothing feels worse than standing by helplessly when people precious to them needs them.

“But, what about your family’s business?”

“I’ll leave it to my mother. It would be quite amusing to see how my mother and father switch roles.”

“That I’m certain. She is quite formidable in business.” Kairos contemplated Lyla’s decisiveness and boldness during the time she was in control of the Snowdrifts. Even with Kairos’ aid, things only turn out perfectly because of her.

“That’s because, the one who taught her on how to manage the businesses, her adoptive father, is the 1st Prince. The one who is also known as the Prince of Merchants.”

“I…I thought that you said he did not have any blood relative?” Kairos uncomprehendingly asked. The Emperor is still alive, and so is the third and the fifth princes.

Kairos had heard of the title, Prince of Merchants, and know of the achievements that this legendary trader had done in the past.

Famous for being the only one who could enter the Savage Lands for trade, without any fear. And, opening the trading route towards the South.

He even created a safe supply passage between Saint Empire and the Silent Lambs Empire in the past, though now it has been blocked after the two nations’ relationship turn sour.

Jim’s words explained how the Hope enterprise had control of so many trade routes, but his curiosity was not answered.

“The first Prince was born with an inability to cultivate, but he was talented in trading and loved to travel across the lands making friends.

Because he did not wish to bear the burden of the crown, Emperor Galahad eventually disowned him.

But that decision only made him happier and started his own family without seeing himself as royalty ever again.

Unfortunately, his children could not cultivate Ki like him, and they could only live out the lifespan a mortal has.”

Kairos nodded. He finally understood why Cannot Hope who had such a large enterprise was unable to buy his way into nobility.

Perhaps the first Prince considers himself a commoner, his freedom exchanged from being completely separated from the royal family. But the Emperor still honours his son’s wishes and regards everything that the Hope enterprise owns, as his son, the first Prince’s properties.