<h4>Chapter 23: Demonstration of Power and Control</h4>


    "Forget the promises, I''m just a businessman," Sylvus said with a sigh as he sat down, feeling drained.


    The idea of receiving several billion magic crystals had vanished. What good would a mere promise do him now? It wouldn''t feel right to trade that promise for crystals, either—it would just feel cheap.


    As they spoke, Men came forward, carrying the Ling Yan Elixir, which he handed to Corvin .


    "This is a Grade 7 Ling Yan Elixir. It''ll cost you 500,000 magic crystals," Men said.


    "Father, pay up, and don''t forget the 100,000 magic crystals I owe the boss from before," Corvin said as he epted the elixir and prepared to feed it to the small, tiger-like Winged Thunder Tiger in his arms.


    "Young master, wait a moment. I''ve lived for many years, and I''ve never heard of any elixir that can make magical beasts speak. What if this elixir is dangerous?" Men interrupted, skeptical.


    "Grandpa Muir , I trust the boss. Without him, I wouldn''t even have this eight-star magical beast as my mount," Corvin replied, frowning.


    From the bottom of his heart, Corvin trusted Sylvuspletely. After all, Sylvus had miraculously turned him, a perceived failure, into someone who possessed an eight-star magical beast.


    Muir remained silent but fixed his gaze on Sylvus, hoping for a reasonable exnation or at least some insight into how the elixir was made.


    An exnation?


    Sylvus had no intention of exining anything.


    "If you don''t want to buy it, you can leave," Sylvus said coldly.


    He wasn''t under any obligation toplete system missions anymore, and he had already bought everything from the system shop, so he wasn''t in dire need of money.


    Even if he did need it, Sylvus certainly wouldn''t feel obliged to give Men any face.


    Who are you to demand exnations from me?


    Even if I tried to exin it, would you even understand?


    The truth is, I don''t even know how these elixirs are made myself.


    Why bother exining? Buy it or don''t.


    "Sylvus, as a merchant, isn''t your attitude a bitcking? No one has ever dared speak to me like this!" Muir''s face darkened as he spoke, a powerful aura surging from him.


    He was, after all, a revered Saint Archmage. Being chastised by someone so young was a blow to his pride. Especially with Teddy right beside him, retreating now would be an insult to the Stanway family''s honor.


    Teddy, on the other hand, stood by calmly, observing the situation.


    Anyone capable of creating a magical tool to subdue an eight-star magical beast must be extraordinary. This was a perfect opportunity for Men to test the waters.


    Suddenly, a powerful aura flooded the room, but it wasn''t from Sylvus.


    "What''s that? You have a problem with being told to leave?" Men''s aura was immediately suppressed by the intense energy radiating from the other side of the room.


    Men''s heart skipped a beat as he turned to see Men unleashing his own power—a power that instantly overwhelmed Men.


    "A... a Nine-Star Saint Archmage?" Muir stuttered, and Teddy''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    How could it be that such a seemingly insignificant shop housed a Nine-Star Saint Archmage, one of the most powerful individuals on the entire continent? Their Stanway family, with all its wealth, couldn''t hope to secure someone like this.


    And if this man was a Nine-Star Saint Archmage, what level of power did Sylvus, the shop''s owner, possess?


    Could he be a Mage Emperor?


    Both Teddy and Men drew sharp breaths. Two of the most powerful beings on the continent were hiding out in this tiny shop?


    "Sir... I..."


    Just as Men was about to apologize, Sylvus interrupted.


    "Men, withdraw your aura. What, do you enjoy bullying the weak?"


    "Huh? Oh, yes, boss," Men quicklyplied, though he was perplexed.


    Has the boss gone soft?


    He had no issue with crushing that Enforcement Hall captain the other day. Why was he now concerned about bullying the weak?


    Once Men had drawn back his aura, Men sighed in relief. With Sylvus stepping in, it seemed like the danger had passed.


    But then, Sylvus cast a cold nce at Muir and Teddy, uttering just one word.


    "Useless."


    Useless?


    Both Muir and Teddy were baffled. What did Sylvus mean?


    Within seconds, they felt it—their magical power, draining away.


    "What''s happening? Why is my magic power dissipating? My level is dropping!"


    "What''s going on? I can''t even feel the magic around me anymore!"


    Muir and Teddy were both in a state of panic.


    Men, who had been a Saint Archmage just moments ago, was suddenly reduced to the level of an Archmage.


    In less than ten seconds, two of the continent''s top powerhouses had been reduced to ordinary men, unable to even sense the magic around them.


    "It''s you... you''re the one who did this to us! You stripped us of our powers!" Teddy eximed, turning to Sylvus in horror.


    There was no one else around, and the only thing that could exin their sudden power loss was the single word Sylvus had spoken—"Useless."


    The realization hit them like a brick wall. Sylvus had rendered thempletely powerless.


    "Seems the boss is still as ruthless as ever," Men said quietly, though there was a hint of satisfaction in his voice. This was the Sylvus he knew.


    "Sorry," Sylvus said, a calm smile still ying on his lips. "I enjoy bullying the weak."


    To Muir and Teddy, that smile was like staring into the abyss. The realization that this man could strip them of their power with a word sent shivers down their spines.