Chapter 10

The next morning, the Moore family received an invitation from the Harrison family. They were invited to a banquet with the purpose of “strengthening ties between families and discussing matters related to the inheritance of ancient secrets.” Ethan Moore glanced at the invitation, a cold smile playing on his lips. He understood immediately: Leo Harrison couldn’t resist anymore. He wanted to set up a trap to lure Ethan into it.

“Leo Harrison, if you want to play, I’ll play with you to the end. Let’s see who laughs last.” Ethan Moore tossed the invitation onto the table, his gaze sharp. He was fully prepared. He knew that Leo Harrison’s invitation must have ulterior motives—either to retrieve the Yin-Yang Pearl or to get rid of him. But Ethan wasn’t afraid. This was exactly the opportunity to uncover the true intentions of the Harrison family and find out what other schemes Leo Harrison might have in mind.

In the evening, Ethan Moore put on appropriate clothing and went alone to the Harrison family’s residence. Inside the Harrison family’s mansion, lights were bright and decorations were everywhere. People from various noble families gathered there. They drank and laughed together, creating a seemingly harmonious atmosphere. But beneath the surface, there was much undercurrent. Everyone had their own plans in mind.

Leo Harrison, dressed in a brocade robe, stood at the center of the hall. With a beaming smile on his face, he warmly welcomed guests from all directions. Yet, beneath his false smile, there was a hint of coldness in his eyes. From time to time, he scanned the hall, searching for Ethan Moore’s figure. His desire to kill grew stronger by the moment.

“Young Master Shen, congratulations on taking over as the head of the Harrison family. Please take care of us in the future.” The Li family head said, holding a glass of wine and smiling at Leo Harrison. His tone was full of flattery.

“Uncle Li, you’re too kind. In the future, we’ll need the support of all our elders and brothers to help each family reach new heights.” Leo Harrison replied with a smile, raising his glass and drinking it in one gulp. His smile grew even more insincere.

Everyone raised their glasses to congratulate Leo Harrison. The atmosphere in the hall seemed to reach its peak. But inside, Leo Harrison grew increasingly anxious—why hadn’t Ethan Moore arrived yet? Had he discovered something and dared not come?

Just as he was feeling doubtful, a hearty laugh came from outside the hall, breaking the silence in the room: “Hahaha, I’m so late! I’m truly sorry. I practiced too late last night and overslept. Brother Shen, please don’t blame me!”

Everyone turned to look. There stood Ethan Moore, smiling broadly as he strode in. Dressed in white, he exuded a carefree demeanor, showing no signs of fear. It seemed as though he had simply overslept and was just a little late.

Leo Harrison’s doubts vanished instantly. He put on a fake smile, stepped forward quickly, and gave Ethan Moore a fist-bump. “What are you saying, Moore? When friends get together, there’s no need to worry about timing. How could I blame you for that?”

“That’s good, that’s good. I thought Brother Shen might get angry.” Ethan Moore replied with a smile, casually glancing toward the man in green in the corner of the hall. The man in green was staring at him viciously, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Leo Harrison watched all this happen, frowning slightly. A hint of doubt crossed his mind: Ethan Moore had clearly seen the man in the green shirt, yet he remained so calm. Was he really not afraid? Or did he have some kind of advantage or support?

Despite his doubts, Leo Harrison still wore a smile on his face. He said to Ethan Moore, “It’s a honor for me, Leo Harrison, that Moore has come here. Since you’re late, you’ll have to drink three glasses as punishment!”

Ethan Moore waved his hand and declined with a smile, “Oh, Brother Shen, I’m really sorry. I can’t handle alcohol well. If I get drunk and do something inappropriate, it wouldn’t be worth it at all. It’s better to drink less.”

“Heh, Mur, are you not giving me face here?” Leo Harrison pretended to be displeased, his tone slightly probing. “After all these years of friendship between us, what’s the harm in having a few drinks together?”

Ethan Moore sneered inwardly. “Friendship?” Between him and Leo Harrison, there was only deep hatred. Where could any friendship come from? Yet he pretended to be reluctant, smiling and saying, “Since Brother Shen says so, I’ll have one drink. But no more than that.”

“Good! Just one glass then!” Leo Harrison was pleased. He quickly gave the butler beside him a wink. The butler understood immediately. He brought over a pot of fine wine and swiftly poured a glass for Ethan Moore.

“Mull, please.” Leo Harrison made an inviting gesture, though there was a barely detectable hint of cruelty in his eyes. He had already mixed a special sedative and poison into the drink. Once Ethan Mull drank it, he would become powerless within moments, losing all his spiritual energy. Then, Leo Harrison could do as he wished: take back the Yin-Yang Pearl and get rid of Ethan Mull.

Ethan Moore glanced at the clear wine in his glass, already seeing through Leo Harrison’s schemes. A barely noticeable smile appeared on his lips. Without hesitation, he raised the glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Just after drinking the alcohol, Ethan Moore felt a strange, dark energy rushing into his body through his throat. It spread along his meridians, rapidly eroding his spiritual energy. He felt dizzy, and his steps became unsteady, as though he might faint at any moment.

“Sure enough,” Ethan Moore thought to himself. But on his face, he pretended to be dizzy, with a vacant gaze and a slightly unsteady posture, as if he were truly under the effects of some kind of drug. He intended to play along with Leo Harrison’s tactics, to see what other tricks Leo might have up his sleeve, and whether there were any further schemes hidden behind his actions.

Upon seeing Ethan Moore’s condition, Leo Harrison smirked with satisfaction. He said to the butler, “Brother Moore really can’t handle alcohol well. Hurry, help Brother Moore go downstairs and rest. Take good care of him and make sure he doesn’t suffer any inconvenience.”

“Yes, Young Master Shen.” The butler quickly stepped forward, helping Ethan Moore towards the guest room.

Upon entering the guest room, the butler confirmed that Ethan Moore was “unconscious” and left the room, closing the door behind him. As soon as the door was closed, Ethan Moore immediately opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and alert—far from appearing unconscious at all.

He quickly took out a tiny silver insect from the bracelet on his wrist. This was a special antidote insect created by the Moore family’s arcane arts. It could counter most poisons and deadly toxins in the world. Once the silver insect entered his body, it consumed all the dark energy within him. His dizziness vanished instantly, and his spiritual energy returned to normal.

Ethan Moore stood up, stretching his arms and legs. He remained cautious in his heart—Leo Harrison wouldn’t give up on him so easily. There would definitely be more to come.

Sure enough, after a short while, faint footsteps were heard outside the door. The footsteps were soft, yet carried an eerie quality to them. Ethan Moore felt a chill run down his spine. He quickly gathered his energy, formed hand seals, and several talismans appeared in his hands, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

The door was gently pushed open, and a figure stepped inside. It was Leo Harrison’s subordinate, the man in the green shirt. The man in the green shirt glanced at Ethan Moore, who was lying unconscious on the bed. A smug smile appeared on his face, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Ethan Moore was puzzled. If the man in the green shirt had come here, why wasn’t he taking any action? He stared intently at the man in the green shirt, ready to act at any moment. But the man simply stood by the bed, stared at him for a while, did nothing, then turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

“What’s going on here?” Ethan Moore was filled with confusion. Leo Harrison had gone to great lengths to set up this trap, drugging her. Could it really be just to make sure the man in green would take a look at him? No way. There must be something more to it.

He used his “yin-yang eyes” to scan the entire guest room carefully. He found nothing unusual: no ambushes, no traps, and no one else present.

Ethan Moore waited for a while, but nothing happened. He thought to himself, “It seems Leo Harrison is trying to play some kind of game. Well, in that case, I might as well take the initiative and find out what he’s really up to.”

He adjusted his clothes, pushed the door open, and pretended to have just woken up. Then, he walked slowly toward the hallway. Just as he stepped out of the guest room, a dark figure suddenly flashed past from around the corner—extremely fast and fleeting.

Ethan Moore felt a chill run through him. He immediately summoned his spiritual energy and followed silently. The dark figure rushed through several corridors before finally stopping in a secluded garden. Ethan Moore hid behind a tree at the entrance to the garden. Upon closer inspection, he was stunned—the dark figure turned out to be a woman.

The woman was dressed in red, with a graceful figure and beautiful appearance. Her eyes had a charming sparkle. She was none other than Chloe Bennett, the young lady of the Li family.

Chloe Bennett turned around and saw Ethan Moore. A charming smile appeared on her face as she stepped forward, her voice gentle: “Young Master Moore, what a coincidence! Are you also out for a walk here?”

Ethan Moore felt annoyed. “Coincidence?” It was obvious she had deliberately lured him here. What was the point of pretending it was a coincidence? But he suppressed his anger and replied with a smile, “Yes, what a coincidence. I was drunk earlier, so I slept for a while. When I woke up, I felt bored, so I came here to clear my mind. I never expected to run into Sister Chloe.”

Chloe Bennett smiled even more coquettishly as she stepped closer to Ethan Moore, her tone suggestive. “Young Master Moore is truly lucky to be able to sleep so peacefully at Harrison Manor. I just came back from outside and heard that the garden was quite nice, so I came in to take a look. Who would have thought I’d run into Young Master Moore here.”

Ethan Moore sneered inwardly. The lie was painfully obvious. That little garden was remote and desolate—there was nothing worth seeing there at all. Yet he didn’t expose her. Instead, he smiled and said, “Sister Chloe seems to find it interesting. But this garden is too remote. It wouldn’t be safe for you to be here alone. Why don’t I accompany you back to the hall?”

As he spoke, he turned to leave. But Chloe Bennett suddenly reached out, grabbed his arm, leaned closer to him, and said in a coquettish voice, “Lord Moore, please don’t go yet. Could you stay and walk around with Chloe a little longer? Chloe has something she wants to give to Lord Moore.”

Ethan Moore was puzzled. What exactly was Chloe Bennett trying to do? Was she on Leo Harrison’s side, or did she have other motives? He watched Chloe Bennett carefully, then said with a smile, “Oh? Does Sister Chloe have something for me?”

“You’ll find out when you come with me, Young Master Moore,” said Chloe Bennett. She grabbed his arm and led him toward a small cabin in the garden, without giving him a chance to refuse. Ethan Moore didn’t resist. He followed her, though he remained wary. He was determined to find out what kind of trick Chloe Bennett was up to.

Upon entering the cabin, Ethan Moore found it completely empty, with nothing but a few broken tables and chairs. Just as he was about to ask something, Chloe Bennett suddenly turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her body tightly against his. Her soft body and delicate fragrance filled him with longing.

Ethan Moore was shocked. He tried to push her away, but Chloe Bennett held onto him even tighter. With a seductive glance and mellifluous voice, Chloe Bennett said, “Young Master Moore, tonight, I’m yours. Let me serve you well, shall we?”

As she spoke, she raised her head, ready to kiss Ethan Moore. Ethan Moore was stunned. What was going on here? Was this Leo Harrison’s attempt at a seduction trick? But it was a rather clumsy attempt. It might have worked the first time, but the second time, it was simply like treating him as a fool.

He quickly turned his head away, smiling and saying, “Sister Chloe, stop it. What are you doing?”

Chloe Bennett giggled softly, hugging his arm and pressing herself closer to him. “Lord Moore, stop pretending. Don’t you like Chloe at all?”

Ethan Moore watched her coquettish demeanor with a cold smile. He took her hand and said in a calm tone, “Sister Chloe, stop acting. It’s Leo Harrison who told you to do this, isn’t it? That trick won’t work a second time.”

Chloe Bennett’s smile froze for a moment, then regained its coquettishness. She said with a smile, “Young Master Moore is really clever—guessing that so quickly. Yes, it was Young Master Shen who told me to do this. But, Young Master Moore, I truly like you. Even without Young Master Shen’s orders, I would still be willing to serve you.”

As she spoke, she reached out her hand again, wanting to embrace Ethan Moore. Her chest pressed tightly against his, her gaze seductive and full of allure. Ethan Moore remained wary. He felt that something wasn’t quite right. Chloe Bennett’s actions seemed too deliberate, not like the work of a mere beauty trick.

What he didn’t know was that, not far outside the cabin, a figure was hiding behind a tree, watching everything inside intently. It was Leo Harrison. Watching the two people embracing inside, Leo Harrison smirked with satisfaction, though his eyes revealed cruelty—Ethan Moore, you still can’t escape my grasp. Today, I’ll not only retrieve the Yin-Yang Pearl, but I’ll also bring you down and destroy the Moore family’s reputation!