Rise of the Underdog King

Rowan Valerius trained for ten years in Shaolin's 'Great Sun Buddha's Palm,' believing he'd made no progress. When the Beggar's Sect issues a challenge, his master, Master Deryn, pushes him to compete for the 'Supreme Martial King' title. In truth, Rowan has already mastered the technique's highest level, a power even his master fears. Forced to return home, Rowan discovers House Valerius had long considered him dead. He faces multiple betrayals: his fiancée, Jenna, is now with his brother, Hugh; his stepmother, Susan Wu, and Hugh conspire against him; and his father, Leon Valerius, favors Hugh for his perceived incompetence. His only true ally is his junior, Lila Shaw. Forced to represent his family in the Martial King Tournament, Rowan's victories lead to accusations of practicing the evil 'Essence-Devouring Technique.' To protect the family, his father publicly disowns him. In his darkest hour, Lila remains by his side. At a critical moment, powerful allies arrive, confirming his status as Master Deryn's disciple and exposing the conspiracy. With his name cleared, Rowan becomes the new head of House Valerius. But his father is then poisoned, with all evidence pointing to Hugh,…