《Fredrinn Firecrown: The Weakest Villain》


 Chapter 1: Fredrinn Firecrown

    "I should get some rest first. Lying down on the gaming capsule for three days made my body sore." He removed the virtual headgear, revealing the face of a man who looked to be in histe twenties. This man''s name was Thomas, a normal sryman.


    He stood up to stretch his muscles, making cracking sounds in the process. He then let out a deep breath while rubbing his neck area.


    While inwardlyining about his sore muscles, he went by the window to check the situation outside.


    He pulled the curtains.


    The sky was dark and the rain was falling hard. He could even hear the crackles of thunder. "What is going on? It has been raining hard these past few days." He muttered with a frown. ording to thetest news report, the country will experience thunderstorms in the next few days. He just didn''t expect it to be this terrible.


    He clicked his tongue in annoyance. He then went to the kitchen to grab something from the fridge. ying straight for three days made him extremely hungry. Although the gaming capsule provided his body with sufficient nutrition, he felt that it wasn''t enough.


    After he grabbed some food, he suddenly felt the phone inside his trousers pocket vibrating. "Hm?" He took a seat and ced his food on the table before taking out his phone.


    It was a notification from the game he was ying, Seeking the Immortal Path.


    Out of curiosity, Thomas clicked the notification.


    The moment he clicked it, a prompt appeared on his phone screen.


    [Are you prepared to find out the truth?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Seeing this, Thomas was momentarily confused. "What''s this? Is this a hidden event?"


    In the game, he was one of the top 100 yers.


    He wasn''t a professional gamer, but because of the huge amount of money he invested in the game, he managed to clinch a spot among the very best.


    "If this is a hidden event, I might find some powerful items that can increase my stats drastically!" Thomas became excited just by thinking about it.


    Without hesitation, he clicked [Yes].


    In that instant, he felt his whole body stiffening.


    ''What is going on?'' That was hisst thought before he lost consciousness.


    ***


    After an unknown amount of time, Thomas opened his eyes.


    The first thing he saw was an unfamiliar white ceiling.


    He looked around and found himself lying on a big bed. The room was luxuriously decorated with gold and all sorts of rare gems and antiques. "This¡­ Where am I?"


    There was no such room in his three-bedroom apartment that he was most familiar with.


    "Did I log in to the game?" Thomas muttered in confusion. He tried to recall what had happened, but it only made his head hurt.


    Suddenly, the door was pushed open.


    "My lord! Thank god you are alright!" It was a young maid who had entered the room. Her eyes were filled with worry as she rushed toward him.


    "Who are you?" Thomas furrowed his eyebrows. He didn''t remember ever seeing this maid. She was a stranger to him.


    Upon hearing his words, the maid''s face fell. "My lord! Y-You don''t recognize me?" She muttered in a quivering voice.


    "I-" Just as Thomas was about to respond, he felt a burst of pain in his head.


    Foreign memories reyed in his mind in fast-forward, repeating over and over like a movie.


    ''Fredrinn Firecrown¡­ Red Sun City¡­ Great Vemune Continent¡­''


    ''Fredrinn Firecrown¡­ why is this name strangely familiar?''


    ''Wait¡­ Great Vemune Continent?! I''m indeed in the game, but why do I have someone''s memories?''


    "My lord!"


    "My lord! Are you alright?"


    The maid''s voice interrupted his thoughts.


    Because of the foreign memories, he now held strange familiarity toward this maid. She was Olivia, the personal maid of Fredrinn Firecrown.


    "Olivia, get me a mirror," Thomas said with a serious look.


    "A mirror? Alright." Olivia quickly grabbed a mirror from the table and handed it to him. She wanted to ask him why he had momentarily forgotten her, but she decided to keep quiet when she saw his stern gaze.


    Looking at the mirror, Thomas realized that this was no longer the face of the game character that he was familiar with. His game character held some resemnce to his real face, but now, it waspletely different.


    ''This is the face of Fredrinn Firecrown, but why did my game character change into him? Is this part of the hidden event''s plot?'' That was the only theory he coulde up with.


    ''Open Status Panel!'' He shouted in his mind.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Body Refining Stage 10th Layer] [Level 10]


    Spirit Root: Low-Grade


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Grade: F


    Fate Points: 0


    ''I remember now! Fredrinn Firecrown was the Beginner Boss in the game!'' He was shocked when he finally recognized his current identity.


    In the game, Fredrinn Firecrown was the first boss-level monster that he encountered. He wasn''t a very powerful boss and even a solo yer can defeat him all on his own. Thomas also managed to beat him easily after he topped up and bought the most expensive item that new yers could buy at that time.


    ''No way! Why did my level drop to 10?! I don''t want this hidden event anymore! I want to abandon this quest!'' Thomas screamed in his mind.


    As one of the top 100 yers, his level was also among the highest in the entire yer base. The thought of bing Level 10 again almost made him vomit blood. After all, he spent more than five years to reach the top 100 spot. He didn''t want to go through all those troubles again.


    ''System log out!'' He shouted in his mind.


    ''Huh? I can''t log out! It must be a bug. Let me do it again.''


    ''System log out!''


    ''System log out!''


    ''System log out!''


    After trying more than ten times, he was left horrified. He couldn''t log out at all! He could ess his Status Panel and even his Inventory, but he couldn''t log out!


    ''No way!'' His expression darkened.


    Thomas lifted his head and stared at Olivia who was looking at him worriedly.


    "My lord, are you feeling unwell?" She asked.


    Thomas didn''t say anything and just stared at her in silence.

 Chapter 2: Beginner’s Gift Pack

    One year passed by in the blink of an eye. Within this one year, Thomas realized that he had transmigrated into the game world.


    He tried all sorts of ways to log out, but after thousands of attempts, he never seeded. He was scared at first, but he gradually became ustomed to his life as Fredrinn Firecrown.


    Looking at the handsome face in front of the mirror, he smiled bitterly. "Other than having a handsome face, this man is utterly useless in everything."


    Fredrinn Firecrown was the heir of the Firecrown Household which is the strongest family in Red Sun City. Unfortunately, he was born with the weakest spirit root and was destined to be a cannon fodder in this cruel cultivation world. The only good thing about him was his family background and his extremely handsome face.


    Based on the memories he inherited, Fredrinn Firecrown was also one of the biggest bullies in Red Sun City. He used his status as the heir of the Firecrown Household to intimidate the residents and to do many evil deeds. Because of his tyranny, everyone in the city hated him. The only person who remained good to him despite his actions was his personal maid, Olivia, and his father, Rnd Firecrown.


    "There''s no useining about this. I can only ept that I am now Fredrinn Firecrown. " He muttered to himself, silently epting his new identity.


    While he was sighing heavily, a prompt suddenly appeared in front of him, almost making him jump up in surprise.


    This was the first time a system prompt had appeared since he had transmigrated into the game world.


    [Your soul has fully synchronized with Fredrinn Firecrown''s body. You have been rewarded with a Beginner''s Gift Pack!]


    Beneath the notification was an image of a gift box.


    Out of habit, Fredrinn imed the rewards.


    [You received x1 Crimson Leaf Elixir!]


    [You received x1 Sword Talent Upgrade Card!]


    [You received 1 Year of Cultivation Experience!]


    As soon as he imed his rewards, his cultivation which had been stuck at the 10th Layer of the Body Refining Stage suddenly jumped to the firstyer of the Qi Gathering Stage. Using the game''s standard of leveling, this cultivation was equivalent to reaching Level 11.


    "One year''s worth of cultivation only increased my level by one? Is my spirit root really that useless?" He chuckled bitterly, but this didn''t upset him. The appearance of the system prompt was like a godsent opportunity for him.


    "What''s this?" Fredrinn grabbed the crimson-colored leaf that appeared in his inventory. It was the size of a palm and it felt warm to touch.


    While he was closely observing the leaf, another system prompt appeared.


    Crimson Leaf Elixir [6th-Grade]


    - A leaf from the Crimson Cloud Tree. It can be used to strengthen the spirit root and increase the consumer''s affinity towards fire.


    "Huh?! It can actually strengthen the spirit root! This is a treasure! It''s even a 6th-Grade Elixir! This is something that only Level 60 yers could find!"


    As a former yer, he knew how difficult it was to find 6th-grade elixirs. Treasures like this can only be found in high-level maps and yers usually form big teams before going into those areas. This was because all high-level maps were home to dangerous creatures and cultivators!


    "Can I even consume this elixir without dying in the process?" Fredrinn muttered to himself while looking at the crimson leaf. He was only at the Qi Gathering Stage so consuming a 6th-grade elixir might cause his body to explode due to the immense Qi within the elixir.


    Thinking about this, he temporarily put aside the Crimson Leaf Elixir and looked at the second reward. It was a golden card with ancient characters engraved on it. With his level of knowledge, he didn''t understand even a single word. Luckily, the system prompt gave him a description of the item.


    Sword Talent Upgrade Card [???]


    - Increases sword talent by one star.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn''s eyes bulged in shock. Talent is something that couldn''t be easily upgraded. Even for the yers, it takes a long time of training and grinding before they can increase their talent.


    [Would you like to use the Sword Talent Upgrade Card?]


    [Yes] [No]


    The moment this system prompt appeared, Fredrinn immediately clicked [Yes].


    [Congrattions! You have upgraded your sword talent by one star!]


    "Status Panel!"


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Qi Gathering Stage 1st Layer] [Level 11]


    Sword Talent: ??


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Grade: F


    Fate Points: 0


    "My sword talent has indeed increased¡­" Fredrinn couldn''t conceal his excitement. As the most untalented waste in Red Sun City, he had always been aughingstock. If it weren''t for his background, he would have already died many times over.


    "Now that I have a 1-star sword talent, I should be able to learn sword techniques much faster than before. I should test it out but before that¡­" He took out the Crimson Leaf Elixir from his inventory.


    This elixir could change his spirit root.


    "Should I eat it or not?" There was a look of hesitation in his eyes. This item was incredibly precious. If someone learned that he possessed such an elixir, his parents and even the entire Firecrown Household would be implicated.


    ''The longer I hesitate, the more its energy leaks out. Someone might discover it if I hold onto it for too long.'' Thinking about this, Fredrinn gritted his teeth and gathered his courage before throwing the elixir into his mouth.


    He was already expecting a painful process to refine the elixir, but after swallowing it down, he didn''t feel any difort.


    "It feels warm... It''s like I''m bathing in a hot spring¡­" He closed his eyes to enjoy this unique sensation.


    After an unknown amount of time, he felt strangely rejuvenated.


    [Congrattions! You have upgraded your spirit root!]


    [Congrattions! Your fire affinity has increased by one star!]


    "Status Panel!"


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Qi Gathering Stage 1st Layer] [Level 11]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??


    Fire Affinity: ??


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: F


    Fate Points: 0


    "Holy¡­!" His low-grade spirit root actually turned into a high-grade spirit root!


    There were six types of spirit roots. The weakest was the low-grade spirit root which he formerly had. This was followed by the intermediate-grade spirit root. Most cultivators have this type of spirit root. After that was the high-grade spirit root. Only a small number of geniuses in Red Sun City possessed this type of spirit root.


    However, only those with superior-grade spirit roots could be called true geniuses. In the entire Red Sun City, only his father and the city lord possessed this type of spirit root. As for the younger generation, they could only be counted on one hand.


    There were also heaven-defying geniuses born with excellent-grade spirit roots, but there was only a handful of them in the entire Great Vemune Continent. Each of them was a famous individual who couldmand the wind and clouds. If one such individual was born, they would be treated with great care and respect.


    As for thest type of spirit root, it has been a long time since someone with that kind of spirit root was born. Someone born with the divine-grade spirit root was destined to dominate the entire world!

 Chapter 3: Heading to the Family Library

    "The elixir also increased my affinity with fire. Does it mean that I can practice those fire-type techniques now?" The Firecrown Household was the strongest n in Red Sun City. Even the people at the city lord''s mansion had to respect them. The reason for this was because of the existence of one man, Rnd Firecrown.


    He possessed the superior-grade spirit root and he also had a high affinity with fire. Because of this, most of the techniques in the household''s library were fire attributed.


    Fredrinn went out of his room and headed straight to the household library. His presence immediately attracted the attention of the guards and the servants. When they noticed where he was headed, they were surprised and confused.


    "Is the lord heading to the library?"


    "Lord Rnd always forced him to read books in the library, but Lord Fredrinn neverplied."


    "Maybe he is just looking for something."


    Fredrinn''s hearing has already improved after reaching the Qi Gathering Stage so he heard the hushed conversation of the servants. However, he was in a hurry to see if his sword talent and fire affinity would help him learn the techniques in the library faster.


    "Lord Fredrinn!" The guard responsible for looking after the library was stunned when he saw Fredrinn.


    "Don''t mind me. I just came here to read some books." Fredrinn smiled at the guard before he entered the library.


    "Huh? Did the lord just greet and smile at me?" The guard was shocked. Fredrinn had a nasty personality and he never once greeted the servants and the guards in their household. Usually, he would just ignore them. Today''s experience was like a dream to him.


    "Lord Fredrinn is probably in a good mood." The guard didn''t think too much of it.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn was already inspecting the books on the first floor.


    The library has five floors. The books on the higher floors were stronger and rarer, but there were restrictions on each floor. A Body Refining Stage cultivator can only enter the first floor. He was already at the Qi Gathering Stage so he could now visit the second floor. As for the upper floors, that would have to wait until his cultivation is sufficient.


    "All the books here are for Body Refining Stage cultivators so they are of no use to me. I should head to the second floor. Hopefully, there will be some good sword techniques and fire-attributed techniques." With this in mind, he went to the second floor.


    The guard outside the library saw him going upstairs. "Huh?! Lord Fredrinn is going to the second floor?! Is he at the Qi Gathering Stage now? I have to report this to the family head!"


    Fredrinn was unaware that going to the second floor would rm the guard.


    "Woah! There are more books on this floor!" His eyes widened upon seeing the vast collection of books.


    Just as he was about to search for some books, a system prompt appeared before him.


    [Please select a suitable sword technique! Reward: 100 Fate Points]


    [Please select a suitable fire-attributed technique! Reward: 100 Fate Points]


    [Note: If you collect 1000 Fate Points, you can ess the Fate Shop.]


    "Oh! So the Fate Points can be used in the Fate Shop. I wonder what good things are in there¡­" Fredrinn rubbed his chin. He finally knew what the Fate Points were for, but there was still one thing in his Status Panel that he didn''t know about. It was the Fate Rating. ording to his Status Panel, his Fate Rating was ''F''.


    Until now, he was still clueless about what it represented.


    Fredrinn browsed through the shelves to find the perfect techniques for himself, but after looking for almost thirty minutes, he still didn''t find anything suitable for him.


    At this moment, a certain book caught his attention. It was on top of the shelf in front of him. "Why is this book here?" He muttered as he grabbed the book. It had already gathered ayer of dust so he guessed that no one must have noticed it for a long time. His 1.98-meter height proved to be helpful this time in finding the book.


    After dusting off theyer of dust, he could finally see the name of the book.


    Seven Scorching Sword Style


    It was quite the domineering name and it happened to be a sword technique which was what he was looking for. Furthermore, it was also a fire-attributed technique!


    "Hmm¡­ This book is a sword technique and it is also fire-attributed. Will the system acknowledge it aspleting both missions if I select this book?" He chuckled.


    [The book you selected is suitable for training! You have been rewarded with 200 Fate Points!]


    "My guess was right!" Fredrinnughed joyfully after getting the reward.


    [Would you like to learn the Seven Scorching Sword Style for 50 Fate Points?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Fredrinn was taken aback when he saw the prompts. Does this mean he could learn the entire book by simply spending 50 Fate Points?


    "If I practice the technique on my own, I would probably need a long time to grasp its meaning, but if I spend my Fate Points recklessly, I would have 50 less," Fredrinn muttered to himself.


    "No! I came here to test if my sword talent and fire affinity can increase myprehension of techniques! I shouldn''t use a shortcut. Besides, these Fate Points mighte in handy once I have ess to the Fate Shop." Fredrinn clicked [No] after thinking about it deeply.


    He then sat in a lotus position and opened the book.


    ***


    At this moment, inside the family head''s office.


    "Are you saying that you saw my son going up the second floor of the library?" A middle-aged man with striking facial features asked in a low voice.


    "Yes, my lord! My shift today was to guard the library. Lord Fredrinn came to visit. I thought that he would only stay on the first floor, but heter went upstairs after browsing the books on the first floor." The guard reported with his head lowered.


    Hearing this, the middle-aged man furrowed his eyebrows. His son had never visited the library for a long time so this matter surprised him. "Since when did he reach the Qi Gathering Stage? With his personality, he would have shown off to me when he made his breakthrough."


    The guard didn''t say anything, but he also agreed with this assessment. Fredrinn was the kind of man who liked to show off.


    "Go back to the library and monitor his behavior. If he leaves the library, notify me immediately."


    "Yes, my lord!"

 Chapter 4: Meeting the Head of the Family

    ''This Seven Scorching Sword Style has seven sword movements. With my current cultivation, I can only execute the first movement, Burning Sword.'' Fredrinn didn''t expect the sword technique he found to be this strong. Just the first sword movement alone was already so profound.


    If he hadn''t upgraded his sword talent and fire affinity, he wouldn''t understand anything no matter how long he studied the book.


    "To think that there is actually a powerful sword technique like this in our household library. This is probably something left behind by our ancestors, but why is it left gathering the dust on top of the bookshelf?" Fredrinn was puzzled by this.


    Techniques and cultivation methods were ssified into five categories. The weakest and mostmon are called ordinary-rank techniques. These techniques don''t require Qi and they are mostly used by mortals and cultivators with low-grade spirit roots. Next to this were the rare-rank techniques. Only cultivator ns and some rich merchants possessed techniques and cultivation methods at this level.


    After that was the arcane-rank. They were incredibly rare and only the big ns and households had them. The strongest techniques owned by the Firecrown Household were also at this level. The fourth type was the transcendent-rank technique. These techniques were so domineering that cultivators who learned them could control the life and death of millions.


    Moreover, they were so hard to find that only a few old ns possessed them. These techniques were also strongly regted to prevent outsiders from learning it. Thest type was the apex-rank technique. There was almost no information about them and they were only briefly discussed in historical books. They were so obscure that many people believed that they didn''t exist.


    At this moment, Fredrinn had already read the practice method for the first movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style. "Too bad I can''t bring this book with me. If I''m not wrong, this should be a transcendent-rank sword manual. I should report this to my father. Maybe he will allow me to bring the book or make a copy of it if I hand this over to him."


    As a former top yer, he knew how valuable a transcendent-rank technique was. If word gets out, Red Sun City would most likely be a battlefield and his Firecrown Household would be attacked on all sides.


    He stood up and kept the book in his inventory. "Will I trigger the rm array if I leave the library with this book?" To prevent someone from stealing the techniques in the library, multiple rm arrays were installed.


    Fredrinn chuckled as he thought of this. ''This is the perfect time to test if my inventory can hide against the prying eyes of others.''


    He headed down to the first floor.


    "Lord Fredrinn!" Upon seeing him, the people studying the techniques on the first floor greeted him. Although he was untalented, Fredrinn was still the son of the family head so they had to respect him.


    "Cousin, I didn''t expect to see you here!" A surprised voice drifted into his ears.


    Fredrinn turned around when he heard this familiar voice. It was Kristine, one of his cousins. ording to his knowledge, her mother was a distant cousin of his father. She was extremely talented so she was taken to the main household to be trained. At the young age of eighteen, she was already at the 10th Layer of Qi Gathering. She was way ahead of him in terms of cultivation.


    Furthermore, she also possessed the superior-grade spirit root! "Cousin, how are you?" He smiled at her.


    Kristine was taken aback. ''Why is this guy acting so friendly with me?'' Every time she greeted him, he would just pretend to be deaf and ignore her.


    Looking at her surprised expression, Fredrinn smiled bitterly. The former Fredrinn Firecrown used to bully Kristine for being born into a branch family. He used his status to cause trouble for her. ''Fredrinn Firecrown is truly a garbage of a man. He even bullied this innocent girl.''He thought.


    "I-I''m fine," Kristine responded while lowering her head. She didn''t dare look at him in the eyes, afraid that she might anger her elder cousin.


    "I still have something to do. Let''s chat another time." Fredrinn wanted to apologize to this woman but now wasn''t the time.


    He didn''t wait for her to respond and left right away.


    "Are my eyes ying tricks? Did Lord Fredrinn smile at us?"


    "I also thought that I was dreaming. What''s more surprising is that he is actually in the library."


    Kristine stared at Fredrinn''s back with a trace of confusion in her eyes.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn who had just stepped out of the library was ecstatic. ''I didn''t trigger the rm arrays!''


    Bringing out a book from the library without the librarian''s seal would trigger the rms.


    Although he wasn''t afraid to trigger the rms, it would have caused him some trouble. People might think that he had stolen something from the household library.


    Rnd Firecrown''s office was on the topmost floor of the main mansion.


    Fredrinn greeted the servants and guards he encountered along the way.


    "Lord Fredrinn changed a lot in the past year. He no longer causes trouble outside the estate and he no longer visits the brothel. He even greets us now. I hope he doesn''t return to his old ways."


    "Even if he tries to be a good person, he couldn''t change the fact that he has a low-grade spirit root."


    "Hey! Don''t say that! Lord Fredrinn might hear you!"


    Hearing their words, Fredrinn could only smile wryly. There was still a long way to go before everyone''s perception of him would change.


    Not longter, he finally arrived at his father''s office.


    He adjusted his clothes before he knocked on the door.


    "Come in."


    Fredrinn felt nervous when he heard the calm voice. After taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door.


    The first thing he saw upon entering was his father''s collection of books. Most of them were rted to the history of the Great Vemune Continent.


    Fredrinn turned his head and saw a middle-aged man sitting behind the desk. At this moment, he was staring at him with a scrutinizing gaze. As if he had sensed something unusual, Rnd Firecrown raised his eyebrows.


    "When did you break through the Qi Gathering Stage?" He asked while looking at his son with a hint of surprise.


    ''Did he sense my cultivation? It looks like hiding my cultivation from him will be difficult.'' Fredrinn thought to himself.


    "I just broke through not too long ago." He replied while smiling awkwardly.


    Hearing this, Rnd Firecrown nodded. He then pointed at the seat in front of his desk. "You may sit."


    "Thank you, Father." Fredrinn obediently took his seat. It felt a bit awkward to call this man his father, but with the memories he inherited from his predecessor, it naturally came out of his mouth.


    "You''ve changed," Rnd muttered calmly, but his words rmed Fredrinn. ''Did he sense that I''m no longer the real Fredrinn? That shouldn''t be possible. We met a few times this past year, but he didn''t say anything about it.''


    "I''m just trying to correct my mistakes. I realized that I needed to change. I don''t want to bring shame to the family anymore." Fredrinn lowered his head to hide his nervousness.


    Rnd was silent for a moment before he asked. "So why did you decide to visit me? I don''t think you came here to repent for your mistakes."


    Fredrinn smiled bitterly at his words. "Actually, I came here to report about something I discovered in the household library." While saying this, he took out the book of the Seven Scorching Sword Style from his inventory.

 Chapter 5: Return of the Seven Scorching Sword Style

    Rnd grabbed the book and opened it. Initially, he didn''t think too much of it, but after reading some of its contents, his expression turned increasingly serious.


    "This sword technique¡­ This is the famed Seven Scorching Sword Style that turned the Firecrown Household into one of the few major cultivation households in the entire Star Wind Kingdom!" He lifted his head and looked at Fredrinn with an incredulous face. "Where did you find this?"


    Sensing the gravity in Rnd''s tone, Fredrinn immediately told him about how he discovered the book.


    "To think that a valuable sword technique was actually treated with such disrespect." Rnd sighed while shaking his head. The Seven Scorching Sword Style was believed to have been lost almost a century ago. It was also the start of the decline of the Firecrown Household. The cultivation family that was once hailed as the strongest in the kingdom was now barely considered a major household.


    "You did great in finding this sword technique. With this, our Firecrown Household can finally make aeback! Tell me. You should have guessed the value of this technique when you first saw it."


    Fredrinn nodded. "That''s right. I also brought it here for that reason."


    "Oh? Which means you want something in return for bringing this sword technique to me." Rnd let out a smile.


    Fredrinn smiled back in response. ''Rnd is indeed clever.'' He thought.


    "What do you want? As long as it''s within my reach, I can give it to you." Rnd already nned to reward his son, but he wanted to hear what Fredrinn wanted from him.


    Fredrinn clenched his fists while keeping a calm look. He felt a bit nervous. This was his first time negotiating with Rnd. Although he was Fredrinn Firecrown''s father, he still couldn''t bring himself to fully ept his current identity. "I would like to study the Seven Scorching Sword Style." He muttered while looking straight at Rnd''s eyes.


    Rnd was taken aback. This was the first time that Fredrinn stared at him with such a deep look. "You want to learn the Seven Scorching Sword Style?" He was also surprised by his son''s desire to study the famed sword technique.


    Fredrinn was known to be azy guy. He detested the idea of training and forcing him to read books was a tough task. He only managed to reach the 10thyer of Body Strengthening because of the huge amount of elixirs invested in him. Now that he expressed the desire to learn a sword technique, how could Rnd not be surprised?


    "Please, father! I will work hard on my training from now on! I will also stay in my room for the duration of my training to prevent others from knowing that the Seven Scorching Sword Style has been found. If you are still worried, you can let your subordinates guard the perimeter of my room." Fredrinn was prepared to do anything to learn this transcendent-rank sword technique.


    A technique of such level would make waves in the gamingmunity. To his knowledge, only the top five yers possessed them.


    Rnd leaned on his chair and took a deep breath. He didn''t expect his son to say these things.


    Fredrinn patiently waited for his response. ''I should have secretly learned the technique before giving it to him.'' He thought to himself.


    While he was regretting his decision, Rnd tossed the book to him. "Fine. I''ll give you one month to learn the sword technique, but you have to return it after a month has passed. To prevent the book from being stolen, I will have my most trusted subordinates keep an eye on your room."


    Fredrinn''s eyes lit up. He didn''t expect that Rnd would actually agree. This should mean that he still held some hope for his son. "Thank you, father! I won''t disappoint your trust!" He stood up and bowed.


    "Alright. You may leave." Rnd waved his hand.


    Fredrinn left the office and hurriedly headed to his room.


    Meanwhile, Rnd stood by the window to take a look at the scenery. "Hold on¡­ He said that he found the book in the library, then howe he did not trigger the rm arrays when brought it out with him?"


    Thinking about this, Rnd grabbed amunication crystal.


    "Lord Rnd, is there anything I can help you with?" An aged voice echoed from within the crystal.


    "Ardul, please head to the library and check if there''s something wrong with our rm arrays." Rnd didn''t know how Fredrinn managed to bring out the Seven Scorching Sword Style without triggering the rm arrays. The only thing he could think of was that there was something wrong with the arrays.


    "Yes, my lord. I will head there immediately."


    "Thank you." Rnd disconnected the call after that. He then went back to his seat and resumed his unfinished work, but he found it hard to concentrate because of what had happened.


    ***


    "Luckily, Rnd agreed to lend me this book. He even gave me a month to study it." Fredrinn smiled. Normally, each person could only study the techniques in the library for a maximum of five days every month. Rnd was definitely giving him special treatment for allowing him to study the Seven Scorching Sword Style for one month.


    "Alright. Let''s begin."


    In the game, yers only needed to wait for some time to learn a technique or skill. Some yers would even pay to speed up this process. However, Fredrinn''s situation was different now. He could use his Fate Points to learn the technique, but he refused to take a shortcut.


    Other than experimenting the changes in his sword talent and fire affinity, he also wanted to experience the process of learning.


    "Qi is all around us and to harness their power, we need to absorb them into our spirit roots and release them into a unique pattern. ording to the pattern we draw, a specific spell will be released. Just like this¡­" Fredrinn took in some Qi from his surroundings and drew a unique symbol in the air.


    After he drew the final stroke, the symbol disappeared and a ball of me appeared on top of his palm.


    "I now have one star affinity with fire so I can cast this basic technique faster. Furthermore, the strength of this fireball is also three times stronger than those produced by people with no fire affinity."


    The reason why Fredrinn was ruminating on this was because the unique pattern of the first movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style was an advanced version of the symbol. If the basic fireball technique requires a fire symbol, then the first movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style requires the user to create a miniature sun.


    Ordinary cultivators would have a hard time drawing this pattern and even geniuses would need plenty of time to fully grasp the concept of creating it.


    "It looks like I have underestimated this sword technique¡­" Fredrinn smiled bitterly.

 Chapter 6: Fredrinn Emerges From His Isolated Training

    Fredrinn wasn''t frustrated by his failure. Instead, it increased his desire to learn the Seven Scorching Sword Style.


    ''Learning techniques manually is a unique experience. When I was still a yer, all I had to do was just wait for the learning progress bar to fill up.'' He thought to himself. yers had it easy when it came to learning new techniques and cultivation methods. They didn''t need to go through the process of understanding a manual or the repeated training in drawing the spell pattern.


    Because of this, the yers managed to learn techniques way fasterpared to the inhabitants of the Great Vemune Continent.


    Thinking about it, Fredrinn shook his head. "If everything goes ording to what I know, the yers should appear ten years from now. I still have plenty of time to increase my strength before their arrival. If I don''t want to end up as a mere beginner boss, then I have to train harder and umte more power." He clenched his fists with a determined look.


    In the game, Fredrinn Firecrown was the beginner boss in Red Sun City. He was known as the tyrant who bullied the weak. When the yers residing in the city advance to Level 10, they will receive a quest to eliminate him and free the city from his tyranny.


    At that time, he was one of the first few yers in Red Sun City who received this quest. To secure the quest andplete it by himself, he topped up two months'' worth of his sry to purchase the best equipment avable for newbies. In the end, he sessfully defeated Fredrinn Firecrown and started his path as one of the top yers in the game.


    "When I fought Fredrinn back then, he was only a Level 10 boss. That means he won''t advance to the Qi Gathering Stage in the next ten years, but now that I transmigrated as Fredrinn Firecrown, I won''t allow such things to repeat themselves."


    In the next few days, Fredrinn trained alone inside his room. He only went out during meal time and the rest of his time was spent on his training.


    The estate of the Firecrown Household was peaceful during his training and his absence made the servants and disciples happy.


    However, after ten days of istion, Fredrinn finally stepped out of his room. He looked bedraggled with his unkempt hair and the dark bags under his eyes.


    "Good morning, Lord Fredrinn!" Olivia, his personal maid greeted him enthusiastically the moment he exited his room.


    Fredrinn acknowledged her presence with a nod. He was too tired to respond. He hasn''t slept a wink in the past three days. This was because he was in the crucial stage of his training.


    "My lord, although training is important, you should also think about your health. You haven''t slept in thest few days, why don''t you take some rest?" Olivia stared at his side profile with a worried look.


    Fredrinn stopped walking and turned to look at her. "Don''t worry about me, Olivia. I''m fine. Besides, there are already some results from my training." He smiled at her while patting her shoulder.


    Looking at his cheerful smile, Olivia couldn''t bring herself to stop him. She could only sigh in her heart. "In that case, do you need anything from me?" This man might be hated by many, but it was different for her. Fredrinn Firecrown saved her life and since then, she vowed that she would serve him wholeheartedly.


    Fredrinn stared at her with a warm gaze. With his predecessor''s memory, he knew why Olivia was loyal to him despite his notoriety. It was only a small act of kindness from the notorious Fredrinn Firecrown, but she took it seriously and decided to follow him since then.


    "Follow me to the training grounds. I will show you the results of my training." He couldn''t wait to test out what he hadprehended.


    Hearing this, Olivia''s interest was piqued. She didn''t know what kind of technique he was practicing, but for him to train it diligently for ten days straight without rest, she believed that it must be extraordinary. "It would be my pleasure to witness your skill, my lord." She smiled as she bowed her head.


    Soon, the whole estate learned that he was heading to the training grounds. No one knew what his objective was for heading there, but everyone was curious to see what he was going to do. Even the patriarch of the Firecrown Household was alerted by this.


    At this moment, inside the family head''s office, Rnd Firecrown was pleasantly surprised when he heard that his son had stepped out of his room. And when he heard that Fredrinn was heading to the training grounds, he rose to his feet. ''I''d like to see the progress of your isted training.


    I hope you won''t disappoint me, my son.'' There was a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes as he stepped out of his office.


    When he arrived outside the training grounds, he was taken aback. The ce was packed and there was almost no space to enter. "What''s going on here?" He looked at the guard in charge of patrolling the training grounds.


    "My lord!" The guard immediately bowed to him.


    Rnd waved his hand. "Tell me what''s happening inside."


    The guard revealed an awkward look. "Actually, it''s because of Lord Fredrinn. I don''t know what exactly happened, but it seems like Lord Fredrinn learned an awesome sword technique. I think you should see it for yourself, my lord. I can''t describe what''s happening in just a few sentences."


    Suddenly, they heard a loud bang from inside the training grounds.


    Rnd furrowed his eyebrows. "Let''s go inside." He stepped inside the training grounds and was left speechless when he saw what was going on.


    At the very center of the training ground was a battle stage. It was created to serve as a sparring stage for the disciples and practitioners of the Firecrown Household. However, at this moment, the stage was upied by more than five people and one of them was his son. The most surprising thing was that Fredrinn was fighting them all by himself!

 Chapter 7: Returning the Seven Scorching Sword Style

    Fredrinn''s sword was covered in mes, but strangely, he wasn''t affected by the fire. It was like he was in full control of it.


    ''I didn''t expect that using the first movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style would actually consume a huge portion of my Qi in just a short amount of time¡­'' Fredrinn furrowed his eyebrows. The first movement, Burning Sword, was a powerful sword technique. However, the consumption of Qi was enormous for someone like him who was only at the 1st Layer of Qi Gathering.


    He believed that he could master this technique once he broke through the 5th Layer.


    "Your skills have improved significantly, my lord!" One of the five martial practitioners in the ring said with a ttering smile.


    "My lord, the sword technique youprehended is amazing!" Another man added.


    Facing their ttering words, Fredrinn smiled and shook his head. He also stopped channeling his Qi and canceled ''Burning Sword''.


    The mes around his sword gradually disappeared.


    While sheathing his sword, Fredrinn said some nice words to the martial arts practitioners. He then looked down beneath the stage and discovered Rnd among the crowd. "Father!" He greeted with a surprised look.


    Hearing this, the others soon noticed Rnd''s presence.


    "Greetings, patriarch!" They greeted him respectfully.


    Rnd waved his hand. He then moved his gaze to his son. He witnessed Fredrinn''s disy of skills and it made him a bit shocked. "Follow me back to my office." There were a lot of people here so it was not convenient to talk.


    Fredrinn understood his intentions so he nodded without saying a word. He jumped down from the battle stage and told Olivia to go back before leaving the training grounds with Rnd.


    As soon as they left, the disciples and the servants of the family who witnessed Fredrinn''s disy erupted into a heated conversation. No one expected the trash of the Firecrown Household to disy such prowess.


    "Who would have thought that Lord Fredrinn would actually break through the Qi Gathering stage? What''s even more surprising is that he learned some fancy sword technique."


    "So the rumors about his breakthrough were real."


    Olivia was still on the training grounds. When she heard the people saying some nice things about her lord, she felt proud. ''I knew that Lord Fredrinn has some talent with the sword. He was just toozy to train¡­''


    Meanwhile, Rnd had already brought Fredrinn to his office.


    "Sit down," Rnd said after taking his seat.


    Fredrinnplied without saying anything. He didn''t know why Rnd asked him toe to his office so he was a bit nervous.


    "It seems like you haveprehended something from the Seven Scorching Sword Style," Rnd spoke with a calm voice, but he was inwardly surprised by his son''sprehension speed. He thought that Fredrinn would only learn something after a month of studying the sword technique. Who would have thought that he would actually exceed his expectations?


    Fredrinn''s expression eased up upon hearing this. "Father, I have alreadyprehended the first movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style so I will return the book to you." He said as he took out a book from his inner sleeve.


    "You still have twenty days to study the book. Why are you returning it now?" Rnd stared at him with his eyebrows raised upward.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "With my present cultivation, I can only learn the first sword movement of the technique. To learn the next movement, my cultivation has to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, but I''m still far from that."


    Rnd nodded in understanding. "I see. Truthfully, I didn''t expect that you wouldprehend something in just ten days. This means that you have some talent with the sword. You should train well if you want to continue studying the Seven Scorching Sword Style. When you are ready to learn the second sword movement, don''t hesitate to inform me.


    For the time being, you should focus on increasing your cultivation." He was happy to see some progress in his son''s development.


    Seeing Rnd''s smile, Fredrinn was taken aback. Strange emotions fluctuated in his heart. He didn''t know if it was the real Fredrinn''s lingering feelings or if it was his own.


    "You should return to your room to get some rest." Rnd waved his hand.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn stood up and bowed to him. "Then I shall take my leave."


    "Wait! Take this." Rnd tossed a small pouch to him.


    Fredrinn caught the pouch and was surprised when he discovered what was inside.


    "Thank you for the reward, father." He bowed once again.


    "Alright. You may go." Rnd waved his hand impatiently.


    Fredrinn took this as a cue for him to leave. After stepping out of Rnd''s office, he saw Olivia standing outside with a worried expression.


    "My lord, did the patriarch scold you again?"


    Fredrinn chuckled when he heard this. "Don''t worry. The patriarch summoned me to give this reward." He showed her the pouch he got from Rnd.


    Seeing this, Olivia was stunned. This had never happened before.


    Looking at her shocked face, Fredrinn smiled. "Let''s go back first. I feel tired now, but I want to eat something before I rest."


    "Yes, my lord! I will prepare your favorite dishes for you!"


    ***


    Inside the office, Rnd suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right! I forgot to ask him how he brought the Seven Scorching Sword Style out of the library without triggering the rm arrays." He facepalmed himself.


    ording to the array master, Ardul, who was responsible for checking the rm arrays, there was nothing wrong with them. He even did a thorough inspection, but he still found no signs of damage on the arrays.


    "If there''s nothing wrong with the rm arrays, how did Fredrinn bring the sword technique out of the library?" Rnd squeezed his temples. He couldn''te up with an answer.


    "Never mind, as long as that kid doesn''t do anything that wouldpromise the household, I''ll just let him be." He muttered while shaking his head. He then moved his gaze to the book on the table.


    It was the Seven Scorching Sword Style.


    "Let''s see what''s special with this sword technique¡­"

 Chapter 8: Cloud Lake Pavilion

    In the next few days, Fredrinn decided to get some rest. Although his body was now stronger than the average human, he still needed sufficient sleep and nutrition. This was very different from his previous misconceptions about the cultivators. Just like normal humans, they also need to sleep, eat, and drink to survive.


    It is only when cultivators break through the Core Formation stage that they no longer need these mortal nourishments. That is because, at that level, cultivators could already make use of their Qi to supplement their bodies'' needs.


    After three days of rest, Fredrinn headed out of the estate with Olivia.


    "My lord, where do you want to go?" Asked the carriage driver. He was a middle-aged man wearing the servant''s clothes of the Firecrown Household.


    Seeing this man, Fredrinn was shocked, but he quickly concealed his astonishment. ''This man¡­ Isn''t he the Iron Wall of Red Sun City? To think that he is actually working as a mere carriage driver¡­ Wait¡­ Is this part of Rnd''s arrangements to protect his useless son? That has got to be it¡­''


    The Iron Wall of Red Sun City, Darius Rockfall, would be a prominent figure in the future.


    Three years after ''Seeking the Immortal Path'' was introduced to the world, a big event happened in Star Wind Kingdom. The kingdom was continuously attacked by countless malicious beasts and Red Sun City was one of the few cities that experienced the most violent attacks. The warriors and the yers of Red Sun City joined hands to protect their domain.


    During that brutal event, a few powerful warriors emerged and led everyone to defeat the malicious beasts. Darius was one of these people.


    There was also one more major incident that happened at that time.


    It was the death of Rnd Firecrown.


    He was the central figure of Red Sun City, but he fell after being ambushed by the masterminds of that battle.


    Fredrinn''s face fell upon recalling this memory.


    "My lord? Are you alright?" Darius asked in concern when he saw Fredrinn''s grim face.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "I''m fine. Let''s head to the Cloud Lake Pavilion."


    Hearing this, Darius nodded his head. "As you wish, my lord. Please sit tight."


    Cloud Lake Pavilion¡­


    It was the most famous restaurant in Red Sun City. Aside from their delicious food, they also offer other kinds of entertainment for their guests. This made the establishment a sought-after ce for the rich.


    "You look pale, my lord. Do you want me to buy some medicine for you?" Olivia asked with concern.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "There''s no need for that. I will be fine after some drinks in the Cloud Lake Pavilion."


    Olivia no longer said anything after hearing his words.


    ''I almost forgot about that event. I should take note of the big events that happened in the game once I return. They will be important for my growth.'' Thinking about this, his face suddenly turned serious.


    "My lord, we are here."


    Darius'' voice interrupted his thoughts.


    Fredrinn stepped out of the carriage and looked at the establishment in front of him. It was a six-story building boasting a symmetrical structure with depictions of mythical creatures artistically carved into the walls. "It still looks the same as it was in the game¡­" He muttered to himself.


    "My lord, I will follow you once I have parked the carriage."


    Fredrinn nodded at Darius. He then entered the restaurant with Olivia.


    "My lord, it''s the first time you brought me here." While saying this, Olivia revealed a sweet smile.


    "Is that so? Then I will bring you here more often." His predecessor never truly cared about Olivia. Although he never once abused her, that was only because he was waiting for the right time to take her everything.


    ''Fredrinn, you are truly a beast of a human... How could you have such insane thoughts toward this innocent youngdy?'' He was inwardly disgusted by his predecessor.


    "You don''t have to waste your money on me, my lord." Olivia shook her head.


    Her innocent smile hurt him even more.


    "It won''t be a waste if it''s for you. I already consider you as my family, Olivia. Don''t say such things again, do you understand?" Fredrinn put on a stern look.


    "Me? Your family?" Olivia was stunned when she heard this.


    "Of course! You took care of me and never once left my side." Fredrinn gently rubbed her head.


    Olivia was ridiculed and faced harsh criticism because she worked for a trash master. However, she never betrayed Fredrinn. She remained loyal and faithful to him.


    Hearing his sincere voice, Olivia almost burst into tears. Her efforts were finally recognized and it felt great. "That is what I have to do as your servant, my lord." She lowered her head.


    Fredrinn smiled at her words.


    At this moment, a man with a white apron appeared in front of them.


    "Isn''t this Lord Fredrinn Firecrown? Wee to our humble restaurant, my lord! Is there anything I can do for you?" The man humbly bowed to him.


    Fredrinn was a regr so all the restaurant''s staff was familiar with him.


    Fredrinn didn''t know this man''s name, but from his predecessor''s memories, it seemed like it wasn''t their first encounter.


    "I want a private room near the window. It would be better if I could see the view of the busy market outside." He didn''t want to attract attention so he decided to ask for this.


    "I know a private spot that fits your description. Please follow me." The man smiled professionally, but he was inwardly screaming. Thest time Fredrinn came here more than a year ago, he caused quite the scene after he flirted with one of their waitresses. The girl resisted and it angered Fredrinn so much that he destroyed the chairs and tables.


    The girl also received a tight p to the face and was forced to resign.


    ''Sh*t! Why did I have to meet this guy?! Why did hee here?! I''m f*cked!'' The man was so nervous that he almost copsed.


    As a martial arts practitioner at the Qi Gathering stage, Fredrinn quickly noticed his strange behavior. He furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to remember his past interactions with this man. It was then that he recalled the waitress who was kicked out of the restaurant because of the previous Fredrinn''s actions.


    Thinking about this, Fredrinn sighed and shook his head. ''I feel ashamed of you, Fredrinn Firecrown.'' He thought.


    Not longter, they arrived at the private room. There was a big stage meant to entertain the guests and the guest space could amodate more than twenty people. From this, he could tell that this was one of the famous Diamond Rooms that was only avable to the VIPs.


    "Not bad. What''s your name?" Hemented while nodding his head in satisfaction.


    "U-Uh¡­ Y-You can just call me Ryan, my lord." The man said with his head lowered.


    "Ryan is it? I''ll remember you."


    Ryan''s face fell when he heard this. ''Please don''t! Please don''t remember me!'' He screamed in his mind, but he put on a happy face as if he were honored to be acknowledged by Fredrinn.


    "Alright. Bring us your best dishes. Also, I''d like to hear some songs from your best performers." Fredrinn wanted to ask him about the waitress, but it wasn''t the right time yet.


    "Yes, my lord! I''ll have them prepared as soon as possible!"

 Chapter 9: Samantha Springfield

    "Bad news, everyone! There''s a bad news!" Ryan came running down to the staff room with a panicked expression.


    Looking at his face, everyone was startled.


    "What do you mean by that?" A cold voice echoed across the room.


    Everyone looked over and saw a stern-looking woman who looked to be in herte twenties. She was dressed in mint green cheongsam and her hair was tied with an emerald hairpin.


    Seeing her, Ryan and the other staff immediately bowed their heads.


    "Greetings, Miss Samantha!" They greeted her in unison.


    This woman was the owner of the Cloud Lake Pavilion. Other than being the owner of thergest restaurant in Red Sun City, she also had another shocking identity. She was the second child of the city lord!


    Samantha frowned in displeasure. "What made you so flustered that you have toe running in such a sorry manner?" She asked while looking at Ryan.


    Ryan was still nervous so he answered in a stuttering voice. "H-He is here. The h-heir of the F-Firecrown Household, Fredrinn Firecrown¡­"


    "Hmm!" Hearing this, Samantha''s face changed.


    The workers also revealed fear in their eyes. How could they not know the most notorious man in Red Sun City?


    "So it''s him¡­" Samantha''s face twitched in annoyance. She didn''t want to get involved with the man. She detested him. Seeing his face was enough to make her feel ufortable. However, no one in the restaurant could handle him. ''It seems like I have to go see him¡­'' She sighed helplessly.


    "Prepare the things he ordered and make sure that he won''t be ufortable during his time here," Samantha said with a serious tone. They couldn''t kick Fredrinn out so they could only serve him well.


    "Yes, Miss Samantha!"


    "Where is he?" Samantha asked.


    "I brought him to the fourth Diamond Room," Ryan answered.


    "Alright. I''ll go and see him." After saying this, Samantha stepped out of the room with a dark look on her face. ''If that bastard causes trouble again, I will make sure that he will be punished!'' She muttered in her heart.


    ***


    "Woah! We can see the whole market from up here!" Olivia eximed as she looked down from the balcony.


    Fredrinn chuckled at her reaction. He had already seen this view many times when he was still a yer so he didn''t disy any reaction. However, seeing the busy market made him feel strangely calm. The intense emotions he felt after recalling that big event slowly subsided.


    While they were enjoying the view, they suddenly heard a series of knocking sounds on the door.


    "Pardon my intrusion, Sir Fredrinn." A woman in a green cheongsam entered and smiled at him. As the daughter of the city lord, she didn''t need to address him as ''lord''.


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes and sorted out his predecessor''s memory. After a second of recollection, he finally remembered who she was. It turns out that this woman was Samantha Springfield, the beloved daughter of the city lord.


    From the memories of the previous Fredrinn, he only encountered this woman twice. Once during an important gathering, and the next one was during Rnd Firecrown''s 50th birthday. The two of them didn''t exchange a lot of words during these two events. He also felt that his predecessor was afraid of this woman. ''Ho! To think that even the notorious Fredrinn Firecrown was afraid of this woman.


    Just what kind of person is she?'' He revealed a look of interest after discovering this.


    "Miss Samantha, it has been a long time since we havest seen each other." Fredrinn smiled as he greeted her with a fist-palm salute.


    "Indeed. You''ve grown into a fine man Sir Fredrinn." She chuckled as she returned the greeting.


    "And you''ve be even more beautiful Miss Samantha." Fredrinnplimented her.


    The two silently assessed each other after that.


    Samantha was a bit surprised by his calm andposed demeanor. During theirst two meetings, Fredrinn was noticeably affected by her beauty. However, there was only serenity in his eyes at this moment.


    After a few seconds of silence, Samantha smiled sweetly as if she was pleased by his words. She then moved her gaze to the woman beside Fredrinn. ''She is wearing a standard maid outfit so she must be Fredrinn''s servant.'' She thought.


    Sensing her gaze, Fredrinn immediately introduced Olivia to her. "This is Olivia. She is a maid working for me, but I consider her as my family." He said while patting Olivia''s shoulder.


    This gentle gesture made Olivia smile from ear to ear. "Greetings, Miss Samantha!" She said as she lightly bowed her head.


    Samantha was a bit surprised by this introduction. She squinted her eyes as she observed their faces. ''This woman must be having it hard to be working as his maid.'' She looked at Olivia with pity.


    She then smiled and nodded to her. "You look young, Olivia. How old are you?"


    "I''m seventeen this year," Olivia answered truthfully.


    ''What?! She is still seventeen? This beast is truly inhuman!'' Samantha imagined all sorts of things that made her furious, but she still smiled on the surface.


    She tried to hide it, but Fredrinn still noticed the momentary rage that shed in her eyes. ''I can understand her rage since the previous Fredrinn truly thought about taking Olivia''s chastity. He just didn''t have the chance to do it since my soul transmigrated into his body.''


    "I see." Samantha almost failed to hold back her anger. Luckily, a series of knocking sounds interrupted their conversation.


    "It seems like our food is here. Why don''t we sit down first, Miss Samantha? It would be a pleasure if you dine with us." Fredrinn smiled as invited her.


    "Thank you for your invitation, Sir Fredrinn. In that case, I will stay here for a while." To his surprise, she epted his invitation. He only asked her out of courtesy, but she actually agreed.


    While hiding his surprise, he put on a smile. "Great!"


    As the three of them took their seats, Ryan and a few other staff entered the room to deliver their food and drinks. The performers also walked in behind them.


    Despite her calm look, Samantha was nervous deep inside. She was afraid that her subordinates would make a mistake due to their uneasiness. If that happens, Fredrinn might be displeased and take out his anger on them.


    While she was nervously looking at her subordinates, Fredrinn and Olivia were excited to see the performers perform on the stage.


    After cing all the food and drinks on the long table, Ryan bowed to Fredrinn. "Lord Fredrinn, please you enjoy your food. Our performers will soon enter the stage. I hope that their performances will be to your liking."


    Fredrinn nodded at his words. "Alright. Let them start their performance."


    "Yes, my lord!" Ryan nodded. He then pped his hand to signal the start of the performance.

 Chapter 10: Searching for a Suitable Sword

    Before the performers started their performance, another person entered the room.


    "My lord." Darius bowed to Fredrinn while ignoring everyone else. It wasn''t the first time he had followed Fredrinn outside the estate so he was already familiar with most of the entertainment establishments, including the Cloud Lake Pavilion. He also knew Samantha''s identity, but he pretended not to know her.


    "Oh, you''re here. Come and sit with us." Fredrinn said as he pointed at the seat to his left. He intentionally left it vacant for him.


    This invitation surprised Darius. Fredrinn never showed this much attention to him before. He even prepared a seat for him. ''Is he trying to look good in front of the city lord''s daughter?'' He thought as he silently took the seat that was prepared for him.


    Samantha watched this middle-aged man with curious eyes. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she could sense the oppressive aura around this man. ''He should be a Core Formation stage cultivator or even higher.'' She never thought that there was actually an expert of this caliber protecting the trash of the Firecrown Household. It was out of her expectations.


    After Darius took his seat, the smart Ryan immediately gave a cue to the first performers.


    Fredrinn and the others watched the performance as they filled their stomachs.


    The group on the stage was nervous, but they managed to end their performance without any mistakes. This made Samantha heave an internal sigh of relief.


    The next performers also performed well and this made her more rxed.


    Fredrinn was quite pleased. The food was great and the performers brilliantly disyed their talents. ''Samantha really knows how to train her people¡­'' He muttered to himself while sneaking a nce at Samantha.


    "I hope their performances didn''t disappoint you, Sir Fredrinn." Samantha smiled while pouring him a drink.


    Fredrinn chuckled at her words. "It was an eye-opener for me. Your people are experts in their craft." He praised.


    Samantha was secretly pleased with his words.


    By the end of their meal, the performers left the room one after another. Only a few servants remained to take care of their needs.


    "It was a great decision to visit here. We wille back again some other time." Fredrinn extended his arm.


    Seeing this, Samantha grabbed his outstretched hand and shook it lightly. "I''m d to hear that, Sir."


    After shaking hands with Samantha, Fredrinn tossed a small pouch to Ryan. "You guys did well. Make sure that everyone gets a share."


    Ryan was surprised by his words. Fredrinn was very stingy and he never once gave them a tip during hisst visits. "Thank you so much, my lord!" He quickly his head.


    Fredrinn waved his hand and turned his gaze back to Samantha. "Miss Samantha, we still have somewhere to stop by so we shall take our leave."


    "Please let me send you off."


    "There''s no need to trouble you. We''ll go down by ourselves." Fredrinn rejected her politely.


    "Alright."


    After a few more polite words, Fredrinn left with Darius and Olivia.


    "He''s finally gone." Ryan wiped off the sweat on his forehead.


    Samantha didn''t say anything and just stood there with a thoughtful look on her face.


    ***


    "Darius, we will go find a shop to buy a sword for myself. I want you to go back to the restaurant and ask the workers about the waitress who was fired because of me."


    Darius stared into his eyes with a calm look. ''Did the lord finally recognize his mistakes?''


    After a moment of silence, Darius nodded in acknowledgment. "Yes, my lord." He wasn''t worried about Fredrinn''s safety. There were guards patrolling the streets and no idiot would dare to harm the heir of the Firecrown Household.


    Fredrinn sighed as he watched Darius leave. ''I have to change everyone''s perception of me before the yers arrive. With the number of people that Fredrinn harmed, I can only do this one step at a time. Hopefully, they will forgive me.''


    "Is there something on your mind, my lord?" Olivia asked when she saw hisplicated expression.


    Hearing this, he forced out a smile and shook his head. "It''s nothing serious. Let''s go find a shop. Help me choose a swordter."


    "Yes, my lord!" She eagerly nodded her head. She rarely had the chance to step out of the estate so she was excited to explore the market.


    The two looked around for some time before they found a shop that deals with cultivation armaments. The establishment was quite big and the building had four floors filled with all sorts of equipment. There was also arge number of customers looking around the shop.


    "This shop looks famous," Oliviamented as soon as they entered.


    Fredrinn agreed with her assessment.


    The first floor of the shop only disyed items for normal cultivators. Nothing took his interest so he directly brought Olivia to the highest floor.


    On this floor, the quality of the weapons was noticeably better.


    The two looked around, checking every sword that was disyed.


    Fredrinn carefully inspected the swords. He was looking for something that fits his current strength.


    After thirty minutes of searching, they had already inspected half of the swords, but none satisfied Fredrinn. "It seems like we have to look for another shop." He muttered while shaking his head in disappointment.


    "My lord, what about this sword?"


    Fredrinn looked over and saw her pointing at a specific sword. Unlike most of the swords, this one was disyed in a special ss case. It was also significantly more expensive than the ones they had seen. "Oh?"


    Smooth Steel Sword [Rare] 5000 Star Coins


    - A sword carefully crafted by an experienced cksmith.


    It was a Rare-rated sword which was quite difficult to obtain especially for low-level yers. Usually, one has to be at least Level 30 or above to obtain a weapon at this level. The only exception is if they top up real money topensate for theirck of in-game currency.


    The currency used by the Star Wind Kingdom was called Star Coins. Its purchasing value was roughly equivalent to the dors used by the Westerners in his home world.


    5000 Star Coins was already a lot of money, but to Fredrinn who was the heir of the Firecrown Household, this was just pocket change. He didn''t even blink when he saw the price.


    "You did well in finding this, Olivia." Fredrinn patted her shoulder.


    Olivia was happy that she was of help to him.

 Chapter 11: Alice

    [Please select a suitable sword to advance your training of the Seven Scorching Sword Style! Reward: 200 Fate Points!]


    This was the reason why he came here to look for a sword.


    [The sword you selected is suitable for your training! You have been rewarded with 200 Fate Points!]


    With the 200 Fate Points that he had, he now has 400 Fate Points. He only needed 600 more to unlock the Fate Shop.


    After purchasing the Smooth Steel Sword, Fredrinn noticed that Olivia also wanted one for herself so he bought her an Umon-rated sword that was sold for 2700 Star Coins.


    "I didn''t know that you like swords," Fredrinn said when he saw her hugging the sword he bought for her.


    As if she had recalled an old memory, Olivia let out a sigh. "Actually, my father was also a cultivator, but he was only at the Body Refining stage. I learned how to wield the sword from him, but after he died from an adventure, I never held the sword again."


    "I''m sorry for making your recall a sad memory, Olivia," Fredrinn muttered while looking at her face.


    "It''s fine, my lord." Olivia forced out a smile, but he could sense the loneliness in her eyes. Her father''s death must have been a huge blow to the young Olivia.


    Fredrinn changed the topic to lift the mood and she gradually recovered her spirits.


    "Have you thought about bing a martial practitioner?" He randomly asked.


    Olivia was taken aback by his question. "I''m not sure¡­ I might not be able to take care of my lord if I be a martial practitioner." She shook her head hesitantly. Learning martial arts was everyone''s dream and she also had this dream when she was a child. However, she didn''t want to leave Fredrinn''s side.


    Fredrinn noticed her hesitation. "Olivia, how about I teach you myself? Although I''m not that skilled, there should be no problem teaching you since you''re a quick learner."


    "That¡­"


    Olivia was still hesitant, but when she saw his encouraging smile, she could only agree. "Alright, but my lord''s needs will still be my priority."


    "Good! I will start teaching you tomorrow. Once we return to the estate, I will borrow a spirit root testing device to check the quality of your spirit root." Fredrinn patted her shoulder. As a former top yer, he knew how important it was to form a reliable party. Not everything could be handled alone so he had to nurture his own force. He would start with Olivia.


    The two headed back to where they separated with Darius. Thetter was already there when they arrived.


    "My lord, I have done as youmanded," Darius whispered to his ears.


    ording to him, the waitress who was kicked out of the restaurant was now living in the slums with her sick mother. To buy medicine for her mother, she doesundry service and sometimes even hardbor like construction.


    ''What a pitiful woman.'' Fredrinn shook his head after hearing Darius'' report.


    "Bring us to the slums."


    "Yes, my lord."


    ***


    Inside a dpidated house, a messy-haired woman was helping her sick mother eat porridge. "I''m sorry, mom. Because of me, we lost everything¡­" The woman sobbed while biting her lower lip.


    The eyes of the sick middle-aged woman quivered when she heard her words. She lifted her thin arm to hold her daughter''s hand. "You don''t need to be sorry, my lovely daughter. Nothing is your fault." She said in a hoarse voice.


    The woman felt even more guilty when she heard her mother''s words.


    If only she hadn''t rejected Fredrinn at that time. Things would have been different.


    Thinking about that man, her eyes shed with hatred.


    As if sensing her rage, the middle-aged woman sighed. "Alice, you have to let go of the hatred in your heart. Holding onto it will only make you suffer more."


    "Let''s not talk about that. Let me get your medicine." Alice put down the bowl of porridge and went to grab her mother''s medicine.


    Looking at her daughter''s back, the middle-aged woman felt worried.


    While Alice was searching for her mother''s medicine, she suddenly heard someone knocking on their door.


    "I hope it''s not those guys again." She muttered with a look of fear.


    There was a small gang in the slums that acted as the ruler of the area. They collect protection money from the residents in exchange for agreeing not to hurt them or damage their properties. If someone fails to pay them, everything they had will be forcibly taken. Sometimes, they were even killed.


    Alice grabbed a knife and tucked it under her clothes. "Mother, here''s your medicine. I''ll go check who''s outside first." She didn''t wait for her mother to reply as she quickly headed to the door.


    Alice peeked through the small gap in the door and was horrified when she saw the group of men outside.


    ''It''s them! What should I do?''


    "Hurry up and open the goddamn door! I know that someone is in there!" An impatient voice could be heard behind the door.


    Alice grabbed the knife that was hidden under her clothes. If she opened the door, she knew that they wouldn''t have a good ending. Thest time these guys came, they took her hard-earned money. They even asked her to sell her body in exchange for their safety.


    She had nothing to give them now so she already knew what was about to happen. ''Do I really have to offer my body to appease them?'' Just the thought of it made her heart feel cold.


    "Alice, is everything alright over there?" Her mother''s worried voice drifted into her ears, but the people outside also heard this.


    "So you are pretending to be deaf, huh? I''ll give you onest chance. Open the f*ck*ng door before I smash it!"


    ''Oh no! Please help, somebody!'' Alice cried as she firmly held onto the handle of the knife.


    At this moment, the door was suddenly smashed open, revealing the figure of six men.


    "Bitch, how dare you make us wait outside!" One of them rushed toward her to p her face.


    "Back off if you don''t want to be hurt!" Alice took out the knife that she was hiding.


    She nervously waved the knife in front of her.


    The man who was about to p her stopped in his tracks and let out a perverted smile. "So you want to y it rough, huh?"


    The men behind him alsoughed. Their faces were filled with evil intentions.


    "I''m warning you! Don''te closer!" Alice pointed the knife at the man.


    However, the man ignored her words and walked toward her step by step. "I was nning to give you a chance, but since you dared to point a knife at me, you leave me with no choice."


    "Stop!" She screamed when she saw him getting closer to her.

 Chapter 12: Alice’s Despair

    Seeing his approaching figure, Alice waved the knife around while screaming for help.


    "Hey! Be careful with that." The man took a step back while clicking his tongue in annoyance.


    "Alice, what''s happening over there!?"


    "Mom, just stay there!" Alice shouted.


    When her eyes moved to the side, the man quickly took this chance to pounce at her. He managed to grab hold of her hand and he also snatched the knife from her.


    "Ah!" Alice panicked after her weapon was taken away. She wanted to get away, but the man firmly held her in ce. "Let go of me!"


    Pa!


    The man pped her face in irritation, leaving a red palm print on her right cheek.


    Alice red fiercely at the man while rubbing her face.


    "Look at this bitch. I like fearsome women like you the most." The man crouched and grabbed her hair.


    "Let me go! I''ll pay you guys tomorrow!" Alice muttered with a pained expression.


    "Do you think I''m a fool? I know what you''re nning so don''t even think about it! If you can''t pay up now, we will take you back with us." The man stared at her in disdain.


    Alice bit her lip while ring at him. ''What should I do?'' She thought in fear. She could already imagine the hell she would go through once she was taken to their base.


    "How about this? If you let us y with you today, I will give you three days to collect enough money. What do you think?" While saying this, the man''s eyes indecently roamed around her body.


    Alice felt humiliated, but there was nothing she could do. She was only a powerless woman and she also had to take care of her sick mother.


    "I will take your silence as a yes." The man chuckled with an obscene smile. He pushed Alice to the ground and disregarded her struggles.


    Alice tried to push him away, but he was too powerful. She could only cry as the man tore off her clothes one by one. "Stop! Please, I beg you!"


    "Wow! Look at this gorgeous body!" The manughed lecherously while groping her breast.


    The men behind him also whistled in excitement.


    "Hurry up, brother! I also want to f*ck her!"


    "Why do you have to wait when we can do her together?" The man''s words sent a chill in Alice''s heart.


    "Hahaha! Good! We should enjoy this woman together!"


    "Look at her tender skin! It''s making me hard!"


    Alice continued to struggle as the men slowly undressed in front of her. Her screams had already be hoarse, but no one came to help.


    "You bastards! What are you doing to my daughter!?" A furious shout interrupted the excited men.


    When they lifted their heads, they saw a middle-aged woman holding a stick. She wanted to chase away the gang members who had surrounded her daughter, but due to her weak body, she fell to the ground.


    "Mother!" Alice cried out when she saw this. She wanted to help her, but the men pinned her to the ground.


    "This is more exciting! We now have an audience! Hahaha!"


    "Hahaha!"


    The middle-aged woman was filled with despair. "Help! Please help us!" She weakly screamed as she crawled toward her daughter.


    At this moment, a figure suddenly passed by the dpidated house.


    The gang members noticed his presence. "Can''t you see that the Snake Gang is doing business here? Piss off if you don''t want to die!"


    ***


    "My lord, we are almost there."


    Fredrinn''s group had already entered the slums. Their clean garments and fresh appearance immediately garnered attention, but no residents dared toe close to them.


    While they were walking along the muddy road, they suddenly heard a woman screaming for help.


    "Help! Please help!"


    Fredrinn frowned. "I don''t have a good feeling about this." He immediately sped up and followed the direction of the scream.


    "My lord, I think it came from her house." Darius pointed at the dpidated house at the end of the narrow pathway.


    "Stay here and protect Olivia! I should be fine by myself!" Fredrinn didn''t wait for his reply and increased his speed.


    Darius stopped running and blocked Olivia''s path. "Miss Olivia, please stay here. You shouldn''t see the things in there."


    Olivia wanted to help Fredrinn, but she couldn''t disobey hismands. ''Stay safe, my lord!''


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn stopped in front of the dpidated house and was stunned by what he saw.


    Six men were pinning a naked woman on the ground. One of them was already about to do the deed, but he stopped when he noticed Fredrinn.


    "Can''t you see the Snake Gang is doing business here?! Piss off if you don''t want to die!"


    Fredrinn''s eyes shed with rage. He unsheathed his newly bought sword and attacked the nearest man.


    [You discovered Alice! Save her and kill the criminals who humiliated her! Reward: 500 Fate Points and 3 Years of Cultivation Experience!]


    Fredrinn didn''t know what the system prompt was all about. He temporarily closed it since he was still in the middle of battle.


    After killing one of the men, the other five quickly backed off and grabbed their weapons.


    "Who are you?! Aren''t you afraid of Snake Gang''s retaliation?!"


    Hearing this, Fredrinn let out a mocking smile. "Snake Gang? Never heard of it."


    "You arrogant bastard! Kill him!" One of them shouted as he rushed toward Fredrinn. The other four also pounced at him and attacked him from different angles.


    Fredrinn calmly parried their attacks. ''They are only Body Refining stage cultivators. I should end this quick.'' He thought as he began his counterattack.


    In the next moment, screams of anguish echoed across the narrow alleyway.


    Fredrinn swiftly took care of the five men. He was already a Qi Gathering stage martial practitioner and his swordsmanship was also superiorpared to the enemies. There wasn''t even a scratch on his clothes after the fight ended.


    Killing them didn''t make him feel guilty or feel any remorse. He had done this countless times in the game that he was already numb to it.


    He then moved his gaze to the naked woman. From his inherited memories, he could tell that this was the woman who had once worked as a waitress in the Cloud Lake Pavilion.


    "Are you alright?" Fredrinn removed his trench coat and draped it over her shoulders.

 Chapter 13: Emergency

    "You are¡­" Alice stared at Fredrinn with a mixture of emotions. She didn''t expect that the person who would save her was the man she hated the most.


    Looking at herplicated expression, Fredrinn sighed inwardly. ''She must be feeling confused right now.''


    "T-Thank you, my lord! Thank you for saving my daughter!" The middle-aged woman cried softly.


    "Mother!"


    Fredrinn immediately went to her side and helped her get up. Although he wasn''t a doctor, he could tell that this woman was in bad condition. "Are you alright, ma''am?" He asked.


    "I''m fine. I''m just getting old." She replied while forcing out a weak smile.


    "Mom¡­" Alice had so many things to say, but she ended up saying nothing as she sobbed in her mother''s arms.


    Fredrinn stepped back to give them some space. ''I should open the system prompt.''


    [You saved Alice and killed the enemies who humiliated her! You have been rewarded with 500 Fate Points and 3 Years of Cultivation Experience!]


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Qi Gathering Stage 7th Layer] [Level 17]


    Sword Talent: ??


    Fire Affinity: ??


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Fate Grade: F


    Fate Points: 900


    [The Snake Gang will soon learn of their members'' deaths! You must take the initiative to destroy this organized crime group before they be a threat to the Firecrown Household! Reward: 2500 Fate Points, 3 Years of Cultivation Experience, and 3 Years of Combat Experience!]


    Fredrinn was pleasantly surprised. He had just recently broken through the firstyer of Qi Gathering and now, he was already at the seventhyer! ''Having a high-grade spirit root is really different. When I still had a low-grade spirit root, my cultivation only increased by one realm after receiving a year of cultivation experience. Then what about those with superior-grade spirit roots?


    Just how fast is their cultivation speed?''


    Fredrinn looked at the new mission and frowned. Defeating an entire organization by himself was not an easy task. ''I don''t know if the Snake Gang has any experts. I should send someone to investigate them first before making a move.'' Although the rewards were tempting, he didn''t let it cloud his judgment.


    "Thank you for your help, Lord Fredrinn!"


    Fredrinn turned around and saw Alice bowing her head deeply.


    "If it weren''t for you, those beasts might have already¡­" her shoulders quivered just by thinking about what could have happened.


    "There''s no need for this, Miss Alice. I don''t deserve your gratitude. You will only make me feel guilty by doing this. To tell you the truth, I came here to apologize for what I had done to you back then. Because of me, you two lived in such harsh conditions. Please forgive me."


    Alice didn''t expect that the arrogant Fredrinn Firecrown would bow and apologize to amoner like her. He was an unruly bastard who never cared about anyone''s feelings.


    "To be honest, I resented you for everything that happened," Alice muttered.


    "However, my mother always told me that I should let go of my hatred. I thought that it was impossible for me to forgive you, but how could I continue hating you after you saved my life?" She lifted her head and let out a light smile.


    Fredrinn was relieved to hear that.


    "Ah!"


    A sudden scream interrupted their conversation.


    They turned their gazes and saw two people outside the house.


    It was Olivia and Darius.


    "I apologize my lord. I failed to stop her from going here." Darius bowed to him.


    "They are?" Alice curiously looked at the two unfamiliar faces.


    "Oh, this man is Sir Darius Rockfall. He is a capable warrior from our household. And this is Olivia. She is my personal maid, but she is like a sister to me." Fredrinn gave them a short introduction.


    "My lord, we should introduce ourselvester and get out of here. These people seem to be part of some organization. It will be dangerous for us to stay here." Darius furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed the snake tattoo on the corpses'' bodies. From his experience, he knew that these people were from a criminal organization.


    Fredrinn nodded in agreement. He turned his gaze to Alice and her mother. "You should leave with us. You two can no longer stay in this ce."


    Hearing this, Alice looked at her mother.


    The two didn''t speak, but they could tell what was on each other''s minds.


    "Alright."


    Before they left, Darius destroyed the corpses and removed all the evidence of battle.


    ***


    "Are you alright?" Fredrinn gently patted Olivia''s back.


    Olivia''s face looked pale. The sight of the corpses made her repulsed. "I''m fine, my lord. I was just surprised."


    Fredrinn rubbed her back as he sighed. "I didn''t want you to see that."


    "Thank you for worrying about me, my lord."


    At this moment, Alice suddenly shouted in rm. "Mom! Mom! Please don''t scare me like this!"


    Fredrinn and Olivia looked over and saw Alice shaking her unconscious mother. Thetter was unresponsive and her face was incredibly pale.


    Fredrinn quickly checked her pulse.


    He could feel her pulse, but it was faint.


    "She is still breathing, but she needs immediate treatment. Alice, do you know her condition?"


    Alice shook her head with a panicked look. "I can''t afford to bring her to a doctor."


    Fredrinn frowned upon hearing this. "There are doctors in our household, but we are still quite far." He couldn''t allow her mother to die.


    While he was thinking about where to bring her mother, he saw a momentary change in Alice''s eyes. For a split second, he saw her irises turning white.


    In that instant, he remembered a certain viin in the game whose eyes shared an uncanny resemnce, the Winter Witch. He only saw posters of her in the game forum. It was said that she was a fearsome figure in the Star Wind Kingdom. She once managed to survive the encirclement of the kingdom''s army and the yers. It was a major matter that shook the gamingmunity.


    He would never forget those eyes.


    ''Is it her?! If it''s her, then I can''t afford to let her mother die!''


    "Darius, bring us to the nearest hospital! We have an emergency here!"

 Chapter 14: Successful Operation

    Inside the famous hospital called Eastern Sky Tower, the doctors and medical personnel led Fredrinn''s group to one of their VIP rooms.


    Everyone was incredibly nervous, especially the medical team. They didn''t expect that the infamous Fredrinn Firecrown woulde to visit them.


    Alice grabbed the leading doctor''s arm and tearfully pleaded. "Doctor, please do your best to treat my mother! She is all that I have left! I beg you!"


    The old doctor nodded with a heavy look. "We will do our best, miss." He didn''t dare take this lightly for this woman came together with Fredrinn. If they ended up failing the operation, their hospital might copse.


    "This is as far as you can go, Lord Fredrinn. Only medical personnel can enter the operating room. I hope you won''t be offended." A young female doctor carefully said.


    "I understand." Fredrinn nodded. "We will wait here."


    The medical team was relieved by his words. If he really forced his way in, they might not be able to focus on the operation.


    Fredrinn sent Olivia a look. Thetter noticed his signal and immediately understood his intentions. She then grabbed Alice''s arm and brought her to the waiting area. "You can rest easy, Miss Alice. The medical practitioners here are the best in Red Sun City. The old doctor leading this operation is also Doctor Roberts.


    I''m sure you''ve heard of him."


    Hearing this, Alice soon calmed down. When she still lived in the main area of the city, she heard stories of Doctor Roberts. He is an elite in the field of medicine and it was said that he is the apprentice of a famous medical expert from the capital. "Is this true?"


    "You can ask, Lord Fredrinn. He is more familiar with Doctor Roberts." Olivia turned her gaze to Fredrinn while saying this.


    "Olivia is telling the truth. That old gentleman is Doctor Roberts." Fredrinn nodded with a reassuring gaze.


    Alice''s eyes eased up, but she was still worried about the oue of the operation.


    While Olivia was consoling Alice, Fredrinn stood up and gestured for Darius to follow him.


    After walking some distance away, he whispered to Darius. "Return to the estate and send some people to investigate the Snake Gang. Make sure that our people will not be discovered during the investigation."


    Darius nodded with a solemn look. "Is there anything else, my lord?"


    "Tell the servants to prepare a ce for Miss Alice and her mother to stay."


    "Alright. Please take care while I''m gone."


    The operation started as soon as Darius left. Fredrinn and thedies patiently waited in the waiting area. They looked at the clock from time to time, checking how many minutes had gone by.


    Five hourster, the door to the operating room finally opened.


    Doctor Roberts and two more medical practitioners stepped out, still wearing their operating gowns.


    Seeing them, the trio immediately stood up while nervously looking at them.


    "The operation was a sess and we managed to remove the tumor in the patient''s body." Doctor Roberts said while adjusting his sses.


    Hearing this, Alice felt like a heavy burden was lifted off her chest. "Thank you so much, doctors!"


    Doctor Roberts raised his hand. "Although the tumor has been removed, there is a small chance that another tumor will appear. The patient needs to be checked at least once a month for the next three years." He emphasized the importance of the check-up.


    Alice didn''t know if she could pay for the treatment of her mother, but she still nodded with a determined expression.


    Seeing the worry in her eyes, Doctor Robers smiled. "You don''t have to worry. It''s only a small possibility. I''m only saying this to prepare you for what may happen. Also, I will prescribe some medicine for the patient and send it to youter."


    Alice bowed at the doctors.


    "Lord Fredrinn, we will send the patient to a more spacious roomter. If somethinges up, we will immediately notify you."


    "Alright. You have my thanks, Doctor Roberts. The Firecrown Household will remember this favor."


    The old doctor smiled and nodded. "We shall take our leave now. We still need to monitor the patient''s condition."


    After the doctors left, Alice slumped into her seat and sighed in relief. "I''m d that everything went well. Thank god!"


    Olivia patted her shoulder.


    "Lord Fredrinn, I know that I can''t pay off this debt, but I will work hard and repay this one day. Just give me some time." Alice bowed in gratitude. If they hadn''te, her mother might have died and she would have been vited.


    "Why don''t you work for me for the time being?" Fredrinn suggested. His eyes shed with an unknown glimmer. This woman would one day be the Winter Witch. If he could get her under his wing while she was still struggling, she would forever remember the favor.


    Alice was stunned. She looked at him and hesitated for a moment. This man didn''t have a good reputation and he was known for being a yboy. However, she noticed that there was a huge change in his personality.


    "You don''t need to think about it now. Just give me an answer once you are ready. Stay here and look after your mother. I need to return to the estate so we can''t stay with you, but I will send some people to help you watch over your mother." Fredrinn still had things to do. There was plenty of time to befriend her. ''Let''s take things slowly.''


    "Words can''t express how grateful I am, my lord." Alice held back her tears.


    "I wish your mother a speedy recovery. Take care, Miss Alice." Fredrinn and Olivia left after bidding her farewell.


    After they left, Alice headed to the information desk. "Excuse me, I am the guardian of the patient who was recently sent to the operating room. I''d like to ask how much was paid for the treatment."


    "Alright. Give me a minute to make an inquiry." The person at the information desk said.


    "Please take your time." She wanted to know how much she needed to repay.


    A momentter, the information desk personnel came back and said. "Miss Alice, ording to our records, we received a payment of 10000 Star Coins for your mother''s treatment. Lord Fredrinn also put a deposit of 10000 for the amodation costs and the prescription. That''s a total of 20000 Star Coins."


    "20000 Star Coins?!" Alice''s eyes widened in disbelief. She didn''t expect that the treatment and additional expenses would be that high. ''It seems like I can''t repay this debt even if I work for him.'' She muttered bitterly in her heart.

 Chapter 15: Olivia’s Spirit Root

    Upon their return to the estate, Fredrinn immediately brought Olivia to his study.


    Unlike his father''s study which has numerous books about history, the books in his study were all about basic techniques and fundamental spell drawing tutorials. However, they were only just for show. The previous Fredrinn hadn''t even touched a single one of them.


    "Since you have already decided to cultivate, let''s test your spirit root first." While saying this, Fredrinn took out a small orb that was hidden inside his drawer. This orb was a simple tool that was used to detect one''s spirit root. It also had a simple name, Spirit Root Testing Orb.


    Olivia stared nervously at the orb. The result of this test would determine her cultivation path.


    She didn''t have high hopes for her spirit root. Her father was only a low-level Body Refining stage cultivator and her mother was just a farmer so it was highly unlikely for her to possess a powerful spirit root. All she hoped was that she at least had an intermediate-grade spirit root.


    Looking at her nervous face, Fredrinn gently smiled at her. "You don''t have to be nervous. It doesn''t matter if you have a low-grade spirit root. Just rx and don''t think too much about the result."


    Olivia felt less tense after hearing hisforting words. "I''m ready, my lord. Let''s do it!" She let out a deep breath.


    "Alright. ce your right hand on top of the orb. If you feel a prickling sensation, don''t hastily lift your hand as it might affect the results." Fredrinn reminded her.


    From the previous Fredrinn''s memory, he was familiar with the testing process. The prickling sensation he mentioned was a reaction from the orb during the testing process.


    From what he could remember, the orb would light up with a dim ck glow to someone who has a low-grade spirit root. Those with intermediate-grade spirit root would make it light up with a dark red glow. As for those with high-grade spirit root, they would make the orb release an orange glow.


    He hadn''t seen what those with superior-grade spirit root could produce, but ording to his father, they would make the orb glow with a bright yellow color.


    Fredrinn noticed that Olivia''s hand was shaking, but he didn''t point it out.


    As soon as she touched the orb, she felt a cold prickling sensation that almost made her lift her hand. If it weren''t for Fredrinn''s reminder, she would have jumped in shock.


    They both looked intently at the orb.


    Soon, a small and faint light appeared in the middle of the orb. It stayed like this for a second before it changed into ck. Then from ck, it turned into dark red, and it didn''t stop there.


    When the light turned orange, Fredrinn''s eyes widened like saucers. He thought that it would stop there, but the glow suddenly turned yellow!


    "This is¡­ superior-grade spirit root!" Fredrinn was no longer calm. He knew what this represented.


    In the entire Red Sun City, only a few people possessed a superior-grade spirit root. In the Firecrown Household, only his father and his distant cousin, Kristine, have this spirit root.


    Just as he was about to pull the orb, another change urred. The yellow light slowly turned into a beautiful shade of emerald green. Finally, the emerald glow vanished and the orb returned to its normal state.


    "There''s no way¡­" Fredrinn stared at Olivia in disbelief.


    "My lord, what''s going on? Is my spirit root that bad?" Olivia nervously asked when she saw his expression. She didn''t know what those lights represented so she had no idea what was going on.


    Fredrinn didn''t tell her right away.


    He put the orb back in the drawer and looked at her with a stern gaze. "Olivia, no one must know about your spirit root. Never tell anyone about this. Not even those close to you, including your mother."


    Olivia gulped down nervously. Although she didn''t know what those lights represented, from his solemn words, she guessed that her spirit root might be more impressive than she had thought. "I understand, my lord. I won''t tell anyone about what happened here. You can rest assured."


    Fredrinn nodded. "If I''m not wrong, you have an excellent-grade spirit root¡­"


    "What?!" Olivia''s eyebrows shot upwards in utter surprise. When she was young, she learned from her father about the different kinds of spirit roots so she was aware of what having an excellent-grade spirit root means.


    Fredrinn leaned on his chair and rubbed his temples. He thought that meeting the future Winter Witch was shocking enough. Who would have thought that he would witness another shocking matter?


    "Listen carefully, Olivia. In the entire Star Wind Kingdom, there are only two people who have an excellent-grade spirit root. One is His Majesty himself, and the other one is the young miss of the Silversword Household. They are powerful figures respected by many, but some people are jealous of their heaven-defying talents. Because of this, they faced numerous assassination attempts.


    They are only safe because of their powerful families, but it''s not the same for us." Fredrinn didn''t want to admit it, but the current Firecrown Household was too weak. They were once a powerful family, but that was all in the past.


    Olivia''s face turned pale in fright. "Then what should we do, my lord?" She asked in a quivering voice.


    "We just need to keep this a secret. As long as no one finds out that you have an excellent-grade spirit root, we should be fine. To be safe, we need to get an item that can conceal your spirit root and cultivation."


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin. ''Where can we find something like that?''


    Olivia didn''t dare say anything when she saw him in deep thought.


    After a minute of thinking, a ce suddenly came into Fredrinn''s mind.


    Silversword Treasure House


    This was a special treasure shop owned by the Silversword Household. They were known for the unique and valuable items they sold. If it was them, Fredrinn believed that they should have the item that he was looking for.


    "Let''s put that aside for now. We should get a cultivation method for you so that you can begin your cultivation journey." Fredrinn stood up and patted her shoulder. He was excited to teach her and he also wanted to see how fast her progress would be.


    "Follow me to the library."


    "Yes, my lord!"

 Chapter 16: The Mysterious Old Librarian

    On their way to the library, Fredrinn received a system prompt.


    [You have discovered Olivia''s unmatched cultivation potential! Help her select a suitable introductory body refining cultivation method! Reward: 200 Fate Points!]


    [You realized the dangers of Olivia''s spirit root being discovered. Help her find an item that could hide her spirit root. Reward: 500 Fate Points and Aura Concealment Function!]


    Currently, he has 900 Fate Points. This means that he only needed 100 more Fate Points to unlock the Fate Shop.


    The first system mission wasn''t difficult and he couldplete it within today, but the second one might take some time. After all, there was no guarantee that the Silversword Treasure House would have the item.


    When they arrived at the library, their presence quickly attracted everyone''s attention.


    "Greetings, Lord Fredrinn." The guard of the library greeted him. It was no longer the same guard that he met back then.


    Fredrinn waved his hand to acknowledge the greeting. He then brought Olivia inside under the curious gazes of the crowd.


    At this moment, there were a lot of people on the first floor of the library. Most of them were young disciples and servants of the family so he paid them no heed. He only responded to their greetings with a light nod of his head.


    "Olivia, there are many kinds of body refining methods in the library, but we need to find one that is suitable for your future path. To build a solid foundation, finding an appropriate refining method is necessary so we have to be careful when choosing one." This was what Rnd told him before he started his cultivation journey.


    "I understand, my lord." Olivia solemnly nodded.


    "Don''t worry. I will help you look for a suitable body refining method." Fredrinn eagerly brought her to the first bookshelf.


    Mountain Tiger Body


    Earth Rhino Physique


    Jade Butterfly Refining Method


    All sorts of body refining techniques were disyed, making Olivia excited.


    Fredrinn patiently exined the nature of the techniques to her. He had gone through these teachings when he was young. To be precise, it was forced into him by Rnd. He didn''t have any issues teaching her the basic principles of the techniques since everything was engraved in his mind.


    Olivia stared at him in admiration. She didn''t expect that he knew so much about the fundamental concept of the techniques.


    After almost two hours of searching, they finally found a technique that was suitable for Olivia to train.


    Mystic Heaven Refining Canon


    [This refining method is suitable for Olivia to use!]


    Seeing the change in his expression, Olivia turned her gaze at the book in his hand. "My lord, did you find something good?" She asked curiously.


    Fredrinn smiled and nodded his head. "Yes. I found the perfect technique for you. Let''s register it first so that we can start with your training."


    Hearing this, Olivia''s eyes brightened as she nodded. "Yes, my lord!"


    The two headed to the librarian to register the book under his name.


    "Sir Alfred, I''d like to borrow this book." Fredrinn handed the book to the old librarian. This person was an old servant of the family. ording to Rnd, this old man was from his grandfather''s generation. He even reminded Fredrinn to always be respectful to this old librarian.


    The old librarian lifted his head. He stared at Fredrinn before he looked at the book. "Is this for the girl?" He asked as he scribbled something on a piece of paper.


    "Yes," Fredrinn responded while observing the old man. Unlike the other servants who were afraid of him, this old librarian never disyed any fear in his eyes.


    The old man nodded promptly. He then handed the book to Fredrinn. "Return it after five days."


    Fredrinn knew the rules so he acknowledged the old man''s words with a nod. He then left with Olivia after pressing his thumbprint on the document presented by Alfred.


    Looking at their receding figure, the old librarian frowned in confusion. "Thest time that kid came here, he was only at the firstyer of the Qi Gathering stage. How did he break through sevenyers in just a few days?"


    After a moment of silence, he leaned on his chair with a thoughtful expression. "It seems like the kid is hiding something¡­"


    ***


    ''Why do I feel that the old man is more powerful than Rnd? Weird¡­'' Fredrinn had this nagging feeling after they left the library.


    ''I should ask Rnd about the old librarian the next time I see him.'' Although they lived in the same estate, Rnd was very busy so they rarely saw each other. Fredrinn also didn''t want to meet him at this moment since he might discover the huge increase in his cultivation. Unlike Darius who didn''t bother to inspect his cultivation, Rnd was different.


    He would always check Fredrinn''s progress every time they saw each other.


    Fredrinn brought Olivia back to his study. He was afraid that her training would cause amotion so he decided to train her privately. "Sit down on the floor."


    Olivia followed hismand and sat in a lotus position. "Is this posture fine, my lord?" She probed.


    Fredrinn smiled and shook his head. "Your sitting posture doesn''t matter. You just need to sit in afortable position."


    "I see." Olivia blushed in embarrassment.


    "First, you need to read the book by yourself. There might be someplicated cultivation jargons written so you need to ask me if you don''t understand them." Fredrinn handed the book to her.


    "Yes, my lord." Olivia nodded.


    "Alright. You may begin."


    Olivia opened the book. An introduction to the technique was written. It was long and detailed so it took her some time to read everything.


    The next part was the breathing exercises and the specific physical training method. There were also diagrams for the physical exercises as well as the rted exnations of their respective physiological effects.


    Time slipped by and she soon immersed herself into reading.


    [You have selected a suitable technique for Olivia! Reward: 200 Fate Points!]


    [Congrattions! You have collected more than 1000 Fate Points! You can now ess the Fate Shop!]


    Seeing this, Fredrinn was ecstatic. He quickly searched for the Fate Shop within the system prompt. He noticed that there was an additional icon beneath his Fate Points. The icon was in the shape of a house.


    Fredrinn clicked the small house icon.


    [You have unlocked the Fate Shop! You received a gift box!]


    He excitedly opened the gift box. Last time, he got a 6th-grade elixir from the gift box and two more rewards. He wondered what goodies he would get this time.

 Chapter 17: Fate Shop

    [You received 1 Year of Cultivation Experience!]


    [You received 3 Years of Battle Experience!]


    [You received 1000 Fate Points!]


    Fredrinn was a bit disappointed. He didn''t get an elixir this time.


    At this moment, a surge of Qi entered his body, strengthening every fiber of his being. He wasn''t unfamiliar with this feeling since he had already experienced it twice.


    Soon, his cultivation steadily increased.


    Qi Gathering 7th Layer


    Qi Gathering 8th Layer


    Qi Gathering 9th Layer


    The increase in his cultivation stopped when he broke through the 9thyer of the Qi Gathering stage.


    In just less than a month, he had gone from the 10th Layer Body Refining stage to the 9th Layer of Qi Gathering. He was only a few steps away from breaking through the Foundation Establishment realm!


    After his realm had stabilized, new memories stormed his mind. It was like new data was transferred into aputer. The dizzying processsted for a few breaths. When the weird sensation vanished, he found out that all sorts ofbat methods and experiences were added to his mind. To urately describe this feeling, it was like he had gone through three years of battle.


    His eyes now radiated with ayer of cruelty and calmness. He had a hedonistic aura before, but his entire demeanor suddenly changed. Now, it felt like he was a seasoned warrior who had seen the brutality of war.


    ''The experience was unpleasant, but I did gain some valuablebat knowledge. The reward this time isn''t too bad¡­'' He thought with a smile.


    After looking at his status panel, Fredrinn finally checked the Fate Shop.


    There was a half-second dy before the screen refreshed.


    Fate Points: 2100


    ? Cultivation Method


    ? Battle Techniques


    ? Equipment/Items


    ? Pets


    ? Servants


    There were five categories to choose from. He already had a cultivation method and a battle technique so he disregarded these two options. He also bought a sword recently so he didn''t need any equipment for the time being. Now, there were only two options left.


    He clicked on the pet icon which was in the shape of a puppy head.


    ? Golden Maned Battle Horse [Rare](Cultivation: Qi Gathering 10th Layer) 200 Fate Points


    ? Soaring Red-eyed Eagle [Umon](Cultivation: Body Refining 10th Layer) 50 Fate Points


    ? Savage War Lion [Rare] (Cultivation: Foundation Establishment 10th Layer) 750 Fate Points


    Different kinds of magical beasts were disyed on the screen. With the memory of the previous Fredrinn, he could identify some of these creatures, but most of them were something he had only seen today.


    He drooled at the sight of these powerful magical beasts. He wanted to buy one, but having one of these magical beasts as his pet would be too high profile. This was against the code he always followed when he was still a yer; being lowkey.


    ''I''ll think about itter.'' He thought. He didn''t decide immediately because he might find something good in the servant section.


    With this in mind, he opened the servant category.


    When the screen refreshed, he was stunned by what he saw.


    There were images of humans, elves, and other humanoid creatures as well as their respective cultivation levels and prices.


    After a moment of shock, he soon calmed down.


    Unnamed


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: Intermediate-grade


    Cultivation: Qi Gathering 10th Layer


    500 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Specie: Elf


    Spirit Root: High-grade


    Cultivation: Qi Gathering 1st Layer


    5000 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: Low-grade


    Cultivation: Body Refining 10th Layer


    100 Fate Points


    The most expensive among them was a beautiful elven woman who had a high-grade spirit root. Her cultivation was at the 10th Layer of Qi Gathering. She was sold for 10000 Fate Points.


    Considering her high potential and attractive physical appearance, the high price was understandable.


    He also noticed that elves were generally more expensive than humans. For instance, a human with simr characteristics as the elven woman mentioned earlier was only sold for 2000 Fate Points.


    Fredrinn thought deeply about the underlying reason for this huge price difference.


    ''There is a lot of information that are not recorded in their personal data. Their sword talent, elemental affinity, age, battle experience, profession, and many other important traits are not disyed. These factors should be the reason why the elves are more expensive than the humans.'' This was only Fredrinn''s guess, but he believed that it should be close to the truth.


    Fredrinn took a deep breath before making his choice. ''Having a pet is good, but that can wait. The only choice would be to get a servant, but which one should I choose?''


    After careful deliberation, Fredrinn finally clicked on one of the images.


    Unnamed


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: Low-grade


    Cultivation: Foundation Establishment 10th Layer


    2000 Fate Points


    Among all the humans with simr cultivation and spirit roots, this guy was the most expensive. As for what''s special about him, he would soon know.


    [Confirm Purchase]


    [Yes] [No]


    Fredrinn has already decided so he didn''t hesitate to click [Yes].


    As soon as the purchase was made, a blinding light appeared in front of him. When his sight regained rity, there was already a scar-faced middle-aged man kneeling before him.


    "Ah!" Olivia screamed when she saw the unfamiliar man.


    Fredrinn quickly covered her mouth and made a shushing gesture.


    Seeing this, Olivia nodded, but she was still wary of the middle-aged man. This guy''s scar-riddled face made her terrified.


    Fredrinn turned his gaze back to the man.


    He had never spoken a word since he appeared. He just kneeled on one knee with his head lowered.


    "You don''t have a name so I will bestow you the name ''Cain''." This name means ''fearless warrior'' in his old world.


    When the middle-aged man heard this, a trace of warmth shed in his eyes. "Thank you for giving me a name, my lord!" Cain''s voice was deep and clear which suited his savage appearance.


    Fredrinn smiled. Although Cain''s cultivation talent was low, he could tell that this man had vast battle experience.


    Olivia was full of questions, but she knew that it wasn''t the right time to ask so she continued to read the Mystic Heaven Refining Canon.

 Chapter 18: Shocking Cultivation Talent

    [You have bought your first servant! You can now freely check your servants'' status panel!]


    Fredrinn smiled when he saw this.


    There was a new icon in his status panel in the shape of a kneeling person.


    When he clicked the icon, Cain''s information appeared on the screen. Olivia''s name was also there, but he opened Cain''s profile first.


    Cain [Foundation Establishment 10th Layer]


    Age: 62


    Spirit Root: Low-grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Fire Affinity: ????


    Wind Affinity: ????


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Surprisingly, this man has two 2-star affinities with fire and wind. His sword talent was also so high that it was evenparable to the elite warriors in the family. The only issues were his low cultivation potential and his age. At the age of 62, he was still stuck at the 10th Layer of the Foundation Establishment stage.


    However, considering his low-grade spirit root, it was already a miracle for him to reach such a level.


    "You can stand beside me for the time being."


    "Yes, my lord!" Hearing hismand, Cain immediately stood up and moved beside him.


    Olivia looked uneasy with the presence of Cain so it took her a long time topletely read the contents of the Mystic Heaven Refining Canon. "My lord, I have read everything." She bowed to Fredrinn and returned the book to him.


    "Good. Have you memorized the breathing methods and physical exercises shown in the book?" Fredrinn asked while looking intently at her.


    Olivia tried to recall the images in the book and surprisingly, she could remember them clearly. She even felt like she could draw them. "I have." She responded with a nod.


    Fredrinn raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Show me the first few movements." He said as he opened the book. He had read the Mystic Heaven Refining Canon when he was young, but he only remembered a few parts of the concept.


    Under his stunned gaze, Olivia effortlessly disyed the first five physical exercises. She didn''t even show any signs of difficulty in performing the movements.


    ''Is this because of her excellent-grade spirit root?'' Fredrinn didn''t expect her to have such highprehension. She only read the book once, but she perfectly executed the movements.


    "Now, do it together with the breathing method." Fredrinn wanted to see how much she could grasp by the end of the day.


    Olivia nodded upon hearing his words. She performed the physical exercises and followed the breathing method mentioned in the book. While doing the exercises and the breathing method simultaneously, she felt a strange energy entering her body. ''What''s this weird energy? It feels warm¡­'' She thought.


    Soon, shepleted the final exercise. Her face was sweating, but she didn''t feel tired at all. In fact, she was brimming with energy!


    She lifted her head and saw Fredrinn staring at her in disbelief.


    "No way¡­" Fredrinn was speechless.


    Olivia [Body Refining Stage 1st Layer]


    Spirit Root: Excellent-grade


    Sword Talent: ????????????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Water Affinity: ??????


    Earth Affinity: ????


    Wind Affinity: ????????


    Wood Affinity: ??????


    Lightning Affinity: ??


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    She only performed the breathing method and physical exercises once, but she already broke through the firstyer of Body Refining. Furthermore, he also discovered that she has an 8-star sword talent. Not to mention her affinity with six elements.


    Looking at her status panel, Fredrinn felt like he was sh*t.


    "My lord," Olivia called out softly.


    Fredrinn faked a cough. He then adjusted his sitting posture. "You did well. You only performed the technique once, but you have already stepped into the Body Refining stage. Congrattions!" He smiled at her.


    Olivia was shocked to hear this. "I''m already a cultivator?" She asked with a shaking voice.


    Fredrinn nodded. "That''s right. You have done well, Olivia."


    When she heard his confirmation, she could no longer control her emotions. She jumped up and down whileughing excitedly.


    Fredrinn smiled when he saw her this happy. He then stood up and patted her shoulder. "This is only the start, Olivia. With your talent, you will soon be a powerful figure in Red Sun City and our Firecrown Household will have to rely on you at that time." He joked.


    Olivia''s eyes shone like the stars. "Is it really possible for me to be that strong?"


    "I''m sure of it."


    The two talked about the possibilities in the distant future. They only stopped when it was almost time for dinner.


    ***


    The next day, Fredrinn headed out of the estate with Olivia and Cain. They rode a carriage driven by a servant of the Firecrown Household. Darius was still investigating the Snake Gang so he couldn''t join them. Cain wanted to drive for them, but Fredrinn rejected him. He was still unfamiliar with Red Sun City so he asked Cain to familiarize himself with the city first.


    "My lord, where are we heading to?" Olivia asked.


    "Silversword Treasure House," Fredrinn replied.


    "Oh! I heard about it from the other servants! ording to them, there are all sorts of valuable treasures sold in that shop. What do you n to buy there, my lord?"


    "We need an item to conceal your aura and spirit root. It might be fine now, but once your cultivation reaches a high realm, people are bound to be suspicious. To prevent that from happening, we must obtain an item that is capable of concealing your aura. The more powerful it is, the better it will be for us."


    Olivia was nervous, but she also felt Fredrinn''s care for her safety. This made her fear dissipate like smoke. With a caring master like him, what is there for her to fear?


    "My lord, we have arrived at the Upper Esprid District." The carriage driver reported.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn opened the window to take a look outside.


    Red Sun City has seven districts with Red me Valley as the core area. The Firecrown Household''s estate was also in this location. As for Upper Esprid District, it was in the northern part of Red Sun City. The Silversword Treasure House has a branch here.


    The Red me Valley has a poption of approximately five hundred thousand inhabitants, while the Upper Esprid District only has three hundred and fifty thousand residents.


    At this moment, the street was already abuzz with activity. The reason for this excitement was that the famous Silversword Treasure House announced that it was selling a special pill concocted by a famous alchemist from the capital. The treasure house didn''t release any information about the pill so everyone was curious about what was so special about it.


    Fredrinn also heard of this information along the way. ''If there was such a special pill, howe Rnd didn''t send anyone here?''

 Chapter 19: Silversword Treasure House

    "My lord, I''ll stay here to look after the carriage. If you need anything, just let me know." The carriage driver said after dropping them in front of the Silversword Treasure House.


    Fredrinn nodded and told him to take care.


    "Let''s go inside." He brought Cain and Olivia inside the treasure house.


    "Woah! This ce is huge!" Olivia eximed as she admired the grandeur of the building.


    Fredrinn smiled lightly at her words. As for Cain, he didn''t say anything and just followed them closely while cautiously eyeing the people around them.


    While they were looking around, a familiar voice suddenly called out to him. "Cousin!"


    Hearing this, Fredrinn turned around and saw Kristine and two young disciples from the Firecrown Household.


    "Greetings, Lord Fredrinn!" The two young men nervously greeted him.


    "Oh! It''s you guys!" Fredrinn was happy to see someone he knew.


    When they saw Fredrinning over, they quickly walked towards him.


    "How have you been, Kristine?" Fredrinn asked while looking at his valiant-looking cousin. This girl was still eighteen, but she looked mature for her age.


    Kristine was not used to his gentle way of speaking so she revealed an awkward look. "I am doing well. Thank you for asking." She responded.


    "I''m happy to hear that. By the way, what are you guys doing here?"


    Kristine and the other two stared at each other. "Lord Rnd asked us toe here and try our luck to obtain the special pill." It was Kristine who answered his query.


    "I see." Fredrinn nodded in understanding. It turns out that his worries were unnecessary. From the looks of it, Rnd had already made preparations for this special pill.


    "How about we go together? I''m also curious about the special pill that everyone is talking about." Events like this are hard toe by so he wanted to join the fun.


    Kristine hesitated for a moment, but she eventually agreed. "Alright." She remembered opposing Fredrinn once and it didn''t end well so she could only ept his invitation.


    "Great!" Fredrinn smiled at her. He wanted to get close to this cousin of his. With her superior-grade spirit root, she would definitely be an important figure in the family. She might be of great help to him in the future.


    The group of six strolled around the treasure house.


    At first, Kristine and the other two were still nervous, but they soon rxed.


    Fredrinn seemed to be in a good mood today. Usually, he would order them around like his subordinates, but this time, he was so polite and friendly.


    At this moment, they suddenly heard amotion. They looked at each other and followed the crowd to take a look at the situation.


    "Isn''t that the young miss of the Silversword Household?!"


    "Holy sh*t! That''s really her!"


    The customers excitedly discussed as they looked at the young woman surrounded by a group of bodyguards.


    Fredrinn followed their gaze.


    It was a young woman who looked to be in herte teens. Her hair was tied in a ribbon braided ponytail and she wore a pair of silver butterfly earrings. The green and white cheongsam she wore perfectly entuated her style.


    "Aubrey Silversword¡­" Although she looked young from the woman in his memories, he would never forget her appearance. This woman would one day be a powerful figure in the Star Wind Kingdom. It was because of her that the obscure kingdom became well-known throughout the whole Great Vemune Continent.


    Fredrinn sighed and shook his head.


    "My lord, that youngdy looks beautiful!" Olivia stared at the peerless figure in admiration.


    Even Kristine who was confident about her beauty could only admit defeat. She then looked at her cousin to see his reaction, but his eyes remained calm without any ripple. This made her surprised.


    She knew her cousin well. Every time there was a beautiful woman, his dishonest eyes would immediately lock on his target. He even once saw him staring at her with a simr gaze.


    Aubrey seemed to have noticed their presence. She looked over in their direction, but when she saw Fredrinn, a trace of disgust shed in her eyes. She had heard all sorts of rumors about this person and he was quite famous in Red Sun City. Her brothers even showed her his photos and warned her not to get close to him.


    Thinking about this, Aubrey immediately retracted her gaze. She then sat on the main seat and gave a hand signal to the old man standing with her bodyguards.


    When the old man saw her signal, he nodded.


    This person was the branch manager of the Silversword Treasure House. People call him ''Manager John''. Don''t get fooled by his amicable appearance for this old man was a ruthless figure with unfathomable power. ording to the rumors, he was a Nascent Soul expert!


    At this moment, Manager John stepped forward and waved at the crowd to gather their attention. "Hello, everyone! I am the manager of this treasure house. You can just call me Manager John. Today, I''m pleased to announce that this event will have a special guest. Everyone, please give a round of apuse for the young miss of the Silversword Household, Miss Aubrey!"


    The crowd immediately pped their hands and cheered.


    Everyone eagerly cheered while singing praises for her.


    Aubrey waved at the crowd and smiled at them.


    Manager John raised his hand and the crowd immediately became silent. "I believe most of you guys came from afar. We even have guests from neighboring cities." When he said these words, his gaze inadvertently turned towards a group dressed in white and gold changshan jackets.


    Fredrinn and the others also looked over.


    "They are people from the Serene Jade Pce of Azure Wind City," Kristinemented after seeing their clothes.


    "Oh!" Fredrinn''s eyes shed upon hearing this. He was familiar with the Serene Jade Pce. It was arge martial arts school that only epted young students with high-grade spirit roots. Because of their strict requirements, they only have less than a thousand students. However, all of them were powerful figures in the younger generation of the Star Wind Kingdom.


    The crowd also recognized the distinctive clothes of the Serene Jade Pce. Some of them even cupped their fists to greet these people.


    Manager John pped his hand to get their attention back to him. "I know that everyone came here for the special pill so I won''t keep you guys in suspense." He then gave a hand signal to the servants.


    Under everyone''s curious eyes, the servants carefully pushed a cart that had a few bottles of pills on top of it.

 Chapter 20: Limit Breaking Pill

    "This pill is called the Limit Breaking Pill. Once eaten by a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, they will have more than a 60% chance of breaking through the Core Formation realm! We have already tested the efficacy of the pill so everyone can rest assured about their authenticity. Furthermore, the person who concocted these pills is Sir Isaac Pritchard. I believe everyone here knows him."


    When everyone heard this, they were stunned. A pill that could increase the chances of breaking through the Core Formation realm was extremely rare. Such pills were only sold in the capital. This was because of theck of capable alchemists in other cities.


    "If it''s made by Sir Isaac, then there''s no need to doubt the quality of the pills."


    "That''s right. Sir Isaac is the Vice Chairman of the Star Wind Alchemists Association. He wouldn''t risk his reputation by making fake pills."


    Looking at the crowd''s reaction, Manager John smiled contentedly. He already expected this from the start. "We have eight bottles of Limit Breaking Pills here. Each bottle contains ten pills which makes a total of 80 pills. We will be selling each pill for 10000 Star Coins. There''s a lot of you guys, so to satisfy everyone, each group can only buy 5 pills at most."


    There was somemotion when he announced that. Most of the groups present came from afar and there was even one group from the Azure Wind City. All of them wanted to get as many pills as they could, but with this purchase limit, their goal couldn''t be fulfilled.


    "Silence!" Manager John infused his aura into his voice. With his strength as a deterrent, everyone could only shut their mouths.


    "If you are not satisfied with this arrangement, you can leave." He added with a stern look.


    When he saw that no one dared to speak, he snorted. "Line up properly if you want to buy the pill! Each group can only send one representative to line up. If you cut in line, I will kick you out!"


    Hearing this, Fredrinn sent Kristine a look. Thetter understood his intentions and immediately made her move.


    Swoosh!


    She disappeared from her spot and joined the people in the queue. With her speed, she managed to get the fourth spot in the line.


    [Help Cain break through the Core Formation Realm! Reward: 1 Year of Cultivation Experience!]


    Cain was already at the 10th Layer of the Foundation Establishment stage. He just needed an opportunity to reach the next realm. This Limit Breaking Pill was perfect for him.


    After some time, Kristine returned and handed the five pills to Fredrinn. "Here are the pills."


    Fredrinn only took one and pushed the rest back to her. "I only need one. If my father asks about the missing pill, just tell him that I took one for myself."


    Kristine was a bit surprised. She thought that Fredrinn would take everything for himself. She was even prepared to take the punishment when they returned to the estate. "Alright."


    Fredrinn smiled at her. "Now that you have gotten what you came here for, are you nning to return to the estate?" He asked.


    Kristine stared at the two disciples who came with her and hesitated. She could tell that they were ufortable being together with Fredrinn.


    After a moment, she made a decision. "You two can return first. I''ll stay here with cousin."


    Hearing this, the two disciples stared at each other and nodded. "Alright. You take care, Kristine." They then turned their gazes toward Fredrinn and bowed. "We will take our leave first, my lord!"


    "Mn." Fredrinn nodded calmly as he waved his hand.


    The two took this chance to leave.


    After they left, Fredrinn chuckled. "I thought that you would leave with them."


    Kristine blushed in embarrassment when she heard this. She really thought about leaving. She didn''t even know if it was because of the recent changes in Fredrinn''s personality or if there were other reasons.


    Looking at her expression, Fredrinn couldn''t help butugh. "Alright. I won''t tease you anymore. Follow us to look around. We actually came here for another matter¡­" He then told her that they came here to buy an item that could conceal aura.


    "I see. No wonder you chose to go here. I don''t think other stores have the item that you''re looking for. Do you want me to inquire about it for you?" Kristine asked.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "It''s fine. We can take our time looking for it." He didn''t want a lot of people to know that this was his objective. He had to be careful since this involved Olivia''s safety.


    While they were discussing, the sale of the Limit Breaking Pill was still underway.


    In the corner, a group of people were secretly observing them.


    "Follow the two guys that just left. If they have the pills, take it from them."


    "What if they resist?"


    "Do I still need to teach you? Kill them if they resist!"


    "Understood!"


    "The rest of you, follow those guys. Make sure that you keep a certain distance from them."


    ***


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn''s group had already left. They didn''t even bother to wait and see if there would be some leftover Limit Breaking Pills.


    At this moment, Cain suddenly frowned. With his sharp senses, he noticed that there were some people following them. He immediately went close to Fredrinn and told him about this discovery.


    "Oh? Just pretend that you didn''t sense them." Fredrinn furrowed his eyebrows. He didn''t want to cause a ruckus here so he chose to leave them be. With the security inside the treasure house, he believed that those people wouldn''t dare do anything to them.


    "I understand." Cain nodded and moved back.


    "What happened, cousin?" Kristine was on his right so she heard a bit of their conversation.


    "It seems like we have attracted a group of greedy people," Fredrinn muttered helplessly.


    Hearing this, Kristine thought about the two young disciples and she couldn''t help but feel worried for their safety. "The two disciples¡­ They might not be safe¡­"


    Hearing this, Fredrinn raised his eyebrows. He had forgotten about them. "Cain, take this and bring those two back." He said as he handed the Limit Breaking Pill to Cain.


    Cain''s eyes shed. "Yes, my lord!"

 Chapter 21: Cain Makes a Move

    Kristine''s eyes flickered when she saw him giving away the Limit Breaking Pill, but she didn''t say anything.


    Soon, Cain left and only the three of them remained in the treasure house.


    "What should we do, cousin?" She was a bit nervous since this was the first time she had experienced something like this.


    "We will continue looking for the item. If we can''t find it within an hour, we will leave the treasure house and regroup with Cain." Fredrinn wasn''t worried about Cain. If he consumed the Limit Breaking Pill, he would break through the Core Formation realm. With that kind of strength, ordinary assassins would be at his mercy.


    "Don''t be nervous and just pretend that we don''t know what''s going on." He added.


    Olivia and Kristine nodded upon hearing this.


    With that, the trio resumed their search.


    ***


    Cain looked at the pill in his hand. It was the Limit Breaking Pill given to him by Fredrinn. From the fragments of memories that he could remember about his world, this pill was incredibly precious and hard to acquire.


    Without hesitation, he swallowed the pill.


    As soon as it entered his throat, he felt the pill slowly melting. The energy contained inside the pill rushed out like a surging river and was absorbed by his dantian.


    The dantian is an organ that was unique to cultivators who reached the Foundation Establishment realm. This organ would refine the Qi absorbed by the cultivator and use the refined Qi to strengthen the body. The cultivators could also use it like a reservoir because it could store unrefined Qi.


    For these reasons, there was a huge difference between the Qi Gathering stage and the Foundation Establishment realm.


    After some time, a change slowly urred inside Cain''s body. Cracks started to appear in his dantian as more and more Qi was being absorbed.


    Cain felt a twisting pain in his dantian and he knew that this was the process of his core taking form.


    Usually, one has to be in a meditative position during this process to maintain the optimal condition of the body. However, Cain put Fredrinn''s mission as his top priority. His actions increased the difficulty of his breakthrough, but he didn''t care.


    At this moment, Cain finally sensed the presence of the two disciples of the Firecrown Household. However, there was a group of people in ck hooded robes that surrounded them.


    He didn''t rush to their side right away. He hid above a roof and observed the situation. ''There are six enemies. Two of them are Foundation Establishment martial practitioners, while the remaining four are at the Qi Gathering stage.'' He could roughly gauge the enemies'' strength based on their auras.


    His perception was not as strong as Rnd Firecrown''s, so he couldn''t urately measure their cultivation.


    One of the Foundation Establishment martial practitioners stepped forward and said. "Take out the Limit Breaking Pills."


    The two young disciples nervously grabbed their weapons. "Who are you guys?!"


    "There''s no need for you to know that. I promise that you guys won''t be harmed so long as you give us the Limit Breaking Pills." The man uttered calmly.


    The two young disciples felt pressured under the man''s intense gaze.


    ''Who are these people? Should I tell them that we don''t have the pills?'' Felix thought while keeping his eyes on the men in ck robes.


    He knew that they could die if they refused to cooperate with them, but he didn''t want to bring danger to Kristine and Fredrinn. Thinking about this, he looked at his friend, Ren, and saw the same determination in his eyes.


    They were orphans who were raised by the Firecrown Household. Although they grew up in a strict environment, they were grateful to the household for raising them. They will never betray the Firecrown Household even if it means their death!


    Felix took a deep breath. "We are disciples of the Firecrown Household! Hurting us won''t do you any good. If something happens to us, the family will immediatelyunch an investigation. You guys better think it through."


    When the ck-robed men heard this, theyughed in disdain.


    "Do you think the Firecrown Household''s name would scare us? Howughable! Since you don''t want to cooperate, don''t me us for being rough!"


    "Kill them and take the pills from their corpses!" Shouted the leader of the ck-robed men.


    As soon as he uttered those words, the four Qi Gathering stage cultivators rushed out and attacked the young disciples.


    Felix was at the 7th Layer of the Qi Gathering stage, while Ren was at the 6th Layer. With their superior skills, they managed to block the attacks of the four ck-robed men.


    The leader of the ck robe men was dissatisfied when he saw his subordinates struggling to subdue the two young disciples. ''Tsk! Useless fools!''


    He looked at the Foundation Establishment martial practitioner beside him and said. "Go and help them."


    The man nodded and quickly moved into action. He took out a dagger and rushed towards Ren. As soon as he appeared beside Ren, he swung his dagger.


    Just as his dagger was about to stab Ren, a sword suddenly deflected his attack.


    ng!


    "Hm?!" The man quickly retreated when his attack was blocked.


    It was only then did everyone noticed that another person had appeared.


    With a face covered in scars and a blinded left eye, this person looked extremely terrifying.


    "It''s you!" Ren and Felix were stunned when they saw this man. They remembered that this was the person who was always stuck to Fredrinn''s side.


    "Stay behind me." Cain didn''t turn around. He still hadn''t broken through, but he was only a small step away from the Core Formation stage.


    The leader of the ck-robed men frowned upon seeing him. He didn''t even sense this man''s presence when he appeared. ''This guy is at least as powerful as me.'' He thought.


    "Retreat! You guys are not his match! I''ll take care of him!" He grabbed his dagger and attacked Cain without hesitation.


    Cain wasn''t flustered. He also rushed out and shed with the leader of the ck-robed man.


    Their weapons collided fiercely, causing sparks to fly out.


    Meanwhile, the remaining five ck-robed men immediately used this chance to rush towards Felix and Ren.


    Seeing this, Cain no longer held back. He kicked the person in front of him and rushed back to save the two young disciples.


    With a swing of his sword, one of the ck-robed men fell lifelessly into the ground.


    The other four quickly retreated in fear after seeing the death of theirrade.


    "He is a peak Foundation Establishment martial practitioner! Retreat! We don''t have the strength to deal with him!" The leader of the ck-robed men shouted when he sensed Cain''s power.


    The group didn''t even bother to retrieve theirpanion''s corpse and retreated in haste.


    Felix and Ren were relieved to see this. It was a close call for them. Luckily, Cain arrived on time.

 Chapter 22: Pristine Jade Bracelet

    "Thank you, sir!" Felix and Ren looked at Cain gratefully. If it wasn''t for this man, they would have perished today.


    Cain sheathed his sword without looking at them. "Let''s return to the treasure house." He didn''t wait for their reply as he walked off with unhurried steps.


    Felix and Ren stared at each other before they followed Cain.


    "Sir, do you know who those people are?" Felix couldn''t help but ask. Few dared to provoke the Firecrown Household. It might not be as strong as it once was, but like they say, an old lion is still a lion. However, those ck-robed men didn''t even put the Firecrown Household in their eyes. Felix felt their disdain when he mentioned that they were from the Firecrown Household.


    Cain didn''t even reply or spare him a nce.


    Felix shrugged helplessly, while Ren sent him a teasing look.


    ***


    Inside the treasure house, Fredrinn and the other two were still looking for the item.


    [Cain has broken through the 1st Layer of the Core Formation realm! You received 1 Year of Cultivation Experience!]


    As soon as this prompt appeared, Fredrinn felt his chest tightening.


    Qi Gathering 9th Layer


    Qi Gathering 10th Layer


    When his cultivation reached the peak of the 10th Layer, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He could sense that something was growing right beside his heart. This was the sign of his dantian taking form. Which means that he was only a step away from advancing to the Foundation Establishment realm.


    Fredrinn held his chest with a pained look.


    "What happened, my lord?" Olivia held his arms and looked at him with worry.


    "Are you alright, cousin?" Kristine was also worried about him.


    "I''m fine. I just suddenly feel dizzy." Fredrinn waved his hand. He didn''t tell them about his breakthrough because it wasn''t time to reveal himself.


    "Are you sure?" Olivia wasn''t convinced. She noticed that his face was slightly pale.


    Fredrinn smiled and patted her shoulder. "Let''s continue looking for that item."


    Olivia could only nod her head when she heard this.


    ''I can breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment now, but I''ll do that once we return to the estate. This ce is notpletely safe.'' Although the treasure house was tightly guarded, there was no guarantee that the people following them wouldn''t attack so he postponed his breakthrough.


    "Cousin, I think this item fits your description."


    Fredrinn looked over and saw Kristine holding a jade bracelet. He walked to her side and took the bracelet from her. "Let me have a look."


    Pristine Jade Bracelet [5th-Grade]


    - Your Qi and aura will be concealed upon wearing this. It can also block the attack of a Nascent Soul expert once.


    "You''ve got good taste, my lord! This is a jade bracelet that can conceal your aura. We found this from the ruins of an ancient temple so it also carries some historical value." A servant of the treasure house grinned at him.


    Fredrinn lifted his head. This person looked shrewd, but he noticed him looking at Kristine and Olivia with dishonest eyes so he didn''t like this person. "How much is it?" He asked with an irritated look.


    The servant rubbed his hands as he replied. "It''s not that expensive. It''s only worth 15000 Star Coins."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn didn''t bat an eye. ''It seems like the appraisers of the treasure house only know about the concealment function.'' Thinking about this, he smiled. If they knew that this item could withstand the attack of a Nascent Soul martial practitioner once, they would have marked it with a higher value. This also worked in his favor so he didn''t bother to bargain.


    "Alright. That''s fair." He pretended to be convinced and handed the servant a pouch filled with glittering coins.


    The servant''s eyes shed with joy as he weighed the pouch in his hand. With his experience, he could tell that it was the right amount. ''This fool didn''t even bother to bargain! I made a killing this time!'' Heughed in his heart.


    Fredrinn was also happy to get the jade bracelet for a cheaper price.


    Kristine wanted to help him bargain, but she didn''t expect him to agree so easily so it was already toote for her to say anything.


    "Alright. We''ve got what we came here for. Let''s go and look for Cain and the others." Fredrinn handed the jade bracelet to Olivia as he said this.


    Olivia already knew that this was for her, but she was still surprised since this was an item worth 15000 Star Coins. She didn''t expect that he would give it to her without hesitation. "Is this really for me, my lord?"


    "Take it. That jade bracelet is too small for me." Fredrinn winked at her.


    Olivia knew that he only said this to keep her secret. She held the jade bracelet and smiled from ear to ear. "Thank you, my lord."


    "Let me help you wear it." Fredrinn took the bracelet and helped her put it on her left wrist.


    "Do you like it?"


    "I love it!" She couldn''t conceal her joy when she said this.


    Fredrinn chuckled at her cute response.


    [You managed to find an item that can conceal Olivia''s aura and Qi! You received 500 Fate Points! You have unlocked the Aura Concealment Function!]


    Fredrinn was only left with 100 Fate Points after he purchased Cain from the Fate Shop. Now, he had a total of 600 Fate Coins which was enough for him to buy some items. Furthermore, he also unlocked a new system function.


    [Do you want to activate the Aura Concealment Function?]


    [Yes] [No]


    The name of the function was already self-evident so he knew what it does. Without hesitation, he clicked [Yes].


    "Hm? Weird. Something seems different about you, my lord." Oliviamented while staring at him with a confused gaze.


    Kristine had a simr reaction, but she didn''t say anything.


    "It''s probably because I look more handsome now." Fredrinn shamelessly replied which made the twodiesugh.

 Chapter 23: Forced to Breakthrough

    Fredrinn brought the two out of the treasure house. They saw Cain standing outside waiting for them.


    "My lord." Cain bowed as he greeted him.


    Fredrinn nodded to acknowledge his presence. "What about the two disciples?" He asked while looking around.


    "I told them to board the carriage to prevent the other assassins from seeing them," Cain replied. He then told Fredrinn about the whole situation.


    "It seems like these people have some background. Did you bring the corpse of the person you killed?"


    Hearing this, Cain shook his head. "Do you want me to retrieve the body?"


    "No. It''s toote for that. Those people must have already taken the body the moment you left."


    "I apologize, my lord. I should have taken the body with me."


    "It''s fine. I''ll have my father deal with this. We should be able to get some clues once the experts from the family make their investigation." Fredrinn wasn''t angry, but he was still a bit disappointed. Cain might be strong, but he was a full-fledged warrior who didn''t know how to scheme.


    "Let''s return to the estate," Fredrinn told the group.


    Meanwhile, a group of men in ck robes were secretly tailing them.


    "Are you sure that person is a peak Foundation Establishment martial practitioner?"


    "Yes, sir! He overpowered our team and even killed one of us! I ordered my men to retreat once I sensed that we weren''t his match."


    "I didn''t think that those guys were actually from the Firecrown Household. It will get troublesome if they send someone to investigate us." This man was wearing a mask so there was no way to identify him.


    "What should we do, sir?"


    The masked man was silent for a moment before he replied. "We need to silence them!"


    Hearing this, the eyes of the ck-robed men shed with a vicious glint.


    ***


    Inside the carriage were Fredrinn, Olivia, Cain, Kristine, and the two disciples. Everyone looked tensed. This was because the two disciples told them about what happened.


    "My lord, those people are still tailing us," Cain whispered.


    Fredrinn nodded with a cold look. He already expected this so he wasn''t surprised. "Can you tell how strong they are?"


    "There are more than twenty of them. Most are Qi Gathering stage martial practitioners. Six are at the Foundation Establishment and the strongest one is a peak Foundation Establishment realm expert." Cain reported with a solemn look. After advancing to the 1st Layer of the Core Formation realm, his perception had be stronger.


    He could now urately gauge the strength of someone as long they are in the Foundation Establishment stage or below.


    Cain was confident that he could beat those guys, but he couldn''t guarantee the safety of Fredrinn''s group if those people attacked them together.


    [An unknown group is nning to silence you. Kill five enemies! Reward: 5 Years of Battle Experience!]


    Seeing this, Fredrinn narrowed his eyes. ''It looks like I have to reveal myself today.'' He thought. He didn''t want to show his prowess any time soon, but he had no choice. Those people would kill for the sake of the Limit Breaking Pills! Now that he received a mission from the system prompt, he had more reason to eliminate them.


    Initially, he nned to kill them using the city guards, but that was impossible now that he got this mission.


    "You guys prepare for battle!" Fredrinn took out his sword with a fierce look on his face.


    Everyone was nervous when they heard this, but they also took out their weapons.


    "You two must protect Olivia," Fredrinn told the two young disciples.


    "Yes, my lord! We will keep her safe." Felix and Ren nodded with serious faces.


    "Cousin, are you afraid?" Fredrinn smiled grimly at Kristine. Although she was extremely talented in cultivation, she had nobat experience.


    Kristine gripped her sword tightly as she shook her head.


    Fredrinn patted her shoulder. "You are strong. Believe in yourself."


    Hisforting words made her feel less tense. She was also surprised that Fredrinn could remain calm in this situation. ''I heard that cousin just broke through the Qi Gathering stage recently. I must protect him! He is the only heir of the Firecrown Household! Nothing must happen to him!''


    Thinking about this, her eyes shed with determination.


    While they were nervously waiting for the pursuers to arrive, Fredrinn focused his attention on forming his dantian.


    He felt a sharp stabbing sensation on his chest. His face twitched from the pain, but he gritted his teeth and silently endured the pain. ''I can''t wait to reach the estate. I must break through now!''


    At this moment, a small spherical organ slowly took shape behind his sternum. It was still small and even looked feeble, but this would soon change once he advanced to the higheryers of the Foundation Establishment stage.


    "They are here!" Cain muttered before he jumped out of the carriage to stop the attackers.


    Kristine also jumped out and followed him.


    This time, only Fredrinn, Olivia, and the two young disciples were inside the carriage.


    "My lord, you should stay behind me." Ren protectively covered Fredrinn with his body.


    Fredrinn was in the crucial moment of his breakthrough so he couldn''t be bothered to respond.


    Outside the carriage, Cain stared at the six people in front of him with a cold look.


    "Sir that''s the guy who killed my subordinate!"


    Hearing this, the man wearing a mask looked at the scar-faced man in front of them and frowned. ''I can''t gauge this guy''s power. Is he really a peak Foundation Establishment martial practitioner?'' Somehow, he felt that the man was even more dangerous than he had expected, but it was already toote for them to retreat.


    "The five of you will help me deal with that guy. Tell the rest to kill that girl and the people inside the carriage." The masked manmanded.


    As soon as he gave themand, the men in ck robes immediately moved.


    Five people surrounded Kristine, while the rest surrounded the carriage.


    Looking at the enemies around her, Kristine felt her heart beating wildly. ''I have to deal with these men and help cousin as soon as I can! I hope that Felix and Ren could hold them back for some time.''

 Chapter 24: Fredrinn Steps into Battle

    "How about we bring her corpse after we kill her? Her body should still be warm for some time¡­ Hehehe." One of the ck-robed menughed pervertedly.


    "Enough with your nonsense! Just do the job if you don''t want to be punished by the boss!" Another one shouted in disgust.


    Kristine''s eyes turned cold when she heard their voices. She thought that these people were assassins, but that doesn''t seem to be the case. They sounded like a group of bandits. "The Firecrown Household will make you pay for this!"


    The ck-robed men didn''t say anything. They just pulled out their weapons and stared at her with vicious gazes.


    After a moment of standstill, one of them suddenly attacked.


    Kristine had been eyeing them closely so she quickly noticed the attack. She lifted her sword and parried the other party''s weapon, causing a dull nging sound as soon as their weapons shed.


    The other ck-robed men weren''t idle. They alsounched an attack, sealing off all her paths of retreat.


    ''Their techniques are crude and there''s a lot of openings.'' Kristine thought as she gracefully deflected their weapons.


    "What?! This girl is a lot stronger than I thought. Let''s finish her off quickly!"


    The ck-robed men''s attacks became more intense and Kristine received some cuts and injuries. She was outnumbered so she could only block the fatal attacks.


    At this moment, Kristine kicked off the ground and backed off a few meters away which gained her some distance from her enemies. She then drew a pattern in the air and performed a sword technique.


    "Stop her! Don''t let draw the final line!" One of the men shouted when he sensed a fluctuation of Qi around Kristine. He could tell that she was about to execute a powerful sword technique!


    "It''s toote for that!" Kristine drew the final line and released a burning sword radiance as she brandished her sword. This was an arcane-rank sword technique called zing Sword Stab. One has to have sufficient talent in swordsmanship and a high affinity towards the fire element to learn this technique. This was also the most powerful sword technique that she knew.


    Three unlucky fellows were caught in the mes. They screamed in pain as they slowly burned to death. The other two managed to evade on time, but they still received some burn wounds.


    Kristine ignored them and turned her gaze towards Cain.


    He had already killed five enemies and the only person standing before him was the masked man who seemed to be their leader.


    ''Where did cousin find that man? He seems to be as strong as the elite warriors in the family¡­'' She was a bit surprised by how fast Cain managed to eliminate the Foundation Establishment stage assassins. He didn''t even seem to be injured.


    After checking his situation, Kristine looked at the carriage. Ren, Felix, and even the coachman were already fighting the ck-robed men.


    Seeing this, she quickly rushed over to support them.


    Meanwhile, inside the carriage. Fredrinn was still consolidating his cultivation. Olivia was standing beside him, warily looking outside while holding the sword that Fredrinn bought for her. When she saw the wounds on Kristine and the others, she was terrified. ''Please don''t die!''


    Olivia wanted to go out there and help them, but she knew that she would only be a hindrance.


    While she was praying for their survival, Fredrinn opened his eyes.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Foundation Establishment 1st Layer] [Level 21]


    Sword Talent: ??


    Fire Affinity: ??


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Fate Grade: E (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 600


    Fredrinn closed the system prompts and stood up.


    "Ah!" Olivia was surprised by his sudden movements.


    Fredrinn patted her shoulder. "Thank you for guarding me, Olivia. Stay here. I''ll go and help them deal with those bastards."


    Olivia didn''t want him to put himself in danger, but she was also worried about the safety of their friends. In the end, she nodded her head. "Please be safe, my lord. You must prioritize your safety."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn smiled and nodded. "Wait for me." He then jumped out of the carriage and joined the battle.


    "Lord Fredrinn!" Felix, Ren, and the coachman shouted in surprise.


    "Cousin, what are you doing here? You should go back inside the carriage. We can deal with the situation here." There was a hint of reprimand in her voice.


    Fredrinn ignored them and pulled his sword.


    A ck-robed man suddenly pounced at him, but as if he was prepared for this sneak attack, Fredrinn calmly brandished his sword.


    Whoosh!


    The man''s head slid off and fell to the ground.


    Fredrinn didn''t stop there. He performed the first movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style.


    mes covered his sword and every person that got struck by his sword burst into mes!


    His handsome face was illuminated by the mes of his sword, making him look even more attractive. However, his deadly sword technique brought terror to the onlookers. Even Kristine and the others couldn''t believe their eyes.


    Was this still the useless Fredrinn Firecrown that they knew? Who said that he was a failure?


    "Lord Fredrinn¡­ how could he be that strong?" Ren muttered in shock.


    The others also stared at the one-sided massacre with utter disbelief. Fredrinn was said to be a talentless trash with a low-grade spirit root. He had no affinity to the fire element which was the cornerstone of the Firecrown Household. However, the brutal scene in front of them subverted all these rumors.


    "Don''t tell me that he was just hiding his real talent from the start¡­ He fooled everyone¡­" Felix stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure bathed in mes.


    Everyone agreed with his words. Talent could be upgraded, but it was difficult to find items that could increase talent. However, those without sufficient talent and elemental affinity couldn''t learn powerful sword techniques, yet Fredrinn was able to perform one with such ease.


    ''Those people are Qi Gathering stage martial practitioners and some of them are even close to reaching the Foundation Establishment realm, but none of them can evenst a single move from his sword¡­ Cousin, just how strong are you?''

 Chapter 25: Raphael Blackcrow and the Feud Between the Two Households

    In just a few minutes, the more than twenty ck-robed men were either killed or subdued.


    [You have killed five enemies! Reward: 5 Years of Battle Experience!]


    Cain brought him the masked man who seemed to be their leader alive. "My lord, what should we do with them?"


    Fredrinn wiped the de of his sword using the clean part of a corpse''s clothes before he put it back to its sheath.


    When he turned his gaze over to Kristine and the others, he noticed that their eyes now held a trace of fear when they looked at him. He already expected this after he had exposed his strength. "Tie up the ones who are still alive and put them inside the carriage! As for the rest, burn their corpses!" He shouted.


    "Yes, my lord!"


    Cain and the rest immediately took action. They were only forced to follow his instructions before because of his identity as the heir of the Firecrown Household. However, after seeing his martial prowess, there was no longer a hint of hesitation in their actions.


    After everyone had dealt with the corpses and traces of the battle, Fredrinnmanded the group to return to the estate.


    Meanwhile, hidden on top of a four-story building''s roof were two figures. One was a young woman dressed in green cheongsam with white highlights. The other one was an old man who was as thin as a matchstick.


    "It seems like the rumors about him being a trash were untrue. It was stupid of me to judge him based on hearsay." The young woman muttered with a light smile.


    The old man nodded in agreement. "What do you intend to do next, Miss Aubrey?" He asked. Although he was surprised by the events that unfolded before them, he was someone who had experienced the vicissitudes of life. He managed to quickly regain hisposure.


    "Let''s return for now. We''ll see them again if we are fated to meet."


    The old man nodded.


    Soon, their silhouettes disappeared.


    ***


    Olivia quickly checked his body to see if he was unharmed. She only heaved a sigh of relief after making sure that he wasn''t injured. "I''m d that you''re unharmed, my lord, but you shouldn''t be so reckless next time." There was a hint of worry in her voice.


    "You nag more than my mother." Fredrinn chuckled while shaking his head.


    Olivia pouted when she heard this. She wanted to say more, but she suddenly noticed the awkward silence after Fredrinn had spoken.


    Kristine looked like she had a lot to say, but she chose to remain silent. Meanwhile, Felix and Ren looked a lot more obedient than usual. Their faces were covered in sweat and they didn''t even dare to look at Fredrinn as if they were afraid of him.


    ''What''s wrong with these guys?'' She thought.


    Fredrinn also noticed the changes in their behavior. When they first encountered them, those two young disciples looked stubborn and they only followed his instructions on the surface.


    ''I''m sure Rnd will question me once we report this incident. What should I tell him then?'' Fredrinn could already imagine the troubles he had to go through the moment they returned to the estate


    A pained groan broke the awkward silence.


    It was the masked man from earlier, but his mask had already been removed. He looked ordinary and from his facial features, he looked to be in his mid-thirties.


    "Drag him here," Fredrinn said while looking at Cain.


    Thetter nodded and forced the man to kneel in front of Fredrinn.


    "Who are you? Why did you attack us?" Fredrinn muttered in a cold voice. They had yet to ascertain if the goal of these people was simply the Limit Breaking Pills.


    The man sneered and smiled in disdain. "You should release me if you don''t want your family to be destroyed!"


    "Such insolence! Do you know who you are speaking to?!" Cain was about to p the man''s face, but Fredrinn stopped him from doing so.


    "At least you are smart. Untie me and I will forget this matter." The man thought that his threats scared Fredrinn so became even more arrogant.


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin and stared deeply at the man. "Now that I have taken a closer look at you, I think recognize your face." He had a cold smile when he uttered those words.


    Hearing this, the man''s body shook, but only for an instant. "Do you think you can deceive me?!" He red at Fredrinn uneasily. This person was unlike the rumors he had heard about him.


    "Oh, really?" Fredrinn leaned back. "I was so sure that you are the third heir of the ckcrow Household, but it seems like I got the wrong person." He shrugged while looking at the man with a yful expression.


    The man''s eyes widened in shock and horror. "How did you¡­" He quickly covered his mouth, but it was already toote.


    "Raphael ckcrow, did you enjoy pretending to be an assassin?" Fredrinn''s eyes were like that of the devil''s, making him terrified.


    ''Just how did this guy find out my identity?! I never showed my face to an outsider! Only the people loyal to us should have seen my face! Could it be that there is a mole in our ranks?!'' A few faces shed in Raphael''s mind.


    "Cousin, is he really someone from the ckcrow Household?" Kristine could no longer remain calm.


    The ckcrow Household was apetitor of the Firecrown Household. In terms of overall strength, the former was slightly strongerpared to thetter. This was because the ckcrow Household has three Nascent Soul martial practitioners whereas the Firecrown Household only has two. Furthermore, the ckcrow Household also had three talented heirs to inherit the position of their patriarch.


    Meanwhile, the Firecrown Household only had Fredrinn who has a very notorious past.


    The conflict between the two households started because of a single energy stone mine which was currently under the jurisdiction of the Firecrown Household. The energy stone mine was the main source of ie for the family, but the ckcrow Household couldn''t ept the fact and used all sorts of ways to im ownership over the energy stone mine.


    There were only minor skirmishes between the two households in thest few years and they were yet to go into a full-blown war. They maintained this delicate bnce for over a decade, but there were signs of this equilibrium slowly copsing in the past few years.


    If something happened to the third heir of the ckcrow Household, Kristine couldn''t imagine what the consequences would be.

 Chapter 26: Meeting of Elders

    "Release me before it''s toote!" Raphael red at them with absolute spite


    "You talk too much." Fredrinn stuffed his mouth with a cloth to prevent him from causing more disturbance.


    "Mnnnnhhhhhnnn!!" Raphael struggled under his restraint.


    Fredrinn nced at Cain. "Make him shut up."


    Cain nodded. He then smacked an acupoint on the back of Raphael''s head, causing thetter to ck out.


    Kristine looked at the unconscious Raphael before she turned her gaze to Fredrinn. "Cousin, we need to be careful in handling this man. If something happens to him, there could be a full-blown war between the two families."


    "I know." Fredrinn understood her worries. He didn''t want to admit it, but he knew that the Firecrown Household was weaker than the ckcrow Household. The only reason thetter didn''t attack was because of the presence of Rnd Firecrown. His cultivation was a bit stronger than the patriarch of the ckcrow Household.


    "I''ll leave the decision to my father. He should know how to deal with these men."


    Soon, they arrived at the estate.


    Upon their arrival, they immediately headed to the patriarch''s office to report the situation. They also brought Raphael''s group for questioning.


    Rnd''s face was dark when he heard their report. "I understand the situation. You guys should go back and rest. Leave those men here. We will deal with them ordingly." His voice was calm, but Fredrinn felt the rage in his voice.


    Kristine and the others turned their gazes toward Fredrinn. Luckily for them, thetterplied without saying a word.


    Fredrinn''s group then left the patriarch''s office.


    "Cousin, I''ll go back to my room first." Kristine lightly bowed to Fredrinn. She felt that she was about to break through the Foundation Establishment realm.


    "Alright." Fredrinn nodded. "You guys may go too." He said to Felix, Ren, and the carriage driver.


    "Yes, my lord!" They bowed to him before they left.


    Fredrinn nced at their backs with a deep look.


    ***


    The next day, Rnd Firecrown summoned the important members of the household for a meeting. To everyone''s surprise, Fredrinn was also invited to join them.


    "Why do you think the patriarch called us for a meeting?"


    "I''m not sure, but I heard that this is about the ckcrow Household."


    "It seems like this matter is more serious than I thought."


    Fredrinn stared at this bunch of old people to see if there was a familiar face.


    ''That old man should be our family''s array master, Sir Ardul.'' Fredrinn''s gaze stopped at an old man with long white hair and a long white beard.


    As if sensing his gaze, the old man smiled gently at him.


    Fredrinn nodded in response.


    ''That should be Sir Glen who manages the family''s finances.'' This time it was a kind-looking, but pot-bellied old man dressed in red and white yishang.


    Fredrinn''s gaze swiftly moved towards another person. ''That fierce-looking middle-aged man should be Sir Dontos. I heard that he is already at the peak of the Core Formation stage. He is in the same generation as Rnd and everyone believes that he will be the next Nascent Soul martial practitioner in the family.''


    Fredrinn also found out that Darius was there.


    Thetter walked to his side and whispered. "My lord, my men had already investigated the Snake Gang. I will give you their detailed report after the meeting."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn nodded.


    Soon, more people filled the room.


    At this moment, someone suddenly cried out in surprise. "Head Elder! Patriarch!"


    Everyone turned their gazes and saw a decrepit old man with a walking stick.


    This person was the second Nascent Soul martial practitioner in the family and also the former patriarch. He was also Fredrinn''s grandfather, Head Elder Marcus Firecrown.


    Seeing them, everyone stood up and lowered their heads in greeting.


    Rnd waved his hand to acknowledge their greeting. He walked to the head seat, while the head elder sat next to him. "Take your seat, everyone."


    Rnd scanned everyone''s faces before he spoke. "Thank you foring here despite your busy schedules. I didn''t want to disturb you guys, but this matter is of grave importance. It is rted to the ckcrow Household."


    As soon as he mentioned this name, everyone''s faces turned serious.


    "Recently, I sent a group of young disciples to the Silversword Treasure House to purchase Limit Breaking Pills, but on their way back to the estate, a group of men d in ck robes attacked them. Luckily for them, Fredrinn brought a Core Formation guard with him so they managed to subdue those men. When we interrogated those men, we found out that they were from the ckcrow Household!


    Raphael ckcrow, the third heir of the household was also among the attackers!"


    "What?! How dare they?!" Sir Dontos pped the table in his anger.


    The other elders were also furious, but they were more calm than Sir Dontos.


    "Bring them inside," Rnd instructed the guard standing by the door.


    Looking at the guard, Fredrinn realized that it was the carriage driver from yesterday. ''It seems like Rnd is already aware of my strength¡­''


    Not long after, five men dressed in ck robes were pushed inside the meeting room. Their arms were tied in special chains that prevented them from using Qi.


    Raphael noticed Fredrinn and sent him a mocking nce.


    Rnd pointed at Raphael and said. "That man right there is Raphael ckcrow."


    Everyone turned their gazes over.


    Raphael had short ck hair and a pair of onyx eyes. When he sensed the elders'' gazes, he shook his head and chuckled. "Are you people the elders of the Firecrown Household? How disappointing¡­"


    His voice carried a trace of mockery.


    The hotheaded Sir Dontos stood up and grabbed Raphael''s neck. "Do you think you would still be alive right now if you weren''t the heir of the ckcrow Household?!" He wanted to rip apart this guy''s head, but he knew that doing that would onlyplicate the situation.


    Raphael''s face turned red under Sir Dontos strong grip. "Y-You will p-pay for this ckkkkshkk!" He muttered with great difficulty.


    "Sir Dontos!" Rnd called out.


    Sir Dontos red at Raphael before he threw him to the floor.

 Chapter 27: Margaret Cloudsky

    "I understand your feelings, Sir Dontos. I am furious as well, but we can''t harm the third heir of the ckcrow Household. At least not for now." Rnd''s made Sir Dontos calm down.


    "I apologize for my behavior, patriarch." Sir Dontos lowered his head and went back to his seat.


    After he returned to his seat, Rnd continued. "I have decided to negotiate with the ckcrow Household for a ransom for their third heir''s release. If by chance they don''t cooperate, I will allow you to do anything you want with him."


    Hearing this, Sir Dontos smiled coldly as he made a cutthroat gesture to Raphael.


    This time, thetter no longer dared to utter any remark. He also understood his importance in the ckcrow Household. Among the three heirs, he was the least talented so there was a possibility that he would be disposed by the family.


    "During the negotiations of the two households, there might be some conflicts so consider yourself warned. We must¡­" Rnd gave a series of instructions to the elders and also reminded them about the dangers that they might face.


    The meeting ended after almost an hour. Fredrinn didn''t have to say anything during the meeting and his role was merely like a spectator. However, he understood that Rnd was only preparing him which means that he had already been recognized as the heir of the Firecrown Household.


    After the meeting, some elders even greeted him warmly. Of course, some stubborn old men simply ignored his presence.


    "Fredrinn, wait."


    Someone called out to him when he was about to leave the meeting room. He turned around and raised his brows in surprise. The person who called him was the only woman in the meeting room, Margaret Cloudsky.


    "Mother." Fredrinn greeted her.


    Margaret Cloudsky looked very young for her age. Her long ck hair was tied in a Bohemian fishtail braid which increased her elegance. Coupled with her white cheongsam with floral patterns, she looked very dazzling. "You haven''t visited me for a long time. I know you are busy with your training, but you should find some time to visit me." She sighed while looking at him with concern.


    Fredrinn had a close rtionship with his mother. She was also one of the few people who had shown him goodwill when he wasbeled as a tyrant by the entire city. However, when he transmigrated into Fredrinn''s body, he shut himself for a long time and it was only recently that he began to interact with more people.


    Unknowingly, tears slid down his face. ''What''s this? Why am I feeling guilty?'' Fredrinn immediately wiped his face and looked away from her. "I will visit you when I have time, Mother. Now, if you''ll excuse me." He turned around and was about to walk away when he felt a hand grabbing his arm.


    He turned around and looked at Margaret withplicated emotions.


    At this moment, Margaret suddenly embraced him which took him by surprise. When he felt her feeble arms holding him tightly, she couldn''t bring himself to push her away. It was then that he felt her warm tears as she quietly sobbed.


    "You must have suffered a lot, my son..."


    "I''m sorry that I wasn''t there for you¡­"


    Fredrinn quivered when he heard her words. Truthfully, he still held some hope that he could go back to his old world and resume his life as Thomas. All this time, he hadn''t epted his identity as Fredrinn Firecrown, but Margaret''s motherly love tugged his heart. ''I am Thomas, but I am also Fredrinn. Whoever I am, this is now my life¡­''


    Fredrinn broke free from his cocoon and finally epted his fate. "I''m sorry, mother. I was too ashamed to face you."


    Margaret let out a gentle smile as she cupped his face. "It''s alright. It''s not your fault."


    "Ehem!"


    A cough interrupted the reunion of the mother and son.


    Fredrinn looked over and saw Rnd as well as his grandfather walking toward them.


    "I don''t want to interrupt your conversation, but I think you two should find a more private space to talk. You see, there are a lot of eyes around here." Rnd forced out a smile.


    Fredrinn looked around and realized that some of the elders hadn''t left yet. When they saw him staring at them, they pretended to be unaware of the situation and walked away in haste.


    Looking at his embarrassed face, Margaretughed lightly. "I will wait for you outside. You should go back to your room and get changed. I will bring you somewhere nice today." She lovingly patted his shoulder.


    Fredrinn nodded. "Can I bring some people with me?" He asked.


    "Of course, but don''t bring too many. They might not fit inside my carriage." Margaret chuckled.


    "Thanks, mother." Fredrinn smiled at her. "I''ll take my leave first." He bowed to Rnd and his grandfather before he left.


    "I wanted to speak with him about something, but it seems like that has to wait." Rnd shook his head with a smile.


    "Weird, since when did that kid have an item that conceals aura?" Marcus muttered while stroking his beard.


    "Now that you mention it, I can''t sense his aura." Rnd alsomented.


    "Who cares about that? As long as he is serious about his training, that''s all that matters." Margaret was happy that her son had turned over a new leaf. He no longer visited the brothel or the gambling house. He now put more effort into his cultivation.


    Rnd and Marcus nodded in agreement.


    Rnd suddenly remembered something and said. "By the way, I heard an interesting rumor from Sir Alfred."


    Hearing this, Margaret and Marcus were curious.


    "Don''t keep us in suspense and just spit it out!" Marcus smacked Rnd with his walking stick.


    "Alright! Alright!"


    "ording to Sir Alfred, Fredrinn''s cultivation has already reached the 7th Layer of the Qi Gathering stage."


    Hearing this, Margaret was pleasantly surprised.


    Meanwhile, Marcus furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "How did that happen? Wasn''t he only a 10th Layer Body Refining stage martial artistst month or did I remember it wrongly?"


    "Shocking, isn''t it? The only exnation for this is that he had encountered something that helped him increase his cultivation."


    "I see. That makes sense¡­" Marcus nodded in agreement.


    Margaret ignored them and happily walked away. She was looking forward to her date with her son.

 Chapter 28: Meeting Samantha Again

    "You two go and change into something more formal. We are heading out of the estate with my mother." Fredrinn said to Olivia and Cain.


    Hearing this, Cain and Olivia bowed and left at once.


    After they left, Fredrinn went to his closet to search for suitable clothes. "Which one should I wear for this asion?" He muttered to himself while looking at the array of clothes neatly disyed in front of him.


    "Should I also wear white clothes like my mother? No¡­ That would make us look like lovers¡­ In that case, I''ll just choose my usual style." Fredrinn grabbed a set of red yishang with golden phoenix patterns woven in front and at the back of the article. On the sleeves were golden characters that formed the words ''Sovereign of mes''.


    After changing into his new clothes, Fredrinn looked at himself in the mirror. His dashing visage and striking red yishang made him smile in satisfaction.


    He then grabbed his sword and tied it to his waist. "Perfect."


    After admiring himself in the mirror, Fredrinn went out of his room and saw that Cain and Olivia were already there. He was surprised by how fast they changed their clothes.


    On their way out of the main mansion, they encountered Darius.


    "My lord, here are the results of our investigations." Darius presented him the detailed reports of their findings about the Snake Gang.


    "You have my thanks, Sir Darius. Please have your men monitor their movements. I will deal with them soon." Dealing with the Snake Gang was a matter of importance. Their destruction would earn him bountiful rewards from the system.


    "Yes, my lord!" Darius nodded his head.


    Fredrinn bid him farewell and left the mansion with his two followers. As soon as they stepped out of the mansion, they saw a carriage drawn by three obsidian-maned horses.


    The window of the carriage sprung open, revealing Margaret''s face. "Are they the people you wish to bring?" She smiled at her son.


    "Yes, mother." Fredrinn nodded with a smile.


    "Alright. Bring them in. I''d like to get to know them."


    Fredrinn entered the carriage and eagerly introduced Olivia and Cain to her.


    Margaret was a good talker so the 1-hour journey wasn''t boring.


    Looking at the majestic building outside, Fredrinn smiled. ''Cloud Lake Pavilion¡­ I didn''t expect that I would be here again so soon¡­''


    "I know that you like this ce. I have also been here before, but I left after eating my meal." Margaretmented when she saw Fredrinn''s expression.


    "Mother, you missed out on something fun. You see they have some great performers here."


    "I heard about them too, but I haven''t seen them perform yet."


    "Then we should ask the owner to have them perform."


    At this moment, Ryan was cking off outside the establishment when he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure heading toward him. He squinted his eyes and was terrified when he realized who it was. He immediately rose to his feet and turned around. Just as he was about to flee inside the building, a hand pressed on his shoulder, preventing him from escaping.


    "Ryan, it''s good to see you again."


    Ryan''s knees buckled when he heard this familiar voice. He stiffly turned his head and forced out an ugly smile. "I-I see you have been well, my l-lord¡­" He stuttered.


    "Why are you shaking? Are you sick?"


    Ryan chuckled dryly. "Not at all, my lord. I just feel a little bit dizzy."


    "That''s not good. Why are you working when you''re not feeling well? Did your boss force you toe to work? Tsk. I should give her a piece of my mind." Fredrinn walked briskly toward the restaurant, but Ryan immediately blocked his path.


    "You don''t need to do that, my lord. I came to work voluntarily. Miss Samantha didn''t force me or anything." Ryan nervously said. He was afraid that Fredrinn would really reprimand his boss. If that were to happen, his job would be at stake.


    "Is that so? Fine. I''ll believe you." Fredrinn rubbed his nose. Teasing this guy was so much fun, but he had to stop here or Ryan might faint from anxiety.


    Ryan was relieved. He wiped off the sweat on his face and asked cautiously. "Do you want me to arrange a room for you, my lord?"


    "Yes. I want the one that I had recently. I brought my mother with me so please have your performers ready. My mother wants to see their talents."


    Hearing this, Ryan nodded. "Follow me inside, my lord. I''ll bring you there."


    Soon, news about his arrival spread among the workers of the establishment. Some cowardly guests even left when they heard of his presence.


    "He''s here again?" Samantha who was resting in her office furrowed her eyebrows upon hearing her subordinate''s report.


    "Yes, miss. He brought Madam Margaret with him this time. I already asked the performers to prepare since he asked for them." Ryan nervously nibbled his fingers after saying that.


    "There is no need to worry. If Madam Margaret is here, that guy won''t cause any trouble. Come with me. I need to greet them in person." Samantha didn''t wait for his reply as she headed out of her office.


    "Miss, wait for me!"


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn''s group had already taken their seats inside the Diamond Room.


    "I didn''t know they had such room in this building," Margaret remarked while observing the furnishing of the room.


    Fredrinn chuckled. "This is their Diamond Room. They don''t usually bring anyone here."


    "Is that so? Now, I''m looking forward to their dishes." Margaret''sst visit here was quick and she was also hiding her identity at that time so she didn''t know about this VIP experience.


    "You won''t be disappointed, mother. I have tried their dishes and I only have praises for them."


    "Knowing how picky you are, that means their food must be great."


    While the mother and son were chatting, they suddenly heard a knock on the door.


    "You may enter," Margaret said.


    The door was pushed open and Samantha was the first one to enter. "Greetings, Madam Margaret and Sir Fredrinn. Wee to my humble establishment." She cupped her fists in greeting.


    Normally, thedies would do a curtsy when greeting someone, but since she was from a martial practitioner family, she preferred to greet someone by cupping her fists.

 Chapter 29: Browsing the Fate Shop

    "It''s good to see you again, Miss Samantha." Margaret smiled at her while nodding her head. She didn''t need to do a curtsy since Samantha was one generation younger than her.


    Fredrinn also cupped his fists in response to her greeting.


    "I''m d to see you in good health, madam. It has been¡­"


    Samantha and Margaret exchanged pleasantries and chatted for a good while, disregarding Fredrinn who could only awkwardly return to his seat.


    Looking at his mother who was happily conversing with Samantha, Fredrinn could only smile bitterly while shaking his head. ''Everything they are talking about is all about women stuff¡­''


    "Oh my! I''m sorry for ignoring you, Sir Fredrinn. I was so excited to see Madam Margaret that I forgot that you were here." Samantha stared at him apologetically. However, Fredrinn knew that she did it on purpose.


    "It''s fine. It''s not every day that my mother would have the time to chat with anyone. In fact, I''m happy to see her enjoying her time here." Fredrinn''s words made Margaret smile from ear to ear. Her son had truly changed.


    Meanwhile, Samantha felt goosebumps all over her skin. She wasn''t used to Fredrinn''s current behavior.


    Ryan cleared his throat and said. "Excuse me, miss, madam, and my lord. The food will be here soon. The performers are also waiting outside."


    "Oh? Please let them enter. I''ve been looking forward to their performances." Margaret said with anticipation.


    Samantha nodded to Ryan. "Do as the madam says."


    "Yes, mydies." Ryan bowed and went to call the performers.


    Soon, the performers entered the room and began performing in groups. Their food also arrived soon after that.


    Fredrinn enjoyed this rare moment of peace. He knew that he wouldn''t have this much luxury in the future so he dived into the food and alcohol to temporarily forget about everything.


    Time slipped by, and in just a blink of an eye, a few hours had passed.


    "I think we should go now," Margaret muttered after taking a look at the darkening sky.


    Samantha didn''t insist on making them stay. "I had a great time with you, Madam Margaret. I hope that you will visit me again sometime."


    "I too had a great time, today. I''lle back to see you when I have the time." Margaret smiled as she stood up.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn was already feeling a bit drunk so he just nodded at Samantha so as to not embarrass himself.


    After bidding farewell to each other, Samantha sent them off.


    "Madam, I think we should look for an inn to stay. It will be dangerous if we head back to the estate at this time." Margaret''s bodyguard, a middle-aged man in his fifties, suggested with a stern look.


    Margaret furrowed her eyebrows. She understood her bodyguard''s worries. The Firecrown Household had captured the third heir of the ckcrow Household so there was bound to be some conflict between the two families. Thetter might even attack them if they choose to travel at night. "I understand. Tell the coachman to bring us to the most well-protected inn."


    "Yes, mydy." The bodyguard nodded.


    Fredrinn sobered up when he heard their conversation. He looked at the middle-aged bodyguard and thought. ''That man should be Sir Tyrell Hans, a Core Formation realm martial practitioner.''


    Including Tyrell and Cain, they only have eleven bodyguards. The rest were also at the Foundation Establishment realm. Although it was a strong party, they wouldn''t bepletely safe if they encountered an elite squad from the ckcrow Household.


    Margaret stared at Fredrinn and held his hand. "My son, I hope you don''t mind my arrangements."


    Fredrinn shook his head. "I know that this is for the safety of the group. Don''t worry about me, mother." He gave her a reassuring smile.


    "Thank you for your understanding."


    Fredrinn said a few more words to make his mother calm down. He then opened the Fate Shop to see if there was an item that would pique his interest.


    He had already checked the pets and servants category so he crossed them out immediately. He was also fairly satisfied with the Seven Scorching Sword Style so he didn''t need any battle techniques at the moment. As for cultivation methods, he had the system prompt that gives him cultivation experience so that was the least of his worries. The only category left was the equipment/items.


    ? Equipment/Items


    ? Blessed Yishang Battle Suit [Rare] 500 Fate Points


    - Can defend the wearer against the attacks of Core Formation realm martial practitioners.


    ? Purified Ne of Protection [Rare] 500 Fate Points


    - Can block the wearer from a Nascent Soul martial practitioner''s attack once.


    ? Decade Lamp [Umon] 100 Fate Points


    - A magicalmp that emits light for a decade.


    ? Leaf of Vitality [Umon] 50 Fate Points


    - Can heal minor wounds and improve health upon consumption. Cannot be used to heal mental illnesses or curses.


    ? Scarlet Fruit Elixir [Rare] 500 Fate Points


    - Increases fire affinity by one star upon consumption. Can only be consumed once. Further consumption will provide no additional benefit.


    Fredrinn browsed through the list of items and equipment.


    All of them were unique items and there were even some that he had never heard of. The one item that caught his eye was the Scarlet Fruit Elixir. Although it could only be consumed once, its additional benefit of increasing fire affinity by one star was very tempting to him.


    A one-star increase in fire affinity would significantly bolster his spell-drawing speed when casting the Seven Scorching Sword Style!


    [Confirm Purchase]


    [Yes] [No]


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin with a hesitant look. If he bought the elixir, he would only be left with 100 Fate Points. ''I really want the elixir, but I would only be left with 100 Fate Points. That wouldn''t be enough if something unexpected happens.''


    After careful deliberation, he clicked [No] with some reluctance.


    ''There is plenty of time to buy the elixir once I clear more missions.'' He thought.


    At this moment, the carriage suddenly stopped.


    "We''re here, mydy."


    "Alright. Let''s go, everyone." Margaret stepped out of the carriage with the help of Sir Tyrell.


    Fredrinn closed the Fate Shop and followed his mother. Olivia and Cain then stepped out one after another.

 Chapter 30: Soaring Red-eyed Eagle

    "Drunken Mist Inn¡­" Fredrinn nced at the que before he entered the building.


    "Wee, guests!" Upon seeing them, the old innkeeper who was lyingzily on a recliner stood up and weed them with open arms and a big smile on his face.


    "Let me do the talking," Fredrinn whispered to his mother before he turned his gaze to the old innkeeper.


    "Good evening, sir. Do you still have some vacant rooms?"


    The old innkeeper rubbed his hands as he nodded his head. With his keen eyesight, he noticed their high quality clothes which means they are people of noble birth. "Of course! How many rooms would you like to book for the night?" He could already smell the money on his way. He might even get some benefits if he assisted them well.


    "Let''s see¡­" Fredrinn rubbed his chin and looked at their group. His mother and Olivia could stay in the same room, while Cain and the other bodyguards could take turns sleeping. "We''ll take five rooms."


    "Five rooms?" The old man was a bit disappointed to hear that, but Fredrinn suddenly tossed him a small sack filled with coins.


    The old man''s eyes lit up. "Thank you, my lord! I''ll do everything you tell me to!"


    Fredrinn chuckled. "Just don''t disturb us and if someone asks about our group, inform me immediately."


    "I understand, my lord!" The old man was a smart person. He didn''t ask about their circumstances and quickly went to grab the keys to their rooms and handed them to Fredrinn.


    "The keys are numbered¡­" The old man told him where their rooms were located.


    Fredrinn nodded and waved his hand at the old man, indicating for him to leave.


    The old innkeeper understood the cue and immediately went back to his recliner.


    "Mother, it will be unsafe for you to stay by yourself so Olivia will stay with you." Fredrinn handed one of the keys to Margaret.


    "Alright, but what about you?"


    "I''ll stay with the guards and take turns with them to keep watch tonight."


    Margaret was surprised by his response. Tyrell and the other bodyguards were also taken aback. They didn''t expect that he would actually volunteer to do something.


    "My lord, there''s no need for you to tire yourself. You can leave the night duty to us." Tyrell was the first one to reject him. What could the trash of the Firecrown Household do? With his puny cultivation, he would only hold them back if something happened. Tyrell thought that Fredrin was only looking for an opportunity to find a whore to y with.


    "No, I insist." Fredrinn shook his head. He had a feeling that the ckcrow Household would attack them if given the chance so he wanted to be prepared for any situation.


    Seeing him like this, Tyrell could only reluctantly agree. "Fine, but if you get tired, you don''t need to push yourself." Nothing good woulde with opposing him.


    Fredrinn nodded.


    Soon, half of the group retired to their rooms, while the other half split up to guard the establishment.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn chose to guard the entrance. He even changed into a guard''s uniform since his yishang was too eye-catching.


    He looked around and saw the hired guards of the inn. They weren''t that impressive, but they still had some training. Their captain was also a Foundation Establishment martial practitioner so he could offer some help if needed. He didn''t look down on these people. Some of them had talents, but because of their status, they could only settle for mediocrity.


    Fredrinn retracted his gaze. The establishment was located near the heart of Red me Valley so the street was still busy. However, once the night gets darker, things could get really dangerous. Even in a big city like Red Sun City, there were still criminals and evil cultivators hidden among the popce.


    Not to mention that the people of the ckcrow Household could be lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to attack them.


    ''Only five of our bodyguards are on night duty and the inn''s hired guards are toox. I need more eyes to keep a lookout.'' Thinking about this, Fredrinn opened the Fate Shop.


    He once saw a specific magical beast that could prove to be useful for this situation.


    ? Pets


    ? Soaring Red-eyed Eagle [Umon] (Cultivation: Body Refining 10th Layer) 50 Fate Points


    This magical beast wasn''t that powerful, but it had an innate advantage over martial practitioners. It was its ability to fly.


    Once it''s up in the air, it could help him monitor the surroundings. With its powerful vision, no rats could escape its eyes.


    Unlike the servants that have a purchase limit, he could buy as many magical beasts of any kind as he wanted as long as he had sufficient Fate Points. However, Fredrinn didn''t need too many so he only bought two eagles.


    [Confirm Purchase]


    [Yes] [No]


    This time, he didn''t hesitate to click [Yes].


    White light shed momentarily in front of him. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw two Soaring Red-eyed Eagles slowly descending before him. They pped their wings andnded gracefully on the ground, emitting high-pitched whistling sounds.


    "Can you understand me?" Fredrinn asked. Unlike normal animals, some intelligent magical beasts are capable of understanding human speech.


    The two birds nodded while emitting strange noises.


    "Good. I want you two to take turns in observing the area. If you find someone suspicious, inform me immediately."


    The two magical beasts let out ''scree'' sounds before they flew into the sky.


    Fredrinn stared at them and grinned. "With those two, I feel more at ease."


    When he turned around, he noticed a big guy dressed in leather armor walking toward him. Behind the man were three guards who were curiously looking at him.


    ''Sh*t! Did they see me when I purchased those magical beasts?!'' Fredrinn was a bit nervous. It would be dangerous if someone were to know about his peculiar abilities.


    "Good evening, my lord. I saw you summon those majestic creatures. Are you by any chance a summoner?" The big guy asked. He was the captain of the inn''s hired guards.

 Chapter 31: Assassin

    ''Did he suspect that I was summoner?'' Fredrinn''s face rxed. ''The guy must have thought that I used a spell to summon those magical beasts. That saves me a lot of trouble.''


    Summoners were people with a high affinity for magical beasts. Some called them animal whisperers because of their unique ability tomunicate with magical beasts, but the official term to call them was ''summoner''.


    The big guard thought that Fredrinn was annoyed when he saw thetter''s expression so he quickly apologized. "I don''t mean to disturb you, my lord. I was just excited since it''s our first time to see a summoning spell."


    Looking at his honest appearance, Fredrinn smiled. "It''s fine. I was just surprised to see you react with such interest to my summoning spell. And to answer your question, you are right. I am indeed a summoner." He could only pretend to be a summoner because of the situation.


    "That''s amazing! I envy people with natural-born affinity like you, my lord! To tell you the truth, I had long been fascinated with magical beasts." The big guy scratched his head in embarrassment.


    Fredrinn chuckled upon hearing this. The guy was more simple-minded than he had thought. "Is that so? If you want, I can call them and let you y with them for a while." There''s no harm in acquainting himself with this man. It would also change everyone''s perception of him.


    "There''s no need for that, my lord. I can''t trouble you for my sake. Seeing those majestic magical beasts is more than enough." The guy responded with a carefree smile.


    Fredrinn could tell that this man truly liked magical beasts. In his home world, there were a lot of people like him.


    The two ended up getting to know each other after conversing for a while.


    The man''s name was Thurman Wadlow. ording to him, his parents were bothmoners. His father was a soldier who died for the kingdom and his mother was working as an assistant in a bakery. He had a humble background, but Fredrinn didn''t treat him differently because of this.


    "By the way, I haven''t asked your name yet, my lord." Thurman stared at him curiously. Unlike most nobles, this man was polite and he also didn''t react with contempt when he mentioned his humble origins. He wanted to know which noble family cultivated such a kind gentleman.


    "Oh? I think you''ve already heard of me. I am from the Firecrown Household and my name is¡­"


    "Fredrinn Firecrown¡­"


    "Huh?!" Thurman''s eyebrows shot upward when he heard this name. "You mean you are that Fredrinn Firecrown?" He asked hesitantly.


    Fredrinnughed and nodded at his reaction. He had already predicted that this would happen. "Yes, I am the Fredrinn Firecrown that you are thinking about¡­"


    "How could that be? Then the rumors about you¡­" Thurman''s face turned pale in fright.


    "Well. Those things are also true¡­" Fredrinn shrugged with an unconcerned look.


    "Y-You are absolutely different from the rumors, my lord." Thurman awkwardly chuckled.


    "Are you afraid of me?" Fredrinn sent him an indifferent nce, making Thurman flinch.


    "To be honest, I was afraid of you. People say that you are an arrogant noble who uses his status to bully themoners. There were all sorts of bad rumors about you, my lord. However, seeing you today changed my perception of you. I don''t think someone who has an affinity with magical beasts is a bad person." This was Thurman''s genuine feeling after his conversation with Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn smiled and shook his head. "You are a good person, but you shouldn''t trust someone that easily after just one conversation. It''s gettingte, so I''ll head back to my room." He patted Thurman''s shoulder before he turned around and walked away.


    "I enjoyed our conversation, Thurman." He waved his hand without looking back.


    Thurman stared at his back view and let out a deep sigh. "Is this his true personality or is it only a facade?"


    His subordinates walked over to his side and one of them asked. "Sir, who is that guy? He looks like a noble."


    "Fredrinn Firecrown, the heir of the Firecrown Household." Thurman''s reply made the guards jump in fright.


    "What?! That guy is Fredrinn Firecrown?!"


    "No way! He looks so kind and gentle!"


    "Did you really have a good conversation with someone like him?!"


    Thurman ignored them and walked away while shaking his head. He also couldn''t believe that he had met that person. What was even more shocking was his personality which was very different from the rumors.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn headed inside the inn to wake up one of their family''s bodyguards. "It''s your turn. Inform me immediately if you discover something suspicious." He told the guard.


    "Yes, my lord." The bodyguard left without saying another word.


    Fredrinn surveyed the room. Other than him, there was also another man. He was soundly sleeping so Fredrinn didn''t disturb him. ''With the Soaring Red-eyed Eagles observing from the sky, I can rest easy. I should get some sleep¡­''


    After a few minutes, he soon drifted into sleep.


    Suddenly, the man who was sleeping in the same room as him sat up and stared in his direction with cold eyes. He slowly pulled out a knife hidden from his sleeves as he silently stood up.


    With light footsteps, he walked toward the sleeping Fredrinn. When he was only a few feet away from him, he stabbed out his knife, aiming for Fredrinn''s neck.


    Just then, he suddenly felt someone grabbing his arm, preventing the knife from reaching Fredrinn''s neck.


    The man turned his head in rm and saw a scar-faced man ring at him. He tried to pull his hand, but he found himself unable to muster any strength. ''Dammit! How did this guy appear here?!''


    The man used his left hand to grab the sword on his waist.


    Shiiing!


    He then brandished his sword in an attempt to scare off the scar-faced man, but to his surprise, he realized that he had lost all sensation in his left arm.


    A dull thud echoed as soon as the sword dropped to the floor. The man also noticed that a severed hand was still clutching the sword. ''Wait¡­ Is that my hand?!''


    He wanted to scream, but a calloused hand covered his mouth.


    Thest scene he saw before he lost consciousness was seeing a headless corpse.

 Chapter 32: Leaving the Inn

    Fredrinn was awakened by themotion and when he saw Cain dragging a headless corpse, he almost freaked out. "What happened here?!"


    Cain dropped the corpse and lightly bowed his head before he exined the whole situation.


    "You mean that guy is an assassin?" Fredrinn felt his heart leaping out of his chest. He was lucky that he had Cain or he would have been dead by now.


    "Search his belongings and see if you can find something that can tell us about his identity. I''ll go and ask Sir Tyrell if he knows something about this man."


    "Yes, my lord."


    Fredrinn immediately went to find Tyrell and told him about what had transpired.


    "What did you say, my lord?!" Tyrell was in disbelief. One of his men actually tried to assassinate the only heir of the Firecrown Household! If this was reported to the elders, he would be severely punished.


    "Sir Tyrell, I want you to summon your men and have them gather outside the inn," Fredrinn muttered in a cold voice. He couldn''t rule out the possibility that there might be one or two more assassins among the bodyguards. He wanted to question them one by one.


    Tyrell had a serious look on his face. This matter needs to be dealt with properly. "My lord, I suggest that you calm down first. I understand your frustration, but it is too risky to alert everyone about the situation. If there is still another assassin hidden among them, they would be more vignt if they learned about the incident.


    We must keep this under wraps ande up with a n to lure them out."


    Fredrinn rubbed his temples and sighed. "I''m sorry. I was too agitated. You''re right, Sir Tyrell, but how can we hide the death of that assassin?"


    Tyrell furrowed his eyebrows and pondered deeply before he responded. "Leave it to me to deal with, my lord. I promise that no one will know about this."


    Looking at his stern face, Fredrinn nodded. "Alright. I will leave it to you, Sir Tyrell."


    After Tyrell left, Fredrinn hurriedly went to his mother''s room.


    "Mother, it''s me."


    "Olivia, are you there?"


    He had a worried look as he knocked on the door.


    "My lord, what is going on?" A sleepy voice echoed from inside the room.


    Fredrinn was relieved to hear her voice. That means nothing happened to them.


    Soon, the door was opened by Margaret. "What happened, son?"


    Fredrinn didn''t want them to worry so he shook his head and forced a smile. "Nothing. I just want to make sure that you guys are safe. I''ll go back and patrol outside." He waved his hand and left in a hurry.


    "Hey, wait!" Margaret called out to him, but Fredrinn didn''t look back. She shook her head and smiled bitterly. "I thought something happened."


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn returned to his room. "Deal with the body quietly and don''t let anyone find out about this."


    "Yes, my lord."


    Fredrinn no longer had the mood to rest after the incident. He ended up spending the entire night drinking to ease his anxiety.


    Nothing unexpected happened the entire night and the ckcrow Household didn''t attack them. After he failed to find anything from the body, Cain buried the corpse.


    The disappearance of one bodyguard didn''t alert the group. This was because Tyrell told everyone that he sent the bodyguard to covertly observe the ckcrow Household''s territory. Surprisingly, everyone believed his words.


    Before they left the inn, Fredrinn asked the old innkeeper to send a letter to Thurman. "Please pass this letter to Sir Thurman."


    The old innkeeper only epted the letter when Fredrinn handed him another sack filled with coins. "You can rest assured, my lord! I will deliver this letter to him without dy."


    Fredrinn had an exasperated look on his face when he left the inn. ''That greedy old bastard¡­''


    "What''s wrong? Why do you look like that?" Margaret asked when she saw his expression.


    "It''s nothing, mother." Fredrinn forced out a smile.


    "Is that so? Then let''s return to the estate."


    "Mother, there is somewhere I need to go before I return to the estate so I can''t leave with you guys." Fredrinn wanted to visit Alice and check on her mother''s condition. He still had thoughts about recruiting her so it was necessary to maintain contact.


    "Must you go?" Margaret was worried when she heard that.


    Fredrinn nodded. "It is very important. I need to go there."


    Margaret sighed and it took a long time before she gave her permission. "Fine, but you must bring some guards with you."


    "There''s no need, mother. Cain is more than enough. I believe you''ve heard of his strength." Fredrinn turned his gaze to Cain when he said this.


    Margaret didn''t insist. She also heard about Cain''s strength during the meeting of the elders. "It seems like my worries are unnecessary. You have found a good subordinate, my son. In that case, I won''t say anything more."


    She then looked at Cain and muttered. "Sir Cain, please bring him back to the estate unharmed."


    Cain nodded without saying a word.


    Tyrell frowned when he saw hisck of courtesy, but he didn''t say anything when he noticed that Margaret didn''t mind.


    Fredrinn grabbed Tyrell''s arm and patted his shoulder. "Sir Tyrell, please protect my mother."


    "You can rest assured, my lord. I won''t let anything happen to the madam. I will protect her with my life!" Tyrell was one of the most senior subordinates of the Firecrown Household so his loyalty was unquestionable.


    Fredrinn smiled upon hearing his words. He bid farewell to his mother before he left with Olivia and Cain.


    "My lord, where are we headed to?" Olivia asked curiously.


    "Do you remember Alice?"


    "Yes, my lord. Are we going to the hospital to check on their situation?"


    "That''s right."


    ***


    Meanwhile, Thurman was awoken by the loud knocking on his door. "Who the f*ck is disturbing me this early in the bloody morning?!"


    "It''s me, you goddam bastard!" An old voice drifted into his ears.


    "Boss!?" Thurman rose to his feet and quickly opened the door.


    As soon as he opened the door, he saw the old innkeeper looking at him with an annoyed expression. "Boss, what brings you here?" Thurman forced out a smile.


    The old innkeeper red at him and tossed the letter that Fredrinn asked him to deliver.


    "What''s this?" Thurman was taken aback.


    "Read it and you will know." The old man muttered before he left.

 Chapter 33: Alice’s Decision

    "If you are reading this letter, that means we have already left. I''m sorry I can''t say goodbye in person¡­"


    "¡­ You have the potential to be a powerful martial practitioner Thurman. You can''t waste such god-given talent. I offer you¡­"


    "¡­ Once you have made the decision, visit me in the Firecrown Household. Just tell the guards that¡­"


    "¡­ I''ll see you again soon, my friend."


    Thurman smiled after reading the contents of the letter. "The famous arrogant heir of the Firecrown Household called me his friend¡­" He shook his head and kept the letter inside his pocket.


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside the VIP room of the Eastern Sky Tower.


    Alice grabbed her mother''s hand and looked at her with concern. "Mom, how is your body? Does it still hurt?"


    "It doesn''t hurt that bad anymore. I also feel that my health is improving." Judith, the kind-looking middle-aged woman, responded with a light smile. After the operation a few days ago, her body no longer felt heavy. If it weren''t for the doctor''s suggestion to stay in the hospital for three more days, she would have already left.


    "That''s great! Now, drink your medicine." Alice looked a lot livelier than before. The bags under her eyes from the constant overwork were slowly disappearing.


    Judith was happy to see her daughter looking more optimistic about life. She couldn''t help but recall the man who helped them that day.


    The man who was once hated by her daughter ended up saving their lives.


    "Have you decided on Lord Fredrinn''s offer?" She asked while looking at her daughter.


    Alice put down the cup of water and nodded her head. "I have already made a decision. I will head to the Firecrown Household''s estate to give him my answer once you are discharged from the hospital."


    "I see. No matter what your decision is, I will give you my support." Judith grabbed Alice''s hand and gently squeezed it.


    At this moment, they suddenly heard knocking sounds on the door. It was then pushed open by a woman who was dressed as a nurse. "Miss Alice, Madam Judith, you have visitors waiting outside."


    "Visitors? Are they from the Firecrown Household?" Alice wasn''t surprised. In the past few days, servants from the Firecrown Household visited them and helped her take care of her mother.


    "Yes, do you want me to take them inside?"


    "Please let me do it." Alice stood up and smiled at her mother before she headed out of the room together with the nurse.


    Alice was stunned when she saw Fredrinn leaning against the wall. "Lord Fredrinn!"


    Fredrinn turned his head and smiled. "Miss Alice, I''m d to see you. How is your mother?"


    "She is recovering well. Let''s talk inside."


    "Alright."


    As they entered the room, Alice stared at Olivia and nodded to her. She then moved her gaze to the scar-faced man who was silently following behind them, but she quickly retracted her gaze. ''Who is this scary-looking guy?''


    "Lord Fredrinn!" Judith was surprised when she saw Fredrinn enter the room. She wanted to get up from the bed, but thetter stopped her. "I''m happy to see you in good shape, Madam Judith."


    "Please just call me by my name, my lord." Judith was already ufortable when the doctors and nurses referred to her in that title. Her heart wouldn''t be able to withstand it if the heir of the Firecrown Household did the same.


    "I see. Please forgive me for being rude. I''ll call you Mrs. Frey then."


    Judith nodded.


    "We brought some fruits for you." Fredrinn sent Olivia a nce when he said that.


    Sensing his gaze, Olivia ced the tter of fruits on the table.


    "Thank you, my lord." Judith smiled at Fredrinn.


    "You''re wee."


    "I heard from the doctors that¡­" Fredrinn chatted with Judith and Alice about random matters. Well, it was Judith and Alice who did most of the talking since he didn''t know a lot about the local issues.


    "By the way, have you thought about my offer, Miss Alice?" Fredrinn came here for this reason. He wanted to know Alice''s decision.


    Alice''s expression turned serious as she nodded. "If you didn''t visit, I would havee to the Firecrown Household''s estate to tell you my decision¡­, my lord." She almost forgot to address him correctly. She cleared her throat and continued. "To tell you the truth, I have already made a decision when you left us here that day."


    "Oh?" Fredrinn looked at her with interest. ''This girl is intentionally keeping me in suspense.''


    "I''m willing to work for you, my lord." Alice stood up and was about to kneel when she stopped by Fredrinn. "There is no need for such formalities. Hearing your words is more than enough." Fredrinn was ecstatic, but he concealed his joy. He couldn''t lose hisposure here or he wouldn''t be able to maintain his dignity in front of his subordinates.


    "Once my mother is discharged from the hospital, we will head to the Firecrown Household''s estate immediately. Actually, there is one more favor I''d like to ask, my lord."


    "What is it?"


    Alice stared at her mother before turning her gaze back to Fredrinn. "I would appreciate it if my mother is also given the chance to work for the Firecrown Household. I tried to convince her not to work anymore, but she adamantly refused."


    Judith who was listening at the sidelines was a bit embarrassed to hear that, but she didn''t say anything. She didn''t want to remain a burden to her daughter. She wanted to work and help her in repaying the favor given to them.


    "This is just a minor thing. Once Mrs. Frey has fully recovered, she can work as a servant of the household." Fredrinn agreed without hesitation. If Judith wanted to stay in the household, Alice would no longer have the reason to leave.


    Alice and Judith were happy to hear that. "Thank you, my lord!"


    "There is no need to thank me. This is nothingpared to what I¡­"


    Alice grabbed his hand, making him swallow the words he was about to say.


    "It''s alright, my lord! You don''t have to think about the past anymore. I have already forgiven you."


    Fredrinn smiled lightly at her words.

 Chapter 34: The Blackcrow Household’s Elder Meeting

    In the Southern Pyre District, in the estate of the ckcrow Household, an important meeting was about to be held.


    Inside the spacious meeting hall, ten elders dressed in ck wolf pelt coats sat before the round table.


    Sitting at the main seat was a middle-aged man with long curvy ck hair. He had a dark look on his face as he looked at the strategic map on the table.


    At this moment, one of the elders spoke with a grave look. "The Firecrown Household has captured Lord Raphael, we must bring him back at any cost!" This was the main agenda of the meeting.


    Recently, they received a letter with the stamp of the Firecrown Household. It was also because of this letter that the elders of the family were convened.


    "How could we agree with their ridiculous demands?!"


    "With all due respect, everyone! Lord Raphael brought this upon himself! We sent him to the Silversword Treasure House to purchase the Limit Breaking Pills, but because of his greed, he got himself captured by our mortal enemy!" Spoke an elder with an eyepatch.


    The moment he uttered those words, the man at the head seat red at him. "Raphael is less talentedpared to his brothers. He alsocks the astute mind of a leader. However, the blood of the ckcrow Family runs in his veins! He is my son!" His voice carried unquestionable dignity.


    This man was the patriarch of the ckcrow Household, Reynard ckcrow.


    The elder with the eyepatch flinched when they locked eyes. The former gritted his teeth and looked away.


    "What are the demands of the Firecrown Household?" Reynard asked as he scanned the faces of everyone inside the hall.


    "My lord, they wanted us to give up on the energy stone mine. Other than that, they also want a hundred healthy battle horses and 1 million star coins." One of the elders responded with a face full of sweat.


    One million star coins was nothing to them, but giving them one hundred battle horses would weaken their cavalry. As for giving up the energy stone mine, everyone pretended not to hear it.


    "Preposterous! Asking for a hundred battle horses?! They must be crazy! At most, we can only give them twenty. Any more than that would significantly reduce the fighting power of our cavalry."


    Some elders agreed with his words. Battle horses were important to the ckcrow Household. This was because they were known for their strong cavalry.


    Reynard raised his left eyebrow and pondered in silence. Their strongest force, the ck Armored Cavalry had five hundred martial practitioners at the Foundation Establishment stage. Each of them was equivalent to ten ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, but without a battle horse, they would lose half of their strength.


    ''Damn those bastards!'' Veins protruded on Reynard''s face when he thought about this.


    It took him some time to calm down.


    "Send a messenger and tell them that we can give them one million star coins and fifty battle horses," Reynard muttered in a cold voice. His voice was shaking with anger.


    Everyone could sense his rage so nobody dared to question his words. Even the elder with the eyepatch remained silent when he gave the order.


    Reynard stood up after giving the order and left the hall with a gloomy aura.


    ***


    "Miss Alice, follow me for a second. I want to discuss something with you in private." Fredrinn''s expression suddenly turned serious.


    Hearing this, Alice nodded her head.


    She followed Fredrinn outside the VIP room. She had some idea as to what he wanted to tell her.


    Soon, they arrived at the public canteen of the hospital.


    Fredrinn ordered two cups of ck coffee and asked the server to deliver it to their table.


    After taking their seats, Fredrinn took out the documents given to him by Darius and handed them to Alice. Written in these articles were reports about the Snake Gang.


    Alice furrowed her eyebrows as she grabbed the documents. She was so absorbed in the process of reading the reports that she failed to notice that their coffee had already been served.


    After some time, she put down the documents and looked at Fredrinn. "Why did you show me this, my lord? I''m just a woman. I don''t think I can provide you with any help."


    Fredrinn didn''t reply right away. He grabbed his cup of coffee and took a light sip. He also signaled to her to try her coffee.


    Aliceplied without saying a word.


    After taking a small sip, Fredrinn put down the cup of coffee and wiped his mouth with a clean white cloth. He inherited this habit from the former Fredrinn Firecrown. "I will give you the chance to join me in destroying the Snake Gang¡­" He muttered in a calm voice.


    Alice was stunned by his words. "I want to join, but what help can I provide, my lord?" She knew her own capabilities. Other than her above-average looks and decent body, she had nothing else to offer.


    "You don''t have the power at this moment so I will help you be a martial practitioner. Train hard and you will have the chance to join us in fighting the people who funded the Snake Gang." In the reportspiled by Darius, it was mentioned that a powerful group was secretly funding the Snake Gang. The group was very discreet so they have no leads about them yet.


    "Me? Be a martial practitioner?" She was in disbelief. Did she have the talent to be a cultivator?


    Fredrinn nodded. "You might not know it, but you have the talent to be a martial practitioner." He was certain of this. He knew that Alice would be the Winter Witch ten years from now. She was an expert with a cultivation nearing the next stage of the Nascent Soul realm! This means that it only took her ten years to reach the Nascent Soul realm!


    He wasn''t sure about the grade of her spirit root, but with the rate of her progress, it should be at least a superior-grade! There was also a high chance that she had an excellent-grade spirit root!

 Chapter 35: A Glimpse of the Future

    Alice looked at his confident expression. He didn''t know why he was so confident about her talent. She didn''t even know it herself. She had never once touched a martial tome in her life. However, she felt like something within her was awakened by his words. "Please help me be a martial practitioner, my lord!" There was a fierce glint in her eyes when she uttered these words.


    Fredrinn nodded. "Your spirit root will be tested once you arrive in the estate. For the time being, stay with your mother and take care of her." With this, he had gained another subordinate with limitless potential.


    [You have changed the direction of Alice Frey''s fate. A life that should have been filled with tragedy and bloodshed is altered with your intervention, ultimately changing her destiny. Reward: 5000 Fate Points, 5 Years of Cultivation Experience, 5 Years of Combat Experience, Sword Talent Upgrade Card x1, Fire Affinity Upgrade Card x1, Ice Revolution Divine Method!]


    Fredrinn didn''t expect that he would receive so many rewards for having Alice as his subordinate.


    His cultivation which had only recently stabilized was once again stirred up.


    Foundation Establishment 1st Layer


    Foundation Establishment 2nd Layer


    Foundation Establishment 3rd Layer


    Foundation Establishment 4th Layer


    Foundation Establishment 5th Layer


    Foundation Establishment 6th Layer


    His cultivation increased by fiveyers in one go before it stabilized.


    Just then, new memories flooded his mind, making him ck out for a second. He felt dizzy so he held his head and closed his eyes.


    "Are you alright, my lord?" Alice stood up and held his arm and shoulder while looking at him with confusion.


    Fredrinn rubbed his temples as he waved his hand. "I''m fine. I just feel a bit dizzy."


    Thebat experience he received this time was more brutal. It was like he was truly a soldier who had gone through a fearsome war. The scenes in his mind felt so real.


    "Do you want me to call the doctors?"


    "There is no need for that. I will be fine with a short rest. You don''t need to worry about me." Fredrinn shook his head. If he was to be tested, the doctors might discover his high-grade spirit root. He couldn''t let that happen, not unless he had the strength to protect himself and his family.


    "Alright."


    "Let''s go back. Your mother will be worried if we''re gone for too long."


    "Yes, my lord."


    On their way to the VIP room, Fredrinn looked at his character profile.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Foundation Establishment 6th Layer] [Level 26]


    Sword Talent: ??


    Fire Affinity: ??


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Fate Grade: E (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 5500


    He noticed that his fate grade had changed and there was an additional button. He hadn''t checked it yet so clicked to see it.


    The borders of the system prompt''s screen now had sshes of red. His character profile was disyed on the screen, but his photo wasn''t that of his current self. The face in the picture was him, but he looked a bit older.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 3rd Layer]


    Age of death: 32


    Personal Data: He was known as a trash noble of Red Sun City because of his arrogance andck of talent. However, it waster revealed that he had a high-grade spirit root and a decent talent in swordsmanship. His high cultivation level was also exposed. Everyone believed that he had intentionally hidden his talent and this made the ckcrow Household feel threatened.


    At the age of 32, he joined the Firecrown Household to fight the ckcrow Household which eventually ended in his death.


    ''What the hell is this?!'' Fredrinn stopped in his tracks, unable toprehend the situation. What did the system prompt show him? Was it a glimpse of his future? He had no idea and it made him feel a bit terrified.


    "My lord, are you feeling dizzy again?" Alice grabbed his waist and put his hand over her shoulder.


    He was still in shock so he failed to respond. This made Alice more worried. "My lord, let me guide you to the VIP room."


    Fredrinn nodded his head absentmindedly. ''If the information written in the system prompt is true, this means that the ckcrow Household will attack us in six years.'' The reason for their attack was superficial. He guessed that it was only an excuse to eradicate the Firecrown Household and take over the energy stone mine!


    Because of his messy thoughts, he didn''t realize that they had already returned to the VIP room.


    "My lord, what happened?" Olivia rushed over when she saw him being guided by Alice.


    Judith also looked worried, while Cain remained expressionless.


    Fredrinn was awakened by Olivia''s words. "I''m alright. Just prepare some calming tea for me." He patted her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.


    Olivia was still worried, but she still followed his instructions.


    Alice helped him sit down. "My lord, do you want anything else?" She asked. She noticed that his face was still pale.


    He shook his head. "Don''t mind me. I just need some rest. Go and look after your mother."


    Alice hesitated, but she stillplied. "Just call me if you need anything, my lord."


    "Mn."


    Fredrinn leaned on the chair and closed his eyes. Learning about his death made him feel very ufortable.


    ''How did my spirit root get exposed?'' He thought of countless possibilities, but he couldn''te up with an answer.


    At this moment, Olivia returned and handed him a cup of calming tea. "Here''s your tea, my lord."


    "Thank you." Fredrinn opened his eyes and gulped down the tea.


    "Wait! That''s hot-"


    The burning sensation in his tongue made him calm down.


    "My lord¡­"


    Fredrinn handed her the empty cup as he stood up. "I''ll go to the bathroom. You guys don''t need to follow me. I''ll be back right away."


    He didn''t wait for them to reply and stepped out of the room.


    Olivia stared at Alice and asked. "What happened out there?"


    Thetter shook her head and replied. "I don''t know. He suddenly held his head while we were talking."


    Olivia furrowed her eyebrows upon hearing that. She recalled the time when they were on their way to the Cloud Lake Pavilion almost two weeks ago. Fredrinn had simr symptoms at that time. ''Is my lord afflicted with some kind of disease?''

 Chapter 36: Almost Caused My Dantian to Explode

    The Eastern Sky Tower was said to be funded by the royal family so the hospital hasplete facilities to amodate the needs of the patients.


    Fredrinn hadn''t taken a bath since yesterday so his body was sweaty. He also wanted to refresh himself with cold water to rx his tense nerves.


    Using his status, he managed to enter a special bathroom that was only meant for VIP patients. There was a golden tub inside the spacious bathroom as well as a shower.


    He filled the tub with cold water and submerged himself in the water. The cold temperature made him feel rxed and he even almost drifted into sleep.


    ''I still have the two upgrade cards inside my inventory. I should use them now.'' Thinking about this, he took out the Sword Talent Upgrade Card and the Fire Affinity Upgrade Card.


    [Would you like to use the Sword Talent Upgrade Card?]


    [Yes] [No]


    He had already used this once so he didn''t hesitate to click [Yes].


    [Congrattions! You have upgraded your sword talent by one star!]


    Finally, he looked at the Fire Affinity Upgrade Card. Unlike the Sword Talent Upgrade Card which was golden in color, this one was crimson red with some sshes of orange and yellow. There were also ancient characters written on the surface of the card which until now he couldn''t identify.


    [Would you like to use the Fire Affinity Upgrade Card?]


    [Yes] [No]


    He clicked [Yes] and inspected his character profile.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Foundation Establishment 6th Layer] [Level 26]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ????


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Skill: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Fate Rating: E


    Fate Points: 5500


    He smiled when he saw that his sword talent and fire affinity were already at two stars. Although it was still nothingpared to Olivia''s innate talent, it was already a good start for him.


    There was still one more item in inventory. It was one of the items rewarded to him after Alice became his subordinate.


    It was a book covered in ocean-blue material that felt cold to the touch.


    Ice Revolution Divine Method


    He opened the book and read the introductory pages. "So this is a cultivation method for those with ice affinity. This will be beneficial to Alice''s growth."


    Just as he was about to put it back into his inventory, a prompt suddenly appeared before him.


    [Do you want to use 50 Fate Points to learn the Ice Revolution Divine Method?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Fredrinn furrowed his eyebrows. ''Should I learn this cultivation method?''


    He was currently practicing the Sacred me Heavenly Tome, the strongest cultivation method of the Firecrown Household. It was only an arcane-rank cultivation method, but it was said that they only had an iplete version of the book. He was worried that there might be some irreversible consequences if he practiced a technique that was the pr opposite of the one he practiced.


    Fredrinn wasn''t in a hurry to decide.


    ''It shouldn''t be a problem for me to learn the technique as long as I don''t train using its breathing method and exercises. If I learned the technique, I could teach Alice about my insights of the cultivation method. That would increase his growth rate significantly.'' Fredrinn pondered while rubbing his chin.


    After a moment of thinking, he clicked [Yes]


    - 50 Fate Points


    [Congrattions! You have learned the Ice Revolution Divine Method!]


    [Congrattions! You now have one-star ice affinity!]


    "Good! It even made me gain affinity to ice." Fredrinn grinned.


    However¡­


    [Warning! It has been discovered that two opposing energies are gathered within your dantian! Because of the imbnce between the two elemental energies, your dantian is at risk of being destroyed!]


    [It is rmended to use 1000 Fate Points to learn theplete version of the Sacred me Heavenly Tome to bnce the two existing elemental energies!]


    [Confirm use]


    [Yes] [No]


    "Holy sh*t! What have I done?!" He was in a state panic when he saw the warning signs, but he soon calmed down after seeing that there was a solution.


    Without hesitation, he clicked [Yes]. Although it hurt his heart to use 1000 Fate Points for a foolish mistake, he couldn''t do anything about it.


    - 1000 Fate Points


    [Congrattions! You have learned the True Sacred me Heavenly Tome!]


    [Congrattions! Your fire affinity has increased by one star!]


    Fredrinn rubbed his chest and sighed in relief. "I should be careful about learning cultivation methods and techniques next time." He muttered with a stressed voice.


    Because of his impulsive decisions, he had almost destroyed his dantian.


    Fredrinn opened his character profile to check the changes.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Foundation Establishment 6th Layer] [Level 26]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ??????


    Ice Affinity: ??


    Cultivation Method: True Sacred me Heavenly Tome / Ice Revolution Divine Method (Use 10000 Fate Points to merge)


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: E


    Fate Points: 4450


    The stress from almost having his dantian destroyed disappeared when he saw his profile. His fire affinity was now three stars and he even gained one star affinity to ice!


    "Wait¡­ What''s this?" He noticed that his cultivation method was now disyed in the character profile. However, what made him surprised was that he could actually merge the True Sacred me Heavenly Tome and the Ice Revolution Divine Method!


    "Just how strong is the merged cultivation method that it requires 10000 Fate Points?" Fredrinn muttered in disbelief.


    He hadn''t checked the prices of the cultivation methods in the Fate Shop so he had no idea about its value.


    ''This too much for me to take in all at once. I should rx for the time being and check itter.'' He thought as he closed his character profile.


    Fredrinn closed his eyes and he soon drifted into sleep.


    When he woke up, the water was no longer cold. "For how long was I asleep?" He muttered to himself as he stepped out of the tub. He then changed into a set of new clothes before he exited the bathroom.

 Chapter 37: Returning the Book

    Fredrinn found out that it was already noon when he returned to Judith''s patient room.


    "My lord, where have you been? We were so worried about you!" Olivia rushed over to his side as soon as he entered the room.


    "I''m sorry. I fell asleep in the bathroom and didn''t notice the time." Fredrinn apologetically stared at everyone.


    "By the way, have you guys had lunch?" He asked.


    Olivia shook her head. "How could we eat without you, my lord?" Her voice carried a trace of resentment. If it was before, she wouldn''t dare speak like this to him. However, she was no longer afraid of him because she felt that Fredrinn had be gentle and kind.


    "Then I''ll go and get us some food. You guys wait here." He sent Cain a nce before he left the room in haste. Meanwhile, Cain followed right after him without saying a word.


    "He is a lot different than the man that he used to be." Alice couldn''t help butment.


    "Mn¡­" Olivia nodded in agreement.


    Not longter, Fredrinn and Cain returned with a group of servants pushing tray carts filled with all sorts of dishes.


    The group had a feast for lunch and they had grown a lot closer after that meal.


    "Are you leaving now, my lord?" Alice asked.


    Fredrinn nodded. "My mother would be worried if we''re gone for too long. I also need to deal with the Snake Gang."


    "I see. Then I will see you out."


    Fredrinn didn''t reject her offer. He thought about giving her the Ice Revolution Divine Method but decided to keep it for the time being.


    They bid farewell to Judith before they left the Eastern Sky Tower via hired carriage.


    Inside the carriage, Olivia was meditating while using the breathing method of the Mystic Heaven Refining Canon. She had only cultivated for a few days, but she had already stepped into the 3rd Layer of the Body Refining stage. The speed of her growth made Fredrinn realize how big of a gap there was between those with excellent-grade spirit roots and those with lower-ranked spirit roots.


    Not longter, Olivia opened her eyes. "My lord, I broke through again!" She eximed in joy.


    "Good job." Fredrinn smiled and praised her. In just four days, her cultivation had advanced by fouryers! It was unthinkable!


    Olivia grinned upon hearing his praise. "I thought cultivation was difficult. It''s actually pretty easy." She muttered.


    Fredrinn''s face twitched when he heard this. He didn''t even bother to correct her skewed logic.


    By the time they arrived at the estate, the sky was already dark.


    The carriage driver who had brought them home looked worried when he looked back at the dark path.


    Fredrinn noticed his expression when they got down the carriage. "You can stay here for the night or I can also have our men apany you on your way back. Which one do you choose?"


    The carriage driver was taken aback. He didn''t expect that Fredrinn Firecrown would offer him this. "My family is still waiting for me back home, my lord. I can only ask that you send someone to apany me on the way back." He was a bit nervous when he said this. He was worried that Fredrinn Firecrown would fly into rage and order his men to kill him.


    To his amazement, Fredrinn agreed. "Alright. Thank you for bringing us back safely. Take this." He tossed a small sack to the carriage driver.


    The carriage driver caught the sack and took a peek inside. His eyes widened when he saw the shiny coins. ''There should be at least five hundred star coins here based on the weight!'' This was worth two months of his sry!


    "Thank you, my lord! Thank you, very much!" The man cried tears of gratitude.


    Fredrinn waved his hand and walked away as he said. "Stay here and wait for our soldiers."


    Looking at Fredrinn''s back, the man bowed for a long time.


    This was only a minor thing to Fredrinn, but he didn''t know that it was because of this small act of goodwill that the people''s perception of him began to change.


    ***


    The next day, Fredrinn and Olivia headed to the family library to return the book they borrowed.


    "Good morning, my lord!" The guard greeted with his head lowered.


    "Good morning." Fredrinn returned the greeting.


    Some disciples and martial practitioners of the family also greeted him. He responded to their greeting one by one.


    Most of the disciples were still afraid of him, but it was already a good start.


    "Sir, we''re here to return the book," Fredrinn called out to the old librarian. The old man was cleaning the shelves so his hunched back was facing Fredrinn.


    "Wait. I''m almost done." The old man said without looking book.


    Fredrinn patiently waited.


    By the time the old man was done with cleaning, more than five minutes had already passed. "So it''s you." He was taken aback when he found out that it was Fredrinn. It was then that he noticed something peculiar. ''Hm? Does he have an item that conceals his cultivation? Smart.''


    "Here''s the book, sir." Fredrinn handed him the book.


    When the old librarian grabbed the book, it suddenly lit up.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn raised his eyebrows in shock. ''Did he just use spiritual perception to see if the book was damaged?''


    Spiritual perception was an innate skill that only martial practitioners in the Nascent Soul realm could use.


    ''No wonder my father always reminded me to be respectful of this old man.'' He finally discovered the power of the old librarian.


    "Just press your thumb here." The old librarian handed him the book return form.


    Fredrinnplied and pressed his thumb on the paper.


    "Alright. You may leave." The old man waved his hand and shooed them away as if they were flies.


    Fredrinn could only chuckle helplessly. Only this old man would dare to treat him like this. "Let''s go, Olivia."


    "My lord, I don''t like that old man," Olivia whispered with an annoyed look.


    Fredrinn sweated bullets when he heard her words. He flicked her forehead. "It''s not good to badmouth an elder."


    "Ow! But you always do it¡­"


    "Stop being naughty."

 Chapter 38: The Guards Unit

    "Olivia, tell my guards unit to gather on the open field behind the main mansion. I have something important to announce." Fredrinn instructed after they left the library.


    As the heir of the Firecrown Household, he has his own guards unit. However, most of them were young disciples so their cultivation wasn''t that high.


    "Yes, my lord!" Olivia turned around and left. She had been his servant for a long time so she was already familiar with his guards unit.


    At this moment, Cain suddenly appeared beside him. "My lord, I have already prepared what you asked."


    "Good. Come with me." He had already seen his guards unit, but he had left them to train by themselves in the past year. Knowing the former Fredrinn, he knew that those young warriors didn''t have a good impression of him. He needed to gain their trust since they would be a valuable asset to him.


    When they arrived on the open field behind the main mansion, they saw more than fifty people standing idly. They looked visibly upset that they were asked to wait under the heat of the sun.


    There were even some unruly martial practitioners who were arguing with Olivia.


    [Some people are dissatisfied with your leadership. Prove to them that you are a worthy leader to follow! Reward: Favorability Meter Function, and Passive Skill: Dignity]


    "What''s going on here?" Fredrinn frowned when he saw themotion.


    "My lord, this guy just said that you don''t deserve to be theirmander!" Olivia furiously pointed at the muscr martial practitioner in front of her.


    Fredrinn looked at the person she was pointing at.


    The man was over two meters tall and had a muscr physique.


    "Is what she said true?" Fredrinn muttered in a cold voice.


    The man didn''t seem to be afraid of him. He sent Fredrinn a taunting smile as he replied. "What are you gonna do about it?"


    Five people who seemed to be his cronies chuckled as they gathered behind the man.


    Cain held the handle of his sword as he muttered. "My lord, do you want me to cut them down?" His voice was filled with killing intent. Even the muscr man flinched under Cain''s fearsome gaze.


    "That would be too much. Just beat some sense into them." Fredrinn said with a teasing look.


    "Yes, my lord!" Cain''s figure turned into a blur and he reappeared in front of the muscr man in the blink of an eye.


    "Hm?!" The muscr man was toote to respond and was sent flying by Cain''s punch.


    After defeating the ringleader, Cain attacked the man''s subordinates.


    Soon, pained cries echoed across the field.


    The rest of the disciples and martial practitioners stared at the merciless Cain with fear and trepidation. No one dared to help the muscr man''s group, afraid that they would face the same fate.


    "That''s enough." Fredrinn walked toward the muscr man whose face was now covered in bruises and blood. He then crouched and stared deeply at the man. "The next time you cause trouble, you won''t simply end with a beating. Do you understand?"


    The muscr man nodded with a dark look.


    Fredrinn stood up and turned his gaze to Olivia and Cain. "Bring them to the clinic."


    "Yes, my lord."


    After they left, Fredrinn looked at the active missions in the system prompt and noticed that the recent mission was still notpleted. ''It seems like I need to show them something more convincing to prove that I''m a worthy leader.''


    He closed the mission prompts and scanned the faces of the people in his guards unit. Surprisingly, Kristine, Felix, and Ren were part of his team.


    ''About thirty of them are young disciples at the Qi Gathering Stage and the remaining twenty are veteran martial practitioners in the Foundation Establishment realm. Hmm? That person¡­'' His gaze stopped at a single-armed middle-aged man standing at the very back of the group. If he hadn''t looked carefully, he would have missed this person.


    Fredrinn sorted out the memories he inherited from his predecessor. ''I see¡­ so he is someone from my father''s personal unit.''


    ording to his memories, that person was part of the elite team under Rnd''smand. He was a Core Formation expert, but after he lost his arm, he left the elite unit and joined Fredrinn''s guards unit.


    ''There is actually such a person in my guards unit¡­'' Fredrinn''s lips curved upward.


    He retracted his gaze. "I gathered all of you here to make a few announcements. First, the guards unit will be restructured. The current chain ofmand is wed so I n to introduce a new system that will¡­"


    The former Fredrinn was aplete idiot and he didn''t even know how to create a basicmand structure. This left his guards unit in utter mess.


    The one-armed middle-aged man named Gunnar Haraldson was promoted as the captain of the guards unit.


    The muscr man who was beaten up by Cain was promoted to deputy captain.


    Five people were also promoted as squad leaders. Each of them had at least ten people under theirmand. Kristine was one of the five people who were chosen to be a squad leader.


    "Squad leaders, step forward!" Fredrinn shouted with a voice filled with dignity. Back in his homeworld, he was once apanymander before he became an office worker so he had retained some of hismander qualities.


    Kristine and four martial practitioners stood before him.


    "I chose the five of you since I have trust in your ability tomand. You will be given¡­"


    "¡­ You can select your deputy, but you must be careful in choosing them¡­"


    "¡­I hope that you won''t disappoint me."


    Among the five squad leaders he chose, Kristine was the weakest. She had only recently advanced to the 1st Layer of the Foundation Establishment realm. The other four were in thetter stages of the Foundation Establishment, but he didn''t care. He was giving Kristine favorable treatment because she had the highest potential among the bunch.


    "Our next agenda is about a faction in the slums called the Snake Gang¡­"

 Chapter 39: New Uniforms and Swords

    "They are mostlyprised of felons and criminals who are wanted in the city. They extort money from the people in the slums and¡­"


    "¡­We must eliminate them before they be a tumor in Red Sun City!" Fredrinn''s voice was cold and filled with unshakable dignity.


    "This will be your first true mission¡­" He paused to give them some time to take in his words.


    "I will be joining the operation and I will observe you from the sidelines. Do your task properly and you will be rewarded ording to your efforts! Do you understand?"


    "Yes, my lord!"


    Everyone was boiling with excitement. They finally felt that they were a true guards unit. All they did was practice and do drills. They had never been sent to an actual mission so they were looking forward to their first official assignment.


    "Do you see the boxes in front of you?" Fredrinn looked at the boxes piled beside him when he said these words.


    Everyone curiously stared at the boxes wondering what was inside.


    "Inside these boxes are your new uniforms and swords. I had them specially designed for you. Squad leaders, please take the boxes and distribute the items to your squad!" This was what he asked Cain to prepare earlier.


    The five squad leaders took one box each and did as they were instructed.


    The new uniform of the guards unit was a set of red and silver battle yishang with the sun crest of the Firecrown Household embroidered on the left chest and at the back of the uniform. Their swords were shaped like scimitars, single-edged and curved des that broadened towards the point.


    "Your uniform has the unique function of keeping the wearer warm during winter and making the wearer feel cool in hot temperatures. Other than that, it can also withstand the attacks of Foundation Establishment martial practitioners." Fredrinn said when he saw them inspecting their uniforms.


    "My lord, why are their uniforms different?" One of them asked while pointing at the uniforms of the squad leaders.


    Their uniforms were in red and gold with a depiction of a mighty lion embroidered on their shoulders.


    "So you guys noticed¡­" He smiled.


    "The squad leaders'' uniforms have additional functions other than their slightly different design. Their uniform can withstand the attacks of Core Formation realm martial practitioners!" Fredrinn really splurged to arm his guards unit with powerful gears.


    "What?!" Everyone was stunned when they heard that and they couldn''t help but stare enviously at the squad leaders.


    While they were busyparing their gears, Fredrinn turned his gaze to the one-armed middle-aged man.


    Gunnar was the only one among the people present who didn''t receive his uniform and sword. Fredrinn did this intentionally since he wanted to present them to Gunnar personally.


    "Gunnar Haraldson,e here to receive your uniform and sword!" Fredrinn shouted, attracting the attention of everyone.


    Gunnar seemed to have expected this when he noticed that he was the only one who didn''t receive anything.


    Under everyone''s watchful eyes, he walked toward the front with a calm look and confident gait.


    "Captain Gunnar, as the captain of my guards unit you will receive the Sun Conqueror''s Battle Yishang and the me Wyvern Scimitar!" Fredrinn announced in a stern voice as he handed the gears to Gunnar.


    Gunnar solemnly epted the items presented to him. He had never thought that he would receive such valuable items after he had lost an arm. "Thank you, my lord!" He then bent the knee and swore allegiance to Fredrinn under the shocked gazes of the guards unit.


    Some might say that this was an impulsive move, but Gunnar believed that he made the right decision. This was a man who had chosen to believe in him even though he only had one arm. Where could he find another person who could see his worth?


    Fredrinn''s lips curved upward. After Gunnar pledged allegiance to him, his character profile was disyed before him.


    Gunnar Haraldson [Core Formation 7th Layer]


    Age: 56


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????????


    Fire Affinity: ????????


    Earth Affinity: ????


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    As a former member of the elite unit, Gunnar had remarkable sword talent and fire affinity.


    [Congrattions! You have proven that you are a worthy leader! Rewards: Favorability Meter Function, and Passive Skill: Dignity!]


    Dignity [Passive]


    - Your aura radiates unbreakable power and dignity. Enemies with lower cultivation levels will fear you and those with higher cultivation will unconsciously believe that you are strong.


    ''This isn''t a bad skill, but why do I feel that it''s only good for showing off?'' Nevertheless, Fredrinn was quite satisfied with the effects of the skill.


    ''Now how do I use this Favorability Meter Function?'' He thought.


    At this moment, he suddenly noticed that he could see something when he focused his attention on Gunnar.


    [Gunnar Haraldson] Favorability: 80


    ''I understand now. So this is how it works.'' He found out that he only needed to focus on someone to check their favorability towards him.


    This was a very useful function since he could use it to check his subordinates'' loyalty.


    "The operation to destroy the Snake Gang will begin in three days. I want you guys to prepare yourself and practice how to fight as a group before that dayes! Captain Gunnar, please monitor the training progress and make sure that everyone is ready in three days!"


    "Yes, my lord! I will whip them into shape! You have my word!" Although they were pressed for time, Gunnar was confident that he could teach the guards unit some basic tactical knowledge within three days.


    "Good. With your words, I feel at ease. Oh! One more thing, please pass this on to the deputy captain and the rest of the guys in the clinic. Don''t forget to tell them about what I announced here." Fredrinn handed the remaining box to him.


    "Yes, my lord."


    "That''s all for now. You guys may begin with your training." Fredrinn waved his hand and left.


    Everyone stared at his retreating figure with respect.

 Chapter 40: Visitors from the Blackcrow Household

    Inside the family clinic, a wrinkled old man was peacefully leaning on his chair when he suddenly heard a series of footsteps outside. "Hm?"


    "Greetings, Doctor Noel!" Olivia bowed at the old doctor the moment they entered the clinic.


    The old doctor squinted his eyes. "Aren''t you the girl working for Lord Fredrinn?" He was already familiar with her since Fredrinn was always sent to the clinic in the past.


    "Doctor, these men are warriors from Lord Fredrinn''s guards unit. Please take care of them." Olivia pointed at the muscr man and his five cronies.


    Doctor Noel put on his sses. Although he was a Core Formation martial practitioner, he couldn''t escape the deterioration of his body that was brought upon by his age. His eyesight had be terrible and he was also afflicted by other health issues. Luckily for him, he wasn''t part of the family''sbat force.


    The old doctor inspected their injuries before he sent a signal to four young nurses. "Bring them to the sick room and tend to their injuries. They only have superficial wounds so you four should be able to deal with them by yourselves." He instructed.


    The four young nurses nodded and guided the patients inside the sick room.


    "Who is this gentleman?" Doctor Noel stared at Cain who was standing behind Olivia. He could tell that this scar-faced man was dangerous based on the gloomy aura he exuded. ''Just how many people did this guy kill for him to possess such dreadful aura?''


    "Oh! This is Sir Cain. He still doesn''t have a formal title, but he works as Lord Fredrinn''s right-hand man." Olivia responded to his query.


    "I see." Doctor Noel nodded upon hearing that. "You two can take a seat anywhere. Do you want me to grab something for you to drink?"


    "There is no need to trouble you, Doctor Noel."


    "It''s fine. I don''t have anything to do today so I might as well entertain you two with some gossip."


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside the sick room, the four young nurses had already started the treatment.


    "Sir Aurelius, are we going to do nothing after being humiliated in front of everyone?" One of the injured men asked with a face full of sweat.


    The muscr man named Aurelius snorted at his words. "Haven''t you seen what that scar-faced man did?!" He was feeling a bit regretful that he had provoked Fredrinn over something so trivial. It was only a moment of jealousy, but he let it get over his head.


    The man who was reprimanded lowered his head. He shivered when he recalled the beating he had gone through under the hands of Cain. "Just who is that man?"


    "I have no idea." Aurelius sighed and shook his head. He was worried that his brother would hear about the conflict. He could already imagine the scene of him being scolded. Thinking about this, he slumped into the bed with a stressed look.


    Soon, the young nurses had bandaged their wounds and left after giving them some medicine.


    At this moment, the door was suddenly pushed open.


    "Sir Gunnar?" Aurelius and the others were surprised to see him. This man rarely spoke to them and he never took the initiative to meet them. However, something was different about him now. He looked visibly radiant as if he was filled with anticipation for the future.


    Gunnar nodded to them. "Sir Aurelius Gorgon, Lord Fredrinn has appointed you as the deputy captain of his guards unit. Here is your uniform and your sword." He skipped the useless formalities and directly cut to the chase.


    "Me? Deputy Captain?" Aurelius was stunned by his words. He thought that he would receive a punishment for provoking Fredrinn. He never would have thought that he would actually be promoted.


    He absentmindedly received his uniform and sword. With one look, he could tell that they were special. "ording to Lord Fredrinn, your uniform can withstand the attacks of Core Formation martial practitioners. As for your sword, it is made¡­"


    Aurelius couldn''t believe his ears. ''Why did that guy give me such valuable items?'' He never had any amicable encounter with Fredrinn in the past few years so he was shocked by the unexpected gift.


    Gunnar ignored him and distributed the uniforms and swords to the five remaining men.


    "You guys listen carefully. Lord Fredrinn has given us a task to destroy a group called the Snake Gang. They are active in¡­" Gunnar meticulously exined the things that Fredrinn had announced earlier.


    Aurelius might be stubborn, but he wasn''t an ungrateful man. After receiving Fredrinn''s gift, he attentively listened to Gunnar''s words.


    "The guards unit will be training in the next three days. You guys better show up if you don''t want to be punished. Do you understand?" Gunnar sternly looked at them.


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Good. I''ll give you the entire morning to rest, but you must head to the open field after lunch to join group training." Gunnar didn''t stay for long and he left after giving them a few more reminders.


    After sending him off, Aurelius nced at the uniform and sword that he received with aplicated look on his face.


    ***


    The next day, a messenger from the ckcrow Household arrived.


    "Greetings, Patriarch Rnd." The messenger was a middle-aged man in his forties. He also came with two more people. One was a young woman in her early twenties and the other one was an old man in his sixties.


    Rnd''s gaze went past the messenger and stopped at the young woman behind him. "You have grown into a beautiful woman, Miss Agatha."


    The young woman named Agatha shook her head. "I don''t deserve your praise, Patriarch Rnd."


    Rnd didn''t expect that the ckcrow Household would send their second heir together with the messenger.


    "The gentleman behind you should be Sir Owen, the man known as ''The ck Viper''." His gaze moved toward the elder behind Agatha when he said those words.


    As for the so-called messenger, Rnd treated him like air. The guy was only a backdrop who served as Agatha''s spokesperson.

 Chapter 41: Negotiations in Progress

    "Patriarch Rnd, we know that you are a busy man so let''s save our time from the useless chatter." Agatha sent the messenger a look when she said that.


    The messenger cleared his throat. "Patriarch Rnd, we can give you one million star coins as you had requested, but we can only offer 20 battle horses at most." Beforeing here, Reynard told them that they could offer 50 battle horses. However, that would significantly weaken their cavalry so he had to do every means necessary to get the advantage over this exchange.


    Rnd stared deeply at the messenger and shook his head. "We want one million star coins and a hundred battle horses."


    "Patriarch, the most we can give you is 20 battle horses. I''m sure you are already aware of the value of our horses. Each one of them is in the Foundation Establishment realm. Even if we sell them for an-"


    "Two million star coins and 90 battle horses."


    "Patriarch, how could you be so unreasonable? We can''t-"


    "Three million star coins and 80 battle horses."


    "Patriarch Rnd, our horses are-"


    "Ten million star coins and fifty battle horses! That is my final offer. If you are still not satisfied, then you can only say goodbye to Raphael."


    "This¡­" The messenger looked at Agatha and asked for her opinion.


    Seeing this, Rnd patiently waited. He wouldn''t lose anything from this deal. He had so much to gain so he didn''t mind waiting for them to make up their mind.


    "Patriarch Rnd, we will ept your trade request, but I would like to see if my brother is safe and unharmed." Agatha finally spoke after a few minutes of discussion with the messenger and Owen.


    Rnd nodded. "Alright, but only you can visit him. The two of them can''t go with you." Among the three of them, Agatha has the lowest cultivation. He couldn''t allow Owen or the messenger to follow since there was a big chance that they would do something unexpected.


    Owen was the first one to disagree. "No way! I disagree! We can''t let-"


    Agatha stopped him from speaking further. "I will be alright, Sir Owen. I don''t think the Firecrown Household would do something foolish when we are in the middle of an exchange."


    Hearing that, Rnd furrowed his eyebrows. ''Did that girl intentionally say those words for me to hear?''


    At this moment, a small spark could blow out the conflict between the Firecrown Household and the ckcrow Household.


    ''Did that bastard Reynard send his daughter here as bait?'' Rnd''s expression darkened when he thought of this. If something happened to Agatha, this would give the ckcrow Household a legitimate excuse to attack them.


    Raphael''s case was different. He was captured after failing to assassinate Fredrinn. There was no legitimate reason for the ckcrow Household to attack them since Raphael was at fault.


    Rnd gritted his teeth. ''That man didn''t even hesitate to send his daughter to act as the bait! I won''t fall for your tricks!''


    "I guarantee that Miss Agatha will not be harmed." He muttered with a cold look.


    Owen frowned when he saw the look in his eyes. ''Did he see through our n?''


    "Fine. Please be careful, Miss Agatha. Call me immediately if something happens." Owen relented.


    "I will." Agatha nodded her head. She then turned her gaze to Rnd and said. "Patriarch, please lead the way."


    Rnd nodded and stood up from his seat. "Follow me."


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside a private training chamber.


    "My lord, I heard that someone from the ckcrow Household is here to negotiate for the release of their third heir," Olivia reported.


    Fredrinn who was busy browsing through the Fate Shop stopped what he was doing and asked while looking at her. "Where did you hear it from?"


    "I heard it from the servants cleaning the hallway," Olivia answered.


    "I see. I wonder how much they are willing to cough up in exchange for Raphael." Fredrinn''s lips curved upwards. He could already imagine his father''s ecstatic look once the deal waspleted.


    "I''m sure you will get some rewards after the exchange, my lord. After all, it was our group that managed to capture Raphael."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn nodded. "Knowing my father, I bet he would ask for the ckcrow Household''s war horses."


    His guards unit stillcked suitable mounts. If each of them gets a mount from the ckcrow Household, their fighting prowess will significantly improve.


    "Let''s head to the open field. I''d like to see the progress of everyone''s training." Fredrinn stood up and walked out of the training chamber.


    Olivia and Cain followed a few steps behind him.


    They headed to the open field behind the main mansion. When they arrived, they saw a crowd of servants and martial practitioners.


    "Aren''t they Lord Fredrinn''s guards unit?"


    "They look cool in their new battle gear!"


    "You''re right, but why are they training so rigorously?"


    "Look! It''s Lord Fredrinn!" Someone finally noticed them approaching.


    "Greeting, Lord Fredrinn!" The servants and the martial practitioners greeted him respectfully.


    "Hello, everyone!" Fredrinn smiled as he waved at them. There was no harm in letting these people spectate the training.


    Gunnar who was overseeing the training instructed the guards unit to rest temporarily when he sensed Fredrinn''s arrival.


    He asked Aurelius toe with him to greet their lord.


    "Greetings, my lord." Gunnar and Aurelius bowed as they greeted him.


    "You two look good in your uniforms," Fredrinn remarked with a smile. "By the way, how is everyone''s training?" He quickly changed the topic when he saw Aurelius looking at him awkwardly.


    "Our men don''t have any experience in fighting as a group so I incorporated some of my experience from the elite team into their training. They struggled yesterday to perform the right formations, but they are slowly adapting to it. With more training and realbat experience, they would only get better." Gunnar responded.


    "I see. That''s good." Fredrinn was pleased with Gunnar''s efficient performance. This man didn''t disappoint him. He was truly fit to be the captain of his guards unit.


    At this moment, ''scree'' sounds suddenly echoed from above.


    Everyone raised their heads and saw two brown-feathered birds circling beneath the clouds before descending to the ground.


    With a wingspan of over ten feet, the two birds looked incredibly majestic.


    "You two broke through?" Fredrinn was pleasantly surprised.


    When he bought these eagles from the Fate Shop, they were only at the 10th Layer of the Body Refining stage. A few days passed since he got them and they had already advanced to the 1st Layer of the Qi Gathering stage! This wasrgely attributed to the beast pills he provided them, a pill that promotes the growth of magical beasts.

 Chapter 42: Alice’s Spirit Root

    Inside one of the cells in the underground prison of the Firecrown Household, Raphael sat on the ground with his back against the wall. He had dark bags under his eyes and his skin looked filthy. His appearance looked even more haggard than the people living in the slums.


    Since he was held captive, thoughts that he had been abandoned by his family emerged in his mind and it almost drove him into insanity.


    ''Did everyone abandon me?'' Raphael grabbed his head and sobbed quietly.


    At this moment, he suddenly heard a series of footsteps from outside the cell. He stood up and rushed towards prison bars. "Hey! Let me out of here!" He shouted when he saw two guards walking toward his cell.


    "You''re in luck, bastard. Someone wants to see you." One of the guards muttered in disdain as he took out a set of keys from his waist. He then unlocked the prison door.


    The other guard entered the door and pushed Raphael against the wall. "Don''t move if you don''t want to get hurt."


    Raphael was furious, but he stillplied.


    Seeing that he was cooperative, the two guards chuckled in disdain. They then put a blindfold on him and tied up his hands.


    ''Did someone from the family send someone to get me?'' Raphael was filled with hope once again.


    The guards brought him to a few twists and turns until they finally got out of the underground prison.


    When his blindfold was removed, he saw his younger sister standing beside the patriarch of the Firecrown Household. "Agatha¡­"


    "Brother, you look like a caveman." She stared at him in amusement. There wasn''t even a look of sympathy in her eyes.


    "Why is it you?" Raphael''s voice trembled.


    Agatha walked toward him and chuckled. "Are you unhappy to see your sister?"


    Seeing this, Rnd sent a nce at the guards.


    Two guards blocked her path, stopping her from moving a step further.


    Raphael took a step back, but when he realized that he had acted like a coward, he gritted his teeth and stood still while looking at Agatha with hatred.


    Agatha was amused by his antics. "I have seen what I needed to see, Patriarch Rnd." She turned around without even bothering to say goodbye to her brother.


    Rnd was curious about the rtionship between the two siblings. From what he saw, there seemed to be some tension between them. "Then shall we head back to the meeting room and discuss the details of the exchange?"


    Agatha nodded and left with Rnd.


    Meanwhile, Raphael was still ring at her with dagger-like eyes. ''How dare that b*tch make fun of me in front of the Firecrown Household''s patriarch?! One day, I will repay this humiliation tenfold!''


    ***


    The next day, Alice and her mother, Judith, arrived at the estate.


    Fredrinn immediately came to wee them when he heard about their arrival. "Wee to the Firecrown Household''s estate!" He smiled and invited them inside the main mansion. Alice''s mother was still struggling to walk properly so he asked one of the servants to grab a wheelchair for her.


    They exchanged some pleasantries and chatted about random gossip as they headed to his study.


    "Olivia, please take Mrs. Frey to their designated room."


    "Yes, my lord."


    "I''ll see youter, Mom," Alice said to her mother before she went inside Fredrinn''s study. Cain didn''t follow them inside and stood guard by the door.


    "We need to test your spirit root now," Fredrinn muttered as he took out the spirit root testing device.


    Hearing this, Alice took a deep breath and nodded her head. She was a bit nervous. She was afraid that she might have a weak spirit root and disappoint Fredrinn.


    "Before we begin with the test, let me exin the different types of spirit roots. Every human born in this world has a spirit root, but each of us has a different¡­"


    "¡­If you have a low-grade spirit root, this device will produce a¡­"


    "¡­If you have a superior-grade spirit root¡­"


    "¡­Thest type of spirit root is the divine-grade spirit root. This spirit root is believed to be a myth because no one has¡­"


    "That is everything you need to know for the time being. Alright, let''s begin with the test." Fredrinn asked her to move closer to the testing device and ce her hand on top of it.


    Alice slowly stretched her arm and ced her hand on top of the device. Her face twitched when she felt a sharp prickling pain in her hand.


    Soon, the crystal ball lit up with a dim ck glow.


    Then, it turned to dark red¡­


    At this point, Alice was already satisfied. ''Red means intermediate-grade spirit root. This should be good enough¡­''


    However, the light suddenly turned orange.


    Just when she thought that it would stop there, the orange glow suddenly turned into bright yellow.


    "I have a superior-grade spirit root? No wa-" Her mouth dropped and her eyes widened. This was because the light emitted in the testing device was no longer bright yellow. It changed to emerald green before the light vanished.


    "You have an excellent-grade spirit root." Fredrinn wasn''t surprised by this. Alice was the Winter Witch who cultivated her way to the Nascent Soul realm in just slightly over a decade!


    He could still not see her character profile even after her spirit root was revealed. ''It looks like I have to wait until she breaks through the 1st Layer of the Body Refining stage.'' He thought to himself.


    He then took out a book from his inventory. It was the Ice Revolution Divine Method. He gave it to Alice and said. "Read it and let me know if you don''t understand something."


    Alice was still shocked by the results of the test.


    "Take it. My hand is starting to feel sore." He muttered in a teasing voice.


    Alice was jolted awake and she immediately took the book from him. "Thank you, my lord."


    "Read it."


    "Yes, my lord!" Alice took her seat and opened the book.

 Chapter 43: Securing the War Horses

    He now had two subordinates with excellent-grade spirit roots. Their potential was limitless, but he had to protect them because they were still vulnerable. If someone learned the truth about their spirit roots, the Firecrown Household would be destroyed just like what he had seen when he checked the future in his Fate Rating.


    To prevent that from happening, he had to grow stronger and surpass the powerful experts in the kingdom or at least be strong enough to stand his ground against them.


    While he was absorbed in his thoughts, Alice had already flipped half of the book''s contents. Even without someone guiding her, she realized that she could understand the obscure knowledge written in the book. It was a unique experience as if the book was written for her.


    After reading the final sentence, she closed the book and entered a state of trance. She subconsciously followed the breathing method mentioned in the book as well as the specific physical exercises.


    Fredrinn noticed her actions and was surprised. ''She is enlightened after only reading once? She is truly worthy of having an excellent-grade spirit root.''


    She performed the exercises so smoothly that it almost resembled a slow, ssical dance.


    By the time she performed thest step, a system prompt appeared before him.


    Alice Frey [Body Refining 1st Layer]


    Age: 22


    Spirit Root: Excellent-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????


    Spear Talent: ????????????


    Archery Talent: ??????


    Fire Affinity: ??


    Wood Affinity: ??


    Earth Affinity: ??


    Ice Affinity: ??????????????????


    Wind Affinity: ??????????


    To his amazement, Alice had talent for three weapons. She also had a high affinity with wind. However, the most shocking one was still her 9-star ice affinity.


    ''Together with her ice affinity and the Ice Revolution Divine Method, her cultivation speed might be even faster than Olivia''s.'' Fredrinn thought.


    "My lord, for some strange reason, I feel like I''m a bit more powerful now," Alice said with a confused expression.


    "That''s because you are already in the 1styer of the Body Refining stage. Congrattions!" Fredrinn smiled at her.


    "That fast? I thought it would take me a few days before I could see some progress. It''s actually pretty easy." Alice muttered to herself.


    Fredrinn almost stumbled when he heard her words.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    The two of them turned their gazes when they heard the knocking on the door.


    "Wait." Fredrinn grabbed Alice''s shoulder and said. "Your spirit root must be kept a secret. No one must know anything about it, not even your mother. We will be in great danger if someone discovers the truth. I will ask someone to buy an item that can conceal your aura so you shouldy low for the time being."


    Alice nodded with a serious look. "Yes, my lord."


    "Go and see who it is." Fredrinn waved his hand before he took his seat.


    Alice bowed to him before she walked to the door.


    She jumped up in shock when she saw Cain''s scar-riddled face. "S-Sir Cain?"


    Cain was already used to this kind of reaction so he pretended like nothing happened. "A servant came and said that the patriarch is waiting for Lord Fredrinn in his study."


    "Where is the servant?"


    Cain was silent for a moment before replied. "¡­He left."


    ''I''m sure the servant fled in fear.'' She thought while keeping a calm look on her face. "Alright. I''ll inform Lord Fredrinn about it."


    Cain nodded.


    Alice headed back inside and told Fredrinn about the situation.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn''s lips curved upwards. ''Is it finally time for me to im my rewards?''


    "Stay here and continue with your training, but don''t forget your meals." Fredrinn reminded Alice before he left.


    "Cain, stay here and don''t let anyone disturb Alice unless absolutely necessary."


    "Yes, my lord."


    Fredrinn gave a few more instructions to him before he headed to Rnd''s study.


    As soon as he arrived, he knocked on the door and entered after getting Rnd''s permission.


    "Father, I''m told that you summoned me."


    Rnd nodded as he pointed a seat for him. "That''s right. I believe you already know that Agatha came here yesterday to discuss the terms of the exchange."


    Fredrinn nodded. He heard about it from Olivia.


    Rnd passed a folder to him. "That''s what we agreed on."


    Fredrinn opened the folder and read the document attached to it.


    Just as he had expected, Rnd asked for the ckcrow Household''s war horses. The ten million star coins was just a bonus to this deal.


    "I asked for a hundred war horses, but those cheap bastards are only willing to give fifty." Rnd shook his head.


    Fredrinn''s face twitched at his words. "Father, the war horses are important to the ckcrow Household. Even losing ten or twenty would have an impact on their cavalry''s performance. It''s already very surprising that they are willing to part with fifty war horses."


    "I know." Rnd didn''t expect that Fredrinn would know these things. "Anyway, I told you toe here since I wanted to reward you. What do you want?" He crossed his arms and looked at his son with an inquisitive smile.


    Fredrinn leaned on his chair and replied. "I want the fifty war horses that we will get from the exchange."


    Rnd''s eyes widened upon hearing his demands. "You want all of it?" He didn''t expect his appetite to be this big.


    Fredrinn nodded. "I n to invest in my guards unit. I wanted to buy some mounts for them, but I used up most of my funds to buy their equipment." He tried to look calm, but he was actually nervous deep inside. He was betting on the fact that he was the one who captured Raphael.


    Rnd rubbed his chin. He then shrugged and said. "Alright. I''ll give you all of it."


    "Really?"


    "You don''t want me to?"


    "You said it yourself, but I want a written document just to make sure that you won''t go back on your words." Fredrinn trusted Rnd''s credibility, but he couldn''t risk it since his mind was a bit vtile sometimes.


    Rnd smirked. "You''ve grown smart. Fine. I''ll ask someone to send you the written documentter."

 Chapter 44: A Cut to the Face to Atone for My Sins

    Fredrinn left Rnd''s office with a satisfied look on his face. Once the war horses were delivered, his guards unit would soon be an elite cavalry force. ''Those guys just need a little bit more training and practical experience. I also need to gather more men after dealing with the Snake Gang.''


    His guards unit only had over fifty martial practitioners and most of them were only at the Qi Gathering stage. To deal with the powerful foes they would encounter in the future, their strength was still far from enough. ''I''ll worry about the recruitment after the Snake Gang has been dealt with.''


    On his way back to his study, he opened the mission prompt.


    [The Snake Gang will soon learn of their members'' deaths! You must take the initiative to destroy this organized crime group before they be a threat to the Firecrown Household! Reward: 2500 Fate Points, 3 Years of Cultivation Experience, and 3 Years of Combat Experience!]


    Once hepleted this mission, he would have 6950 Fate Points. That would only make him 3000 points short of gathering 10000 Fate Points to merge his two cultivation methods. Both the True Sacred me Heavenly Tome and the Ice Revolution Divine Method were transcendent-rank cultivation methods.


    If the two of them were merged, he couldn''t even begin to think what kind of monstrous cultivation technique would be created.


    "The Firecrown Household wasn''t supposed to be destroyed, but I became the variable that changed the direction of the family''s fate. I must do everything I can to stop its destruction and also to save myself from my fated demise!" Fredrinn''s eyes shed with unyielding light. He was determined to change the bleak future that he had seen!


    ***


    The day of the guards unit''s first official mission finally arrived.


    In front of the Firecrown Household''s main mansion, the guards unit gathered and lined up ording to their respective squads. Standing at the very front of the formation were Captain Gunnar and Deputy Captain Aurelius.


    Everyone was donned in their new uniforms with their swords strapped on their back.


    At this moment, Fredrinn walked in front of the group and cleared his throat.


    "Everyone, I know that some of you are nervous, but you don''t have to be ashamed of it. Fearing death is normal, but you must never do something that wouldpromise the safety of your team! Our targets in this operation are felons and criminals who had fled into the slums. The number of people who had died in their hands is probably in the hundreds!


    We must get rid of them and ensure the safety of residents!"


    "Get rid of them!"


    "Kill them!"


    "Protect the residents!"


    Fredrinn could feel the blood-pumping atmosphere. "Enter the carriages! We are setting off!"


    "Yes, Lord Fredrinn!" Everyone responded in unison.


    Their loud shouts attracted the attention of the servants and the martial practitioners of the family.


    "What''s going on? What are those guys up to this time?"


    "Is Lord Fredrinn nning to bring them around the city to show off?"


    Everyone had different opinions about them. Some thought that they were out to cause trouble, while others believed that they were on their way toplete a mission.


    Whatever their thoughts were, it had little importance to Fredrinn.


    For this journey, he didn''t bring Olivia and Alice. Their cultivation was still low so they wouldn''t be able to provide much help even if he brought them with him.


    Fredrinn was inside a carriage together with Kristine''s squad.


    "Cousin, I haven''t congratted you yet for your recent breakthrough. We should hold a small celebration after the mission is over." Fredrinn took the initiative to speak with her.


    "You noticed?" Kristine stared at him in surprise. She hadn''t told anyone about her breakthrough so she was surprised that Fredrinn knew about it.


    Fredrinn chuckled. "Of course. That''s also the reason why I appointed you as one of the squad leaders. Although your cultivation is not that highpared to some of the veterans in the unit, I''m sure that you will surpass them in a few years given your potential."


    Kristine didn''t expect him to say such words. He used to look down on her because of her inferior bloodline and he would even sometimes take advantage of her. She only put up with it because of his status, but in truth, she harbored a deep grudge against him. It was only recently that her perception of him slowly changed.


    "Why are you saying this now? Didn''t you say back then that someone with an inferior bloodline like me isn''t fit to serve the Firecrown Household?" She muttered while looking deeply at him.


    Fredrinn was stumped by her words. He didn''t even know how he would respond.


    The martial practitioners inside the carriage felt the awkward atmosphere. No one dared to speak. No one dared to breathe loudly.


    In the end, Fredrinn looked away from her and leaned against the wall. If he could bring back the previous Fredrinn Firecrown, he would beat him up until he was half-dead. The bastard left so many issues for him to deal with. He even felt like he was a nanny who was brought here in this world to clean up his ass. The feeling was terrible.


    Kristine realized that she had spoken out of turn. She wouldn''t have dared to say those words back then, but because of the piled-up of emotions, she ended up letting out all her frustrations. "C-Cousin¡­ I-"


    Fredrinn suddenly lowered his head before she could say anything. "Kristine, I know that I have done many terrible things to you in the past. I hope that you can forgive me¡­"


    Kristine and the others were shocked when they saw this scene.


    The arrogant heir of the Firecrown Household, Fredrinn Firecrown, lowered his head and apologized!


    It was the first time this had happened so everyone thought that they were dreaming.


    "C-Cousin, you don''t need to-" Kristine was flustered when she saw this.


    "I was immature and stupid. I know this isn''t enough to pay for what I have done¡­" Fredrinn suddenly grabbed a knife from out of nowhere and made a cut on his face.


    "Cousin!"


    "My lord!"


    "My lord, you don''t need to go that far!"

 Chapter 45: The Imprisoned Women

    Warning: The chapter contains depictions of sexual exploitation which may be upsetting to some readers.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Fredrinn made a diagonal cut across his face, causing blood to seep out from the wound. The wound stretched from the right side of his forehead down to the left side of his chin.


    His handsome face was now drenched in blood, but he never flinched since he made the cut. He continued to stare at Kristine with eyes filled with remorse.


    With the previous Fredrinn''s memories, the things he had done to her were ying in his mind.


    ''This wound isn''t just for her, but for all the innocent people that Fredrinn harmed.''


    Kristine stared at him in panic. "Cousin! Why would you do that?! Wait! Let me help you stop the bleeding¡­"


    "No! This scar must never be removed! This will serve as the symbol of my regret of the past! This will let everyone know that the Fredrinn Firecrown of the past is no more!" His voice was filled with unyielding dignity and pride.


    Kristine and the others couldn''t help but feel respect for him at this very moment.


    His words stirred the emotions in their hearts!


    Kristine lowered her head and bent her knee. "I, Kristine Firecrown, pledge my undying loyalty to you, my lord! I will be your most loyal servant and serve you for all eternity!" Her voice trembled as she spoke.


    Seeing this, the others also pledged their loyalty. They had already pledged loyalty to him before, but only because he was the heir of the Firecrown Household. This time, they had truly epted him as their lord.


    [Your heroic spirit ignited a ferocious fire in your subordinates'' hearts! Their fates are slowly changing because of your intervention! People who are supposed to be unknown will soon have their names recorded in the annals of history! Rewards: Immovable Sword Heart Sutra, and Crown of Eternal Glory!]


    Immovable Sword Heart Sutra [Pseudo-Apex]


    - A sword cultivation manual that helps the user create a sword spirit body and manifest the true power of the sword, the sword intent!


    Crown of Eternal Glory [Legendary]


    - Gives the wearer 1 charm attribute (??). Allies within a 500-meter radius will gain a significant boost in their health, endurance, stamina, strength, and Qi. They will also be immune to curses and negative status effects.


    (Note: ??= 1 charm attribute)


    (?? = +10 Favorability from people with favorability between 0-50)


    Fredrinn was in no mood to look at the system prompts. He immediately closed them the moment they appeared in his sight.


    A few hourster, Fredrinn turned his gaze to Kristine. "Tell them to stop."


    "Yes, my lord!" Kristine stepped out of the carriage and signaled for the team to stop.


    Everyone jumped out of their carriage and lined up ording to their squads.


    "What happened to Lord Fredrinn''s face?"


    "Did an assassin attack him on our way here?"


    Everyone was shocked when they saw the long diagonal scar across Fredrinn''s face. They wanted to ask what happened, but he spoke before someone could ask anything.


    "We are about to arrive in the slums. Our carriages will only alert the enemies so we have to leave them here. We will move separately from here on out ording to what he had nned. We must¡­"


    "¡­ Be careful, everyone! You must return alive!"


    "Let''s move out!"


    As soon as Fredrinn gave themand, the five squad leaders immediately led their subordinates to move.


    Other than Fredrinn, only Cain, Captain Gunnar, and Deputy Captain Aurelius remained.


    Fredrinn looked at them and said. "I want you three to ensure that no one dies in this operation, but you will only intervene if their lives are in danger."


    Captain Gunnar and Deputy Captain Aurelius immediately understood his intentions. "Yes, my lord!"


    "Let''s go!"


    The four of them moved in separate directions and disappeared from the scene.


    ***


    "Let go of me! Please! I''m only fifteen! Please have mercy!" A skinny young girl with long brown hair cried out as she begged for mercy.


    She was one of the many pitiful women captured by the members of the Snake Gang after they had failed to pay them the so-called protection fee.


    Her name was Lily.


    She had been imprisoned by the Snake Gang for over a month now. During her time here, she had experienced all sorts of sexual abuse and harassment, but the gang members didn''t cross the final line so she managed to maintain her virginity. She didn''t know why, but she suspected that they were nning to sell her to a wealthy noble.


    However, it wasn''t just her who was in this situation. There were over twenty young women like her who shared simr experiences.


    "Stop moving around, bitch! I would have already fucked your tiny ass if it wasn''t for the boss'' orders!" The man who was dragging her by the hairshed out angrily.


    Hearing this, Lily trembled in fear and she immediately covered her mouth with her hands.


    "Please don''t hurt Lily!"


    "Please stop hurting her!"


    "Fuck! These women are so goddamn noisy! If I hear another word from you worms, I will have one of you suck this daddy''s cock!" A fierce-looking fat man shouted as he red at the women who were tied up in chains. He looked at them with unconcealed desire when he uttered those words.


    No one dared to speak when they heard his vulgar words. They could only sob quietly as Lily was taken away by the gang members.


    "You damn fat bastard! Take me instead!" A furious voice echoed from within another cell.


    The fat gang member turned around and shouted with a lecherous smile. "Which one of you bitches said that?!" His eyes scanned the women inside the prison cells and he soon spotted a woman whose face was covered in scars.


    Seeing her, the fat gang member grinned. "Oh? So it''s the former beauty of the slums. Did you think I was joking earlier?" He walked towards the prison cell and brazenly stared at the naked body of the woman.


    The woman spat on his face, but instead of getting angry, the fat gang member licked the saliva on his face andughed. "I haven''t fucked you in a long time, bitch! It seems like I need to teach you some manners! Hahaha!"


    The woman with facial scars was nervous when she saw the fat gang member unlocking the prison door.


    She tightly held the sharp stone hidden in her hand. ''I will end your life today even if I end up dying in the process!''

 Chapter 46: The Revenge of the Abused

    Warning:The chapter contains depictions of rape and sexual abuse that may be upsetting to some readers.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The fat gang member entered the cell and moved his head closer to the woman whose body and face were covered in scars. "You still smell great even though you haven''t taken a bath for almost a week!" He whistled in glee.


    Suddenly, the eyes of the woman shed with a fierce glint as she stabbed his neck with the sharp stone hidden in her hand.


    "Ack!" The fat gang member groaned as he staggered backward. He could feel his warm blood dripping out from the wound. ''Fuck! Luckily, it wasn''t deep enough to kill me¡­ That fucking bitch! I''ll kill her!'' He red at the woman and pulled out the short sword strapped on his waist. "I will kill you!"


    The prison cell was filled with sobbing sounds. The women could only watch as the fat gang member walked towards the scar-faced woman.


    "What was your name again? Was it Angel? Yeah, right. Angel, but I don''t think your name fits your appearance. I mean, look at you-"


    "Shut your damn mouth you fucking pig! If you want to kill me, just do it already!"


    Veins protruded on the fat gang member''s face, but then he suddenly thought about something. He sheathed his sword and chuckled with a lecherous smile. "Killing you would be a waste. This ce won''t be fun anymore without you. How about I fuck you in front of your friends? Hahaha!"


    The fat gang member unlocked her chains and dragged her in the middle. She struggled with all her might, but the man was a martial practitioner so her resistance was futile.


    "That''s right! I like how you struggle! Hahaha! It makes me fucking hard!" The fat man''s manicughter echoed in the prison cell.


    He pushed the woman to the ground and pulled down his pants, revealing the ugly thing hidden underneath.


    He grabbed her ass and pushed his waist, forcefully prating inside her. "Scream! Let me hear you scream! Hahaha!" He shouted excitedly as he pped the woman''s ass.


    Because of his extreme excitement, he didn''t notice that someone was creeping up on him.


    Shiing!


    He only heard a sword being drawn, but before he could react, his head was detached from his body.


    Kristine kicked the huge headless corpse and covered the woman''s body with a cloak. "I''m sorry! If only I hade sooner¡­" She muttered with remorse and guilt. She had seen the disgusting act beingmitted, but it was already toote.


    "Let me borrow your sword¡­" Angel muttered in a cold voice.


    Kristine couldn''t see her expression since her disheveled hair covered her face. "What are you going to do with it?" She was afraid that she would take her own life using the sword, but she still gave it to her.


    Kristine was confident that she could stop her if that was what she intended to do.


    The sword was a bit too heavy for Kristine so she could only drag it along. Under everyone''s anxious eyes, she walked towards the fat man''s corpse with uneven footsteps. She then lifted the sword with both hands and stabbed the corpse repeatedly, causing blood to ssh all over her naked body. "Die! Die! Die!


    Die, you fucking pig!"


    The chained women stared at the scene with fear, but there was also a hint of glee in their eyes.


    "That''s enough." Kristine grabbed the sword from Angel. She could already imagine the hatred they had for this man. That was also the reason why she didn''t stop the gruesome act.


    Angel stood up and grabbed Kristine''s arm. "Please, help Lily¡­ I beg you¡­ They took her away¡­ She is only fifteen¡­" She muttered in a trembling voice.


    "Don''t worry about her. Myrades should have already saved your friend by now."


    Angel let out a look of relief before she copsed in Kristine''s arms.


    "Untie their chains and bring them some clothes!" Kristine shouted to her subordinates.


    "Yes, Squad Leader!"


    Meanwhile, the rest of the squads had already engaged in battle. The members of the Snake Gang were mostly weak martial practitioners. Over half of them were at the Body Refining stage and about a fourth were Qi Refining stage martial practitioners. Only a few of them were Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even their leader was only at the 8th Layer of the Foundation Establishment realm.


    In just less than an hour, the headquarters of the Snake Gang was reduced to rubble. More than half of their members were killed.


    "Who are you people?!" The leader of the Snake Gang shouted nervously. They had been surrounded and there was no more room to escape. ''Just who are these people?! I don''t remember provoking one of their members¡­Don''t tell me one of my underlings did it¡­ Fuck!''


    "Wait! There must be a misunderstanding here¡­" He could only try to talk his way out here.


    "Misunderstanding? You guys are illegally detaining the residents of Red Sun City! You even sexually abused many young women!" Kristine was still furious after everything she had seen.


    ''Shit! I can only use my trump card, but will these guys even listen?'' The gang leader was out of options. He gritted his teeth and blurted out after some hesitation. "Wait! I''ll tell you who is funding our gang if you let me off!"


    Hearing this, Kristine narrowed her eyes. She looked at the other squad leaders and exchanged nces with them. Only a few seconds passed before they had reached a tacit agreement.


    One of the squad leaders stepped forward and said. "Go on. If your words are true, then letting you go isn''t impossible. However¡­"


    "¡­ If your words contain any falsehoods, then you shall die today!"


    The gang leader gulped down hard with a fearful look. "C-Can you promise that you guys won''t harm me?"


    Fighting them was suicide so he could only try to negotiate with them.


    "You have my word." The squad leader nodded.


    The gang leader took a deep breath. He wiped the sweat on his forehead as he thought of a few more countermeasures. "Bring me a horse first. I will tell you everything I know if you bring me a horse."


    Hearing this, the eyes of the squad leaders narrowed into slits.

 Chapter 47: Bringing the Survivors to the Estate

    "Bring it to him." A voice suddenly echoed.


    Everyone looked over and saw a muscr man suddenly appearing from the dark corner of the copsed building.


    One of the squad leaders immediatelymanded his subordinates to bring a horse.


    ''Is that their leader? He is stronger than me¡­ That guy is at least a 9th Layer Foundation Establishment martial practitioner. '' The gang leader felt his heart tightening with the sudden appearance of a powerful expert.


    "While we are waiting for the horse, why don''t you start talking." Deputy Captain Aurelius muttered with a light smile.


    The gang leader frowned. "I will only talk if the horse is here."


    ''Did he really think that I would fall for his tricks?'' He sneered in his mind.


    "I see. Then let''s wait here." Aurelius was only buying some time. Just a while ago, they received Fredrinn''s instruction to capture the gang leader alive.


    The gang leader felt that something was amiss. He looked around the visible corners of the copsed building, but he didn''t sense anyone''s presence.


    "Why don''t you guys drop your weapons? We don''t n to kill the rest of you." After saying this, Aurelius signaled the guards unit to lower their weapons


    Seeing this, some of the gang members heaved a sigh of relief and lowered their weapons. Although they outnumbered the enemies, they were more skilled and more well-equipped. They would only end up being killed if they stubbornly fought back.


    The gang leader was rmed when he saw his men lowering their weapons. "Don''t listen to his nonsense! This might be a-"


    Just then, a figure suddenly appeared behind him and struck him by the neck.


    "Boss!"


    "They attacked the boss!"


    The gang members panicked when they saw the scene.


    "Kill them all and don''t leave anyone alive!" The one-armed middle-aged man who struck the gang leader shouted.


    "Yes, Captain!" The guards unit roared as they charged at the gang members.


    Soon, the sounds of battle erupted once again.


    Facing the superior might of the guards unit, the members of the Snake Gang couldn''t even put a resistance. It was a one-sided ughter!


    The people who were illegally detained watched their captors die in such a wretched manner. There wasn''t a hint of pity in their eyes, only endless rage and excitement.


    Meanwhile, hidden atop the building were two figures.


    "Let''s go. Our job here is done." Fredrinn muttered when he saw the system prompt appear in front of him.


    Cain who was standing behind him nodded and jumped down.


    [Congrattions! You have destroyed the Snake Gang! Rewards: 2500 Fate Points, 3 Years of Cultivation Experience, and 3 Years of Combat Experience!]


    [You discovered that a hidden group is secretly supporting the Snake Gang. Find out their identity! Rewards: 1500 Fate Points, 1 Year of Cultivation Experience, and 1 Year of Combat Experience!]


    A new mission popped up as soon as hepleted the mission. ''A string quest?'' Fredrinn squinted his eyes.


    While he was reading the mission details, the Qi in his dantian fluctuated and his cultivation slowly increased.


    Foundation Establishment 6th Layer


    Foundation Establishment 7th Layer


    Foundation Establishment 8th Layer


    Foundation Establishment 9th Layer


    A new set ofbat experiences also appeared in his mind. "With this, I should be able to beat Aurelius even without using the Seven Scorching Sword Style." The years ofbat experiences incorporated in his mind turned him into a powerful martial practitioner equivalent to those war veterans who had always stayed on the battlefield.


    "It''s time to return." He muttered before he jumped down from the ceiling.


    ***


    Inside Rnd''s office, a messenger came to deliver a report.


    "My lord, Lord Fredrinn has returned, but¡­"


    Rnd raised an eyebrow when he saw the messenger''s hesitant look. "Go on."


    "Lord Fredrinn and his guards unit brought in arge group ofmoners. From my estimates, there should be over a hundred of them." The messenger nervously said.


    Rnd was shocked. "Over a hundred? Where did he get those people?"


    "We still don''t know, my lord. I don''t dare ask Lord Fredrinn." The messenger bitterly shook his head.


    "I see. You can leave. I''ll deal with this matter." Rnd waved his hand.


    The messenger bowed and left the office in haste.


    "Just what is that kid up to this time?" Rnd furrowed his eyebrows as he stormed out of his office.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn had already gathered the survivors at the back of the main mansion. He even summoned Doctor Noel and his nurses to tend to the injured.


    At this moment, Kristine came to his side and said with a worried look. "My lord, one of the rape victims is refusing treatment. Her friends tried to convince her, but she said that she was prepared to die."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn rubbed his chin. "Take me to see her."


    Kristine nodded and brought her to the temporary tent where the rape victims were being treated.


    "Everyone, this is Lord Fredrinn Firecrown. He led the operation to destroy the Snake Gang." Kristine announced when she saw the women staring fearfully at Fredrinn. These women had developed an inner dislike and fear towards men. She didn''t want them to misunderstand the man who saved their lives.


    Hearing her words, the eyes of the women shed with gratitude.


    "Thank you, my lord!"


    "Thank you, my lord!"


    Some of them cried as they expressed their gratitude.


    Fredrinn nodded calmly, but he was boiling with fury when he saw that some of the victims were very young. ''Some of them are underage girls. How dare those bastards defile their purity?!''


    "Where is she?" Fredrinn asked as he calmed his anger.


    "That''s her." Kristine turned her gaze at the ck-haired woman whose body was filled with scars and whip marks. Her eyes were lifeless as if she had lost her soul.


    Seeing the state of her body, Fredrinn couldn''t even begin to imagine the terrible experience she had gone through.


    He walked towards her and signaled to Kristine not to follow.


    "Do you mind if I sit here?" Fredrinn asked as he grabbed a seat next to the woman''s stretcher.


    The woman didn''t even bother to look at him as she replied with a weary voice. "Suit yourself."


    Kristine and the nurses in charge of treating them were stunned when they heard her disrespectful tone.


    To their surprise, Fredrinn didn''t seem to be angry at herck of respect. He only chuckled as he took his seat. "What''s your name?" He asked. This woman should have heard of his name, but she didn''t even look afraid when Kristine mentioned it.


    "Why do you care? Aren''t you just going to turn me into your toy like those bastards?" Angel sneered and her lifeless eyes suddenly turned cold.


    Kristine could no longer bear to listen and scolded her."Watch your mouth! If it weren''t for Lord Fredrinn, you guys would still be-"


    "It''s fine, Kristine." Fredrinn looked at her and shook his head. He then turned his gaze back to the woman.


    "You must have suffered a lot. I can''t bring back the time and I''m not good at consoling others. However, I can give you the chance to take revenge¡­"


    This time, the woman finally looked at him.


    He moved his head and whispered in a voice that only she could hear. "We captured the leader of the Snake Gang and we found out from him that they are only a pawn controlled by someone. They are the true culprit that caused you and the rest of your friends to suffer. I n to eliminate them, but a force capable of funding such arge criminal organization wouldn''t be an easy opponent.


    Perhaps, one of the major families in Red Sun City is even involved. Destroying them would take time, manpower, and a lot of resources. I already have the resources and we have plenty of time. The only thing Ick is manpower¡­"


    At this point, the woman understood his intentions. "Are you nning to create a sizable army to destroy whoever is responsible?"


    "That''s right." Fredrinn nodded.


    "Why are you telling me all of these?" She frowned.


    Fredrinn shrugged. "I don''t know. To be honest, I don''t think you can offer much given the state of your body. However, I was once weak just like you¡­ If you still have that burning rage inside of you, then use it to fuel your growth and take your own revenge against the people responsible for this."


    The woman was silenced by his words.


    "I''ll give you until tomorrow to decide." After saying this, Fredrinn stood up and left without looking back.

 Chapter 48: Cain’s Ruthless Interrogation

    Fredrinn was on his way to interrogate the gang leader when he encountered Rnd along the way.


    Seeing him, Fredrinn sped his hands as he greeted. "Father."


    "Mn." Rnd nodded. "I heard that you brought in arge group of people to our estate. Can you tell me what''s going on?"


    His son has been acting more mature in the past few weeks. He had never gone back to the gambling houses or the brothels just like he did in the past. He believed that Fredrinn had his reasons for suddenly bringing a group of refugees and he came here to know what his son nned to do with them.


    "Father, I believe Sir Darius had already told you about the Snake Gang," Fredrinn spoke.


    Rnd nodded. "Indeed. He mentioned it in passing a few days ago." He was busy the entire week because of the matters rted to the exchange so he had overlooked this report.


    "Let''s talk as we walk," Fredrinn said as he brought Rnd to where they locked up the leader of the Snake Gang.


    Along the way, he told his father about the criminal activities of the gang as well as their involvement with a powerful force.


    Rnd''s expression became serious when he heard this. He didn''t expect that a criminal organization would dare to behave atrociously near his territory. However, what made him surprised was that his son actually used them as a sharpening tool to train his guards unit. ''No wonder his guards unit was training nonstop in thest three days.


    With the war horses from the ckcrow Household, the power of his guards unit would definitely increase by leaps and bounds.''


    While he was immersed in his thoughts, he suddenly heard Fredrinn''s voice. "Father, we are here."


    "Alright. Don''t mind me." Rnd muttered. After he heard the information about the Snake Gang, he became curious about them. Just which force was secretly funding this criminal organization?


    Soon, they arrived inside a tent that was closely guarded by Fredrinn''s guards unit.


    They spotted Aurelius and Gunnar interrogating the gang leader who was tied up on a chair.


    "My lord! Patriarch!" The two greeted them upon sensing their presence.


    Rnd acknowledged them with a nod, while Fredrinn waved his hand.


    "Did you find out anything?" Fredrinn asked.


    Gunnar and Aurelius stared at him awkwardly. From their expression, Fredrinn guessed that they must have failed to make the gang leader speak.


    "My lord, this guy refuses to say anything," Aurelius said while shaking his head in embarrassment.


    "I see. Bring Cain here." Fredrinn didn''t mind this. There were plenty of ways to make someone spit out the truth and he believed that someone like Cain was the perfect man for this job. Although the system only gave a short description of Cain, Fredrinn could already more or less guess what kind of person he was from the short time they had spent together.


    He was a ruthless man who would kill anyone for his lord!


    Gunnar and Aurelius seemed to have guessed his intentions when he mentioned Cain''s name. They both know that this person is the most trusted subordinate of their lord. He was a cruel and vicious man who killed without batting an eye.


    "Yes, my lord." They replied in unison before they left the tent.


    "It seems like you have gained Gunnar''s loyalty," Rnd remarked with a light smile.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn chuckled. "Sir Gunnar may have lost an arm, but his will is unbreakable. I am lucky to have him."


    Rnd nodded in agreement. As a former member of his elite unit, Gunnar was a powerful and capable martial practitioner.


    Not longter, Cain entered the tent. He bowed to Fredrinn and Rnd without saying a word.


    Rnd had so many questions about this man. He suddenly appeared out of nowhere and became Fredrinn''s right-hand man. ording to the reports from his subordinates, Cain was a Core Formation martial practitioner. ''This man''s gloomy aura is so dense. Only those who had killed a huge number of people have this kind of aura¡­'' This was his first impression of Cain after seeing him up close.


    "I don''t care what kind of methods you use. Make him spit out the name of the group that is funding his organization!" Fredrinn instructed while looking at Cain.


    Cain didn''t respond right away. Instead, he asked with a cold look. "What if he dies after the interrogation?"


    Hearing this, Rnd narrowed his eyes.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn already expected this so he wasn''t surprised. "As long as we hear everything we need from him, it doesn''t matter."


    "Yes, my lord!"


    Rnd who was listening at the side took a deep breath. He didn''t expect that his once stupid and useless son was now a ruthless man, but he wasn''t against it. In this cruel world of cultivation, being merciful would only lead to death.


    Cain walked over to the gang leader and spoke. "I know you''re awake so stop pretending to be asleep."


    Hearing this cold voice, the gang leader unconsciously shivered. He opened his eyes and slowly raised his head. "W-We had a deal! I will only tell you everything if you let me go!" He was afraid of the man in front of him, but he knew that he would die if he told them the information he had. That was his only bargaining chip to escape this sticky situation. He wouldn''t give it up so easily.


    Cain''s eyes remained calm. "From now on, you will only speak the words that I want to hear..."


    "You won''t like it if you speak the wrong words." After saying that, he took out a knife and yed with it, adeptly disying his skills.


    The gang leader trembled when he saw this.


    "You can start talking¡­" Cain muttered while looking deeply at the trembling gang leader.


    The man was sweating bullets and he didn''t even dare look at Cain in the eyes. "I-If you promise to spare me, I will-"


    Before he could continue his words, the knife in Cain''s hand moved.


    Whoosh!


    A bloody ear dropped to the ground.


    It took some time before the pain registered and when the gang leader realized it, he screamed in terror. "Ahhh!!!"


    He could feel the warm blood leaking out from the left side of his face. He looked down and saw drops of his blood slowly forming a small puddle on the ground.


    "I told you, didn''t I? You can only speak the words that I want to hear." Cain''s voice sounded like that of the devil, making the gang leader even more terrified. He tried to break free from his restraint, but the chains tied to his body seemed to be imbued with the ability to block the channeling of Qi, rendering him unable to utilize his power.


    "P-Please don''t kill me! I promise that I won''t do anythi-"


    "Ahhh!!!"


    This time, Cain carved out a wound on the man''s face, forcing him to scream like a pig being butchered.


    Fredrinn turned his gaze and noticed the slight trace of difort in Rnd''s eyes. ''How could I forget about Rnd''s character? He was a kind man and a benevolent leader. This scene should be too cruel for him.''


    "Father, why don''t we talk outside while Cain is interrogating this criminal," Fredrinn suggested.


    Rnd nodded. "Mn."


    Fredrinn brought him out of the tent, but they could still hear the gang leader''s bloodcurdling screams.


    "When will the ckcrow Household send us the ransom?" Fredrinn asked.


    Rnd grinned when he heard him ask about this. He probably couldn''t wait to get his hands on those war horses. "They wille here in ten days."


    "Ten days?" Fredrinn nodded. Delivering fifty war horses would take some time since it would require a few permits from the city lord''s side.


    "You know Agatha, right?" Rnd asked.


    "Yes. I heard from Olivia that it was Agatha who came here to negotiate the terms of the exchange." From the memories of the previous Fredrinn, he had some impression about her.


    "Mn. ording to what we agreed, she will also lead the exchange in ten days."


    "Is that so?" Fredrinn revealed a look of interest. Agatha seemed to be more active than the first heir of the ckcrow Household.


    The father and son duo chatted for some time before Cain finally stepped out of the tent. His clothes were covered in blood, but he looked as if nothing happened.


    "My lord, I have sessfully carried out your instructions." He reported in a calm voice.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn smiled. "Good work. Do tell us what you''ve heard from the man."


    Cain nodded and immediately told him everything. "ording to him, the Snake Gang was established by the Morten Household. The gang leader himself is also a member of the family¡­"


    ''Morten Household?!'' Rnd''s eyes widened upon hearing this name.


    "The gang receives their funds monthly through a person he calls ''The Sender''. I asked about the identity of this person, but the gang leader didn''t seem to know much about that guy. He did mention that this man called ''The Sender'' always wore a mask and a cloak every time he visited the gang''s base.


    Other than that, he also told me that the girls we saved were supposed to be sent to the Morten Household, but he had no idea what they would do with the women."


    "Anything else?"


    Cain thought for a moment before he said. "Before the gang leader died, he told me that this person called ''The Sender'' would visit the gang''s base in two days to deliver their funds."


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes. He then patted Cain''s shoulder. "You did well. Go and ask someone to deal with the corpse. Make sure that everything is done cleanly."


    "Yes, my lord!" Cain bowed deeply and left.


    After he walked away, Fredrinn turned his gaze to Rnd. "Father, do you know something about this Morten Household?" He asked. The previous Fredrinn didn''t seem to have any recollection of this family.


    Rnd nodded with a grave look. "The Morten Household is a subordinate family of the ckcrow Household¡­" He realized that this matter might be rted to the ckcrow Household.


    "The Morten Household is not a big family and they don''t have the wealth to create a big criminal organization like the Snake Gang," Rnd added.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn raised an eyebrow. "You mean this might have something to do with the ckcrow Household?"


    [Congrattions! You discovered the force behind the Snake Gang! Rewards: 1500 Fate Points, 1 Year of Cultivation Experience, and 1 Year of Combat Experience !]

 Chapter 49: The Next Mission

    "We can''t be so sure just yet." Rnd shook his head.


    "Leave this to me, father. I''ll take care of the investigation." Fredrinn muttered confidently. This was a great opportunity to test out the guards unit''s information-gathering capabilities. This was a necessary skill that they had to learn.


    Rnd stared at him intently and gave it a deep thought. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "Alright, but you must inform me if you have any leads."


    "No problem." Fredrinn agreed without hesitation.


    "Keep this matter a secret for now and don''t let any information leak outside." Rnd reminded him.


    Fredrinn nodded. He knew what his father was worried about.


    "Then I''ll go back to my office. Just let me know if you need any help." Rnd turned around and left.


    After he left, Fredrinn checked his character profile.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Foundation Establishment 10th Layer] [Level 30]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ??????


    Ice Affinity: ??


    Charm: ??


    Cultivation Method: True Sacred me Heavenly Tome / Ice Revolution Divine Method (Use 10000 Fate Points to merge)


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: E


    Fate Points: 8450


    He only needed 1550 more fate points to collect a total of 10000 fate points and merge his two cultivation methods.


    At this moment, he suddenly remembered that he still had some items in his inventory.


    Immovable Sword Heart Sutra [Pseudo-Apex]


    - A sword cultivation manual that helps the user create a sword spirit body and manifest the true power of the sword, the sword intent!


    Crown of Eternal Glory [Legendary]


    - Gives the wearer 1 charm attribute (??). Allies within a 500-meter radius will gain a significant boost in their health, endurance, stamina, strength, and Qi. They will also be immune to curses and negative status effects.


    The Immovable Sword Heart Sutra was a cultivation method that heavily focused on the art of the sword. It was the perfect cultivation method for Olivia who had a 9-star sword talent.


    ''If she trained in this cultivation method, Olivia would one day be a peerless sword expert!'' Fredrinn imagined the scene of her holding her sword while looking down at the so-called experts. It made him excited just thinking about it.


    He then moved his gaze to the second item. Surprisingly, it was a Legendary item. In the game, there were only a handful of yers who possessed items of this rarity. They were so hard to find that no one even sold them online.


    ''This item will be useful in group battles because of its unique effects. As long as I have this item, my army will be invincible on the battlefield.'' The item was indeed worthy of being a Legendary essory. The only issue was that it was too eye-catching. Other people might think that he was narcissistic if he wore it. However, Fredrinn didn''t mind this little bit of issue.


    [You found a clue on how to track the true mastermind of the Snake Gang. Capture ''The Sender'' and bring him back to be interrogated! Rewards: 2500 Fate Points, and Lithinum Shield!]


    Seeing this, Fredrinn wasn''t too surprised. He already expected that the system would give him a mission. This was a chain quest and this would only end after hepleted the final mission.


    ''I don''t need to participate in the operation this time. Captain Gunnar and two squads should be enough toplete this mission.'' Fredrinn didn''t need toplete the mission himself. The system would recognize it as long as it was done by his subordinates. He discovered this in the recent operation with the Snake Gang.


    Fredrinn closed the system prompts and told Deputy Captain Aurelius to follow him to his study.


    Thetter was nervous when he heard this. Fredrinn didn''t speak to him along the way which made him even more nervous.


    ''Is he going to punish me?'' Aurelius thought as he looked at Fredrinn''s back.


    This man had changed all of a sudden. He was aplete degenerate before. He was a profligate man who used his status to bullymoners. That was also the reason why he hated Fredrinn back then. However, he had somehow be more dependable in the past few weeks. Aurelius didn''t know when it exactly happened since he always avoided him.


    Soon, they arrived in Fredrinn''s study.


    "Sit down." Fredrinn pointed at the seat in front of his desk.


    Aurelius took his seat, but he didn''t dare sit toofortably.


    Fredrinn noticed his tense expression. "Rx. I didn''t ask you toe here to punish you." He smiled as he took his seat.


    Hearing this, Aurelius felt less nervous. "Then why did you bring me here, my lord?" He asked while looking at Fredrinn.


    "You are at the 10th Layer of the Foundation Establishment realm. It might be strong in the eyes of others, but it''s still quitecking as the deputy captain of my guards unit." Fredrinn muttered with a serious look.


    Aurelius was the younger brother of Sir Dontos. He had always lived in his brother''s shadow, but this man neverined since he knew that he wasckingpared to his brother.


    Fredrinn wanted to make this man more confident about himself and the best way to do this was to elevate his cultivation.


    Aurelius thought that Fredrinn would demote him. "M-My lord¡­"


    Fredrinn raised his hand. "I''m not done."


    Aurelius immediately shut his mouth.


    "Recently, we got four Limit Breaking Pills from the Silversword Treasure House. I want you to head to the patriarch''s office and ask him for two pills."


    ''Limit Breaking Pill!'' Hearing this, Aurelius'' eyes widened. He finally understood why Fredrinn brought him here. It was an opportunity for him!


    Thinking about this, Aurelius stood up. "Yes, my lord! I will get it done immediately!"


    Fredrinn grinned upon seeing his enthusiasm. "You may go. Bring me the pills as soon you get them." He waved his hand.


    Aurelius took this as a cue for him to leave. He bowed to Fredrinn and left with an excited smile.


    ***


    The next day, inside the mansion of the Morten Household in Bargan District, a meeting was being held by the elders of the family.


    "We still haven''t received any news from the slums. They were supposed to send us a letter yesterday, but we haven''t gotten any news until now." The person sitting at the head seat muttered with a grave look. This person was the patriarch of the Morten Household, Dale Morten.


    The faces of the elders fell when they heard this. Everyone knew that they had an organization in the slums. They created it for the sole purpose of obtaining high-quality ves for the ckcrow Household. If something happened to this organization, they would lose their only means of gathering ves.


    "My lord, why don''t we send Brielle to check the situation?" One of the elders suggested.


    Another elder expressed his disagreement and shook his head. "This also happened a few times in the past when the city lord sent a team of martial practitioners to investigate the slums. The person we appointed as the gang leader of the organization is a capable man. He should be able to deal with this situation. Back then, he only bribed those martial practitioners from the city lord''s mansion."


    Some elders agreed with his assessment.


    "Let''s wait for a while. We can send Brielle to the slums ording to the schedule." Dale decided after listening to the elders'' words.


    "Yes, patriarch!"


    ***


    At this moment, inside Fredrinn''s study, Aurelius opened his eyes with a look of joy. "I seeded! I finally broke through!" After he had gotten the Limit Breaking Pills from the patriarch, he delivered them to Fredrinn.


    He got one of the pills from Fredrinn which he used for his breakthrough. Now, he was a Core Formation martial practitioner!


    "Congrattions!" A voice filled with mirth echoed behind him. When he turned around, he saw Fredrinn giving him an encouraging nod.


    Aurelius stood up and bowed emotionally. "Thank you for this opportunity, my lord!"


    Aurelius Gorgon [Core Formation 1st Layer]


    Age: 42


    Spirit Root: Intermediate-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ??????


    Earth Affinity: ????


    Metal Affinity: ??


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    "You don''t need to thank me. It is because of your efforts that you broke through." Fredrinn said as he patted the man''s shoulder.


    Now, he had three Core Formation martial practitioners under hismand.


    Aurelius didn''t know what to say. He could only stare at him with a face full of gratitude.


    "You may leave, Sir Aurelius. You should go out and familiarize yourself with your new strength and stabilize your cultivation."


    "Yes, my lord!" Aurelius'' eyes shed with determination. After his breakthrough, he could finally see the path for his future. He no longer needed to live in his brother''s shadow.


    After sending him off, Fredrinn took out the remaining Limit Breaking Pill. "Now, it''s my turn." He muttered as he headed to his secret chamber.


    He had only broken through recently, but given his pure Qi and stable foundation, it shouldn''t be a problem for him to advance to the next realm.

 Chapter 50: Advancing to the Core Formation Realm

    Fredrinn took the pill into his mouth and swallowed it.


    To be a Core Formation martial practitioner, one must transform their dantian into a sphere.


    During his first year in this world, all Fredrinn did was gather information. After all, he was a person from the modern world so he needed more information about the Great Vemune Continent. He wouldn''t have to do this if the previous Fredrinn was good with his studies. Unfortunately, he was an idiot who still had to be beaten up for him to read books.


    And just like that, he spent most of his time that year reading books.


    Among the books he read, there was one that discussed the process of forming a core. It was a difficult and painful process since it involved the repeated tempering of the dantian. ording to that book, the dantian had to be tempered hundreds of times to form a sphere. Four different kinds of cores could be formed after the tempering process. The first one was the hollow core.


    It was the most basic core and the easiest one to form. However, those who formed this type of core would never reach a highyer in the Core Formation realm. The highestyer that they could reach was only the 3rdyer. Any more than that would be like ascending the heavens. Martial practitioners with hollow cores very rarely reached the 4thyer.


    The second type of core was the ck core. Forming this core would require more tempering so only those with stronger spirit roots and indomitable willpower could form this core. Generally, martial practitioners with ck cores could potentially reach the midyers of the Core Formation realm.


    The third type of core was the silver core. Martial practitioners with low-grade spirit roots could never hope to form this core. It was theoretically possible, but the process was extremely painful and there was even a high risk of death. For this reason, one had to possess an intermediate-grade spirit root or higher to form a silver core.


    People with silver cores could potentially reach the highyers of the Core Formation realm and they have a small chance of reaching thestyer.


    Thest type of core was the golden core. Martial practitioners with high-grade spirit roots were mostly guaranteed to form this core. They also have the highest chance of advancing to thestyer of the Core Formation realm!


    At this moment, Fredrinn had already tempered his dantian over a hundred times. In fact, he stopped counting when he reached a hundred tempering.


    If someone could see what was happening inside his body, they could see that he had already formed a ck core. Furthermore, there were already signs of it turning into a silver core.


    ''I never thought that the tempering process would be this painful. I wonder what kind of cores those three managed to form.'' Fredrinn thought about Cain, Gunnar, and Aurelius.


    After a long time of tempering, he finally managed to form a golden core.


    ''Hm?'' To his amazement, he could still continue to temper his golden core. ''Don''t tell me there is still another type of core that is unknown to everyone?''


    To test out his hypothesis, he continued to temper his golden core. He resuled the tiring and torturous tempering for a long time and it took him more than three hours before he felt some changes to his core.


    ''My guess was right. There is indeed another type of core that is more powerful than the golden core!'' Fredrinn''s body was aching and he was covered in sweat. However, he was brimming with excitement.


    After another hour, his golden core shedded, revealing a small crimson sphere underneath. Although the size of this crimson core was only half of that of the golden core, Fredrinn could feel that it was absorbing Qi three times faster!


    ''Amazing! With my high-grade spirit root and this crimson core, my cultivation speed is now as fast as those with superior-grade spirit root!''


    [Congrattions! You have done the impossible and sessfully formed the Ethereal Crimson Core! Rewards: Level Up Card, Ice Affinity Upgrade Card, and Battle Scouter Function!]


    "Wow! An Ice Affinity Upgrade Card! I also unlocked a new system function!" Fredrinn eximed when he saw the rewards.


    "Hold on¡­ This one is new¡­" Fredrinn opened his inventory and took out the Level Up Card.


    ''I still can''t understand the symbols engraved in the card.'' He sighed and shook his head.


    [Do you want to use the Level Up Card?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Fredrinn clicked [Yes].


    In that instant, the card in his hand disappeared and formed into particles of golden light that were quickly absorbed by his crimson core.


    The Qi inside his core was stirred and his cultivation that just stabilized a few minutes ago was forcefully elevated after the particles of golden light were refined by his crimson core.


    Half a minuteter, he advanced to the 2nd Layer of the Core Formation realm.


    Fredinn stood up and grinned. He then used the Ice Affinity Upgrade Card which increased his ice affinity to 2 stars.


    Soon, Fredrinn focused on the new system function.


    [Do you want to activate the Battle Scouter Function?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Fredrinn clicked [Yes] without hesitation.


    [You can now urately gauge anyone''s cultivation!]


    "Oh? That''s very handy. With this function, no one can hide their cultivation from me." Fredrinn muttered while rubbing his chin.


    With this function, he no longer had to worry about being unable to determine his enemies'' strength. He would have more room to react and he could also save himself from dangerous situations.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 2nd Layer] [Level 32]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ??????


    Ice Affinity: ????


    Cultivation Method: True Sacred me Heavenly Tome / Ice Revolution Divine Method (Use 10000 Fate Points to merge)


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: E


    Fate Points: 8450


    He thought that he would see some change in his Fate Rating, but he was disappointed when he saw that it remained unchanged.


    "It seems like I still need more upgrades before my Fate Rating will improve." Fredrinn shook his head and closed the system prompts. He then headed to the secret chamber where Olivia and Alice were training.


    Upon entering the secret chamber, he saw the twodies performing their respective physical exercises and breathing methods.


    When he cast his gaze on Olivia, a system prompt appeared before him.


    [Body Refining 4th Layer]


    ''So this is how the Battle Scouter Function works.'' Fredrinn thought before he moved his gaze to Alice.


    [Body Refining 3rd Layer]


    Surprisingly, she was only oneyer behind Olivia. Her speed of breakthrough was even faster, but this was within his expectations. After all, she was cultivating the Ice Revolution Method that was perfect for her who had a high affinity with the ice element. On the other hand, Olivia was cultivating the Mystic Heaven Refining Canon which was only an arcane-rank cultivation manual.


    The twodies stopped their training when they sensed his presence. "My lord!" They bowed as they greeted him.


    Fredrinn smiled at them and said. "You two shouldn''t overdo your training. You should take a break once in a while." He reminded them with a stern voice.


    Faster cultivation speed doesn''t necessarily mean a good thing. This might lead to a decrease in the purity of their Qi.


    The purity of one''s Qi will determine theirbat potential. People with low Qi purity were generally weakerpared to those with high Qi purity.


    "You must remember that having a high Qi purity will have a huge impact in forming your dantian," Fredrinn added.


    Hearing this, the faces of the twodies changed.


    "Thank you for your reminder, my lord!" They immediately thanked him.


    Fredrinn waved his hand. He then told Olivia toe over. "I have something to give you. Come here for a second."


    Olivia stared at him in surprise. She wondered what he would give her.


    Alice stared at them curiously.


    "I found a more suitable cultivation method for you. If you follow the physical exercises and the breathing method in this book, your cultivation speed should increase by leaps and bounds. Study it from now on." Fredrinn said as he handed the Immovable Sword Heart Sutra to Olivia.


    Olivia''s eyes lit up when she heard his words. Alice''s sessive breakthroughs almost made her question if she truly had an excellent-grade spirit root. She advanced so fast that she had almost overtaken her. "Thank you, my lord! I will study it well!" She hugged the book and bowed her head.

 Chapter 51: Briefing

    [Do you want to use 50 Fate Points to learn the Immovable Sword Heart Sutra?]


    [Yes] [No]


    This wasn''t the first time this system prompt appeared since he got the Pseudo-Apex rank sword cultivation manual. He was also a former sword user during his time as a yer so he wanted to learn it. However, after his recent experience which almost caused his dantian to explode, he didn''t dare hastily make a decision.


    ''This cultivation method is very tempting, but my life is more important. Besides, I should be able to get a more powerful cultivation method once I merge the Ice Revolution Divine Method and the True Sacred me Heavenly Tome.'' Fredrinn thought over it for a long time before he made a decision.


    He clicked [No] with a hint of reluctance.


    "Why do you look so glum, my lord? Is there something bothering you?" Olivia asked when she saw Fredrinn''s expression.


    "I''m fine. I just thought about something." Fredrinn smiled and shook his head.


    "I see¡­" Olivia didn''t ask anymore after hearing his response.


    "You two better not overdo your training. You must learn to bnce your tasks and private life. You are not ves here. You need to give yourself some time to rest and enjoy life every once in a while." Fredrinn reminded them again. He didn''t want them to be his puppets. That would kill their potential and it might even make them hostile to him.


    "Yes, my lord!" The twodies felt warm in their hearts. It was rare to find a caring lord who would look out for his subordinates. This made them even more determined to follow him.


    Fredrinn bid them farewell and left. He still had a lot of tasks to do for the next operation so he went to deal with them one by one.


    ***


    Late in the afternoon, Captain Gunnar Haraldson, Kristine, and another squad leader named Gilbert were summoned to the semi-furnished office inside the ten-story building five hundred meters away from the main mansion in the Firecrown Household''s estate.


    This building was an unfinished construction project. It was originally built to amodate the families of the hired miners of the Firecrown Household, but it was put on hold because of an ident that happened more than a year ago.


    It was an ident that killed more than twenty miners and six martial practitioners!


    Fredrinn raised his head and looked at the half-painted building.


    ording to the previous Fredrinn''s memories, there was an ident that happened in the energy stone mine during an operation to create another route in the mining site. The new path that was being built at that time copsed and buried the miners and engineers working on the project. Even the martial practitioners stationed at the site were buried along with them.


    This matter was ruled out as an ident after an investigation was conducted. However, Fredrinn thought that something was suspicious about the entire situation. A problem like that wouldn''t have urred with the presence of the engineers and talented mining personnel. Unless¡­


    Unless someone deliberately caused the problem and made it look like it was an ident.


    Thinking about this matter, Fredrinn frowned and shook his head. He still had a lot of work to deal with at the moment so he had no time to think about the past.


    With a heavy look on his face, he headed inside the building.


    Soon, he arrived at the semi-furnished office that was assigned as the guards unit''s temporary meeting room.


    "My lord!"


    "My lord!"


    "Greetings, my lord!"


    Upon entering the office, he was greeted by Kristine, Gunnar, and Gilbert who had already waited for him for some time.


    Fredrinn waved his hand. "Sit down. I will brief you on the next operation so you guys listen well."


    Hearing this, the faces of the three turned serious.


    "The goal this time is to capture a person called ''The Sender''. We don''t know this person''s appearance since he always wears a mask so you guys have to handle¡­"


    "¡­ ording to the information we gathered, the target will head to the headquarters of the Snake Gang to deliver funds for the organization. He might bring some people with him so you have to watch out for that¡­"


    "¡­ If they surrender, there is no need to kill them. We need more information so we must capture more from their side to be interrogated¡­"


    "If you have any questions, now is the time to ask."


    Gunnar raised his hand and Fredrinn indicated for him to speak. "My lord, will two squads be enough for this mission?"


    The goal of the mission was only to capture one target, but there was no guarantee that it wouldn''t be dangerous. Gunnar was worried that two squads would be insufficient to carry out the task.


    "I understand your worries, but the other three squads will be sent to perform another task and their mission is even more dangerous," Fredrinn replied in a calm voice.


    "A separate task?" The three of them were taken aback.


    Fredrinn nodded. He interlocked his fingers as he said with a serious look. "That''s right. Cain, Deputy Captain Aurelius, and the three squads will be sent out to investigate the Morten Household. They are our prime suspect so we need to gather more information about them."


    "My lord, can we not ask the patriarch to send us more men to support us in these tasks?" The quiet squad leader named Gilbert finally spoke. He was a middle-aged man with a burn wound on the right side of his face.


    [Foundation Establishment 9th Layer]


    Fredrinn sensed his cultivation through the Battle Scouter Function. This person was the strongest among the squad leaders and he also had the most field experience.


    "We can''t. The family''s elite teams and martial practitioners are tightly guarding the estate and the energy stone mine. We don''t know what the ckcrow Household would do especially now that we have their third heir locked up in our underground prison. With the threat they pose, we can''t arbitrarily send out more of our martial practitioners." Fredrinn replied.


    Gilbert frowned upon hearing this.


    Fredrinn knew the risks of sending his guards unit into two separate groups. However, he had his reasons for pushing through the n despite the dangers involved.


    Most members of his guards unit areposed of young and inexperienced martial practitioners. They needed more field experience to temper them into formidable warriors.


    The recent mission with the Snake Gang wasn''t enough of an experience for them since they mostly fought against weaker martial practitioners during that operation.


    The briefing continued for another thirty minutes before Fredrinn dismissed everyone.


    Looking at them leave, Fredrinn furrowed his eyebrows. "I need to find more men as soon as possible¡­"


    His team was severely understaffed, but because of his recent spending, he couldn''t afford to hire more men. To deal with this problem, he had to find a way to earn some money.


    Fredrinn left the building with a thoughtful look. He had some ideas in mind, but it was troublesome to carry them out with the present situation of the household.


    On his way back to the main mansion, he encountered the scar-faced woman named Angel. Her wounds had been bandaged and she wore an ordinary set of clothes. "I heard that you were here¡­" She muttered in a cold voice.


    Fredrinn was quite surprised to see her, but her sudden arrival made hime up with an idea. "It seems like you have already made a decision." He smiled lightly.

 Chapter 52: New Identity

    Angel''s eyes remained cold. "If I agree to work for you, what kind of job do you n to give me?"


    "It depends on your skills and potential. I still don''t know much about you. I don''t even know your full name. Introducing yourself will be a good start." Fredrinn chuckled. This woman was more courageous than he had thought. She even dared to speak to him without honorifics, but he just let it slide.


    "I will do anything you want, but you have to hire those women as well." Angel was worried that her friends would be sent back to the slums after being treated. She didn''t want them to return to that hellish ce again.


    "Let''s talk as we walk," Fredrinn muttered as he started walking without waiting for her response.


    Angel gritted her teeth and trailed behind him.


    "What''s your name?" Fredrinn asked while keeping his eyes forward.


    "Angel¡­but I don''t deserve that name anymore¡­ My father was a squad leader in the kingdom''s Wind de Army. He was a powerful martial practitioner at the Core Formation stage. We once lived in the capital, but¡­"


    Fredrinn could feel a mixture of emotions in her voice.


    ording to her, she came from a rtively well-off family. Her father was a martial practitioner and her mother was a small business owner. They lived in the capital as a happy family, but everything changed when her father died during a mission. Her mother became depressed and was even raped by a noble which eventually forced her tomit suicide.


    At that time, Angel was only a young girl so she didn''t know what to do. She just blindly followed the person who once worked for her mother, but sheter found out that this person was actually working for the noble that raped her mother. Filled with rage after learning the truth, she killed the traitor and escaped from the capital.


    She ended up finding her way in the slums of Red Sun City a few years after that incident. The slums became the perfect hiding ce for her. She managed to survive in the slums by working at a small pub, but then the Snake Gang appeared¡­


    ''So this woman is a criminal¡­'' Fredrinn rubbed his temples. Things would be troublesome if someone discovered her identity.


    "Do you regret taking me in now?" Sheughed coldly when she saw him rubbing his temples.


    Fredrinn chuckled and shook his head. "Not at all¡­"


    The two remained silent after that. The awkward silence continued until they arrived at the main mansion.


    "Have you tested your spirit root?" Fredrinn asked.


    "No." Angel shook her head. "My father didn''t want me to be a martial practitioner."


    "I see. Follow me to my study. We will test your spirit root first."


    Angel looked at him intently, but she didn''t see any strange emotion in his eyes. "Alright." She nodded after some hesitation.


    After a few minutes of walking, they soon entered his study. Fredrinn took out the spirit root testing device and told her to touch the orb. It was a good thing that she received a formal education when she was young which saved him a few minutes of exnations.


    "You have a high-grade spirit root. Not bad." Her potential was at the level of a genius. Unfortunately, she was already in her mid-twenties which was way past the best time to start cultivating.


    "I will give you all the resources you need for your training. I also promise that I will offer jobs to your friends. However, I want your absolute loyalty." Fredrinn''s expression suddenly became serious. He no longer had the friendly smile he had when he spoke with her earlier.


    "Loyalty? As long as you can help me get rid of my enemies, I will give you my life, my body, and my soul!"


    Fredrinn didn''t expect her to say such things, but this was more than enough. "Good. After we deal with the issues in the family, I will help you deal with that noble in the capital."


    "Give me a new name." She suddenly said.


    "Hmm¡­ That''s reasonable. That noble from the capital might be able to trace you if you continue using that name. Let''s see¡­" Freddinn tapped his fingers on the table as he thought of a good name for her.


    Fredrinn thought about the gods in his home world and a name appeared in his mind. "How about Freya?"


    "Freya? Freya¡­ that''s a good name. From now on, I am Freya." She let out a smile.


    "You should get some rest. Your training will start after you have fully recovered."


    "Don''t forget your promise." Freya reminded him with a stern look before she left his study.


    Fredrinn could only shake his head with a smile as he watched her leave. "That rude woman."


    ***


    In the next two days, all members of his guards unit left in two separate groups to begin with their task.


    At this moment, Kristine was sitting inside a carriage together with her squad. Sitting beside her was her deputy, a woman who looked to be in herte twenties. Her name was Anne. She was a veteran martial practitioner at the 7th Layer of the Foundation Establishment stage. She had an ordinary face, but her shapely figure was enough to drive men crazy.


    Anne who was cleaning the de of her axe suddenly asked. "What are your thoughts about this operation?"


    Hearing this, Kristine frowned. "Our task is to capture one target, but I have a feeling that things will be difficult."


    Anne smiled at her response. "You are already a squad leader, but your nature hasn''t changed at all. You are still a worrywart." She put down her axe and said. "Don''t be so tense. You need to be strong for your subordinates."


    ''She is right. I have to be strong to keep our morale high.'' Kristine knew that it was important for a leader to remain calm in any situation. Stressing over small things would only cause her to make wrong decisions.


    Thinking about this, she nodded gratefully at Anne.

 Chapter 53: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire

    "Get off! We are walking from here on out!" Everyone stopped when they heard Captain Gunnar''s voice.


    "Let''s go!" Kristine stared at her subordinates before jumping out of the carriage.


    Anne and the other members of her squad quickly followed her.


    With the recent battle against the Snake Gang, everyone was less worried about this operation.


    Under the lead of Gunnar and the two squad leaders, the group headed to the former headquarters of the Snake Gang and hid in the dark corners to wait for their target.


    At this moment, Kristine was hiding behind the broken wall with her hands resting on the hilt of her sword. Her eyes looked sharp as she patiently waited for the target.


    Soon, over an hour passed by, and the people hidden in the shadows finally heard a series of footstepsing in their direction. Everyone tensed up and held the handle of their weapons, prepared to take action once they got a clearer look at the target.


    "What happened here?!"


    "Go and check the situation!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Through a small gap in the broken wall, Kristine saw a group of people wearing a hooded cloak rushing over to the copsed building. From the way they dressed, she could immediately tell that they wanted to hide their identities.


    She narrowed her eyes and waited for Gunnar''s signal with bated breath.


    After more than half a minute, a loud shout echoed.


    "Capture them!"


    Hearing this, everyone who was hiding in the shadows lunged at the enemies, catching them off guard with the sudden attack.


    "Enemies! Retreat! Retreat! We are outnumbered!" One of the cloaked men shouted.


    Meanwhile, Kristine had already locked her eyes on the nearest enemy. With a quick leap, she shed down her sword.


    "Hm!?"


    To her surprise, the enemy managed to parry her sword and she was even pushed back a couple of steps.


    "A young woman at the Foundation Establishment realm? Who are you?" The person shouted while ring at her.


    Suddenly, Anne and two more warriors attacked the man, forcing him into a passive position. This also gave Kristine some time to prepare for another attack.


    She drew a pattern in the air and executed a powerful technique. The force of her attack caused the ground beneath her feet to crumble.


    The man hurriedly evaded to the side to avoid the fatal blow. However, he was still struck in the shoulder, sending him flying before crashing into the rubble.


    "Tie him up!" Kristine instructed her subordinates before taking a look at the overall situation.


    The cloaked men were being pushed back and most of them had already been subdued. Captain Gunnar also captured a middle-aged man who looked to be the leader of the group.


    Soon, the dust settled and all the cloaked men had been captured.


    "Captain, is he the target?" Kristine asked Gunnar while looking at the middle-aged man whose limbs were tied in chains.


    "It should be him. He is the only Core Formation realm martial practitioner in the group." Gunnar replied.


    Kristine didn''t expect that the middle-aged man had such a high cultivation level. Luckily, Gunnar was more powerful so no idents happened in the operation.


    "Secure their chains and transport them to the carriage!" Gunnar instructed the group.


    "Yes, sir!"


    ***


    [Congrattions! Your subordinates have captured ''The Sender''! Rewards: 2500 Fate Points, and Lithinum Shield!]


    Fredrinn who was in the middle of meditation was awoken by the sound of the system prompt. ''Theypleted their task faster than I expected.'' He smiled after reading the words on the system prompt.


    He immediately checked his fate points and he found out that he already had over 10000. He now had enough fate points to merge the True Sacred me Heavenly Tome and the Ice Revolution Divine Method!


    [Do you want to use 10000 Fate Points to merge?]


    [Yes] [No]


    Fredrinn clicked [Yes].


    - 10000 Fate Points


    [Congrattions! You have sessfully merged the two cultivation methods!]


    [You have learned the Sacred Law of Ice and Fire!]


    [Your fire and ice affinity will increase by 2 stars!]


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 2nd Layer] [Level 32]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ????????


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: E


    Fate Points: 950


    Sacred Law of Ice and Fire [Apex]


    - Mastering this cultivation method will increase the user''s fire affinity and ice affinity. It will also change the user''s constitution and create the Ice-Fire Paragon Body.


    "Ice-Fire Paragon Body?" Fredrinn rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It sounded powerful, but he had no clue what changes it would bring to him.


    He opened his inventory and took out the Lithinum Shield.


    "Holy shit!" He eximed in shock. The shield was almost as tall as him and it was incredibly heavy. He estimated that one had to be at the 10thyer of the Foundation Establishment stage to lift this shield.


    Lithinum Shield [Epic]


    - Gives the user the Endurance attribute (???). Can block the attacks of Nascent Soul martial practitioners.


    (???= 10% physical and magical resistance)


    "Is the system nning to turn me into a meat shield?" He muttered with a bitter look.


    It was too heavy to carry so he put the shield back in his inventory.


    With the Lithinum Shield and the Crown of Eternal Glory, he would be an unstoppable force on the battlefield.


    Fredrinn could already imagine himself leading the charge against their enemies, but he hurriedly quashed the idea. It was too risky.


    He closed the system prompts and headed to his father''s office. He wanted to study the next parts of the Seven Scorching Sword Style. He already mastered the first movement and with his cultivation, he could already learn four of the seven movements.


    Along the way, he encountered some servants and disciples. He greeted them one by one regardless of their status.


    "Good evening, my lord!"


    "Good evening!"


    "Greetings, my lord! Do you have any instructions?"


    "Good evening! I''m good. Don''t mind me."


    Everyone was slowly getting used to his friendliness.


    Soon, he arrived at Rnd''s office.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    He knocked on the door, but no one responded to him. "Is he not here?" He muttered.


    He turned the doorknob, but it was locked.


    "I''ll find him tomorrow." He decided to head to the library to look for an ice-attributed technique. He already had the Seven Scorching Sword Style and he wanted to pair it with a powerful ice technique.


    "My lord!" The guard at the entrance of the library greeted him in surprise. He didn''t expect to see Fredrinn here sote at night.


    [Qi Gathering 6th Layer]


    His Battle Scouter Function automatically informed him about the guard''s cultivation.


    "It''s gettingte. Are there still people inside?" He asked the guard.


    Hearing this, the guard nodded. "Yes, my lord. I think there are six to seven people inside the library. One of them is Sir Dontos."


    Fredrinn was a bit surprised. "Sir Dontos is truly a hardworking man. I admire his dedication towards learning." He muttered in praise.


    The guard didn''t know what to say and could only nod his head in agreement.


    "Take this small gift from me for the information you provided." Fredrinn smiled as he handed a bottle of refined energy stones to the guard.


    "This is¡­" The guard was stunned. There were five refined energy stones inside the bottle which was more than enough to help him reach the nextyer.


    Looking at his shocked face, Fredrinn chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Keep up the great work."


    The guard was so overwhelmed by the gesture that he almost cried. "T-Thank you, my lord!" He bowed in gratitude.


    "You''re wee." Fredrinn waved at him before he entered the library.

 Chapter 54: The Old Librarian’s Cultivation

    ''It will take me a long time to search for a suitable book by myself. I should ask Sir Alfred for advice. He should know where I can find the book that I''m looking for.'' Thinking about this, Fredrinn headed to Alfred''s desk.


    He encountered a young disciple burning the midnight oil, but Fredrinn didn''t disturb him.


    [Body Refining 8th Layer]


    ''What a talented kid! He seems to be eleven or twelve, but he is already in the highyers of the Body Refining stage.''


    Fredrinn turned around and went in another direction. The kid might lose focus if he went past him.


    Soon, Fredrinn found the old librarian dozing off on his recliner. He also saw some bottles of wine on the table next to the old man so Fredrinn guessed that he must have been drinking all night.


    [Void Tempering 1st Layer (Foundation Establishment 10th Layer)]


    ''Huh? What''s this?'' Fredrinn was confused by the data provided by the Battle Scouter Function.


    He had few guesses as to why it disyed such data. It could be that the old librarian was a Void Tempering martial practitioner who was pretending to be at the Foundation Establishment realm. It was also possible that he was gravely wounded so the strength that he could release was only at the Foundation Establishment realm.


    Whatever was right between the two, Fredrinn was astounded by the old man''s cultivation. ''I wonder why he is working as a librarian for the household... I forgot to ask my father about this old man, but will he even tell me if I ask him?''


    As if sensing his presence, the old manzily opened his eyes. He turned his head with an annoyed look on his aged face. "It''s you again?" He muttered.


    Fredrinn smiled awkwardly while scratching his head. "Sorry for disturbing your rest, Sir Alfred."


    The old man snorted. "What do you want?"


    "It''s like this. I''m looking for an ice-attributed technique. I was wondering if you could tell me where to find a decent one."


    Hearing this, the old man revealed a thoughtful look.


    "Why are you even looking for a technique like that? Most of the techniques in this library are fire-attributed and I don''t remember you having an affinity with the ice element." The old man stared at him inquisitively.


    Facing the curious old librarian, Fredrinn didn''t know how to respond so he could only smile awkwardly.


    "So you''re not even telling me¡­" The old man shook his head, seemingly disappointed by hisck of response.


    Fredrinn didn''t want to offend this old ma so he quickly thought of a good answer. "Actually¡­ I found a subordinate who has a high affinity with the ice element..."


    The old librarian looked at him. "Go on."


    "I came here in hopes that I can find a suitable technique for her, but I don''t know where to start looking," Fredrinn added. He was telling the truth here. He nned to share the technique with Alice if he managed to find one.


    "I see." The old man nodded and stroked his beard. "Is it for the youngdy who came with youst time?" He asked.


    "If you''re talking about Olivia, it''s not her. She has an affinity with ice, but her sword talent is superior. I''m talking about someone else." Fredrinn replied truthfully.


    The old man was silent for a moment before he opened his mouth. "There isn''t a lot of ice-attributed techniques in this library and most of them are mediocre." There was a hint of disdain in his voice.


    Fredrinn pretended not to hear his remarks.


    "However, I do have a few ice-attributed techniques with me¡­" The old man suddenly smiled, revealing two sets of pearly white teeth.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn was pleasantly surprised. "Are you telling the truth?"


    "You bet." The old man smirked and took out three books from out of nowhere.


    Fredrinn noticed the ring on the old man''s left forefinger lit up in that brief moment. ''Is it a storage device? This old man is definitely not simple¡­''


    "These books are arcane-rank ice-attributed techniques." The old man crossed his arms with a smug look. He had more powerful techniques in his storage device, but he didn''t want to expose more than he already had.


    Fredrinn inspected the books.


    [Do you want to use 50 Fate Points to learn the Frigid Ice Monument?]


    [Do you want to use 50 Fate Points to learn the Frozen Arrows?]


    [Do you want to use 50 Fate Points to learn the Freezing Point?]


    "Not so fast." The old man took the books from him while shaking his head.


    Fredrin knew that he had something to say.


    The old man stroked his beard and said. "I will give them to you if you promise to bring me a supply of good wines every month."


    "Just that?" Fredrinn was taken aback.


    "What do you mean ''just that''? You uncouth young man! You don''t know anything about wines!" The old man red up when he heard Fredrinn''s nonchnt response.


    "Calm down, Sir Alfred! It''s not like that. I just didn''t expect this kind of demand in exchange for three arcane-rank techniques." Fredrinn quickly pacified the old man.


    The old man snorted. "So what do you say? Do you ept my conditions?"


    "Yes, sir! I promise to send you a batch of good wines every month. I believe you''ve heard rumors about me. I know a lot of ces that sell good wines."


    The old man was satisfied to hear this. "I''ve heard a few things. If it''s you, you should be able to find some rare wines. Now take these books and don''t forget your promise."


    "Thanks a lot, Sir Alfred. I will send you the first batch of wine in two to three days." Fredrinn promised as he took the three books with him.


    "Alright. Off you go. I want to rest." The old man waved his hand and went back to his recliner.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn bowed and left after bidding him farewell.


    ''Who would have thought that a Void Tempering martial practitioner was actually living inside our estate?'' He still couldn''t believe this shocking discovery. If he didn''t have the Battle Scouter Function, he would have remained oblivious to the old librarian''s power.


    Fredrinn was immersed in his thoughts and he happened to pass by the young disciple from earlier.


    The kid also noticed his presence and he was startled when he saw that it was Fredrinn.


    "My lord!" He bowed with a nervous look.


    Fredrinn put the books in his inventory and looked at the young man. "Why are you still studying thiste at night?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    "I-I''m preparing for the iing annual disciples tournament, my lord. I only have half a month left to prepare so here I am."


    "Oh? So it''s for that tournament¡­" Fredrinn knew about this tournament.


    The Firecrown Household has an annual battle event for the young disciples under the age of 15. This was a tradition that has been celebrated by the household since it was first established.


    "What''s your name?" Fredrinn asked.


    "This one''s name is Paul Gabriel Haraldson, my lord." The young man answered without daring to lift his head.


    "I see¡­ Wait. Did you just say Haraldson?" Fredrinn took a closer look at the young man''s face. "Lift your head."


    Paul raised his head, but he didn''t dare meet his gaze.


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin. ''This kid has some resemnce to Gunnar. Don''t tell me this is his son¡­''


    "Do you know Gunnar Haraldson?" He asked.


    "Yes, my lord. He is my uncle. He took me in after my father died during the copse of the energy stone mine more than a year ago." There was a trace of sadness in the young man''s voice.


    Fredrinn sighed when he heard this. He could only pat the kid''s shoulder since he didn''t how to console someone.


    Paul didn''t expect this kind of gesture from him.


    "Visit me at my study tomorrow morning. I have something for you." Fredrinn said before he left.


    Paul was at loss for words so he just watched Fredrinn walk away. It was only when Fredrinn was gone that he realized what happened. "Why did he ask me to visit his study? Did something happen to Uncle Gunnar?" He became anxious when he thought of this.

 Chapter 55: Gift

    Fredrinn headed to the second floor of the library to look for some sword techniques. He already got three arcane-rank ice-attributed techniques for Alice so he decided to get some battle techniques for Olivia. The girl would definitely sulk if he didn''t give her anything.


    He encountered two disciples on the second floor, but there was nothing special about them so he left after exchanging a few lines.


    After looking around for some time, he finally found three arcane-rank sword techniques. He stowed the books inside his inventory.


    ''Should I head to the upper floors?'' Fredrinn thought for a moment. He wanted to see the techniques on the upper floors, but going there would expose his strength. In the end, he abandoned the idea and left the library.


    "Those two will like those books for sure¡­" Fredrinn chuckled.


    ***


    The next morning, Fredrinn handed the techniques he got from the library to Alice and Olivia.


    "Study the techniques well. Learning them will be crucial to your survival. In a battle between martial practitioners, the one with stronger techniques and more fighting experience will have a higher chance of winning." Fredrinn sternly reminded them.


    "Yes, my lord!" The two replied in unison.


    "You may go to the training chamber. If you have any questions about the techniques, you cane to me." Fredrinn didn''t mind spending his fate points to help them better understand those techniques. He believed that it was a necessary investment considering their overwhelming potential.


    Hearing this, the two bowed before they eagerly headed to the secret chamber.


    Looking at their excited faces, he could only shake his head. In just a few days, they had already be addicted to training and cultivation. However, he couldn''t really me them. Even he was fascinated with the process of learning how to draw the unique pattern of the spells. There was no such thing in his home world so the whole thing was magical for him.


    Fredrinn went to his desk and looked at the pile of documents that he had neglected. He had nothing else to do so he went over them one by one.


    Most were just trivial matters that needed his stamp. He prioritized them over the other dossiers. Soon, over half of the stack of papers have been stamped.


    "Hm?" One particr document caught his attention. It was about the miners of the energy stone mine. Apparently, they are asking for a raise and their reasoning was the dangerous nature of their job.


    ''I''ll go see those guyster. If they truly deserve the raise, then I will offer them more than what they are asking for.'' The current monthly wage of the miners was 2000 star coins. This was roughly around 2000 dors in his home world. It didn''t seem a lot, but to themoners in Star Wind Kingdom, this was already a generous amount.


    While he was going through the rest of the documents, he suddenly heard knocking sounds on the door. "Come in." He said while keeping his eyes on the dossiers.


    A momentter, a young teen entered his study.


    "Good morning, my lord!"


    Fredrinn raised his head and smiled when he realized that it was the nephew of Gunnar. "Take your seat." He pointed at the chair in front of his desk.


    Paul Gabriel nodded before taking his seat.


    "Give me a few minutes. I''m almost done here."


    "Please take your time, my lord." Paul Gabriel answered.


    He was worried about his uncle, but knowing his strength, he believed that he would be fine. ''I hope this isn''t about you, Uncle.'' He prayed in his heart.


    Ten minutester, Fredrinn piled the documents neatly before he turned his head to Paul Gabriel. "I''m sorry for making you wait." He smiled apologetically at the boy.


    "It''s fine, my lord!" He anxiously waved his hand.


    Seeing him acting like this, Fredrinn chuckled. He knew that this boy was very afraid of him. "What kind of weapon do you use?" He asked as he interlocked his fingers on top of the table.


    Paul Gabriel didn''t expect this question, but he still responded. "My uncle trained me in using the sword and the bow, but I mainly use the sword."


    Fredrinn nodded. The sword was the mostmonly used weapon in the kingdom so he wasn''t surprised by this. "What sword do you use?"


    "This¡­ I only use the sword provided by the household." Paul replied with an embarrassed smile.


    "You mean you don''t have a proper sword?"


    "Most of the money from my uncle''s wage goes to his training resources. I get some allowance from him, but it''s only enough to buy tonics and some training resources." Paul answered truthfully.


    Fredrinn sighed upon hearing this. He couldn''t me Gunnar since his training resources required a lot of money.


    "Then you can have this." Fredrinn handed him the sword he bought for 5000 star coins. He didn''t have much use for it so he might as well give it to the boy.


    Paul was too shocked to respond.


    "I bought that sword recently, but I no longer have any use for it. You can have it. Take it as a greeting gift for my subordinate''s nephew." Fredrinn grinned when he saw the boy''s dumbfounded expression.


    "This sword looks valuable, my lord! I can''t ept this!" Paul really liked the sword, but he was too embarrassed to ept it.


    "You don''t need to be embarrassed. Just take it. Gunnar is one of my people so it''s only right for me to give a gift to his nephew."


    Paul looked at the sword and pulled it out a bit, revealing the smooth de hidden underneath the scabbard. "What a beautiful sword!"


    "It''s not too bad." Fredrinn agreed. It was a rare-rated sword and he only bought it for 5000 star coins which was quite the bargain.


    "Can I try it?" Paul asked for his permission. He didn''t dare pull out the swordpletely as it might offend Fredrinn.


    "Go ahead, but you have to be careful. You might destroy my books." Fredrinn replied in a teasing voice.


    "Thank you, my lord." Paul stood up and bowed. He then walked in the middle, far from the bookshelves before pulling out the sword.


    Shiing!


    The de made a beautiful sound the moment he took it out of the scabbard.


    ''It''s quite heavy, but I should be used to its weight as long as I practice with it.'' He thought before he swung the sword.


    Whoosh!


    It made a whooshing sound with every swing and it didn''t feel awkward in his hands. The only issue was that he had to hold the sword using both hands since he was still not used to the weight. Other than that, he was very satisfied with its performance


    "How is it?" Fredrinn suddenly asked.


    Paul put the sword back in the scabbard before he responded. "It''s quite heavy so I might need some time to get used to its weight."


    "You only have two weeks left to prepare. Will that be enough time for you to properly wield the sword?"


    "It shouldn''t be an issue, my lord. I just need to increase my training time." The boy beamed.


    Hearing this, Fredrinnughed lightly. This kid was very diligent with his training. Hecked the resources and he didn''t have Kristine''s talent, but he still managed to reach the 8thyer of the Body Refining stage. He was the very definition of the phrase, ''hardwork beats talent''.


    "Are you confident to win thepetition?" For someone below the age of 15, his cultivation was already high.


    If he hadn''t transmigrated to Fredrinn''s body, that guy would have been stuck at the 10th Layer of the Body Refining stage for quite some time. The previous Fredrinn was garbagepared to this young boy.


    "I''m not too sure, my lord. There are many talented disciples in this batch and there are probably five or more people who have a higher cultivation than me. The most talented among them is Miss iza. She is the granddaughter of Sir Glen who is the current finance director of the household. From what I heard, she is already a 1st Layer Qi Gathering martial practitioner."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn recalled the kind-looking fat old man he met during the meeting of the elders. He didn''t expect that he was hiding a talented granddaughter.


    If this iza was truly a 1styer Qi Gathering martial practitioner, no one in her batch could hope to defeat her.


    "Then I hope that you enter the top 10."


    "I will try my best, my lord!" Paul clenched his hand with a determined look on his face.


    The two chatted for a while before Fredrinn asked him to leave.


    He looked at the documents on top of his desk and thought. ''I think I need a secretary. Olivia and Alice are busy with their training and I don''t have much time to deal with them by myself.''


    He grabbed a certain document and walked out of his study.


    The energy stone mine was quite a distance away from the estate so he went there via carriage.


    The path towards the energy stone mine was bumpy so he didn''t enjoy the journey. If it weren''t for his curiosity, he would have already asked the carriage driver to turn back and return to the estate.


    It was already noon when he arrived at the mine. "We''re here, my lord."


    Fredrinn got down from the carriage and looked at the drearynd in front of him. To the side was a dpidated building on the verge of copse.


    "What a dull ce." He muttered.

 Chapter 56: Heading to the Mining Site

    Fredrinn saw some people dressed like beggars chatting outside the dpidated building.


    ''Are these guys pretending not to see me?'' He smiled wryly. These guys must have been bullied a lot by the previous Fredrinn for them to act like this.


    Fredrinn walked toward them and intentionally coughed to get their attention.


    This time, they finally turned their heads over and stood up to greet him. "Greetings, my lord!"


    Fredrinn nodded and waved his hand. "Where is the head miner?" He asked.


    One of them responded. "The head miner is still at the site, my lord. Do you want me to call him over?"


    Fredrinn shook his head. "It''s fine. I''ll go there myself." With his enhanced perception, he already knew where the mining site was.


    He didn''t wait for them to respond and walked away without looking back.


    "Is that really Fredrinn Firecrown? He used to call us smelly dogs every time he came here. Did he have a change of heart today?"


    "Yeah. He even told us once that he doesn''t like the dusty and dirty mining site, but he said that he is going there himself."


    "That guy even beat us if he saw us resting here. I''m surprised nothing happened to us."


    Fredrinn sighed when he heard their conversation. ''No wonder those guys pretended not to see me earlier. They were treated less like humans by Fredrinn. That guy is truly a viin¡­''


    Soon, he arrived at the mining site. He saw people pulling carts filled to the brim with raw energy stones. There were also martial practitioners sternly observing the entire area.


    One of the martial practitioners spotted Fredrinn in the crowd and was stunned. He immediately jogged over to him and bowed respectfully. "My lord! What brings you here?"


    "And you are?"


    "My lord, you can call me Jude. I''m the Deputy Captain of the guards stationed here." The man introduced himself.


    [Foundation Establishment 10 Layer]


    ''This man looked like someone in histe forties so he is probably over sixty years old. His cultivation isn''t too bad, but that is most like the extent of his talent. His chances of advancing to the Core Formation realm is almost zero.'' Fredrinn guessed.


    "Jude, can you bring me to see the head miner? I have something to discuss with him."


    "Of course, my lord!"


    Jude was a very talkative guy. He told Fredrinn about some matters that the miners would never dare to tell him.


    ording to him, the miners'' equipment and protective suits were already outdated and needed recement. He also mentioned that martial practitioners guarding the mining site were severely understaffed. These matters were of grave importance so Fredrinn promised him that he would ask for funding from the finance director.


    "Thank you, my lord!" Jude didn''t have high hopes that Fredrinn would address the issues so he was a bit emotional when Fredrinn promised to help them ask for funding.


    "There''s no need to thank me. The mining site is an important business of the household. It is only right for the workers to receive proper funding." Fredrinn smiled.


    Jude was in a better mood after getting his promise. He didn''t say anything more after that interaction and brought Fredrinn to the head miner.


    A momentter, Jude pointed at a middle-aged man with tanned skin. "That''s the head miner, my lord."


    "Alright. Thank you for bringing me here. You can go back to your post." Fredrinn handed him a bottle of energy stones.


    "My lord, this is¡­" For his job here at the mining site, other than his sry, he also receives 100 energy stones every month.


    He roughly counted the number of refined energy stones inside the bottle and he guessed that there should be over a hundred.


    "Just a little something for leading the way¡­" Fredrinn chuckled before he walked away.


    Jude looked at his back and bowed.


    "Excuse me. Are you Sir John, the head miner?"


    The middle-aged man who was massaging his own shoulders turned around when he heard this. When he realized that it was Fredrinn, he almost jumped in fright. "My lord, why did youe here by yourself?"


    "Let''s talk somewhere more quiet, sir. It''s too noisy here."


    "Yes, my lord. I know a spot. Please follow me." John brought him to a secluded spot beside the mining site.


    "I know that you are busy so I will tell you what I came here for." Fredrinn took out a document when he said those words.


    John gulped when he saw the document. He knew it since he was the one who requested the raise.


    "I saw the situation of our miners and it''s not very ideal so I will look for the finance director and ask for more funding for you guys. Also, I have already stamped your request so it only needs the patriarch''s approval. I will personally bring this to the patriarch so he will prioritize your request. However¡­" He paused and pointed at a certain part of the dossier.


    "Are you sure 500 star coins will be enough?"


    "That''s already enough, my lord. To tell you the truth, we only asked for a raise since we had to use a portion of our sry to procure new mining equipment." John sighed while saying this.


    "I''m sorry to hear. Don''t worry, I will ask the finance department to refund the money you used to buy the mining equipment. I will also send construction workers here to build a new residential building for the miners and the martial practitioners." Fredrinn was determined to help these people.


    As a sryman in his homeworld, he knew how difficult it was for the average people to improve their lives because of their meager wages.


    Hearing this, the head miner was surprised. "My lord, words alone can''t describe how grateful I am¡­" He muttered emotionally.


    Fredrinn patted the man''s shoulder. "It''s my job as the heir of the Firecrown Household to take care of our family. You don''t need to thank me." He smiled.


    The two discussed the needs of the miners and the martial practitioners on the site.


    One of the things they discussed was theck of cooks. The miners were not martial practitioners so they still had to eat food to survive. The cooking was done by the miners'' wives, but they didn''t receive wages for this. This would be fine for some time, but once dissatisfaction built up, these miners would soon quit. This issue had to be addressed immediately to prevent mass resignation.


    Another matter that they discussed was theck of entertainment facilities. The mining site was quite far from the city center and only a few of the martial practitioners had horses so the miners could only chat idly to pass the time. To this matter, Fredrinn already thought about a good solution. In his homeworld, there was a game called billiards. It would be a good pastime for the miners.


    Of course, he would also build a special one for the martial practitioners since they were too strong to use the normal ones.


    After discussing these issues, Fredrinn didn''t stay for long. He returned to the estate and headed directly to his father''s office.

 Chapter 57: Borrowing the Seven Scorching Sword Style

    "Tell me why you''re here." Rnd stared at his son with an inquisitive look.


    Fredrinn nodded. "I visited the mining site this morning after I got this request." As soon as he said that, he handed the dossier to Rnd.


    Rnd had a powerful perception so he only nced at the dossier for a short while before putting it down. "So they are asking for a raise¡­ What do you think?" He wanted to know Fredrinn''s opinion on this matter. In truth, he was already aware of the situation at the mining site. The reason why it was in such a neglected state was because of the constant threats from the ckcrow Household.


    Rnd didn''t want to invest a lot in the mining site since they would suffer a huge loss once the ckcrow Household attacked the site. Furthermore, most of the household''s funds were spent on training their martial practitioners.


    "Father, I know that you are worried about the ckcrow Household. However, we don''t have to worry about them for the time being." Fredrinn smiled as he interlocked his fingers on top of the table.


    Hearing this, Rnd raised an eyebrow. "Is this because of the ransom we asked?"


    Fredrinn nodded. "Precisely. With fifty of their war horses gone, they have to nurture new ones to substitute for the ones they lost."


    Rnd crossed his arms and pondered for a moment before he spoke. "We can''t be so sure that they don''t have any spare war horses. This isn''t enough to buy us some time." He shook his head.


    "What if they are involved in a major scandal that would shake the foundation of their household?" Fredrinn smirked coldly.


    Rnd narrowed his eyes. "Did you discover their involvement with that Snake Gang?" If the ckcrow Household was truly involved in such heinous activities, they would have to face the wrath of the city lord!


    Fredrinn shook his head. "It''s only a spection on my part. I already sent my subordinates to two different locations. One group went to the slums to capture the link between the Morten and the Snake Gang. I sent the other group to investigate the recent activities of the Morten Household. The people I sent to the slums should be here by now.


    We will know more once we interrogate the man they captured."


    Rnd was a bit disappointed, but he was surprised by his son''s meticulous methods. "If it is proven that the ckcrow Household and the Morten Household are working together to support the Snake Gang, I don''t mind investing more funds on the mining site. In fact, I''ll give you full control of it."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn was taken aback. The household receives an enormous supply of raw energy stones annually from the mining site. It was also because of this that the Firecrown Household managed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the city lord''s mansion and the ckcrow Household. He didn''t expect that his father was willing to let him take full control of the energy stone mine.


    Seeing his dumbfounded look, Rnd chuckled. "Don''t celebrate just yet. We still don''t know if they are truly involved in this."


    Fredrinnughed awkwardly.


    "Take this and use it during the interrogation." Rnd tossed him a device that looked like a rubix cube.


    Fredrinn grabbed the device and squinted his eyes. From his experience as a former yer, he could tell at a nce that this was a recording cube. It worked like a recording camera and it could store up to an hour of video recording. "Thanks, Father. I''ll make good use of it." He grinned.


    "Alright. You may go. Come back to me once you get solid evidence."


    "Wait. I still have one more matter to discuss with you." Fredrinn remained seated.


    Rnd furrowed his eyebrows. "What is it?"


    "I''d like to borrow the Seven Scorching Sword Style."


    "Oh? You came at the right time. I got someone trustworthy to make a copy of the book and I just got thepleted version this morning." Rnd took out a newly minted book and handed it to him.


    Fredrinn opened the book and flipped through the pages to check the content. There was nothing wrong with it and everything seemed to be in ce. "Can you tell me who wrote this copy?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    "If he wants you to know, he wille to you of his own ord." Rnd smiled. He believed that it was still too early to tell Fredrinn about that person.


    "You''re not talking about Sir Alfred, right?" The old librarian was the first person that came into his mind. He had an unfathomable strength and a mysterious past that no one in the household knew. Only an experienced person could write a perfect copy of a transcendent-rank, fire-attributed sword technique.


    Rnd''s smile froze when he heard this. "Did Sir Alfred already acknowledge you?" He thought that this was impossible in the past.


    Fredrinn shrugged. "I don''t know, but he gave me three ice-attributed techniques in exchange for a batch of wines."


    Rnd stared at him with an incredulous gaze. "He even told you about his love for wine¡­ You''re very lucky." He smiled wryly. It took him a long time to be acknowledged by the entric old man. Even his father, the former patriarch had to please the entric old man for over three decades.


    "Since you are already noticed by Sir Alfred, it shouldn''t be long until he tells you about his story."


    Fredrinn nodded with a serious look.


    After seeing the old librarian''s weird cultivation reading, Fredrinn knew that he was someone with an enigmatic past.


    Fredrinn left the patriarch''s office soon after that. He headed straight to his study to read the next movements of the Seven Scorching Sword Style.


    He had already mastered the first movement, Burning Sword, so he skipped that part. The second sword movement was called, Esoteric me Maniption. Unlike the first movement wherein he could only strengthen his weapon with mes, the second movement allows him to directly control the fire element.


    It was different than the other fire spells wherein he had to repeatedly draw the unique spell pattern to release the technique. Once he mastered the Esoteric me Maniption, he only had to draw the spell pattern once and he could freely manipte fire until he exhausted his Qi.


    With Fredrinn''s current fire affinity, he was confident that he could master the second movement in just one day.


    Soon, he immersed himself in learning the second movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style.

 Chapter 58: More Excited than His Mother

    Fredrinn''s training was interrupted when a guard came to give a report.


    "My lord, we received news from our scouts that your guards unit are on their way back to the estate. They should be here in an hour."


    "Alright. Thanks for letting me know." Fredrinn handed the guard a few refined energy stones before asking him to leave.


    After the guard left, Fredrinn went out of his study shortly.


    ''I have already memorized the spell drawing form of the second movement, but I still need more practice in drawing the pattern to perfectly master the skill.'' Fredrinn was still thinking about the Seven Scorching Sword Style. He even drew the unique pattern of the second movement repeatedly without the use of Qi to familiarize himself with it.


    Soon, he was already outside the main mansion. It was still summer so the temperature outside was scalding hot. However, it had no effect on Fredrinn who was already a Core Formation martial practitioner.


    "My son, did youe out to greet your mother?"


    A pleasantly surprised voice suddenly drifted into his ears.


    He turned his head and saw his mothering out of a carriage. "Mother." He jogged over to her side.


    [Core Formation 10th Layer]


    Fredrinn was stunned when he saw the information sent by the Battle Scouter Function. All this time, he believed that his mother was just a delicate flower. He never thought that she was actually a powerful martial practitioner herself!


    "How did you know I wasing?" Margaret asked with a smile.


    Fredrinn scratched the back of his head and chuckled awkwardly.


    "It''s hot out here. Let''s get inside first."


    "Alright."


    Following closely behind them were Sir Tyrell and a woman in her mid-twenties who was holding an umbre for them.


    [Core Formation 6th Layer]


    [Qi Gathering 10th Layer]


    Sir Tyrell''s strength didn''t surprise him, but he was a bit surprised by the woman''s cultivation. Well, the most shocking thing he discovered today was still his mother''s cultivation.


    "Mother, you should leave the business to our people. You shouldn''t overwork yourself."


    As the wife of the current patriarch, it was Margaret''s main task to handle the family''s businesses.


    Margaret smiled at him and nodded. "I was thinking of doing that. Besides, I have more reason to take care of myself now." She rubbed her belly while saying this.


    Fredrinn raised his eyebrows in surprise while pointing at her belly. "You mean you are¡­"


    Margaret nodded as she chuckled. "Mn. I''m pregnant. I came here to tell your father the good news."


    Hearing her confirming it, Fredrinn was pleasantly surprised. "Congrattions, mother. I bet father will be ecstatic when he hears this." He smiled.


    Fredrinn temporarily put all issues at the back of his mind and chatted with his mother on the way to his father''s office.


    Upon their arrival, Fredrinn knocked on the door as he whispered to his mother. "I already visited him this morning so I won''t be following you inside. It''s also best if you two chat privately."


    Margaret nodded and patted his arm.


    After she entered the office, Fredrinn turned his gaze to Sir Tyrell and said. "Sir Tyrell, don''t let anyone disturb them."


    "Yes, my lord." Tyrell nodded seriously.


    Fredrinn nodded at the woman beside him before he left.


    ''Is that umbre girl my mother''s new assistant? Nevermind. I''ll ask my mother next time¡­'' Fredrinn didn''t know her name so he conveniently gave her the nickname ''umbre girl''.


    Fredrinn was happy to hear that her mother was expecting a child. Just the thought of doting on his younger sibling made him so excited.


    He hummed a modern song from his homeworld as he headed out of the main mansion.


    As soon as he stepped out of the mansion, he saw the carriages of Gunnar''s group heading to the back of the mansion.


    Seeing this, he went back inside and headed to the back door to take a shortcut. Once he was outside, his figure blurred and disappeared like smoke.


    Heter appeared near one of the tents where the victims of the Snake Gang were temporarily staying.


    Not longter, the carriages finally stopped and the people inside jumped out one by one.


    Gunnar being the first one to step out of the carriage quickly noticed Fredrinn in the corner of his eye. He immediately jogged over to his side and bowed his head. "My lord, we havepleted our task."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn grinned. "Great job. Where is the guy?"


    "We tied him up inside the carriage to prevent him from escaping. Other than the target, we also captured some of his men." Gunnar responded.


    "You have done well." Fredrinn patted his shoulder. "Lock them up for the time being. You guys should take some rest first. We can interrogate them tonight."


    Gunnar nodded. "Yes, my lord!"


    "Oh, by the way¡­ Tell Kristine toe see me. I need her opinion on something important."


    Gunnar nodded before he turned around and walked away.


    "What gift should I prepare for my little sibling? Hmm¡­" Fredrinn pondered deeply while rubbing his chin. He looked even more excited than his mother.


    A momentter, Kristine came to his side and greeted him. "My lord."


    "You don''t have to be formal when it''s only the two of us, Kristine. I don''t want us to be so distant." Fredrinn smiled at her.


    Hearing this, Kristine nodded.


    "Actually, I just want your opinion on something in particr¡­ how do I say this? Hmm¡­ What do you think will be a nice gift for a baby?"


    Kristine raised an eyebrow. "Is it for your child?"


    Fredrinn looked at her incredulously. He vehemently shook his head. "No way! I don''t even have a wife yet. It''s for¡­ I can''t tell you just yet. Anyway, I''m not sure if it is a boy or a girl so the gift should be something good for both genders."


    Kristine rubbed his chin and furrowed her eyebrows. "How about a bracelet?" She spoke after a few seconds of thinking.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn''s eyes lit up. "That''s a good idea! I''ll prepare a special bracelet for the baby."

 Chapter 59: Looking for a Bracelet for my Little Sibling

    While Fredrinn was asking for Kristine''s opinion about this matter, Gunnarmanded his subordinates to bring the captives to the cages prepared for them.


    Fredrinn happened to see them pass by, but he only gave them a cursory nce before he headed back to the estate.


    Kristine had never seen him so happy before so she became curious about the situation. However, Fredrinn didn''t mention anything about it.


    Her only clue was that someone was expecting a child and they should be someone close to him based on his reaction.


    ''There''s no use thinking about this matter. I''ll know about it when the timees¡­'' She thought as she retracted her gaze. She then followed the rest of her squad members to help them deal with the captives.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn had already returned to his study. He headed straight to the secret chamber and told the twodies to return to their rooms and change into something more casual.


    After informing them, he went to his room to change. He didn''t wear something shy this time. He only wore a set of casual clothes and tied his hair into a ponytail.


    ''I wish it would be a girl, but having a little brother is good too. Hehe.'' Fredrinnughed at his own thoughts.


    Back in his homeworld, he was also an only child and it was one of his wishes to have a little sibling. He never expected his old wish to be granted in this manner.


    Almost an hourter, Fredrinn stepped out of his room. Alice and Olivia were already outside his door, waiting for him.


    "My lord." They greeted as soon as he got out.


    Fredrinn nodded. "Let''s go. We''ll be heading to the nearest market to buy some bracelets for babies." His words stunned bothdies.


    "I know what you''re curious about, but I can''t say anything for now. And it''s not my child or something like that¡­" He made it clear to them to prevent misunderstandings.


    Hearing this, Alice and Olivia nodded.


    Soon, they boarded one of the family carriages. "My lord, where are we headed to?" Asked the carriage driver.


    "Bring us to the nearest market," Fredrinn responded.


    "Alright." The carriage driver urged the horses to go.


    Inside the carriage, Olivia stared at Fredrinn and asked with a worried gaze. "Will we be fine on our own, my lord? Shouldn''t we bring at least a few guards with us?"


    Alice was also concerned about this.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "Bringing more guards would only arouse more suspicions. Besides, I don''t want to cause unnecessarymotion in the market. Furthermore, themoners are very sensitive towards martial practitioners."


    The girls couldn''t only agree with him helplessly, but as convincing as his reasoning was, they were still worried about his safety.


    ''When we were surrounded by those ck-cloaked men during ourst trip in the Silversword Treasure House, Lord Fredrinn managed to subdue many Qi Gathering martial practitioners. We should be fine as long as we don''t encounter those extremely powerful cultivators.'' Olivia thought to herself.


    Fredrinn noticed their tensed faces so he tried to change the mood by asking them about their training.


    The two started talking nonstop and they looked visibly excited when they told him about the results of their training.


    Two hourster¡­


    "My lord, mydies, we are almost there. I''m just looking for a ce to park the carriage." The carriage driver said.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn opened the carriage window and saw the busy marketce.


    A portion of the road was broken so the driver had to maneuver the carriage slowly to prevent idents.


    Soon, they finally stopped. Coincidentally, there was a jewelry store across the street so Fredrinn brought the twodies inside to take a look.


    As soon as they entered, a youngdy came to greet them. "Wee to our jewelry shop, guests!"


    Fredrinn waved at the youngdy and asked. "Do you have any bracelets for newborns here?"


    The youngdy didn''t look surprised by his inquiry. She nodded her head and replied with a smile. "Yes, my lord. We do have bracelets for newborns in our shop. Would you like to take a look at them?"


    "Mn." Fredrinn nodded.


    "Alright. Please follow me." The young saleswoman brought them to the children''s section of the shop where all the children''s jewelry was disyed.


    Along the way, they encountered some people who were aware of Fredrinn''s identity. Most of them fled the shop when they saw his face, while some brave ones stayed to wait for a good show.


    "Hey, look! Isn''t that Lord Fredrinn?"


    "Hold on¡­ Holy shit! It''s really him! Why is he here?"


    "Don''t tell me he wants to show off in front of the new saleswoman?"


    "What an unlucky girl to be targeted by the most infamous lord of Red Sun City."


    Alice and Olivia now had sensitive hearing after their recent breakthroughs so the murmuring of the crowd reached their ears. They couldn''t help but look at Fredrinn to see his reaction.


    His face looked calm and he didn''t seem bothered by the crowd''s reaction.


    "Please don''t take their words to heart, my lord. They don''t know everything about you." Alice said.


    Fredrinn smiled and shook his head. "I know."


    At this moment, the young saleswoman already knew about this identity. Her face looked incredibly pale and it looked like she was about to cry. ''Why does it have to be me? Why?!'' She screamed in her heart.


    She wanted to run away, but knowing Fredrinn''s abilities, she knew that she had nowhere to run. She was only an ordinary woman. Escaping from a martial practitioner was impossible.


    "W-We are here now, my l-lord. T-These are our collection of bracelets for newborn children." She tried to remain calm, but she couldn''t hide the anxious look on her face.


    Seeing her like this, Fredrinn sighed and shook his head. "Let''s find another shop." He muttered before he turned around and left.


    Alice and Olivia immediately followed him.


    The saleswoman watched them leave with a hint of relief.

 Chapter 60: A Special Jade Bracelet

    "My lord¡­" Olivia tugged on his clothes.


    Fredrinn gave her a sad smile. "I will be fine, Olivia. I know what kind of terrible person I was back then so it''spletely normal for those people to feel afraid of me¡­"


    "My lord, they will soon realize that you are not that same man anymore. Just continue what you were doing and everyone will gradually learn to appreciate your changes." Alice also tried to console him.


    Fredrinn nodded. He then moved his gaze forward and said. "Let''s find another shop."


    The trio spent more than an hour walking around the streets to look for a suitable shop and just as they were about to give up, they spotted a small jade store in the corner of a quiet street.


    Fredrinn brought the girls inside the store.


    The ce looked old, but it was still well-maintained. Only one person was looking after the store. It was an old man sitting behind the counter.


    [Core Formation 7th Layer (Foundation Establishment 1st Layer)]


    Fredrinn eyes shed for a moment when he saw this information. He only saw something like this when he looked at Sir Alfred''s cultivation. From the looks of it, they had simr situations.


    "To what do I owe this pleasure, Lord Fredrinn?" The old man smiled at him. He didn''t even look afraid even though he knew Fredrinn''s identity.


    "You don''t seem to be afraid of me, old man." Fredrinn smiled as he walked towards the counter.


    "I''m way past the age of having to worry about myself. Besides, I no longer have a reason to stay in this world for long." There was a trace of mncholy in his voice.


    Fredrinn saw a portrait on the counter. It was a portrait of a young couple smiling as they embraced each other.


    "What are you guys looking for?" The old man asked.


    Fredrinn retracted his gaze from the portrait and answered. "A bracelet for newborns."


    The old man nodded upon hearing that. "I see. Do you want an ordinary bracelet or something with magical properties?"


    "It''s for someone special so it should be able to nourish their bodies and protect them from harm," Fredrinn responded after some thought.


    "I don''t have that kind of bracelet. You should know that putting magical properties on these items requires an array maker. You should have visited the jewelry store. They should have what you are looking for." The old man shook his head.


    Fredrinn was a bit disappointed to hear that. "Is that so? It seems like we have wasted your time." He forced out a smile.


    Just as they were about to leave, the old owner suddenly called them back. "Wait. I remember that I have one bracelet that fits your description."


    Fredrinn''s ears perked up. "Really?"


    The old man nodded. "Wait here. I''ll go get it."


    A few minutester, he returned with an old wooden box. "Take a look and see if you like it."


    Fredrinn nodded at the old man. He then opened the small wooden box, revealing a beautiful piece of blue jade bracelet. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that three special arrays were inscribed on the bracelet. Unfortunately, Fredrinn wasn''t an array maker so he didn''t know what those arrays were.


    "So you noticed the three array inscriptions¡­" The old man seemed to have sensed his curious gaze. "That bracelet is inscribed with a protection array. When an attack is aimed at the wearer, it automatically creates a Qi Shield to protect the wearer from harm. It also has a body nourishing array and a spirit cleansing array. I believe you should know their effects."


    Fredrinn didn''t expect this little, blue jade bracelet to have such functions. "Are you really selling this to me? This looks custom-made for someone."


    "It was made by my wife for our first child. She was a talented array maker and was pretty famous in the city back then. Unfortunately¡­" The old man''s lips quivered as tears slid down his face.


    "This bracelet is myst memory of her and our unborn child¡­ I''ve been holding on to it for a long time, but it seems like it''s time for me to give it up¡­"


    Alice and Olivia who were standing behind him were already crying after hearing the old man''s story.


    "It''s beautiful," Fredrinn remarked when he saw the ocean-like body of the jade bracelet.


    "It is." The old man wiped his tears and nodded with a smile. "If you like it, you can take it with you."


    "You''re giving it to me for free?" Fredrinn was taken aback.


    "I don''t want money to exchange for it. I only want to give it to someone who deserves it." The old man seemed a lot more rxed this time. His hunch back became straight and his gaze turned a notch sharper.


    [Core Formation 7th Layer (Foundation Establishment 5th Layer)]


    Fredrinn couldn''t believe his eyes. When they first came here, this old man only had the strength of a 1st Layer Foundation Establishment martial practitioner!


    ''He must have felt incredibly guilty whenever he looked at this bracelet.'' He sighed upon thinking about this. He realized at that moment that one''s mental health was also significantly important in maintaining their cultivation.


    "Then I will ept your gift, old man."


    "Good!"


    The two chatted for some time before the old man asked them to leave.


    Fredrinn didn''t want to go without giving him something in return, but the old man adamantly refused.


    Before they left, Fredrinn turned around and asked. "What would you have named your child?"


    The old man let out a smile and said. "Gwenaelle."


    Fredrinn repeated the name in his mind. "That''s a beautiful name. I like it." He muttered before he stepped out of the jade store.


    After they left, the old man grabbed the faded portrait on the counter. "I feel much more relieved now, my wife. I have entrusted the bracelet you made to the perfect person. His character might be unique, but he is different from the rumors¡­"


    Meanwhile, outside the jade store.


    "I have a task for you two." Fredrinn''s words made the eyes of the twodies light up.


    "What is it, my lord?"


    "I want you guys to buy the best wines in each store here. The more the better." Fredrinn hadn''t forgotten Sir Alfred''s task. If he failed to deliver on his promise, the old librarian might kick him in the ass the next time he visits the library.


    "Huh?"


    "Here''s the money. I''ll wait for you at the carriage. Good luck!" Fredrinn handed them a sack of star coins and patted their shoulders before he walked away.

 Chapter 61: Cain’s Dangerous Task

    Later that night, the carriage finally headed back to the estate.


    "Ugh! I feel so exhausted!" Olivia exaggeratedly leaned against her seat as she wiped the non-existent sweat off her face.


    Alice chuckled when she saw her acting like this.


    Fredrinn merely smiled at her little antics.


    "My lord, why did you ask us to buy that much wine? Are they all for yourself?" Olivia muttered with a pout.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn shook his head. "Nah. Those wines are for the old librarian. He asked for them in exchange for the battle techniques I got from him."


    "You mean the techniques we are learning right now?" Olivia didn''t expect that it was for the old sir.


    "That''s right¡­"


    "Eh?"


    The return trip took much longer because of the dark road, but the group managed to return without any idents.


    "You guys can head back to your rooms to rest. Tomorrow, you will resume your training."


    "Yes, my lord." The twodies bowed and walked away.


    Fredrinn didn''t follow them inside. He headed to where the captives were locked up to check on their situation.


    "Greetings, my lord!" Gunnar was standing guard outside the tent with Aurelius. They justpleted a mission, but two didn''t look fatigued at all.


    "You two can go rest. Just ask someone from the elite team to guard this ce." Fredrinn reminded them.


    "Yes, my lord." The two bowed deeply before they left.


    After they left, Fredrinn entered the tent.


    Inside were six people tied in a special type of chain that prevented them from using their Qi.


    One of them raised their head and looked at Fredrinn with a cold gaze. "Fredrinn Firecrown¡­" The man muttered with a hint of contempt in his voice.


    "You know me?" Fredrinn smiled at the man.


    [Foundation Establishment 10th Layer]


    This man had the highest cultivation among the six captives so Fredrinn assumed that he was ''The Sender''.


    "How could I not recognize the trash of the Firecrown Household?" The man sneered.


    "That''s true." Fredrinn chuckled. "You must be the guy they call ''The Sender''." He muttered as he grabbed a wooden chair for himself.


    The man''s eyes shed for a moment upon hearing his words. He tried to hide his reaction, but Fredrinn quickly noticed this.


    "There is no need to deny it. We already know a few things about the Morten Household''s involvement with the Snake Gang." Fredrinn casually said, but his words made the man''s face suddenly turn serious.


    "If you know about my identity, then you should know that our Morten Household is under the protection of the ckcrow Household. Detaining us like this won''t do you any good."


    "Oh? Are you suggesting that the ckcrow Household is involved with the Snake Gang as well?" Fredrinn''s eyes shed with teasing light.


    "Nonsense!" The man became agitated by his provocative remarks.


    Fredrinnughed when he saw this. "Don''t worry. Someone special will soone to talk to you regarding this. I suggest you cooperate with him. You see he is not the type of man who shows someone mercy."


    For some reason, the man felt a sense of foreboding when Fredrinn uttered those words.


    "Remember my words." Fredrinn stood up and left after saying this.


    ***


    Hidden within the shadowy corners of the Morten Household''s main mansion was a man dressed in all ck. This person was Cain who had juste out of the meeting room where he had stolen some important documents.


    Cain''s task was the most difficult and dangerous since he had to gather direct evidence from the Morten Household''s estate. The others from his group were only tasked to gather information outside the estate so they were rtively safe.


    Cain was already on his way out after securing the evidence of the Morten Household''s involvement with the Snake Gang.


    Cain had his back nted against the wall, while his hand was resting on the hilt of his sword.


    At this moment, two old men could be seen walking side by side along the corridor.


    "It''s already dark, but Brielle''s group hasn''t returned yet. Did something really happen to them?" One of the old men muttered.


    "We can''t say for sure just yet. Perhaps they might be dyed over something trivial. We''ll get more information from our scouts tomorrow." The other old man responded.


    "I hope that everything is fine. Once this matter is exposed to the public, our Household would have to bear the responsibility."


    "You worry too much. We still have the ckcrow Household to back us up if something goes awry."


    Suddenly, one of the old men seemed to have sensed something. "Who goes there?!"


    The other old man frowned and looked around the surroundings, his gaze soon stopped at the dark corner to their right. "Intruder!"


    Cain who was hiding in the shadows calmly pulled a few concealed weapons and threw them at the two old men.


    The old man who first sensed his presence grabbed a horsetail whisk and used it to block the small knives directed at them.


    ng! ng! ng!


    The force behind the attack made the old man take a step back. "Core Formation?!"


    "What?! Guards! Where are the guards?!"


    The old man with the horsetail whisk rushed towards the dark corner, but no one was there anymore. He looked around and he soon saw a shadow fleeing across the roof. "There! He is escaping!" He then jumped off and gave chase.


    Soon, the entire household was alerted and the sound of rms echoed in all directions.


    A momentter, Dale Morten, the patriarch of the Morten Household rushed out of his chambers after he heard themotion. "What''s going on here?!"


    A guard immediately came to his side and told him the news.


    "What?! Just which bastard dared to sneak inside our territory?! Where is he?!" Dale was fuming with rage.


    Dale''s figure shed before it disappeared as he joined the hunt.


    From the distance, he saw a few people gathered atop the roof of a building. Seeing this, he frowned and jumped up to see the situation.


    To his shock, he saw a headless body holding a horsetail whisk. He recognized the body immediately after seeing it.


    One of the people in the crowd saw him and reported with a remorseful look.


    "Patriarch¡­he killed Elder Jigs!"


    Dale Morten''s eyes became bloodshot. "Find him!" He muttered coldly.

 Chapter 62: Worried

    Another day passed and the people that Fredrinn sent to the Bargan District had already returned, except for one person.


    Fredrinn paced around his study with a big frown on his face. "Did something happen to Cain?" He muttered.


    He asked the two squad leaders who came with Cain to Bargan District, but the two of them only told him that Cain went off to the Morten Household''s estate to gather more information.


    "Worrying for him won''t help me. I might as well sort out the information they got from Bargan District." Fredrinn muttered as he went back to his desk.


    He tried to immerse himself in the task, but he couldn''t maintain his focus because was too worried about Cain''s safety.


    An hourter, he heard a series of knocking on his door. He raised an eyebrow as he went to the door.


    Waiting for him outside was Gunnar whose face was covered in sweat. "My lord, Sir Cain is back!"


    "What?! Where is he?" Fredrinn stepped out of his study and looked behind Gunnar to search for that familiar figure. However, Cain wasn''t there.


    Gunnar''s face looked grim as he responded. "He returned with heavy injuries, my lord. He is now being treated by Sir Noel at his clinic."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn was stunned. Without hesitation, he rushed off to the clinic while Gunnar trailed behind him.


    By the time they arrived at the clinic, the members of the guards unit were already waiting outside. When they saw Fredrinn and Gunnar walking together, they immediately stood up to greet them.


    "My lord!"


    "Captain!"


    Fredrinn waved his hand at them. "Any news on Cain?" He asked the group.


    "There is still no news from Sir Noel, my lord. I believe Sir Cain is still being treated." The one who answered was one of the two squad leaders who came with Cain to Bargan District. It was a man in histe thirties named Jerome.


    Fredrinn''s forehead creased upon hearing this. He stepped inside the clinic and entered the sick room under the shocked gazes of the nurses.


    Inside the sick room was the old doctor, Noel, who was busy stitching Cain''s wounds. Thetter was conscious during the operation, but he didn''t even grimace or show any reaction. He only showed some surprise when Fredrinn entered the room.


    "My lord."


    "Stop moving around. I''m still not done stitching your wounds!" Noel muttered in exasperation.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn immediately made a sign with his eyes while shaking his head.


    Cain nodded and rxed his head on the bed.


    After another fifteen minutes, the operation was finallypleted.


    Doctor Noel took off his sses and gloves. He then wiped his face clean with a handkerchief. It was then that he noticed Fredrinn who was standing behind him. "My lord!"


    "Just sit down, Sir Noel. I came here to check on him when I heard his situation. I''m sorry for intruding during your operation. I just couldn''t help myself." Fredrinn apologetically said.


    Noel forced out a smile. "It''s alright, my lord. However, you should not do it next time. You see I need to be absolutely careful in every operation and a single mistake would change the oue of the operation. I hope you understand." The old doctor didn''t want to say this, but he had to set the boundaries.


    "I understand your point, Sir Noel. Don''t worry. It won''t happen again." Fredrinn lowered his head which surprised the old doctor.


    "It''s alright, my lord. I was just reminding you out of habit¡­" Noel didn''t know what to say about him acting like this.


    "How is Cain''s situation, sir?" Fredrinn quickly changed the topic when he sensed the awkward atmosphere.


    "He will be fine. He just needs some rest. Sir Cain is a Core Formation martial practitioner so this injury is nothing to him. With a week of rest and some herbal supplements, he should be back to normal." Noel replied with a smile.


    "I see. I''m relieved to hear that. If you would be so kind, please give me a list of herbal medicines that would be perfect for his recovery."


    "No problem! I will send you the listter. If you want, I''ll have someone search for them and bring them back here."


    "There''s no need to trouble, Sir Noel. You have already done enough."


    "Is that so? Then I''ll leave you two alone. Just call me if you need anything."


    "Yes. Thank you so much, Sir Noel."


    The old doctor soon left.


    Fredrinn turned his gaze to Cain and frowned. "What happened out there?"


    Cain took a deep breath and told him everything that had transpired.


    ording to him, he managed to sneak inside the estate of the Morten Household. He even got his hands on some really important documents that would connect the Morten Household to the Snake Gang. Unfortunately, he was discovered on his way out of the estate and was forced to engage in battle with the elders and the guards who were at the scene.


    He managed to kill one of the elders and more than ten guards who chased after him, but he was also gravely wounded during the battle. He was only lucky enough to flee during themotion and he used the darkness of the night to his advantage.


    "You have done well surviving that trip, Cain. However, you should overdo it next time. I know that you want toplete your task wlessly, but there is no need to endanger your life. The mission is important, but your life is more important. Do you understand?" Fredrinn gave him a stern look.


    Cain nodded calmly. "Yes, my lord."


    Seeing this, Fredrinn could only smile while shaking his head.


    "Get some rest for the entire morning, but I need you toe to my study before evening. There is still one task at hand that only you can do."


    He left the sick room after saying this.


    Doctor Noel was already waiting for him outside. "My lord, here''s the list of herbal medicines."


    "Thank you, Sir Noel. Please keep an eye on Cain in the meantime." Fredrinn thanked the old doctor.


    "Of course! He is my patient so it''s only right for me to take care of him." Doctor Noel chuckled.


    The two exchanged a few more words before Fredrinn bid the old doctor farewell. He then returned to his study with a lighter heart. Knowing that Cain was safe, he was relieved.

 Chapter 63: Third Movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style

    While Cain was resting at the clinic, Fredrinn resumed his training with the third movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style. With his current sword talent and fire affinity, it didn''t even take him long to master the second movement, Esoteric me Maniption.


    "The third movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style, Brilliant me Integration. The body bes the fire and the fire bes the body¡­" Fredrinn followed the instructions in the book. From the breathing method down to the physical exercises. He executed everything wlessly as if he had been practicing the technique for years.


    Soon, he felt that his body was starting to get warm. It was a sensation described in the book so he wasn''t flustered by the changes.


    Fredrinn closed his eyes and concentrated his consciousness on the abstract feeling of being submerged in a sea of mes. It was then that a dazzling yellow me burst out and ignited upon his body.


    Strangely enough, he didn''t feel the intense heat from the mes. All he felt was endless warmth andfort as if the dazzling yellow mes were a part of his body, an extension of some sort.


    "So this is how it feels to master the third movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style¡­" He muttered with a grin.


    When he stopped his training, the crimson sky was almost about to be reced by the darkness.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    When he heard the knocking on his door, he smirked. "Wait for me. I''ll be there."


    He headed out of his study and saw Cain who was lightly dressed. The old doctor didn''t allow him to wear heavy equipment to speed up his recovery. Fredrinn also noticed the thick bandages wrapped around Cain''s body. "How do you feel?"


    "I feel better, my lord," Cain responded with his head lowered.


    "That''s good. I already asked someone to get the herbal medicines suggested by Doctor Noel. You need to drink them ording to the doctor''s instructions."


    "Yes, my lord."


    "Let''s talk as we walk. Follow me." Fredrinn walked ahead after uttering those words.


    Cain immediately trailed behind him.


    "I asked you toe here because we have already captured ''The Sender''. He is keeping his mouth shut and doesn''t cooperate with our investigations. I want you to take over with the interrogation, but you better not kill him. He still has his uses."


    "I understand, my lord."


    ''With the information Cain got from the Morten Household''s estate and the primary person involved with the Snake Gang, we have everything we need to take them down. We just have to prepare for the right timing to disclose this information to the public.'' Fredrinn thought to himself as he brought Cain to where the captives were locked up.


    "Greetings, my lord!" The people guarding the captives this time were Kristine and Gilbert.


    Fredrinn waved his hand and nodded his head to acknowledge their presence.


    "It''s good to see you, Sir Cain. We''re d that you are safe." Gilbert smiled at Cain.


    Hearing this, Cain merely nodded his head.


    Gilbert wasn''t offended by his response. He already knew what kind of person he was after being with him for some time.


    Meanwhile, Kristine didn''t say anything. She just stood there quietly as she watched Fredrinn''s side profile. The wound that he made across his face had already scarred and it made him look more intimidating. He still looked handsome with his elegant facial features, but the scar added some sort of charm that made him look more formidable.


    ''That confident gait and calm expression. He has fully transformed into a different person.'' That was her current impression of him.


    "Tell the people nearby to stay far from this ce during the interrogation. Don''t let anyone get close." Fredrinn instructed in a stern voice.


    "Yes, my lord!" Gilbert and Kristine bowed.


    "Go."


    The two immediately took this cue to leave and do as he had instructed.


    After they left, Fredrinn turned his gaze to Cain. "I''ll leave them to you. The interrogation might take a while so I will wait at my study. You can send someone to inform me once everything is over."


    "I will get it done as soon as possible."


    "Don''t overdo it." Fredrinn smiled. He wanted to pat Cain''s shoulder, but he retracted his hand when he saw the bandages on his body. In the end, he could only give thetter a few reminders before he headed back to the main mansion.


    On his way back to his study, he happened to run into his parents.


    "My son!" Margaret smiled upon seeing him, while Rnd nodded with a light smile.


    "Father, mother¡­" Fredrinn warmly greeted his parents.


    "You look very busy. What are you up to these days?" Margaret asked as she grabbed her son''s arm.


    Fredrinn nced at Rnd and saw thetter giving him a signal with his eyes. From the looks of it, Margaret was still oblivious to the situation with the Snake Gang. After a moment of thinking, he finally came up with a good excuse. "Actually, I''m upied with the situation at the mining site."


    He didn''t want to worry his mother who was pregnant.


    "The mining site?" Margaret raised her eyebrows in surprise.


    Ahem!


    Rnd faked a cough and said. "You see, our son suggested an increase in the miners'' sry. He also suggested to¡­" He followed up with a good reason to help Fredrinn.


    "I see. No wonder. It''s good that you have such thoughts about the mining site. I''m also aware of the situation there, but the current situation in the mining site is not very optimistic¡­" Margaret sighed while shaking her head.


    "Don''t worry about it, mother. I''lle up with a good n to improve the environment at the mining site. I can''t let our people who are working so hard suffer because of this. Just leave it to me." Fredrinn said as he massaged his mother''s hand.


    "Mn. I will wait for your good news." Margaret smiled at him.


    "Let''s go somewhere more private. We have to discuss some family matters as well." Rnd suggested.


    "Sure." Fredrinn agreed with a nod. This was probably rted to the child in his mother''s womb so he was excited to hear the details.


    "Alright. Let''s go."

 Chapter 64: Confirmation

    The family of three chose to chat in a lounge inside the main mansion.


    "So can you tell me more about the child? Is it a boy or a girl?" Fredrinn asked while looking at his mother.


    Margaret smiled upon hearing this. She sent Rnd a knowing look before she responded to her son. "We don''t know yet." She shook her head. "ording to Doctor Noel, the child is still in the process of growing and it will take a few more weeks before its gender could be determined." She added.


    "I see." Fredrinn wasn''t too disappointed to hear that.


    "Why? Are you excited to meet your little sibling?" Rndughed while looking at him with a teasing smile


    Fredrinn didn''t deny it andughed along with him. "By the way, have you thought of a name for the child?" His face suddenly turned serious when he uttered those words.


    Rnd and Margaret nced at each other before they shook their heads in response. "We haven''t thought of one yet."


    "Do you have any suggestions?"


    Fredrinn thought for a moment and recalled the name of the jade owner''s unborn child. "Gwenaelle. If it''s a girl, her name should be Gwenaelle."


    Margaret''s eyes lit up. "Gwenaelle¡­ That''s a beautiful name."


    Rnd nodded in agreement. He was also satisfied with the name he suggested.


    The family of three discussed a few more things about the child. After more than an hour, a member of Fredrinn''s guards unit suddenly came and whispered something to his ears. "My lord, Sir Cain already got the information from the captive''s mouth."


    Fredrinn''s eyes shed for a moment. "You may return. I''ll be there in a while."


    "Yes, my lord." The martial practitioner bowed to Margaret and Rnd before he left.


    "Did something happen?" Margaret asked.


    Fredrinn didn''t want to make her worried so he gave her a reassuring smile. "It''s just a minor matter that needs my attention."


    Rnd squinted his eyes. He guessed that it was rted to the Snake Gang. "Then you should take care of it."


    Fredrinn nodded. "Then I''ll take my leave. Father, Mother, let''s chat at another time." He stood up and bowed before he left.


    Looking at his disappearing figure, Margaret revealed a worried expression. "The scar on his face looks fresh. Just what is he up to in thest few days?" She turned her gaze to Rnd and her eyes suddenly turned cold. "Are you two hiding something from me?"


    Rnd flinched at her piercing gaze. He forced out a smile as he said. "I know that you are worried about our son, but you have to trust him. He is no longer the kid that he was before. He will be able to take care of himself."


    "So there is really something going on¡­ Spit it out!"


    Rnd looked troubled. He didn''t want to tell her anything about it, but he knew that he wouldn''t be able to escape her interrogation. In the end, he sighed helplessly and told her everything he knew.


    Margaret''s expression became increasingly serious the more he spoke. By the end of his words, her eyebrows were already closely knitted together. "You mean he is handling this problem all by himself?"


    Rnd nodded. "I wanted to help him deal with it, but he insisted on doing it all by himself. I permitted him since it''s also a good opportunity to train him as the next patriarch of the Firecrown Household. Once he inherits my position, he will face tougher challenges and moreplicated issues. To be a capable leader, he needs to learn how to handle these kinds of problems on his own."


    Margaret was still worried, but she also knew that this was an important lesson that Fredrinn had to ovee.


    Rnd squeezed her hands and smiled gently. "Don''t worry. If something unexpected happens, I will lend him a hand."


    "Mn¡­"


    ***


    Fredrinn found Cain waiting for him outside the mansion.


    "Why are you here? You didn''t have to wait for me here."


    Cain didn''t respond and just bowed his head lightly.


    "Anyway, did he confirm it?" Fredrinn asked with a stern look.


    Cain nodded. "Yes, my lord. He refused to say anything at first, but he eventually spoke after I broke some of his fingers." His voice was calm when he uttered those words.


    Fredrinn stared at him speechlessly.


    "He is a Foundation Establishment martial practitioner so he won''t die from that. You don''t have to worry, my lord." Cain added when he saw Fredrinn''s strange gaze.


    "Good. We still need that guy to be our witness. What else did he say?"


    Cain narrowed his eyes and replied. "He also confirmed your suspicions. ording to him, the ckcrow Household is the main reason why the Morten Household established the Snake Gang. It turned out that the organization was responsible for gathering high-quality ves for the ckcrow Household."


    "ves?" Fredrinn furrowed his eyebrows.


    Cain nodded. "The ckcrow Household requested this, but that guy didn''t know why they were looking for arge number of ves."


    Fredrinn took a deep breath as he rubbed his chin. A thoughtful look surfaced on his face. ''This matter seems very suspicious. Just why did the ckcrow Household request for arge number of ves?''


    [You discovered the ckcrow Household''s involvement with the criminal organization. Find out their real objective! Rewards: Level Up Card, Sword Talent Upgrade Card, and 3000 Fate Points!]


    ''This matter just got moreplicated¡­'' Fredrinn thought. Knowing that the ckcrow Household was involved in this matter, he knew that this was already out of his control. He only had his guards unit, but they wouldn''t be enough to infiltrate the ckcrow Household. Even an expert like Cain almost died when he infiltrated the Morten Household. What more if it was the stronger ckcrow Household?


    "Transfer the captives to the underground prison," Fredrinn instructed.


    "Yes, my lord."


    Fredrinn couldn''t afford to waste time. He hurriedly returned to the mansion after giving Cain a few more instructions.


    He headed to the lounge to look for his father, but no one was there anymore. He immediately went to his parents'' room.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    He knocked on the door.


    Soon, he heard a series of footsteps inside the room.


    "Son? What happened?" It was Rnd who opened the door.


    "Father, it seems like our initial guess was right." Fredrinn had a grave look on his face.


    "You mean¡­"


    "The ckcrow Household is the true mastermind behind the Snake Gang!"


    Rnd''s expression turned grim upon hearing this. "Come in. Let''s talk inside."


    "What about mother?"


    "She already knows."


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 65: Checking Favorability

    Fredrinn exined everything to his parents the moment he entered the room.


    "What do you think we should do?" Rnd asked while looking at Fredrinn.


    "We will do as I had initially nned. We will bring this matter to the city lord. With his help, we should be able to cause some trouble to the ckcrow Household." Fredrinn replied.


    Hearing this, Rnd nodded. This was the best option for them.


    "With my present reputation, the city lord might not take me seriously if I visit him by myself. Father, it would be better if you came with me to the city lord''s mansion." Fredrinn suggested.


    "Mn." Rnd nodded in agreement. "Then we shall visit him tomorrow morning."


    Fredrinn turned his gaze to Margaret and hurriedly spoke. "Mother, I know you want toe with us, but please stay at the mansion for the time being. We can''t let anything happen to you."


    Margaret couldn''t bring herself to push the matter when she saw her son''s stern gaze. "Fine, but you two better be careful out there."


    The family of three talked for another hour before Fredrinn bid them farewell. His mother still had to rest so he didn''t linger for long.


    The next day, Fredrinn headed out of the mansion together with his father. This time, he didn''t bring Cain since the guy was still recuperating so he brought Gunnar and Aurelius instead. Meanwhile, Rnd brought Sir Dontos and Sir Darius with him.


    [Nascent Soul 5th Layer]


    [Core Formation 10th Layer]


    [Core Formation 10th Layer]


    His father was already a 5thyer Nascent Soul martial practitioner, while both Sir Dontos and Sir Darius were at the peak of the Core Formation realm. On the other hand, the captain of his guards unit, Sir Gunnar, was at the 7thyer of the Core Formation stage, and Vice Captain Aurelius had only recently advanced to the Core Formation stage.


    Fredrinn checked everyone''s favorability using the Favorability Meter Function. He hadn''t used this function in a while so he decided to try it out.


    [Rnd Firecrown] Favorability: 89


    [Gunnar Haraldson] Favorability: 81


    [Aurelius Gorgon] Favorability: 80


    [Darius Rockfall] Favorability: 66


    [Dontos Gorgon] Favorability: 50


    ''It seems like Sir Darius and Sir Dontos are still not satisfied with me.'' He chuckled upon seeing their low favorability. It wasn''t surprising since he had rarely interacted with them. Furthermore, Fredrinn had a bad reputation since he was young so he guessed that it must have yed a huge factor in their low favorability.


    Rnd didn''t bring the elite unit with them. He only brought twenty Foundation Establishment martial practitioners to act as their guards.


    Soon, the group left the estate and headed to the city lord''s mansion. When they reached the inner parts of the city, the impressive entourage brought awe to the crowd.


    "That''s the private carriage of Patriarch Rnd!"


    "Look, isn''t that Sir Dontos Gorgon? I heard that he is only one step away from advancing to the Nascent Soul realm!"


    "Who are the three martial practitioners next to him? They also look strong!"


    "I know the middle-aged man beside Sir Dontos. If I remember it correctly, that should be Sir Darius."


    "Wow! I wonder where they are headed."


    "Isn''t it obvious? This path leads to the city lord''s mansion."


    Everyone discussed excitedly as they watched the Firecrown Household''s entourage.


    Contrary to the crowd''s excitement, Fredrinn and Rnd who were inside the carriage looked serious.


    "Father, do you think the city lord will support us?" Fredrinn asked in a low voice. The city lord''s mansion might be powerful, but the ckcrow Household wasn''t any weaker.


    "The city lord is a man of honor. I''m sure that he will do something." Rnd replied.


    "I hope so¡­"


    By the time they arrived at the city lord''s mansion, it was already almost noon. The city lord''s assistant, an old man called Roderick came out to invite them in.


    "Good morning, Patriarch Rnd! The city lord is not feeling well so I came here to invite you inside on behalf of him." Roderick warmly greeted while looking at Rnd.


    Fredrinn stared at the old man and was surprised by his cultivation.


    [Nascent Soul 4th Layer]


    The old man was only oneyer weakerpared to his father!


    Rnd didn''t seem to mind this. He already knew that the city lord was not in good health. "I feel honored that you came to invite me in despiteing unannounced, Sir Roderick. How is the city lord''s condition?" He asked.


    Roderick''s smile disappeared as he sighed and shook his head. "I won''t hide it from you, Patriarch Rnd. The city lord''s health hasn''t improved since youst came here. Even the most famous doctors in the city are clueless about his condition."


    Hearing this, Rnd furrowed his eyebrows. "Have you invited someone from the capital?"


    Roderick nodded. "We already did. They came herest month, but they were also baffled." His voice sounded gloomy when he said those words.


    Rnd only brought Fredrinn inside the city lord''s mansion. It was only then that Roderick noticed his presence. "Oh, isn''t this Sir Fredrinn? I haven''t seen you in a while!" He tried to sound as friendly as he could, but his voicecked enthusiasm.


    [Roderick Ironsand] Favorability: 20


    Seeing this, Fredrinn smiled bitterly. From the looks of it, the old man didn''t seem to have a good impression of him.


    "It''s good to see you, Sir Roderick." Fredrinn greeted him with a smile.


    The old man gave him a short response, but he didn''t say anything to him after that.


    Fredrinn tactfully remained silent so as to not offend the old man.


    A few minutester, Roderick brought them to the lounge where the city lord was waiting for them.


    From Fredrinn''s memories, the city lord was already in his seventies, but because of his high cultivation, he still looked like a middle-aged man.


    [Nascent Soul 9th Layer]


    The city lord''s cultivation was the highest he had seen except for the old librarian. Unfortunately, this powerful man was afflicted with a strange illness.


    "Haha! I didn''t expect that you would visit me today, Rnd." The city lord stood up when he saw them walking towards him.


    Knowing the city lord''s health, Rnd quickly stepped forward. "City Lord, I hope I didn''t disturb you with my unannounced visit." He muttered apologetically.


    The city lord heartilyughed. "Of course not! I''m getting bored these days since my doctor didn''t want me to move around too much. With you here, I finally have someone to y chess with." He soon noticed Fredrinn who was standing behind Rnd.


    "Oh! You brought your son with you?"


    "Greetings, city lord." Fredrinn bowed upon sensing his gaze.


    The city lord nodded to him before turning his gaze back to Rnd. "Sit down. I already asked someone to prepare some refreshments for you two."


    Fredrinn didn''t say anything and just bowed before taking his seat. He then looked at the city lord.


    [Ludwig Springfield] Favorability: 22


    As expected, the city lord didn''t have a good impression of him.

 Chapter 66: To the Back Garden

    Rnd didn''t bring up the matter right away. He yed chess with the city lord and chatted about random matters.


    Fredrinn became a spectator. He didn''t join the conversation since the city lord didn''t seem to be interested in conversing with him.


    Luckily, the refreshments soon arrived so he finally had something to do other than awkwardly watching his father and the city lord y chess.


    "I had the kitchen prepare a big meal for you guys." Ludwig was in a good mood now that he had someone to talk with.


    "Thank you, city lord." Rnd smiled in response. He wasn''t in a hurry to discuss the main objective. He also wanted to catch up with the city lord who was like an older brother to him.


    Ludwig turned his gaze to Fredrinn. "Fredrinn, why don''t you look around the mansion? We will call you over once lunch is ready."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn knew that the city lord wanted to speak with his father privately so he nodded in response. He stood up and bowed before he left.


    Ludwig''s gaze followed him for a while. "I''m surprised that he didn''t throw a fit when I asked him to leave." He chuckled jokingly.


    Rndughed and shook his head. "City lord, I''m proud to say that my son is no longer the spoiled kid that he was before. He has be more mature in making decisions and he is now very serious in his martial training."


    "Oh? I''m d to hear that." Ludwig wasn''t interested in continuing with the topic so he talked about another matter. "By the way¡­"


    ***


    Fredrinn had already visited the city lord''s mansion before so he was quite familiar with the ce.


    As he navigated through the hallway, he encountered Roderick who was on his way back to the lounge.


    "Sir Fredrinn? What are you doing out here all by yourself?" Roderick nced at him suspiciously.


    Fredrinn bowed lightly at the old man. "The city lord asked me to look around the mansion." He responded in a calm voice.


    "I see. Do you want me to send someone to apany you?"


    Fredrinn shook his head. "There''s no need, Sir Roderick. I don''t want to trouble you. Besides, I''m already familiar with theyout of the mansion so I won''t get lost here."


    Roderick''s eyes shed with surprise. If it was before, Fredrinn would have asked to be apanied by a pretty maid. He didn''t expect that Fredrinn would decline his offer. "Alright. Just find me if you need anything."


    "I will." Fredrinn nodded. He bowed once again before he walked away without looking back.


    Roderick stared at his back with a curious gaze. "Something is different about that kid¡­" He muttered.


    Fredrinn had an arrogant personality. He wouldn''t even nce at the servants and hired martial practitioners before. The only exception was if they were beautiful. He spoke with ack of respect and he treated himself as above others. That was the reason why Roderick didn''t like him. However, Fredrinn felt like a different person today.


    He was very respectful and he spoke in a polite tone.


    "Weird¡­" Roderick rubbed his chin with a thoughtful look. He then retracted his gaze and headed to the lounge.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn had already stepped out of the mansion. He went to the back garden to take a look at the sea of flowers. This was one of his favorite spots in the city lord''s mansion.


    When he was still a yer, he was fascinated with the magical flowers. He couldn''t forget their fragrant scent and their visually striking colors.


    He soon found his way to the garden and the vast sea of flowers entered his field of vision. Their beautiful figures swayed along with the gentle wind. It was a feast for his eyes.


    The serene atmosphere made him calm.


    Suddenly, he saw two figures in the middle of the flower field. Their weapons shed in the air, causing dull nging sounds to echo across the garden.


    Fredrinn stared at the familiar beautiful figure dressed in green cheongsam.


    [Foundation Establishment 9th Layer]


    [Samantha Springfield] Favorability: 11


    "That woman¡­" Fredrinn almost stumbled when he saw the atrociously low favorability rating.


    He then looked at the person she was fighting.


    It was a tall man with a short ck hair. He was wearing a green yishang and his weapon of choice was a halberd that was almost as tall as him. He had a yful look on his face as he effortlessly blocked Samantha''s short sword.


    [Core Formation 1st Layer]


    [Lucas Springfield] Favorability: 25


    He finally remembered who it was after seeing the name. That man was Samantha''s older brother, the heir of the Springfield Household!


    The previous Fredrinn hadn''t seen Lucas in a long while since thetter was said to be sent to the battlefield in the northern part of the Star Wind Kingdom. From the looks of it, Lucas had just recently returned from his military service.


    As if sensing his presence, Lucas pushed off Samantha''s sword and turned his head in Fredrinn''s direction.


    Samantha followed her brother''s gaze and when she saw Fredrinn standing in the distance, she raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Sir Fredrinn?"


    When Lucas heard this name, he frowned. "So it''s him. Why did hee here? Is he here for you?" He asked his sister.


    Samantha shook her head. "I don''t know." She was uncertain.


    Fredrinn smiled as he walked toward them. "You must be Sir Lucas. It has been a long time since Ist saw you." This guy was only in histe thirties, but he was already a Core Formation realm martial practitioner.


    Lucas didn''t expect him to initiate a conversation. He smirked as he looked at Fredrinn with a curious gaze. He wondered what this guy was up to.


    "I can''t sense his cultivation¡­" Samantha muttered. When Fredrinnst visited her restaurant, she could still sense his cultivation. ''He''s probably wearing an item that conceals his cultivation.''


    Lucasughed when he heard that. He guessed that Fredrinn hid his cultivation to avoid being mocked by others. He was aware of Fredrinn''scking martial talent.


    Seeing the disdainful smile on Lucas'' face, Fredrinn could already tell what was on his mind.


    "What are you doing here, Sir Fredrinn?" Samantha asked with a frown.


    "My father has something to discuss with the city lord and he asked me to tag along. I had nothing to do at home so I decided toe with him." Fredrinn shrugged.


    "Why don''t you spar with my sister while you are here?" Lucas suddenly spoke.


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes at his words. This guy was up to no good. Lucas probably wanted Fredrinn to make a fool of himself.


    Samantha was taken aback by her older brother''s suggestion, but she wasn''t against the idea. If she sparred with him, she would have a valid reason to beat up Fredrinn.


    ''I can finally avenge my subordinates.'' She thought as a smile suffused on her lips.


    Looking at the pair of siblings, Fredrinn''s lips curved upwards. "Why not?"

 Chapter 67: Revealing His Power

    "Why not?"


    Lucas and Samantha were both surprised by his nonchnt reply.


    "Hahaha! I like your confidence!" Lucas guffawed.


    Fredrinn was irked by his sarcastic remarks so he decided to taunt him a little. "After I beat your sister, why don''t you go next?"


    The smile on Lucas'' face froze when he heard his words. "What did you just say?"


    Samantha was also stunned by his words. She didn''t expect that Fredrinn would actually challenge her brother.


    ''What a reckless fellow!'' She thought while shaking her head.


    Fredrinn smirked at Lucas and ignored him. He then turned his head to Samantha and said while hooking his fingers provocatively. "Let''s get this over with. We can''t let your brother wait for long."


    Lucas'' face twitched after being ignored. He almost brandished his halberd out of anger, but he held himself back. "Show him the results of your training, Samantha, and don''t hold back!" He muttered in a cold voice.


    Hearing this, Samantha knew that her brother was furious. She nodded at Lucas before turning her gaze to Fredrinn.


    "We could have avoided this situation if you weren''t so arrogant." She looked at Fredrinn as if she was looking at an idiot.


    Fredrinn shrugged with an unconcerned expression.


    Samantha no longer said anything. She lifted her short sword and lunged at him with one quick step.


    Fredrinn was stillposed and he didn''t seem to have the intention to make a move.


    Seeing this, Samantha scoffed in her heart. She raised her sword and shed down while aiming for his arm. She didn''t want to injure him since this was only a spar and she only used a small portion of her power.


    ''This guy should be at the Qi Gathering realm at most. This attack should be enough to defeat him.'' That was what she thought, but¡­


    Fredrinn suddenly reacted when her sword was about to touch his arm. In that short moment, he lifted his hand and pointed his finger which stopped Samantha''s sword abruptly.


    "Huh?!" Samantha was dumbfounded. Although she didn''t use her full strength, her attack still had the power of a Foundation Establishment martial practitioner! There should be no way that a Qi Gathering realm martial practitioner could stop it. However, her sword was effortlessly blocked by Fredrinn and he only used one finger!


    Lucas was also stunned by the scene. He even blinked his eyes a few times to check if he wasn''t seeing things wrong. ''How is that possible?!''


    At this moment, Samantha slowly infused her sword with her Qi and put more strength in her grip, but to her amazement, she still couldn''t overpower Fredrinn''s finger!


    Fredrinn smirked when he saw the look on her face. He then flicked her sword to the side, making Samantha stagger.


    "You! How did you¡­" Samantha stared at him in disbelief. In that short exchange, she realized that Fredrinn''s power was beyond her understanding. All this time, she thought that Fredrinn was a loser, a weakling who had no redeeming ability. However, reality proved her wrong.


    He was a monster! A tiger pretending to be a pig! A wolf in sheep''s clothing!


    "You were hiding your strength?!" She eximed in utter astonishment.


    "Surprise," Fredrinn muttered in a teasing voice while making an exaggerated hand gesture.


    Samantha wasn''t in the mood to respond to his teasing.


    Lucas didn''t expect the sudden turn of events. ''Samantha is almost at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm, but he managed to overpower her with only a finger. His cultivation should be simr to mine¡­'' His face turned serious when he thought of this.


    Lucas jumped in between them while keeping his eyes on Fredrinn. "I have underestimated you, Fredrinn. I never thought that you were actually hiding your real power all this time."


    "Lucas." Samantha wanted to say something, but her brother raised his hand and shook his head.


    "You are not his match."


    Samantha gritted her teeth with a defiant look in her eyes, but when she saw Fredrinn''s carefree smile, she lost all her confidence. ''Dammit! He made a fool out of everyone!''


    "Let me see what you have learned in the army, Lucas."


    This time, Lucas no longer dared to treat Fredrinn lightly. He grabbed his halberd and stared at him with a wary gaze. "Take out your weapon!"


    Fredrinn shook his head. "I don''t need one to defeat you." He replied. In truth, he didn''t take out a weapon since he no longer had a proper weapon to use. This was because he gave his sword to Gunnar''s nephew and he didn''t have the time to get himself a new one.


    Lucas red at him after hearing his words. "Did you really think that beating my sister makes you unparalleled?!" He shouted as he pounced at Fredrinn. His heavy footprints crushed the flowers beneath him.


    After gaining momentum, he stabbed out his halberd. Knowing Fredrinn''s power, he used his full strength.


    The years ofbat experience that Fredrinn received as a reward from the system came into y.


    He deflected the halberd''s de with his bare hands and with minimal movement. He then countered with a swift kick to the face.


    "Hm?" Lucas lifted his halberd and used it as a shield to protect his head.


    Pa!


    Fredrinn''s footnded on the halberd, but the strength behind his kick forced Lucas to take a few steps back.


    Lucas furrowed his eyebrows while looking at his shaking arms. It might have looked like he had blocked the kick, but the residual force made his arms go numb. ''This guy is powerful!'' He didn''t want to admit it, but Fredrinn was definitely stronger than him.


    Lucas raised his head and looked at Fredrinn who was staring at him with a calm smile. He sighed and lowered his halberd while shaking his head. "I admit defeat."


    Fredrinn wasn''t surprised by this. That kick from earlier was enough to prove that he was stronger than Lucas.


    "Lucas, how can you admit defeat? You still haven''t used any battle techniques!" Samantha didn''t want to see her older brother lose against him.


    Lucas looked at his sister and shook his head. "Can''t you see? He didn''t even use his weapon, but he still overpowered me."


    Samantha was at a loss for words. She was so blinded by her prejudice that she failed to notice this minor detail.


    "Samantha, he isn''t the man you used to know. This should be who he really is." There was a tinge of awe in Lucas'' voice.


    Suddenly, they saw a servant rushing toward them. "My lord, mydy, Lord Fredrinn, the city lord wants you toe to the dining hall."


    "Alright." Fredrinn nodded. He turned his gaze at the two and said. "I know you have a lot of questions. I will answer them after lunch."


    Samantha and Lucas nodded upon hearing that.


    "Let''s go."

 Chapter 68: The Situation in the North

    When the three arrived at the dining hall, the city lord and Rnd were already chatting in their seats. Other than them, there was also a stern-faced woman who looked to be in herte thirties.


    [Core Formation 9th Layer]


    [Hannah Sparks] Favorability: 7


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes upon seeing her. The previous Fredrinn had a terrible encounter with this woman.


    It happened when he was still in his early teens. Rnd and the city lord were very good friends who recognized each other as brothers. They once talked about marrying Fredrinn and Samantha when they reached a marriageable age. The two of them had already agreed with this and even Fredrinn was made aware of it. At that time, Fredrinn approved the idea since Samantha was quite the beauty.


    However, Samantha''s mother suddenly intervened in the matter and caused a scene at the city lord''s mansion to express her strong disapproval. After a big fight with the city lord, she came to visit Fredrinn at the Firecrown Household estate and admonished him.


    The scenes from the previous Fredrinn''s memories were still very vivid, a clear indication of how much this fragment of memory left asting impact on the fragile mind of the young Fredrinn.


    The words that Hannah said at that time reyed in his head.


    "Stop your delusions. You are not worthy of marrying my daughter! An untalented trash like you who has a low-grade spirit root isn''t fit to be her husband! You are destined to be a pathetic loser so don''t involve my daughter with your worthless future!"


    A strong feeling of rage overcame him when he recalled those words.


    ''Viins are not born¡ª they are made.''


    This was a quote from his homeworld that perfectly fit the story of Fredrinn Firecrown.


    ''Perhaps that guy wasn''t innately evil.'' He thought thought to himself. He began to pity his predecessor.


    "Come here and sit down with us." The city lord said after he noticed their presence.


    Fredrinn nodded at the city lord before he took the seat beside his father.


    Meanwhile, Lucas sat next to his mother and Samantha sat next to him.


    Fredrinn could feel the sharp reing from Hannah. He turned his head and smiled coldly at her which made thetter raise her eyebrows in surprise.


    She didn''t expect Fredrinn to openly taunt her. ''That rude bastard!'' She gnashed her teeth in anger.


    Soon, the servants came in to serve their food. All sorts of local delicacies were ced on the table, filling the hall with the unique aroma of the dishes.


    High-level martial practitioners didn''t need to eat food. They could simply use Qi to meet the needs of their bodies. However, eating meals had already be a habit that many martial families continued to practice for generations. It was also the perfect time for family members to chat and catch up with each other during meals.


    During the meal, it was mostly the city lord and Rnd who were engaged in a conversation. Hannah asionally spoke with them, but she didn''t speak much.


    "By the way, how is the situation in the north, Lucas?" Rnd stared at Lucas. He noticed that they were strangely silent the entire meal so he decided to pull them into the conversation.


    Fredrinn curiously stared at Lucas. He was interested to hear about the situation in the north. From what he knows, the Star Wind Kingdom and its neighbor in the north, the Blue Sky Kingdom, had been fighting for a long time because of a mountain called Mount Roshire. He also knew what was special about this mountain.


    Lucas wiped his mouth with a napkin before he replied. "This is ssified information, but there should be no harm in telling you..."


    "Before I was discharged from the army, our Star Wind Kingdom managed to push back the army of the Blue Sky Kingdom further from Mount Roshire..."


    "¡­We still haven''t gained full control of the mountain, but with a little more time, I believe we can take the entire mountain."


    Hearing this, Rnd nodded in agreement. He had some intel on the situation in the north and he agreed with Lucas'' words.


    "What is so special about that mountain? Why are two kingdoms fighting over it?" Samantha asked.


    Lucas shook his head. "I also don''t know. I was only apanymander during my time in the army. Our superiors didn''t tell us anything about the mountain."


    A Core Formation martial practitioner might be rare in Red Sun City, but in the entire kingdom, there are tens of thousands of them.


    "I heard a rumor from my friend that there is a unique type of ore in Mount Roshire. I''m just not sure what kind of ore it is." The city lord muttered.


    Fredrinn remained silent. He knew what kind of raw material could be found in the mountain, but he didn''t mention it. ''They should be talking about the orichalcum ore.''


    From his knowledge as a former yer, Orichalcum was a rare material used to create powerful items, specifically weapons and armor. Items made from this material were guaranteed to be at least rare-rated. There was also a high chance of creating an epic-rated item and a small chance of getting a legendary item!


    ''From what I remember, it was the Blue Sky Kingdom that managed to take over Mount Roshire. Star Wind Kingdom suffered a huge loss and they were forced to retreat from the battlefield in the north. The kingdom lost many powerful generals and martial practitioners which caused its military might to be significantly weakened.'' Fredrinn''s eyes gleamed upon recalling this event.


    He didn''t take it seriously at that time since he only treated the Star Wind Kingdom as his starting point in the game. However, things were different now. He couldn''t allow the same thing to happen.


    "I just hope that we win so that the people who were sacrificed¡­" Lucas'' words trailed off.


    The city lord noticed his gloomy mood so he quickly changed the topic. "By the way, the royal family has already announced where they would construct the¡­"


    "Oh really? That''s good news!"


    Fredrinn stared at Lucas and felt sympathy for him. ''He must have experienced a lot of hardships in the north.''

 Chapter 69: Madam Hannah’s Shock

    After the meal, the city lord invited Rnd to his study to discuss something in private.


    "It''s just the two of us here now. You can tell me what''s on your mind." The city lord said while pointing at a vacant seat.


    Rnd''s expression turned serious as he sat down. "Actually, I came here to report about the situation in the slums of Red me Valley."


    "Are you talking about Dandora Corner?" The city lord rubbed his chin.


    Rnd nodded. "Yes, that''s the ce. Some time ago, my men discovered an organization headquartered in Dandora Corner. They called themselves the Snake Gang. They are a criminal organization that extorts poor residents and force them into unfair contracts. If their demands are not met, they forcibly take the¡­"


    "¡­ I sent a small unit to investigate them more thoroughly and we found out that they are also involved in the recent kidnapping cases in the slums. I decided to take action after discovering their illegal activities. My men captured their leader and some of the surviving members. We also temporarily took in their victims¡­"


    "¡­When we were interrogating the leader of the Snake Gang, we found out that they are being funded by the Morten Household." Rnd paused to look at the city lord''s reaction.


    City Lord Ludwig frowned upon hearing this. As the city lord of Red Sun City, he was also aware of the kidnapping cases in Dandora Corner. He just didn''t expect that this was the doing of a criminal organization and that they were involved with the Morten Household.


    Ludwig nced at Rnd and asked. "Have you verified this information? That criminal might have lied to you at that time."


    Rnd was already briefed by Fredrinn before they arrived at the city lord''s mansion so he was prepared to answer this. He nodded as he replied. "I was also skeptical about his words so I sent my subordinates to investigate the Morten Household. I had one of my Core Formation martial practitioners infiltrate their estate to search for any leads that could prove their involvement with the Snake Gang.


    This was what he found in their estate." He handed a folder to the city lord.


    Ludwig took the folder and flipped it open.


    Inside the folder were documents that would prove the dealings between the Morten Household and the Snake Gang. The evidence was conclusive and there was even an article signed by Dale Morten, the patriarch of the Morten Household.


    By the time he read all the documents, Ludwig''s eyes shed with anger. "How dare they openly do this in my city?!" His voice was shaking with rage.


    "City lord, we also captured the person responsible for delivering the funds to the Snake Gang, and from his mouth, we discovered something very shocking¡­"


    "I''m all ears. Go on." The city lord''s voice was cold.


    "He said that the people kidnapped by the Snake Gang will be sent to the ckcrow Household as ves!"


    "What?!" Ludwig closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.


    After some time, he looked at Rnd and asked. "Did you bring the person you captured?"


    Rnd nodded. "He is in our carriage."


    "Bring him here. I want to hear it from his mouth."


    "Alright."


    ***


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn was stopped by Hannah on his way out of the mansion.


    "I want to speak with you privately." Hannah''s voice was filled with authority and it looked like she wouldn''t take ''no'' as an answer.


    Fredrinn turned his head to Lucas and Samantha. "I''ll find you two after I chat with Madam Hannah."


    Lucas and Samantha stared at their mother before they nodded to Fredrinn.


    "We will wait at the back garden," Lucas muttered before he left with his sister.


    Fredrinn turned his gaze back to Hannah and smiled coldly at her. "Lead the way, madam."


    Hannah''s eyes seemed like they could spew fire. "Follow me."


    Fredrinn followed her silently. ''She wouldn''t kill me, right?'' He thought of a terrifying possibility. Knowing Hannah''s extreme dislike for him, it was definitely possible. His only confidence was that his father was in the mansion so he believed that this woman wouldn''t do something that foolish.


    "Are you afraid?" Hannah''s mocking voice drifted into his ears.


    Fredrinn flinched at her words, but he acted as if he wasn''t bothered.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t kill you. At least not for now." Hannah chuckled while looking at him with absolute disgust.


    ''This bloody psychopath¡­'' Fredrinn''s smile froze.


    Hannah brought him to the lounge. "Sit." She said.


    Fredrinn looked around and he noticed the ce was barricaded by Hannah''s subordinates. From the looks of it, she didn''t want anyone to eavesdrop on their conversation.


    "You''re quite meticulous, madam," Fredrinn muttered as he took his seat.


    "And you have be more daring." Hannah scoffed in disdain.


    Fredrinn shrugged and pretended not to see her hostile gaze.


    "Speak. Why did youe here with your father? Are you nning to ask for my daughter''s hand in marriage? Have you forgotten my warning?" Hannah crossed her arms as she red at him.


    [Hannah Sparks] Favorability: 7 ¡ª> 5


    Her favorability rating dropped by two points. He didn''t know what would happen if her favorability dropped to zero, but it was definitely not good. They still needed the help of the Springfield Household so he must change her perception of him.


    "You don''t need to worry about that, madam. We didn''te here for that and I don''t have any intentions of marrying your daughter." Fredrinn spoke in an unhurried voice.


    Hannah narrowed his eyes as she tried to discern if there was any falsehood in his words. "At least you know your limits." She leaned on her seat and crossed her legs.


    Fredrinn''s eyes inadvertently turned to her white legs, but he hurriedly looked away.


    Hannah seemed to have noticed this. A yful smile hung on her lips. "Did you like what you saw?" She muttered as she intentionally exposed her legs.


    Fredrinn frowned in disgust. This woman might be above average in terms of looks and body shape, but she was an old woman in her sixties. Her seduction brought an intense wave of repulsion that almost made him puke. "Please have some self-respect, madam." He intentionally revealed his aura when he uttered those words.


    When Hannah sensed his cultivation, she was stupefied. ''Core Formation realm! How is this possible?! Was he hiding his strength all along?!''


    Fredrinn quickly concealed his cultivation.


    "You¡­ you lied about your spirit root!" Hannah muttered with a stunned look.


    Fredrinn smiled and shook his head. "Lied? I didn''t lie. You people came up with it on your own."


    Hearing this, Hannah seemed to have understood the whole situation. "You were¡­" She slumped into her seat as she stared at him in incredulity.


    [Hannah Sparks] Favorability: 5 ¡ª> 20


    Seeing this, Fredrinn''s lips curved upwards in satisfaction.

 Chapter 70: Oscar-worthy Performance

    "If there''s nothing else, please excuse me." Fredrinn stood up and lightly bowed at Hannah before walking away with confident steps.


    Hannah was still shocked so she could only watch him leave. It was only when he was no longer there that she managed to gather her thoughts. ''That kid¡­''


    At this moment, Fredrinn went out of the mansion and headed to the back garden. When he arrived, he saw Lucas and Samantha admiring the sea of flowers.


    "Yo!" He called out to them.


    The two turned around and looked at him withplicated feelings. He was someone they used to look down upon. After finding out his true power, they didn''t know how to act in front of him.


    "What did you talk about with mother?" Lucas asked him curiously.


    Fredrinn shrugged. "She told me that I shouldn''t even think about marrying her daughter." He sent Samantha a teasing nce when he said those words.


    Samantha blushed and looked away from him.


    "Huh? Don''t tell me you came here to discuss about marriage?" Lucas stared at him in disbelief.


    "Of course not!" Fredrinn shook his head. "Like I said, I only followed my father here since he has something to discuss with the city lord."


    "I see. I thought you wanted to marry my sister." Lucasughed while scratching his head.


    "No way! Madam Hannah would skin me alive if I had such thoughts. Besides, your sister hates me so we are notpatible." Fredrinn replied without much thought.


    Samantha punched her brother''s back before she red at Fredrinn.


    "Aw! Why did you hit me?"


    Samantha ignored him. "Why are you hiding your real abilities?" She asked Fredrinn with a cold look on her face.


    ''Did I offend her with my words?'' Fredrinn muttered in his heart when he saw her icy gaze.


    He came here to make allies so he had to give them a proper answer. His face suddenly turned serious as he muttered. "I believe you guys know about the conflict between my Firecrown Household and the ckcrow Household."


    "Yes, we have heard of it."


    "From what we know, the conflict between your households started because of an energy stone mine."


    Fredrinn nodded. He wasn''t surprised that they knew this much. "That''s right. I was afraid that the ckcrow Household would assassinate me if they discovered my talent so I chose to hide it from everyone. I pretended to be a useless trash for half my life to make it even more believable. In the end, I managed to convince everyone that I was a failure.


    My n worked. The ckcrow Household must have felt that I was insignificant so they didn''t do anything to me."


    Lucas and Samantha couldn''t help but admire his meticulous mind. No ordinary teen would have been able to do something like that. In this regard, they felt inferior to him.


    When Fredrinn saw their thoughtful expression, he guessed that they must have believed his words. ''These two are so gullible.'' He chuckled in his heart.


    "Then what is your true spirit root?" Samantha asked.


    Fredrinn''s lips curved upwards. "That I can''t tell you. At least not for now." He shook his head.


    Samantha snorted at his response.


    Lucas sighed all of a sudden. "All this time I thought you were an abominable and vile person. I never thought that you only did all those things to survive. I have misjudged you, Fredrinn. Please forgive me."


    ''No, you''re actually right. The previous Fredrinn was indeed such a person.'' He thought to himself while looking at the apologetic Lucas.


    "There''s no need to apologize. I understand your situation. If I was in your shoes, I would have done the same. I did so many detestable things and caused many people to suffer. Do you see this scar on my face? I did this to myself to atone for my sins." Fredrinn revealed a look of self-loathing, an expression that he had practiced in front of the mirror countless times.


    Lucas and Samantha didn''t expect that. They thought that he got it from a battle. They never thought that it had such a deeper meaning.


    "You don''t have to be so hard on yourself, Fredrinn. You only did all those things to protect yourself." Lucas walked to his side and patted his shoulder.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "That''s why I hate myself. To protect my own life, I made many people suffer." He lowered his gaze as if he felt remorseful for the things he had done.


    Fredrinn was satisfied with his own performance and he even felt that his acting was very Oscar-worthy.


    Lucas didn''t know what to say.


    "Ahem! Why don''t we have a drink? Alcohol will make you forget all the terrible things." Samantha suggested.


    Fredrinn stared at her in surprise. It was the first time he heard her speak to him in such a sincere voice. Normally, she would speak to him in a sarcastic or cold tone. ''It seems like my acting worked. Hehe.'' He was pleased with himself as he thought of this.


    Lucas'' eyes lit up. "That''s a good idea! What do you think, Fredrinn?"


    "Alright," Fredrinn responded with his signature acting-sad smile.


    "Great! I know a ce." Lucas enthusiastically dragged him.


    Samantha looked at Fredrinn''s back and for some reason, she felt that something was not quite right. In the end, she sighed and shook her head. "I''ll let him off this time since he looks so miserable." She muttered.


    ***


    Inside the city lord''s study, Rnd brought in Brielle who was the link between the Morten Household and the Snake Gang.


    Ludwig stared at him with narrowed eyes. "Is this him?"


    "Mn. This person''s name is Brielle Morten. He is a distant family member of the Morten Household. The members of the Snake Gang called him ''The Sender'' since he was responsible for delivering their funds." Rnd replied.


    Ludwig''s expression hardened. "Brielle is it? I only want the truth from you so you better not lie to me!"


    Brielle lifted his head. When he saw the city lord''s face, he recoiled in fear. "C-City lord?!"


    "It''s good that you know me. This should make things easier!" Ludwig''s voice was frighteningly cold.

 Chapter 71: Roland Meets the City Officials

    Brielle knew that they were fucked up now that the city lord''s mansion was involved. He could only hope that the city lord would be merciful when enforcing thew.


    Brielle didn''t dare hide anything from Ludwig. He told them everything he knew about the operation, including the ckcrow Household''s involvement in the matter.


    At this point, Ludwig had a disappointed look. He didn''t expect that a high and mighty household was involved in the recent kidnapping cases. "Bring him away. I don''t want to see his face." He waved his hand while shaking his head.


    Rnd nodded and asked one of his subordinates to take Brielle away. "What are your ns, city lord?"


    Ludwig sighed as he responded with a heavy tone. "We have to discuss this thoroughly. The ckcrow Household is not weak by any means and there is still the Morten Household. We can''t be rash in dealing with this issue. Follow me to the meeting hall. We need to hear everybody''s opinion."


    "Yes, city lord." Rnd nodded in agreement.


    An hourter, the seats in the meeting hall of the city lord''s mansion were packed. Every important official of the city was invited to join the meeting.


    Rnd was familiar with these people and most of them were his acquaintance. He greeted them one by one politely.


    Excluding the city lord and Roderick, there was a total of five Nascent Soul martial practitioners among the city officials. One of them was the City Defense Chief Arthur yton. The City Defense Department under him was responsible for any outside threats.


    Arthur was a martial warrior who was even older than the city lord. He was already over a hundred, but he still looked like a middle-aged man. His back was straight as a spear and his sharp eyes were akin to an eagle''s.


    From Rnd''s memory, the City Defense Chief was already at the 8th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm. He was only weaker than the city lord by oneyer!


    Rnd moved his gaze to another notable official. She looked like a middle-aged woman from her outward appearance, but she was already over ny years old. This woman was the City Treasurer who controlled the city''s finances. Her name was Agnes Tyrell. She might look amiable on the surface, but she was also a ruthless martial practitioner at the 4th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm!


    Sitting next to her was a fierce-looking, and bald middle-aged man. He was the Public Safety Chief who was responsible for monitoring the safety of the residents. This man was also a 5th Layer Nascent Soul martial practitioner like Rnd.


    Rnd didn''t have a good impression of this guy so he immediately looked at the next notable person in the hall. It was a smiling old man who was already over 150 years old. He was the chief of the city''s Health Department and it was said that this old man was a 3rd Layer Nascent Soul martial practitioner.


    After smiling politely at the old man, Rnd moved his gaze to thest person. Unlike the other four who were rtively older, this guy was in his early sixties. He was the nning and Development Manager who was responsible for evaluating the implementation of the projects and activities in the city. He was a 2nd Layer Nascent Soul martial practitioner.


    Other than these five powerful officials, there were also more than ten minor officials and another ten elders from the Springfield Household. All of them were at the Core Formation stage!


    This was the power of the city lord''s mansion!


    At this moment, Ludwig suddenly stood up and cleared his throat.


    "Since everyone is here, let''s begin the meeting!"


    "First, let us discuss the main issue at hand." He paused and scanned the hall with his stern gaze. "Recently, there has been an rming increase in the number of kidnapping cases in the city, specifically in Dandora Corner..."


    A nervous look appeared on the face of the Public Safety Chief when he heard this. He was also aware of this matter, but his recent investigations ended in failure. He didn''t even have a clue as to who was responsible for this crime.


    The city lord might not have med him for this, but he could sense his disappointment.


    "¡­With the help of my friend, Rnd, and the Firecrown Household, we finally discovered the culprit behind the kidnapping cases. It was a criminal organization called the Snake Gang¡­"


    Hearing this, the Public Safety Chief stood up and said. "City lord, please let me handle this organization! I have been searching for their whereabouts for months-"


    "There''s no need!" Ludwig muttered coldly while shaking his head.


    The Public Safety Chief, Abraham Stillingfleet could only awkwardly take his seat after being ruthlessly rejected.


    "The Firecrown Household has already dealt with the Snake Gang." Ludwig added.


    Everyone turned their gazes to Rnd upon hearing this. Thetter nodded and smiled at them politely.


    ''I feel guilty taking all my son''s aplishments. He should be the one receiving everyone''s respect.'' Rnd thought to himself.


    "ording to Rnd''s investigation, the Snake Gang is being funded by the Morten Household, and the kidnapped people are sent to the ckcrow Household as ves!" Ludwig dropped the bomb that made everyone in the hall suck in a deep breath of cold air. They were shocked by the news. They couldn''t believe that two big households were involved in this matter.


    Suddenly, someone raised his hand.


    "You may speak freely Sir Arthur," Ludwig said as he nodded at the middle-aged man.


    Arthur nodded. "I don''t question the integrity of the Firecrown Household, but have you verified the authenticity of this matter, city lord?"


    Everyone immediately understood the meaning behind Arthur''s words. They also knew of the conflict between the Firecrown Household and the ckcrow Household. Each person in the hall had different thoughts about the situation when they realized this.


    Rnd took a deep breath when he sensed everyone''s scrutinizing gazes. He wanted to speak up, but the city lord had already spoken.


    "I have already verified this information." Ludwig nodded. He had full trust in Rnd''s character. They had known each other for decades so they were aware of each other''s personalities. Rnd wasn''t the type of person who would use underhanded methods for his gains.


    "I see." Arthur nodded with a deep look.


    With the city lord''s acknowledgment, no one doubted Rnd anymore.


    "I invited all of you here since I want to hear your opinions on how we should deal with the situation. Let me know what you have in mind." The city lord nced at them one by one, hoping that someone could give him a solution.


    The officials and the elders racked their brains. This matter was quite sensitive. The ckcrow Household and the Morten Household were powerful families with numerous martial practitioners under theirmand. One wrong move might lead to a full-blown war against them.


    "City lord, if I may speak." Rnd raised his hand. Beforeing to the city lord''s mansion, he had already discussed with his son how they would deal with the problem. Fredrinn gave him a suggestion at that time and he found it to be reasonable.


    "Go on." The city lord signaled for him to speak.


    Rnd stood up and looked at everyone. "There should be a reason why the ckcrow Household is amassing arge number of ves. I think we should investigate this matter more deeply before we make any decisions. If we choose to deal with them now, both households would use every means necessary to avoid punishment. They might even kill all the ves to remove all evidence of their involvement."


    At this point, everyone nodded to his words in agreement.


    "However, I hope that everyone will cooperate with us to fully implement the n that I have in mind." Rnd narrowed his eyes. The next step was the most important part of the n, a clever move that Fredrinn hade up with.


    "This is my n¡­"


    ***


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn was currently drinking alcohol with Lucas and Samantha at a nearby cafe. It was rtively obscure and only those with memberships could enter, making the ce extremely peaceful.


    "I didn''t know that there was such a cafe in Red Sun City," Fredrinnmented. Even the previous Fredrinn who was a frequent visitor of numerous bars and restaurants had never gone to this ce.


    Lucas revealed a guilty smile. "Actually, it might be because of me¡­"


    It turned out that this cafe was owned by the Springfield Household and it was directly under Lucas'' name. He didn''t like Fredrinn back then so he told all the members and the employees to never let him know about the shop and forbid him from entering.


    "I''m really sorry, Fredrinn. I didn''t know about your situation so I came up with that ridiculous rule." Lucas scratched his head in embarrassment.


    Fredrinn could only shake his head helplessly.


    In truth, he knew about this cafe. Ten yearster, this small cafe would be a gathering ce for the young elites of the city. When he was still a yer, he was lucky enough to be a member of the cafe.


    "I''ll drink this entire bottle as an apology." Lucas grabbed a bottle of alcohol and without waiting for Fredrinn''s response, he chugged it down. To make it even more convincing, he didn''t use his Qi to refine the contents of the wine. He really went all out this time with his apology.


    Samantha sighed when she realized that her brother was beginning to open up to Fredrinn. ''What a twist of fate¡­''

 Chapter 72: First Step of His Plan

    The sky was already dark when Fredrinn and the other two returned to the city lord''s mansion.


    Looking at the dark sky, Fredrinn thought about his father. Rnd wouldn''t be pleased if he knew that he went to a cafe to drink alcohol. Knowing this, he sent Lucas a resentful gaze. This guy was too enthusiastic. He talked about his days in the army as well as his experiences on the battlefield.


    Fredrinn was so hooked with his story that he didn''t realize the passing of time. If it weren''t for Samantha urging them to return to the city lord''s mansion, he wouldn''t have noticed the time.


    Samantha hired a carriage to drive them back to the mansion.


    Fredrinn carried the drunk Lucas to the carriage and sneakily gave him a smack to the head.


    "Huh? W-What wash dat fer?" Lucas stared at him with intoxicated, half-closed eyes.


    "There was a mosquito." Fredrinn lied without batting an eye.


    Samantha saw everything, but she didn''t bother to say anything. She felt that her brother deserved it.


    Fredrinn gave her a knowing smile and Samantha immediately looked away after sensing his gaze.


    "Now that you have exposed your strength, what do you n to do?" She asked without looking at him.


    Fredrinn adjusted his sitting posture. "I just want my family to survive." He replied with a deep look. He had seen a glimpse of the future through his Fate Rating.


    When he was still a yer, the Firecrown Household was still around, but the future changed this time. He guessed that it was the butterfly effect of his transmigration.


    Samantha didn''t expect this reply. She thought that Fredrinn would give her an ambitious response like revealing his power to the world. She looked at his face and found him charming for the first time.


    Thirty minutester, they arrived at the city lord''s mansion.


    Fredrinn grabbed the drunk Lucas and carried him out of the carriage. "We are here. I suggest that you use your Qi to sober up if you don''t want the city lord to punish you."


    His words were like an rm bell. Lucas'' eyes sprung open and he immediately utilized his Qi to remove the effects of the alcohol from his body.


    Fredrinn stared at him in disdain. "Why didn''t you refine the contents of the alcohol?"


    The refreshed Lucas chuckled as he replied. "Being drunk is the best feeling in the world."


    Samantha facedpalmed herself when she heard her brother''s response.


    Fredrinn smiled and shook his head.


    When the trio entered the mansion, they heard that the city lord was still in the meeting hall with the city officials and the elders.


    Fredrinn wasn''t surprised by this, but Lucas and Samantha weren''t aware of the situation.


    "What''s going on?" Lucas asked the servants, but they didn''t know what was happening.


    Samantha turned her gaze to Fredrinn and asked. "Do you know about this?" She felt that it was rted to the Firecrown Household.


    Fredrinn nodded.


    Just as he was about to say something, the door to the meeting hall suddenly sprang open.


    The elders and the city officials stepped out one by one.


    Samantha and Lucas noticed everyone''s grim faces. They realized that things might be more serious than they had imagined.


    A momentter, Rnd and the city lord finally came out.


    "Rnd, you guys should stay the night. We have plenty of empty rooms in the mansion."


    "Thank you for the invitation, city lord, but I have to decline. I still have to prepare a lot of things back home." Rnd tactfully rejected.


    "I see. Then I''ll see you out." Ludwig smiled and patted Rnd''s shoulder.


    "Alright."


    On their way out, Rnd noticed Fredrinn in the crowd and immediately sent him a look.


    "It seems like it''s time for me to leave. Let''s see each other again next time." Fredrinn smiled at Samantha and Lucas before he went to catch up to his father.


    Looking at his back, Lucas revealed aplicated expression. "A new lion has revealed itself." He muttered.


    Samantha was also filled with mixed feelings at this moment.


    ***


    The days went by in the blink of an eye and the day of the exchange finally came.


    Raphael was taken out of the underground prison. He no longer had the arrogant look he once had. His eyes were unfocused and there was no joy nor anticipation for his release.


    During his time in prison, he realized that he wasn''t that important to the ckcrow Household. This made his emotions hit rock bottom. ''If it was my sister who was imprisoned, what would the family have done?'' He already knew the answer and it made him feel that he was insignificant.


    Looking at the listless Raphael, Fredrinn walked to his side and smiled at him. "I haven''t seen you in a while, Raphael. You look like hammered shit."


    Thetter lifted his head and looked at Fredrinn''s smug face. He felt humiliated, but he didn''t have the energy to argue with him.


    Fredrinn ced his arm over Raphael''s shoulder and said. "Because of you, I will get fifty fine horses soon. I can''t thank you enough."


    Raphael gritted his teeth and sent him a re. "I won''t forget this humiliation, Fredrinn Firecrown! You might have won today, but it won''t be the same next time!"


    Fredrinn pretended to be afraid while exaggeratedly raising his arms. "Don''t be so serious, man!"


    Raphael snorted and looked away from him. He might die from anger if he continued their conversation.


    An unfathomable light shed in Fredrinn''s eyes.


    Today, the first step of his n would be executed. To change the future that he saw, he had to overturn the chessboard and make the most unexpected move.


    ''How would the person on the opposite side of the chessboard react if I smash the chessboard into pieces when he is only a few steps closer to victory? I''m looking forward to your response, Reynard ckcrow¡­'' Fredrinn thought as he put on his armor and disguised himself as one of the guards in the entourage.


    The leader of this entourage was Darius. Both sides agreed that they wouldn''t send a Nascent Soul so Rnd sent his most capable subordinate to lead the group. Other than him, he also sent half of the elite unit to disguise himself as normal guards.


    Darius stared at the group before turning his gaze to Rnd who was sternly observing them. He cupped his fists before hemanded the entourage to set off. "Move out!"


    The agreed location was in the uninhabited desert twenty miles east of the energy stone mine. The ce was the most undesirablend in the city because of the searing temperature and untible soil. Not even the big households wanted a piece of it since arge amount of money was needed to turn the ce into a habitable space.


    Fredrinn was the one who suggested this location to Rnd. The open space was perfect for him since he could see every member of the opposing group. With his Battle Scouter, he would see which person to look out for.

 Chapter 73: Trap

    When they arrived at the agreed location, there was already arge group of people waiting for them. Each one was riding a horse and they were in a square formation which made them look impregnable like a fortress.


    Seeing this, Darius made a series of hand gestures.


    The guards immediately formed a triangle formation ording to hismands.


    When they reached a certain distance, Darius raised his fist in midair to signal the group to stop their march.


    Darius squinted his eyes as he scanned the opposing side. After a simple observation, he found out that they had over eighty martial practitioners. On the other hand, his group only had fifty people, but he wasn''t worried.


    A trace of anticipation shed in his eyes.


    "Bring the prisoner!" He shouted.


    A guard grabbed Raphael and pushed him in front of the formation.


    "Stop pushing me! I can walk by myself!" Raphael''s arrogance returned when he saw the ckcrow Household''s martial practitioners. To his surprise, there were a few notable warriors among them and this made him feel a bit relieved.


    Darius stared deeply at him before turning his gaze back to the opposite group. "We have brought Raphael! Bring us the agreed goods and we will return him to you!" His booming voice echoed in all directions.


    A momentter, the square formation of the opposite group suddenly parted, revealing a woman on a horse. It was Agatha ckcrow, the second heir of the ckcrow Household.


    Following behind her was the famous Owen, a martial practitioner at the peak of the Core Formation realm.


    "We will send half of the agreed goods first! We will only deliver the remaining half once Raphael is released!" Agatha responded.


    Hearing this, Darius frowned. ''How did Lord Fredrinn predict this?'' Beforeing here, Fredrinn reminded him of the possible things that would happen in the exchange. This was one of the situations that he had predicted.


    He resisted the urge to look at Fredrinn who was in the middle of the triangle formation.


    Knowing that this would happen, Darius was only briefly surprised. "Alright!" He shouted in response.


    Meanwhile, Agatha raised her eyebrows in surprise. She didn''t expect that they would agree to her demands. If she was in their shoes, she would have cursed out loud before rejecting them. ''Something is off here¡­'' She thought.


    She looked around with narrowed eyes, but she found nothing abnormal.


    "Is there anything wrong, Miss Agatha?" Owen asked when he saw her staring around with a wary gaze.


    "Have you checked the surroundings?"


    "Yes, miss. I sent our men to scan the location." Owen nodded.


    ''I must be overthinking things.'' She thought.


    "Send them half of the agreed goods and get Raphael." She instructed.


    "Yes, Miss Agatha." Owen nodded. He then turned around and gave a series ofmands to his subordinates.


    A momentter, five martial practitioners pulled twenty-five war horses toward the front and brought them to the opposite group.


    Seeing this, Darius sent a signal to the guard who was holding Raphael''s chains.


    The atmosphere became tense and everyone prepared themselves for what was toe.


    At this moment, Fredrinn was silently observing the most dangerous individuals on the ckcrow Household''s side. ''It looks like I have overestimated Reynard''s intelligence.'' He shook his head in disappointment.


    Other than Owen, there were only five more at thete stage of the Core Formation realm. The rest are in between the early and the middle stages of the Core Formation. There were even some at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm.


    This lineup should have been enough to overpower Darius'' group, but Fredrinn''s confidence lies in the group that was hidden underneath the drynd.


    In the past few days, the best array maker of the Firecrown Household, Ardul, set up a concealing formation. This was to hide the experts of the city lord''s mansion.


    Fredrinn spent a few sleepless nights overseeing the construction of this trap. He even mobilized his guards unit to make the terrain look more natural.


    While he was silently cursing Reynard''s careless move, the exchange had already halfway concluded.


    "We have already released Raphael! Send us half of the remaining goods!" Darius shouted. At this point, he was only waiting for Fredrinn to give the signal.


    "Don''t worry! We won''t renege on our promise!" Agatha responded. After she said this, the remaining war horses were taken to the front, but they suddenly stopped halfway through.


    Fredrinn who was watching everything had a bad feeling about this. He jumped out of his formation and shouted. "Do it! Don''t let them kill my horses!" His voice carried a trace of anxiety. This was what he was most worried about.


    "Surround them!" Darius immediately shouted when he heard Fredrinn''s urgent words.


    As soon as he gave themand, the warriors hidden underneath thend finally revealed themselves.


    Their sudden appearance stunned the martial practitioners of the ckcrow Household.


    Agatha''s face fell. "What is the meaning of this?!" She red at Darius.


    "Miss, it''s dangerous! Please stay behind me!" Owen and a few others circled her with grim faces.


    "You were the first one to go back on your words! Don''t make meugh with your hypocrisy!" Darius responded with a mocking tone.


    Agatha didn''t expect that the Firecrown Household would be so bold!


    "Miss Agatha, please tell your men to drop their weapons! We don''t want any bloodshed to happen today!" A city official who was disguised as a guard of the Firecrown Household warned in a stern voice.


    Agatha stared fiercely at the man and the hundreds of martial practitioners that surrounded them. She gritted her teeth while looking at them with a defiant gaze. She knew that they would die if they fought back, but she didn''t want to surrender.


    Just as she was about to order her troops to attack, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head and her vision began to blur. ''What happened?'' Before she lost consciousness, she saw Raphael staring at her with a cold look. ''That bastard! How dare he¡­''


    Owen and the others looked at him in shock.


    "Don''t worry. She is still alive. Knowing her personality, she would have ordered our men to attack. We might as well surrender and wait for the family toe." Raphael muttered indifferently.


    "You!" Owen was speechless.


    "As the third heir of the ckcrow Household, Imand you to throw down your weapons and surrender!" Raphael shouted.


    The martial practitioners hesitated for a moment, but under the threat that surrounded them, they could only obediently follow hismands.

 Chapter 74: I Want to Claim My Horses!

    The martial practitioners who surrendered were brought to the Firecrown Household''s underground prison.


    Fredrinn was in a great mood and he even helped the guards in sending the prisoners to their cells. ''We gained fifty war horses and we also obtained the items of the martial practitioners. The ten million star coins was just a bonus.'' He thought with a cheerful smile.


    Thinking about this, he nced at Raphael who was leaning against the wall inside his cell. Fredrinn gave him a thumbs up. "Yo! If it weren''t for you, half of my horses would have died! Tell me if there''s anything you want."


    Raphael turned his head, an annoyed look shed in his eyes. "Fuck off!"


    "So feisty!" Fredrinn chuckled.


    Raphael ignored his teasing words and turned his back on him.


    "How about we make a deal?" Fredrinn''s voice suddenly turned serious.


    Raphael perked up his ears, but he acted as if he wasn''t interested.


    Fredrinn smirked as he continued. "I will make you the family head of the ckcrow Household¡­"


    Raphael looked at him in surprise. "Are you insane? Do you think I''m an idiot?" He felt that it was ridiculous.


    "Why? Do you think it''s not possible?" Fredrinn smiled mysteriously.


    Raphael stared at him in disdain. "You captured my father''s most favorite child and you even detained his elite martial practitioners. He wille here seeking vengeance and that will be the day your Firecrown Household would fall!" He had seen his father''s ruthless side and he believed that there was no one more powerful than him in the city.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn picked his ears. He wasn''t the least bit worried at all. If it was before, he wouldn''t even entertain the thought of fighting the ckcrow Household. However, things were different now.


    In the past few days, they had been secretly investigating the ckcrow Household. Rnd had even personally sneaked inside their estate to gather information. It was then that they found out the purpose of the ves.


    It turned out that those ves were sold to the military leaders of the Blue Sky Kingdom! This was a treasonous act against the Star Wind Kingdom! With the evidence they have, it was enough to kill the ckcrow Household many times over.


    "Even if hees with the ckcrow Household''s entire army, he wouldn''t be able to step foot in our estate." Fredrinn shook his head.


    Raphael sneered. "Did the victory this time make you dumb? Even if you ask the city lord''s mansion for help, they could do nothing to save your household! You have no idea how strong my family is!"


    "Up to you." Fredrinn shrugged. He only suggested it on a whim because he was happy with Raphael''s performance.


    He left the underground prison with his hands in his pocket.


    [You discovered the treasonous acts of the ckcrow Household! Rewards: Level Up Card, Sword Talent Upgrade Card, and 3000 Fate Points!]


    [Punish the traitorous family! Reward: ???]


    This was the most recent notification he received from the system.


    Fredrinn wasn''t in a hurry to increase his cultivation and upgrade his sword talent. There was a more important matter that he had to take care of.


    It was to im the war horses that were promised to him by his father.


    He headed to Rnd''s office in a hurry. He didn''t even bother to knock on the door and entered without hesitation. "Father!"


    Rnd who was discussing something with Darius flew into rage when their conversation was interrupted. "Why didn''t you knock on the door?!"


    Fredrinn smiled cheekily as he took his seat. "I came here for my horses. Where are they?"


    Hearing this, Rnd covered his face. "You interrupted us for that?" He muttered with a helpless look.


    Fredrinn smiled politely at Darius who was awkwardly sitting in between him and Rnd.


    Looking at Fredrinn, Rnd could only shake his head. "Go to the beast farm and look for them on your own." He muttered impatiently.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn stood up and smiled from ear to ear. "Thank you, father!" He then rushed out of the room.


    Rnd smiled bitterly at Darius. "I''ve embarrassed myself."


    "There''s nothing to be ashamed of, my lord. Lord Fredrinn did all of the nning and it was because of him that we now have a chance of eliminating the ckcrow Household. He deserves all the credit. We only followed his instructions."


    Rnd nodded in agreement. He was also pleased with his son''s performance in the past week. It was the first time that he felt so proud of him. "What do you think of him?" He asked.


    Darius pondered for a moment before giving his response. "It''s still too early to tell, but I think Lord Fredrinn is going in the right direction. Everyone is fairly satisfied with his performance and most of my subordinates have already epted him as the next leader of the household.


    Furthermore, I noticed that Lord Fredrinn''s cultivation isn''t what it seems to be¡­" He looked uncertain when he mentioned thest part.


    "What do you mean?" Rnd revealed a look of interest upon hearing this. He also noticed that his son was hiding his cultivation. Some of his subordinates even said that Fredrinn was already at the Foundation Establishment realm. He didn''t believe it at that time since he was aware of his son''scking martial talent. However, Fredrinn''s recent activities made him wonder if it was true.


    "My lord, I''m not sure if I should say this since I''m not a hundred percent certain."


    "Just speak freely."


    "Actually, I think Lord Fredrinn is already at the Core Formation realm," Darius muttered in a serious tone.


    Hearing this, Rnd widened his eyes. "Why do you think so?"


    "Do you remember the city lord''s eldest child?"


    "Are you talking about that kid Lucas? What about him?"


    "Yesterday, I saw him sparring with Lord Fredrinn near the energy stone mine. Sir Lucas is already at the Core Formation realm, but Lord Fredrinn had the upper hand during their sparring." Darius recounted everything he saw.


    Rnd could no longer sit still. If what he said was true, there was a high chance that Fredrinn was a Core Formation realm martial practitioner. Thinking about this, his lips curved upwards. "I''ll ask him the next time I see him."


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn had already arrived at the beast farm. It was a vast space where the family kept their mounts and tamed magical beasts.


    "My lord!" A servant greeted him as soon as he arrived.


    Fredrinn nodded at him and asked. "Where are the newly acquired war horses kept?"


    "They should be together with the other horses. Do you want me to bring you there?"


    "There''s no need. I know the way." He didn''t even wait for the servant to respond and left in a rush. Using the previous Fredrinn''s memory, he navigated through the beast farm.


    He saw all sorts of magical beasts in captivity. A huge portion of them were livestock like pigs, cows, chickens, and many others. They looked different than the animals in his home world, but there were obvious simrities so it wasn''t difficult to tell them apart. There were also magical beasts used fornd and aerial transport.


    After looking around for almost half an hour, Fredrinn finally found where the war horses were kept. They were ced inside a newly made stable.


    "My lord!" There was a servant feeding the war horses and he was surprised to see Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn smiled at him and patted the man''s shoulder. "Thank you for taking care of my horses."


    The young servant was overwhelmed by his words. He humbly bowed his head. "I''m only doing my job, my lord."


    "Please take care of them well." Fredrinn handed him a small sack filled with coins.


    Looking at the bag of money in his hand, the young boy was stunned. "This is¡­"


    "It''s just a small reward for your efforts. Don''t mind me, I only came here to check on my horses."


    "Thank you, my lord!" The boy was filled with gratitude. Based on his estimate, the money inside the bag was equivalent to a month of his sry.


    Fredrinn smiled and waved his hand as he walked away. The war horses of the ckcrow Household were a rare breed of battle steeds. From their powerful aura and muscr bodies, he could tell that they had been well-fed and taken care of.


    When he saw the horses happily eating the special hay prepared for them, he postponed the thought of bringing them out of the beast farm. ''I''ll let you rest for now.'' He thought.


    He observed them for some time and he only left after giving a few instructions to the young servant.


    Fredrinn returned to his study and checked his character profile.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 2nd Layer] [Level 32]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ????????


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: E (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 3950


    "Huh?" His fate rating was still the same, but something definitely changed in his future!

 Chapter 75: Reynard’s Fury

    Fredrinn took a deep breath before he clicked the screen.


    At this moment, his character profile suddenly turned red.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Nascent Soul 9th Layer]


    Age of death: 45


    Personal Data: He was the only son of the former patriarch of the Firecrown Household. At a young age, he was forced to pretend as a degenerate to protect himself from being targeted by the ckcrow Household, the mortal enemy of his family. Heter revealed his true power and devised a n topletely eradicate the ckcrow Household.


    Because of his aplishment, he became famous in Red Sun City and he even gained some fame in the Star Wind Kingdom¡­


    ¡­At the age of 35, he stepped into the Nascent Soul realm¡­


    ¡­At the age of 40, he became the new patriarch of the Firecrown Household¡­


    ¡­At the age of 42¡­


    ¡­At the age of 45, he led his troops in defending the Star Wind Kingdom against the invading army of the Blue Sky Kingdom. He killed hundreds of powerful martial practitioners during that war, but he eventually died after being encircled by thousands of martial practitioners.


    Looking at the mature face of his older self, Fredrinn didn''t know how to react. ''Based on this data, we should be able to defeat the ckcrow Household, but why can''t I escape death? Is this the fate of a viin? Is Fredrinn Firecrown truly fated to die?'' He felt frustrated.


    Dying for one''s kingdom might be glorious, but he didn''t want to die that early. There wasn''t even a line in his personal data that mentioned him having a wife. It means that he would die single and without any children.


    Just thinking about it made him even more miserable.


    Fredrinn angrily closed his character profile and opened his inventory. He ignored the misceneous items and grabbed the Level Up Card and the Sword Talent Upgrade Card. He then used the two cards.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 3rd Layer] [Level 33]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ????????


    Cultivation¡­


    Skils¡­


    With his current sword talent, he no longer had to spend a lot of time to fully understand any sword techniques. It could be said that he had already stepped foot in the realm of the geniuses.


    This made him feel a bit better.


    ***


    Inside a cell in the underground prison, Agatha opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was the dark ceiling. She looked around and realized that she was inside a prison. She was a bit flustered, but she soon calmed down.


    There wasn''t any source of light in her cell, but the outside of the cell was dimly lit by the flickering light of the torches.


    "You''re finally awake." A cold voice echoed from the dark corner of her cell. It was a man''s voice, one that she was very familiar with.


    She squinted her eyes and she soon saw the outline of a person within the darkness.


    "Do you not recognize my voice anymore, my lovely sister?" The voice echoed once more, but this time, she felt the mocking tone behind his words.


    Agatha furrowed her eyebrows. Rage and disgust flickered in her eyes. "How could I not recognize your sickening voice?" She muttered coldly.


    The dark prison reminded her of the past. She was once close to Raphael, but things changed when she discovered his repulsive inner desire. He was obsessed with her body!


    When they were still children, Raphael did some horrible things to her that he wasn''t supposed to do. At that time, she thought that it was merely a game since she was still not aware of the world. However, when she grew older, she finally realized the truth. It made her feel dirty and she even thought ofmitting suicide, but she was afraid to die.


    In the end, she went on with her life and carried the filthy past with her.


    "I''m not your enemy. Have you forgotten how close we were in the past?"


    "Shut your mouth! Once I get out of here, I will fucking kill you!" She wanted to pounce at Raphael, but the chains tied to her limbs prevented her from getting close to him.


    "Hahaha! How foolish! Did you really think that we could escape from this ce? Naive!" Raphaelughed when he saw her pitiful struggle.


    "Father wille to get me out of here! As for you, I have plenty of ways to deal with you once I''m out of here." Agatha was agitated.


    Hearing this, Raphael sneered. "If it was before, I would have agreed with your words¡­" His recent conversation with Fredrinn came into his mind.


    Agatha frowned. "What do you mean?"


    Raphael didn''t say anything, making her feel ufortable.


    ***


    A dayter, the ckcrow Household finally received a report about the incident.


    Reynard''s face was dark and it looked like he would erupt at any moment. No one dared to say anything when they saw his furious face. "Firecrown Household! How dare they?! Did they really think that I would sit still and pretend like nothing happened?!"


    Bang!


    He pped his study table and it broke into pieces.


    His powerful aura leaked out and put heavy pressure on the people inside the room.


    "Assemble the army at once! I will lead everyone into the battle and we willy waste on the Firecrown Household''s estate!" Reynard''s voice was filled with killing intent.


    "M-My lord, w-what if this is a trap?" One of the elders in the room muttered while wiping off the sweat on his face.


    Reynard nced at him. His piercing gaze almost made the elder kneel in trepidation. "No one in this city is capable enough to trap Reynard ckcrow!"


    The elder lowered his head and no longer dared to say anything. He felt that Reynard would kill him if he said another word.


    "What are you standing there for?! Move out and assemble the troops! We will march as soon as the army is ready!" Reynard roared like a furious lion.

 Chapter 76: Olivia is Jealous

    The next day, Fredrinn summoned his guards unit to the open field behind the main mansion. He also brought Alice and Olivia with him to broaden their horizons. They had been cooped up in the secret chamber for many days so he decided to bring them out to have some fun.


    He hadn''t checked their cultivation for some time and he was left speechless when he saw their terrifying progress.


    Olivia who had started cultivating earlier than Alice was already at the peak of the 6th Layer of the Body Refining stage, while Alice had only recently advanced to the 5th Layer of the Body Refining stage.


    If they hadn''t been busy practicing some battle techniques, their cultivation would have been higher.


    It hasn''t even been a month since they began to cultivate, but their progress was already remarkable!


    Fredrinn could only sigh at their exceptional talent.


    He looked away from them and turned his head at the guards unit who were dressed in their custom-made uniform. When he first met them, they were unruly and undisciplined.


    Looking at their sharp gazes and firm posture, he was very pleased.


    "I''m very happy with your performance. Each one of you has grown considerably and there are even some who have advanced ayer." Fredrinn sounded satisfied and it made them feel proud.


    "Today, I have a gift for each one of you." Fredrinn mysteriously said. His words ignited everyone''s interest and they couldn''t help but perk their ears.


    "Some of you participated in the operation yesterday so I''m sure most of you are aware that we managed to get over a hundred war horses." Fredrinn didn''t need to say the rest. Everyone already understood what was about to happen.


    When he saw their excited faces, Fredrinn no longer made them wait. He turned his head at the young boy who was nervously standing behind Olivia and Alice. This was the kid who was responsible for taking care of the captured horses in the beast farm. Fredrinn met him yesterday when he was looking for the war horses on the beast farm.


    "Sean, please ask the brothers to bring the horses here." Fredrinn nodded at the boy.


    The kid named Sean felt scared when he sensed everyone''s gazes. He had never gotten this kind of attention since he was born so he was flustered.


    "It''s alright. You don''t need to be nervous." Olivia smiled gently at him.


    Alice also sent him an encouraging smile.


    Sean gulped down hard and suppressed the nervousness. He bowed at Fredrinn and nodded gratefully at the twodies. He then went to carry out Fredrinn''s instruction.


    Not longter, ten servants came, pulling fifty war horses with them. These servants were only normal people, but the horses were very tamed so they had no trouble dealing with them.


    The eyes of every member of the guards unit sparkled with excitement when they saw the muscr war horses.


    "Thank you." Fredrinn smiled at the boy and the servants before turning his gaze to the guards unit.


    "I will call you one by one. Pleasee forward to im your new mount." Fredrinn announced.


    The members of the guards unit eagerly waited for their names to be called and when it was their turn, they pridefully stepped forward to take their new mounts.


    It took almost an hour to distribute the war horses.


    "Now that the war horses are in your hands, they will be your responsibility as of this moment. You must treat them well. They will be yourpanion so you must gain their trust." Fredrinn sternly said.


    "Yes, my lord!" Everyone answered with great enthusiasm.


    "Gunnar!" Fredrinn called Gunnar.


    "Here!" Thetter stepped out of the formation and gave him a standard salute.


    "Starting tomorrow, you must teach everyone how to ride a horse," Fredrinn instructed.


    "I will guide them properly, my lord!" Gunnar nodded.


    "Once everyone is used to riding the horses, teach them the basic cavalry formations and tactics. This is necessary for their development so you have to be strict with their training. I will check on everyone''s progress every week." Fredrinn wanted to copy the ckcrow Household''s elite cavalry unit.


    The Firecrown Household has hundreds of martial practitioners, but they were quitecking in elite horse riders. He wanted to nurture his own cavalry unit, one that surpasses even the elite cavalry of the ckcrow Household. He was aware that it would take some time to build a force of that caliber, but he was willing to wait and give it a shot.


    "Yes, my lord! I won''t disappoint you!" Gunnar nodded with a confident smile. As the captain of the guards unit, he would be happy to see everyone grow into a powerful force.


    "Good! You guys may start building some connection with your horses."


    Fredrinn gave them a few more instructions before he left with Olivia and Alice.


    On their way back to the main mansion, Fredrinn was quick to notice Olivia''s sullen face. "What made my Olivia look like that?" Heughed with a teasing look.


    The girl pouted and refused to say anything.


    Seeing her acting like this, Alice could only smile while shaking her head. She was the only servant who would dare to act like this in front of Fredrinn.


    "Are you jealous that I gave them horses?" Fredrinn ced his arm over her shoulders.


    Olivia was surprised by his unexpected clinginess, but she didn''t detest his touch. She felt that they had grown past their master-servant rtionship.


    Thinking about this, she recalled the time when Fredrinn told her that he treated her like a sister. Her heart felt warm all of a sudden.


    "I also like a horse." She said in a cute manner.


    Fredrinn couldn''t help but rub her hair when he saw her acting like this. "Don''t worry. There are still plenty of horses in the beast farm. I promise that you and Alice will get one each once you advance to the Qi Gathering realm."


    Hearing this, Olivia stared at him in excitement. "Really?"


    "Of course!"


    "Hehe!"

 Chapter 77: Sean’s Dream

    "My lord! Please wait!"


    Fredrinn turned around and saw Sean jogging over with a face full of sweat. The kid looked thin and weak. The quick sprint already made him tired. "What''s the matter?"


    Sean ced his hand on his chest as he breathed heavily. "M-My lord, I have a presumptuous request."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn revealed a look of interest. "What is it?"


    Sean was nervous, but he knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He once dreamed of bing a powerful martial practitioner, but because of his family''s financial difficulties, he was unable to fulfill his dreams and ended up bing a servant of the Firecrown Household.


    He thought that he would no longer have the chance to be a martial practitioner, but his encounter with Fredrinn revitalized his hopes.


    "I want to be a martial practitioner!" Those were the words that came out of his mouth.


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin while staring at the young boy. This kid looked no older than fifteen and was probably a few years younger than Kristine and Olivia. "Why do you want to be a martial practitioner?" He asked.


    "It''s my dream and I also heard from my parents that martial practitioners earn more money than us servants." He muttered with a look of embarrassment.


    "So you want to earn more money?" Fredrinn smiled.


    "Yes, my lord! Our family is facing financial difficulties at the moment so I want to help my parents with the expenses. I might be young, but I will work hard! I promise!" Sean patted his chest with a determined look.


    "I see." Fredrinn wasn''t surprised by this. Many people in Red Sun City were in a simr situation as Sean.


    Olivia and Alice who were listening to his story couldn''t help but feel sorry for him. They were also from poor families so they understood his situation.


    Sean nervously looked at Fredrinn. His response would determine his future.


    "Are you aware that only those with spirit roots are capable of bing martial practitioners?"


    Sean nodded. "Yes, my lord. My father told me about it."


    "Alright. Follow me to my study. We will test out whether you have a spirit root or not." Fredrinn didn''t mind helping this hardworking young man.


    Sean''s eyes lit up. "Thank you so much, my lord!" He clenched his hands in excitement.


    "You can thank meter. We are still not sure if you have a spirit root." Fredrinn could only hope that Sean was one of the lucky few who were born with spirit roots.


    Hearing this, Sean felt nervous again.


    He followed Fredrinn and the twodies inside the mansion. He had been a servant for the Firecrown Household for over a year, but this was the first time he had stepped inside the main mansion.


    ''What a big house!'' His eyes widened when he saw the big and imposing hallway.


    They passed by a few martial practitioners and servants. Each one of them bowed to Fredrinn and greeted him respectfully. This made Sean''s eyes twinkle with admiration.


    A momentter, they finally entered Fredrinn''s study room.


    Sean curiously looked around. ''This room is even bigger than our house!''


    At this moment, he noticed Fredrinn taking out an orb from beneath his desk.


    "This is a testing orb. It will sense your spirit root once you touch it." Fredrinn didn''t exin in detail since he didn''t have high hopes for the kid.


    Sean nodded in realization. ''So that is actually a testing orb. Amazing! I wonder how it works¡­''


    "ce your hand on the orb. I have to remind you that you will feel a sharp pain once the orb reacts to your spirit root. Don''t remove your hand if that happens." Fredrinn warned in a stern voice.


    "Yes, my lord." Sean nodded his head vigorously. He was a bit afraid when he heard that it would be painful, but he was prepared to do anything to achieve his dreams. A little bit of pain was nothing!


    Sean took a deep breath before he extended his arm toward the testing orb. ''Please, I beg you! I hope I have a spirit root! Please!'' He prayed internally as he beseeched the gods.


    As soon as he touched the orb, he felt its cold surface. There was no reaction and it made him feel flustered. ''No way! I don''t have a spirit root?!'' He almost cried on the spot.


    Just as he was about to take his hand off the orb, it suddenly lit up with a dim ck glow.


    Seeing this, Sean almost screamed in joy. He had a spirit root!


    The dim glow soon vanished and the orb went back to normal.


    Fredrinn sighed after getting the result. It was a bit disappointing, but he already expected it.


    Olivia and Alice also stared at Sean with forced smiles. They knew what the ck glow represented. Nevertheless, they still congratted the boy.


    "Congrattions, Sean! You have a spirit root!"


    "Congrattions!"


    Sean smiled from ear to ear. "Thank you!"


    "You have a low-grade spirit root," Fredrinn muttered in a calm voice.


    Sean''s expression changed. He knew the different types of spirit roots and the low-grade was the worst of them all. However, after being momentarily stunned, he revealed an unwavering smile. "It doesn''t matter if I have a low-grade spirit root. There are a lot of people who are born without one so I am still lucky."


    Fredrinn was impressed by his ideology. "You''re right. I know someone who has a low-grade spirit root, but he is now a Core Formation realm martial practitioner." He told the boy.


    "Eh?! There is such a fierce person?" Olivia muttered in shock. She knew how hard it was for people with low-grade spirit roots to cultivate so she was stunned by Fredrinn''s words.


    Alice was also surprised.


    "Is that true, my lord?" Sean stared at him with wide eyes. In his mind, Core Formation realm martial practitioners were high and mighty people.


    "Of course! Have you heard of Cain? He was born with low-grade spirit root, but he climbed his way to the top despite hiscking potential. There are plenty of ways to increase your cultivation. Having a higher grade spirit root will only make things easier for you. Remember this Sean, potential means nothing without hard work and luck." Fredrinn patted the boy''s shoulder.


    ''Potential means nothing without hard work and luck¡­'' Sean repeated his words in his mind.


    Looking at the boy''s optimistic gaze, Fredrinn could only hope the best for him.


    Truthfully, he only said that to give the boy some confidence.


    Cain was a special case among the people who had low-grade spirit roots. Based on his description, that man went through numerous life-and-death situations to achieve his current strength. It was evident in his battle scars.


    [You have found a hidden gem! Take extra care of Sean and he will soon reveal his true talent! Find out his hidden talent! Rewards: Level Up Card, 2500 Fate Points, and Primordial Devil Arcana!]


    Fredrinn widened his eyes in disbelief.


    "I won''t disappoint you, my lord! I will work harder than the rest and follow Sir Cain''s footsteps!" Sean swore that he wouldn''t ck off.


    "So it''s Sir Cain¡­ Unbelievable! I never thought that he had a low-grade spirit root¡­" Olivia couldn''t believe her ears. Cain was the second most powerful subordinate under Fredrinn''smand so she thought that his spirit root was of a higher grade.


    Fredrinn ignored Olivia''s muttering and looked at Sean with a shining gaze. "Good! I believe that you will seed! I will ask Cain to personally guide you. With his experience, I think he will be the perfect teacher for you."


    "Really?!" Sean''s voice increased in volume.


    "Absolutely! However¡­" Fredrinn''s expression suddenly turned serious.


    Sean looked at him in anticipation.


    "Once your strength reaches a certain standard, you will have to join my guards unit." Fredrinn didn''t want to let this boy escape from his grasp. The system will never spout nonsense so there must be something special about Sean.


    Once Sean''s talent is unlocked, he might even one day be a renowned martial practitioner who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Olivia and Alice who both had excellent-grade spirit roots!


    Just thinking about it made Fredrinn look forward to the young man''s future.


    "You want me to join the guards unit?!" Sean thought that he heard it wrong.


    "That''s right. What do you think?" Fredrinn was like an adult who was fooling a child for his candy.


    "I agree!" Sean didn''t even hesitate. He had seen the cool-looking gears of the guards unit and it made him feel incredibly jealous.


    "Great! Tomorrow, you will follow Cain and start training with him. He is quite the scary man so you have to mentally prepare yourself." Fredrinn gave him a stern warning.


    "Yes, my lord! I will do my best!" Sean nodded his head with a resolute expression on his face.


    Alice and Olivia didn''t expect that Fredrinn would invite Sean to join his guards unit. They didn''t even get this kind of chance so they looked at the boy with mixed feelings.


    Fredrinn noticed their expression and smiled knowingly at them. "I have better ns for you." He whispered.


    His words reassured them.

 Chapter 78: Emergency Situation

    Fredrinn was very happy to have another great talent on his team, but his happiness was cut short when a servant came to give an urgent report.


    "My lord, we have received news from our scouts that the ckcrow Household''s army is on their way to the energy stone mine. Lord Rnd has already left with the elders and our martial practitioners to defend the mine. He asked you to stay here and defend the estate in case they send a separate force."


    Fredrinn furrowed his eyebrows. He didn''t expect Reynard''s response woulde so soon. "Alright. Just keep me updated." He waved his hand, indicating for the messenger to leave.


    "Yes, my lord!" The messenger bowed and left.


    "What should we do, my lord?" Olivia was nervous, but she was prepared to fight for him.


    "Follow me. We need to assemble the remaining troops and have them prepare." Fredrinn walked out of his study room.


    Olivia and Alice followed him. Sean wanted to go with them, but Fredrinn rejected his request.


    "I know that you want to help, but now is not your time to fight. Go and gather the servants and have them hide in the hidden basement. Look for my mother. She will guide you there." Fredrinn tossed his identity token. With it, Sean would have the authority tomand the servants.


    The young boy lowered his head and looked at the sun-shaped token engraved with Fredrinn''s name. It felt heavy in his hand. "I understand, my lord."


    Fredrinn patted his shoulder before he left with Olivia and Alice.


    After they left, Sean immediately went to look for Margaret. ''I have to find Lady Margaret first.''


    The mansion was so big that he soon got lost. Sean looked around the vast hallway and he didn''t know where to go. "What should I do?" He muttered anxiously.


    At this moment, he noticed a disciple of the household who seemed oblivious to the situation.


    "Hey, brother! Wait!"


    The young disciple turned around. When he saw that it was a boy his age wearing servant''s clothes, he furrowed his eyebrows. "What is it?"


    Sean noticed the displeasure in the disciple''s face, but it was an emergency so he couldn''t care less. "Do you know where Lady Margaret is?"


    Hearing this, the disciple frowned and stared at Sean suspiciously. "Why are you looking for Lady Margaret?"


    Sean showed him Fredrinn''s identity token as he said. "I''m only following Lord Fredrinn''s instructions."


    The disciple''s expression took a drastic change when he saw the sun-shaped token. "Oh! So it''s Lord Fredrinn''s instructions! Why didn''t you say so from the start?"


    Sean was speechless.


    "I saw Lady Margaret chatting with the librarian. You can find her in the library."


    "Where is the library?"


    "You don''t know where the library is?" The disciple stared at him in surprise.


    "No. It''s my first time here." Sean was a bit embarrassed.


    "I see. Then let me take you there. The library isn''t far from here anyway." The disciple suggested.


    "That would be great! Thank you so much!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn had already gathered the remaining martial practitioners in the estate. Most of them were only at the Body Refining and the Qi Gathering realm. With a small portion of them at the Foundation Establishment.


    There were over six hundred of them in total, but it was still not enough to defend the entire estate.


    Fredrinn''s mind spun.


    His only option was to ce these martial practitioners separately into key locations.


    "Everyone! Please listen carefully!" Fredrinn''s voice echoed and everyone unconsciously looked at him.


    Everyone felt that there was something different about him. This was because of his passive skill ''Dignity'' and the Crown of Eternal Glory.


    It was the first time he wore the crown so he felt that it was a bit unnatural and ufortable. If it weren''t for the special stats it provides, he wouldn''t have even thought of wearing it.


    "The ckcrow Household is now on their way to the energy stone mine!" Fredrinn''s voice drifted into their ears.


    "The patriarch is headed to the mine together with the elders and our elite martial practitioners to defend the mine. However, there is a high chance that the ckcrow Household would send a separate force to attack the estate now that our best fighters are away!"


    Hearing this, everyone felt nervous and some even started panicking.


    "Silence!" Fredrinn shouted with a dignified look.


    "I understand that you are afraid, but you must remember that our families and friends are here! We have to defend the estate to ensure their safety! I have already sent someone to bring your families to a safe location so you can rest assured. That ce is engraved with multiple defensive array formations. Even a high-ranking cultivator would have a hard time to break through all those barriers."


    The martial practitioners'' tension decreased upon hearing this.


    "Now, I will divide you into separate groups! The members of my guards unit will also be distributed evenly into your groups and you will have to listen to theirmands!"


    Fredrinn could urately see their cultivation levels so he managed to evenly distribute the martial practitioners into different teams. Each team was led by one or two members from his guards unit.


    After dividing them into different groups, Fredrinn ced each group into the key locations within the estate.


    As for Alice and Olivia, Fredrinn asked them to join Gunnar''s group who were tactically positioned at the western side of the estate where the defense was mostlycking.


    Fredrinn stood atop the eastern wall. Behind him were thirty martial practitioners, including Kristine.


    His group was mostlyprised of Body Refining stage martial practitioners and there were only five at the Qi Gathering stage.


    Circling above the sky were the two Soaring Red-eyed Eagles. The two magical beasts were already at the Qi Gathering stage so they could fly faster than before.


    Fredrinn opened the Fate Shop and clicked the Equipment/Items section.


    He ignored the misceneous items and scrolled down to find a suitable weapon for himself.


    The weapons were quite expensive so he only bought a rare-rated sword for 500 Fate Points which dropped his Fate Points down to 3450.

 Chapter 79: Roland’s Answer to their Provocation

    Fredrinn made a hand signal while looking at the two eagles. During his free time, he trained these magical beasts to understand basicmands through hand signals. This was a method used by the animal trainers in his home world tomunicate with their pets. He love animals so he studied this unique training style back then. He never thought that he would use it again in this world.


    Magical beasts were more intelligent than normal animals so they managed to quickly understand some basic hand signals.


    As soon as he sent the signal, the two Soaring Red-eyed Eagles flew in opposite directions and zoomed across the sky.


    "My lord, we should have brought a Core Formation realm martial practitioner with us. I know that you are strong, but we never know what kind of opponents we will face." Kristine whispered with a hint of worry. She felt that it was too risky to leave Fredrinn defenseless. He was the heir of the Firecrown Household. If something happened to him¡­


    She quickly removed the negative thoughts in her mind.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "We can''t do that. We don''t have enough manpower so we must ce each Core Formation realm martial practitioner strategically. Besides, we''re still not sure if the ckcrow Household would send a separate force to attack the estate."


    In truth, Fredrinn wasn''t the least bit worried. The walls that surrounded the estate were heavily fortified with defensive array formations. Ordinary troops couldn''t infiltrate past their defenses.


    This was also the reason why he dared to boast to Raphael that Reynard''s army would never be able to step foot inside the estate.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Rnd had already arrived at the energy stone mine with his troops.


    "Sir Rnd, you can leave the vanguard to me." The one who spoke was City Defense Chief Arthur yton. He was dressed in gray battle armor from the neck down.


    Rnd felt more assured with him in the group. "Alright. I''m d that we have someone as reliable as you, Sir Arthur."


    Arthur grinned at his words.


    At this moment, another figure appeared in between them. It was the city lord, Ludwig Springfield. "They are here." He muttered as he stared into the distance.


    He was the most powerful martial practitioner in the group so he was the first one to notice the arrival of the ckcrow Household''s army.


    Everyone narrowed their eyes when they heard his words. They followed his gaze and they soon noticed a cloud of dust forming in the air.


    City Defense Chief Arthur who was leading the vanguard immediately stepped forward and jumped on top of his mount. "Vanguard troops, prepare!" He shouted with a grave look.


    Rnd alsomanded the archers to nock their arrows.


    "Cough! Cough! Cough!" Ludwig held his chest as he coughed heavily. His face turned pale all of a sudden.


    "Father, are you alright?" Lucas came to his side and stared at him with worry.


    Ludwig waved his hand. "I''m fine."


    "Father, there''s no need for you to participate in this battle. With Sir Arthur here, nothing will go wrong." Lucas whispered.


    Ludwig shook his head while wiping off the blood that leaked out from his mouth. "No. I have to be there. Even Sir Arthur would have a hard time fighting that person." He muttered.


    "Are you talking about that bastard Reynard? I don''t think he is strong enough to defeat Sir Arthur." Lucas raised his eyebrow in confusion.


    Ludwig took a deep breath and shook his head. "Reynard is not the strongest man in the ckcrow Household."


    Lucas frowned as he thought about someone. "Don''t tell me that person is still alive¡­ No way!"


    "He only disappeared from the eyes of the public, but he is still alive," Ludwig confirmed his guess.


    Hearing this, Lucas revealed a nervous look.


    Thirty minutester, they could finally see the gs of the iing army.


    "Hold on¡­ Isn''t that the g of the Morten Household?" Someone pointed out when he saw the gs of the Morten Household among the opposing army.


    Suddenly, the army of the ckcrow Household and the Morten Household stopped before they entered their firing range.


    A cavalry rider stepped forward and shouted in a booming voice. "I am Vincent ckcrow, themander of the ckcrow Household''s army! Release our people and we will forget this transgression!"


    When they heard this name, everyone turned silent. This man was one of the Nascent Soul martial practitioners of the ckcrow Household.


    Rnd stepped forward and responded. "Warriors of the ckcrow Household, your leaders havemitted a treasonous act against the Star Wind Kingdom! They sold batches of ves to our enemy kingdom! If you don''t want to be punished by the royal family, surrender and we will spare your lives!"


    There was no reaction as he had expected. From the looks of it, they were already aware of the treasonous crimemitted by Reynard and the elders of the ckcrow Household which makes them guilty as well!


    "Enough with your nonsense, Rnd Firecrown! If you don''t want your family to be destroyed, release the people you captured!" Vincent shouted with a hint of mockery.


    Hisck of respect almost made the warriors of the Firecrown Household jump out of their formation.


    Rnd shook his head. If it weren''t for Fredrinn''s ns, he wouldn''t really dare to fight them, but it was different this time. They had the support of the experts from the city lord''s mansion and the officials of the city.


    Rnd borrowed a bow from one of the archers. He fit an arrow into the bowstring and pulled it to the limit while aiming for Vincent. A momentter, he loosened his grip and released the arrow.


    Thwang!


    The winds twisted violently as the arrow whizzed through the air.


    Vincent narrowed his eyes when he sensed the dangering. He lifted his shield to deflect the arrow all while sending a stream of his Qi to his arms.


    The arrow urately struck his shield and the force behind the arrow made his mount make a sound of protest as it slid backward.

 Chapter 80: Battle Erupts

    Vincent ckcrow gritted his teeth as he red at the distant figure of Rnd. ''That fucking bastard!''


    He thought that the Firecrown Household wouldpromise so he was stunned by Rnd''s reaction.


    After a moment of anger, Vincent smirked coldly. "Cavalry, prepare to charge at my signal!" He shouted.


    He was confident in their cavalry''s strength so he wasn''t afraid to face Rnd''s elite warriors in battle. Furthermore, the individual strength of his soldiers was above that of Rnd''s martial practitioners. With all these advantages, Vincent believed that they would be victorious.


    "Vincent, bring me Rnd''s head. As for his old man, Reynard will take care of him." An old voice suddenly drifted into Vincent''s ears.


    Vincent turned his head. At the forefront of the cavalry''s formation was an old man dressed in bulky ck and gray armor. Beside him was Reynard ckcrow whose whole body was covered in ck armor.


    "Yes, my lord!" Vincent nodded his head respectfully. He was very afraid of this old man for he was the true leader of the ckcrow Household. Even the patriarch had to listen to his words.


    "I won''t let you down." Reynard smiled at the old man.


    This old man was one of the pirs of Red Sun City and he was also the former patriarch of the ckcrow Household. Everyone used to call him ''Lance Demon'', but many had already forgotten this nickname after he had disappeared from the public eye. His name is Winston ckcrow!


    Reynard nodded at Vincent with a knowing gaze.


    Sensing his cue, Vincent grabbed his ive and raised it midair as he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Cavalry, charge with me! Kill the Firecrown weaklings and be rewarded handsomely!"


    "Kill! Kill!"


    "For the ckcrow Household!"


    The cavalry of the ckcrow Household wasposed of elite martial practitioners.


    Vincent managed to quickly ignite their morale with a few words.


    The ground trembled as the five hundred cavalrymen charged towards the defensive line created by Rnd''s troops.


    "Their soldiers are powerful, but what a pity. We didn''te here unprepared." Rnd shook his head as he gave a hand signal.


    Arthur grinned upon seeing this. He thenmanded his troops to charge. "Defense Troops, follow me to kill those traitorous bastards!" As soon as he gave themand, he urged his mount to rush forward.


    Arthur and his soldiers were disguised as warriors of the Firecrown Household so Vincent and Reynard thought that they were merely the vanguard force. However, they would soon know how terribly wrong they were.


    "Rnd, how dare you send a bunch of cannon fodder against our proud cavalrymen?!" Vincentughed in disdain. He urged his horse to move faster and a look of excitement shed in his eyes. He could already imagine himself slicing through the enemy forces with a few swings of his ive. The thought of it made his blood boil with exhration.


    "Wait! Vincent, there''s something wrong with the person leading them!" Reynard''s voice drifted into his ears.


    "Huh?" Vincent furrowed his eyebrows as he concentrated his gaze on the warrior leading the enemy cavalry.


    ''Nascent Soul?! There''s another Nascent Soul in their midst?!'' Vincent was stunned and bewildered at the same time. They had been actively investigating the Firecrown Household all these years and they had information about their elite warriors. From their recent information, there should be only two Nascent Soul warriors on their side.


    Vincent knew that it was already toote to stop his troops so they could only push forward and hope that the opposing Nascent Soul wasn''t too strong.


    Reynard also understood this so he could only bite the bullet.


    "I''ll take the front! I will stop that man to minimize our losses!" Vincent shouted to Reynard before he urged his mount to leap forward.


    Before Reynard could say something, Vincent had already leaped toward the enemy formation with his ive raised upward to perform a sweeping motion.


    "Die!!" Vincent mobilized his Qi to execute a battle technique. An image of a charging bull appeared and angrily pounced at Arthur!


    "You overestimate yourself!" Arthur sneered.


    He swung the two-handed mace in his hand and effortlessly destroyed the incorporeal image of the bull.


    ''What?! How did he destroy it in one move?!'' Vincent was stunned when he saw his strongest battle technique being pulverized with a single attack.


    "Vincent, that man is dangerous! Get away from him immediately!" Reynard shouted as soon as he sensed the overwhelming power that destroyed Vincent''s skill. Even he was incapable of breaking through Vincent''s technique with such ease. Which means that this particr warrior was way stronger than him!


    Vincent also realized this, but just as he was about to retreat, Arthur suddenly released his battle technique.


    He swung his mace in a downward motion and smashed the ground. Earthen spikes shot upwards from the ground and prated the body of Vincent''s horse!


    The horse cried out in pain and died a gruesome death.


    Meanwhile, Vincent was forced to jump out to save himself.


    He barely avoided death and it made him fearful of the mace-wielding warrior. "Who are you?! I don''t think the Firecrown Household has a martial practitioner of your caliber!"


    Arthur ignored him and raised his mace in preparation for another attack.


    Vincent quickly raised his shield.


    Bang!


    A violent explosion echoed as Arthur''s mace smashed into his shield.


    Blood leaked out from the corner of Vincent''s mouth and the ground beneath his feet formed a deep crater. ''Who the fuck is this damn bastard?!'' He cursed in his mind.


    If he hadn''t raised his shield in time, he would have been turned into a meat paste!


    Reynard finally appeared on his side and pushed off Arthur temporarily.


    "Who are you?!" Reynard red at Arthur.


    Unfortunately for him, Arthur had now donned his helmet and he had no intention of revealing his identity.


    At this moment, the two cavalry units had already shed. Surprisingly, the ckcrow Household''s elite troops were slightly at a disadvantage.


    The pitiful screams of the soldiers and the sh of the weapons echoed, instilling a chaotic atmosphere on the battlefield.


    Soldiers from both sides died one after another as the fearsome battle continued.

 Chapter 81: Ludwig Springfield Versus Winston Blackcrow

    Winston who was observing the battle frowned when he saw Vincent being put at a disadvantage. ''There is only one powerful warrior in Red Sun City who wields the mace¡­ It must be you, Arthur!'' When he realized the identity of the other party, his face turned a bit serious.


    City Defense Chief Arthur was one of the key reasons for Red Sun City to stand tall despite the continuous attacks from outside forces. He was a martial practitioner who was in thete stages of the Nascent Soul realm!


    ''So the city lord''s mansion is involved, but so what?'' He grinned as he took out a two-handed war hammer that was even taller than him.


    "Warriors of my ckcrow Household, charge with me and destroy the enemies in our sight!" Winston rallied the troops as he led the remaining martial practitioners to join the fray.


    Arthur narrowed his eyes when he sensed the iing troops. "Don''t falter! Ourrades wille to assist us soon!" He shouted to his soldiers.


    The city defense troops valiantly fought after hearing theirmander''s words.


    Meanwhile, the city lord and the others noticed the advancing enemy troops led by Winston.


    Ludwig jumped on top of his mount and pulled out his weapon. "Rnd, I''ll go first." He muttered before he rushed out with the Springfield Household''s martial practitioners.


    The battlefield became even more chaotic. Corpses littered the ground and the blood of the warriors dyed the ground red. It was a total mess!


    Rnd calmly watched the bloody scene. It pained him to see hisrades die, but this was war. Casualties were inevitable.


    "Old man, do you still remember the n?" Rnd muttered to the old man beside him.


    It was Marcus Firecrown, the head elder of the Firecrown Household. "I haven''t gone senile yet." He chuckled.


    To destroy the ckcrow Household''s army, Fredrinn devised a strategy to thoroughly crush them with overwhelming force.


    Including Rnd and Marcus, there was still the Public Safety Chief, the City Treasurer, the City Health Department Chief, and the nning and Development Manager who had yet to make a move. They were crucial in the next step of the n.


    "Rnd, what are you waiting for?! Give us themand!" The impatient Public Safety Chief shouted.


    "Not yet!" Rnd red at him. He was waiting for the right moment to attack. He knew that Winston was as powerful as the city lord so taking him down wouldn''t be easy.


    "Dammit!" The City Defense Chief gritted his teeth in anger while cursing under his breath. There was nothing he could do. Rnd was inmand and it was the city lord who gave him the authority to lead them. Going against him was the same as challenging the city lord''s orders.


    At this moment, Ludwig and Winston had already shed. Both were at the 9thyer of the Nascent Soul realm so it wasn''t clear who had the upper hand.


    "Ludwig, I heard that you contracted a strange illness." Winston grinned as he looked at the city lord.


    Ludwig could sense the mockery in his voice. "Even if I''m not in my best condition, I can still crush you with one hand." He snorted.


    The veins on Winston''s face protruded at his words. "You haven''t changed. You''re still as arrogant as before. Then show me if you have the skills to back up your arrogance!" He released his aura in an attempt to put pressure on Ludwig.


    Ludwig''s face turned serious when he sensed the overwhelming pressure of his aura. ''This old bastard is already close to reaching the 10thyer of the Nascent Soul realm!''


    If he wasn''t afflicted with a strange illness, he would have long since advanced to this level.


    Winston erupted with power as he jumped up into the sky and released a lightning strike after executing a technique.


    [Wrath of the Lightning - Serpentine Strike]


    It was the skill that was executed by Winston, a core battle technique that was passed down for generations in the ckcrow Household. A powerful arcane-rank skill that was nearing the level of transcendent-rank!


    The giant spark of electricity struck Ludwig causing an ear-splitting explosion and a fearsome shockwave that sent the nearby soldiers flying into the air!


    "You have grown more powerful you undying, old bastard!" Ludwig''s unscathed figure was revealed after the dust subsided. He was holding a shield on his left hand and a broadsword on the other, looking incredibly heroic.


    Before the lightning struck him, he executed a defensive skill to protect himself.


    "Not bad! What about this?" Winston mobilized his Qi, transforming the electricity around him into armor that wrapped around his body. He turned into a ten-foot giant covered in sparks of electricity!


    [Wrath of the Lightning - Body of Electricity]


    His transformation happened in just three seconds and by the time hepleted his transformation, he brandished his war hammer that was now as big as a house!


    The winds violently fluctuated as the giant war hammer struck down toward Ludwig.


    A symbol was formed in front of Ludwig as he used another defensive skill.


    [Shield of Defiance]


    A threeyer golden shield appeared above his head.


    Winston''s war hammer struck the firstyer of the golden shield and shattered it into pieces, turning it into motes of golden light.


    The momentum of the war hammer slowed down after destroying the firstyer. The secondyer of the golden shield stopped the hammer for half a second before it broke into countless fragments.


    Seeing this, Winston actively released more Qi into his weapon to increase its power.


    Ludwig''s face was covered in sweat. He knew that the thirdyer of the golden shield would notst for long so he jumped to the side.


    Just as he had expected, the thirdyer broke down and Winston''s war hammer ferociously crushed the ground!


    "For how long do you n to keep dodging?" Winston sneered.


    "Old freak, you are too overconfident with your skills! Have you forgotten that I''m not your only enemy here?"


    Hearing this, Winston frowned and hurriedly scanned the surroundings with his spiritual perception.


    ''What?!''

 Chapter 82: Vincent’s Choice

    Winston frowned when he saw a group of people surrounding Vincent and Reynard. ''He was only holding me back! Their real targets were those two!''


    "Why do you look so glum all of a sudden? Did you not anticipate thising?" Ludwig smirked derisively.


    "Do you think you can stop me from saving them?" Winston looked at Ludwig with a cold gaze. He had to admit that he had severely underestimated Ludwig and Rnd.


    Ludwig smiled tauntingly as he muttered. "Try me."


    Hearing this, Winston angrily roared as heunched a series of powerful strikes.


    At this moment, Rnd and the others had already surrounded Reynard and Vincent.


    "Rnd, it''s not toote for us to reconcile!" Reynard knew that they were no match against more than five Nascent Soul martial practitioners so he could only try to talk their way out. It was demeaning, but he would do anything to survive.


    "Spare me with your nonsense, Reynard! We both know that we could never reconcile! If you don''t want any unnecessary deaths, throw down your weapons and follow us willingly to the capital! You can try begging for His Majesty''s forgiveness."


    Reynard felt his blood run cold upon hearing those words. "What do you mean by that?"


    Rnd sneered. "There is no need to act innocent. We have already discovered your dealings with the Blue Sky Kingdom. You should know what will happen to your family once it is proven. Just give up on your resistance and surrender. It''s not toote to atone for your sins.


    Who knows? Maybe His Majesty would spare your descendants¡­"


    Reynard''s face darkened. They had been keeping this matter a secret, but it was actually discovered. He finally realized why the Firecrown Household was not afraid to confront them. It turned out that their confidence wasn''t just because of the city lord''s mansion. ''How did these bastards know about that?!''


    "My lord, don''t listen to him! There is still a chance for us to escape! We just need to break through their encirclement and retreat with our troops! We can seek refuge in the Blue Sky Kingdom!" Vincent immediately shouted when he saw Reynard''s contemting look.


    Vincent''s words seemed to have awakened Reynard. When he realized that he had almost fallen into Rnd''s schemes, he furiously pounced at him and brandished his weapon.


    "Now!" Seeing this, Rnd issued amand.


    "Took you long enough!" The Public Safety Chief snorted and made his move.


    The other officials also turned into a blur as they made their moves.


    Facing thebined attacks of the officials and Rnd, Reynard, and Vincent soon found themselves in a tough situation.


    Injuries appeared on their bodies as the fight progressed. If this went on, it was only a matter of time before they would be killed.


    Vincent gritted his teeth. "My lord, I will create an opening! Once I give the signal, you must quickly escape!"


    Reynard''s eyes shed for a moment. "Alright. I won''t forget your sacrifice." He nodded.


    Vincent sighed in his heart. He felt a bit hurt that Reynard didn''t even pretend to hesitate, but this was his duty as a subordinate of the ckcrow Household. He erased these thoughts from his mind and released a massive amount of Qi to execute a final struggle.


    [Fatal Point - Extinguish!]


    It was the name of the skill. This was one of the arcane-rank battle techniques of the ckcrow Household. It has five moves, with the fifth move being the most powerful. Using it would expend all his Qi in exchange for a destructive attack that could even instantly kill a Nascent Soul expert!


    Vincent''s face turned pale as he drew the form of the spell. He could feel the Qi from his body being sucked dry by the symbol he had drawn.


    Rnd and the others also felt the overwhelming pressure from the symbol. They immediately realized that this was a powerful spell that could kill them!


    "Don''t let him finish the symbol! Kill him!" Rnd shouted in rm.


    The Public Safety Chief and the others quickly attacked Vincent, but he ignored them and calmly drew the final strokes of the symbol.


    Reynard parried their attacks and was pushed back, but he managed to buy some time for Vincent topletely draw his spell form.


    "My lord! Please survive!" Vincent shouted as he released the spell.


    Multiple beams of light appeared at the tip of his ive and shot towards Rnd and the others.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Seeing this, Reynard immediately turned around and fled without looking back.


    Meanwhile, Vincent let out a smile when he saw Reynard''s sessful escape. Blood leaked out from his nose and he also felt a wave of exhaustion that made him stagger. This was the consequence of overusing his Qi.


    Vincent stubbornly stabbed his ive into the ground to keep himself from standing. He then lifted his head and saw Rnd and the others looking at him with mixed feelings.


    They managed to block his final attack without receiving a lot of damage.


    "You have followed the wrong leader, Vincent." Rnd sighed while shaking his head. He felt that it was regrettable for such a loyal man to follow Reynard and the ckcrow Household.


    Vincent smiled. "Kill me!"


    Rnd sighed once more and finally nodded to the Public Safety Chief.


    Unlike the sentimental Rnd, the Public Safety Chief was apathetic. He walked toward Vincent with emotionless eyes. He then stabbed the man''s heart with a knife.


    Vincent''s vision blurred and he felt his body gradually turning cold. Thest thing he saw before closing his eyes was the apathetic gaze of the Public Safety Chief.


    "Go and find Reynard!" Rndmanded.


    The officials immediately went to pursue the fleeing Reynard as soon as he gave themand.


    Looking at Vincent''s corpse, Rnd hardened his gaze before he went to follow the officials.


    ''If Fredrinn hadn''t discovered the Snake Gang, we would have fought the ckcrow Household on our own.'' Rnd couldn''t even begin to imagine what would have been the fate of the Firecrown Household if that happened.

 Chapter 83: An Attack at the Estate?

    Reynard looked back and saw the Public Safety Chief piercing Vincent''s chest with a knife. ''We should have investigated things more carefully! Dammit!'' He regretted his decision to attack the Firecrown Household.


    "Where do you think you''re going?" An aged voice suddenly drifted into his ears, making him jump back in surprise. He looked ahead and saw an old man holding a walking stick, looking at him with a kind smile. "Marcus!"


    "Reynard, don''t make things difficult for this old man. Just surrender and ept your fate." Marcus spoke unhurriedly.


    Reynard didn''t dare take his away from him. This old man might look like he was a step away from his grave, but he was still a powerhouse at the 7thyer of the Nascent Soul realm! Fighting him would only end in his death. "Sir Marcus, why don''t you help me convince your son? We canpensate you for your losses. All I ask is that you let my ckcrow Household leave unharmed.


    What do you think?"


    Marcus stroked his beard and pretended to be interested. "That sounds tempting¡­"


    "I promise that we will give you a satisfactory price," Reynard added while looking behind him. To his horror, Rnd and the others had already caught up to him. ''Shit!''


    "Reynard, you should be ashamed! You abandoned yourrade to save your own life! A despicable man like you doesn''t deserve to live!" Rnd''s voice echoed like a death sentence.


    Reynard could feel everyone''s mocking gazes. He had never felt this humiliated. "Rnd!!!"


    "Hold on."


    Everyone turned their gazes at the old man.


    "How about this? Slit your throat and we will consider sparing your descendants." Marcus muttered while rubbing his chin.


    Reynard''s face darkened. "Your joke is not funny, Sir Marcus." He muttered in a cold voice. He didn''t want to die!


    Marcus waved his hand. "No! No! I''m not joking. You see, your descendants would be implicated because of your crimes, but if you kill yourself here and show us that you have repented, then I will beg His Majesty to spare your descendants."


    Rnd stared at his father with a deep look when he heard his words. ''That old man really knows how to toy with people''s minds.''


    Reynard''s face contorted with fury, but then heughed all of a sudden. "You guys must be ecstatic to see me in such a state!"


    "I see that every one of your elites is here. Is there a Nascent Soul martial practitioner in your estate?" Reynard''sughter intensified when he saw their confused faces.


    "Have you forgotten about my eldest son? Haha! He recently broke through the Nascent Soul realm! He should be in your estate by now with his troops¡­" Madness shed in his eyes as he cackled like a devil.


    The faces of Rnd and Marcus turned pale upon hearing this.


    "What did you say?!" Rnd appeared before Reynard and grabbed him by the neck.


    Reynard gleefully stared at him. "Hahaha! From your reaction, it seems like there is no Nascent Soul martial practitioner in your estate. Hahaha! If I were you, I would go back to see the situation."


    Rnd wrapped his fist with Qi and punched Reynard''s face!


    Pa!


    Reynard staggered backward and looked at him with disdain. "Kill me! Hahaha!"


    "Wait! We don''t know if he is speaking the truth. You should calm down, Rnd." The City Treasurer muttered.


    "Rnd, it would be better if we can bring him alive to the royal family. Leave him to us and return to your estate to check on your family''s situation." The other officials also persuaded him.


    Rnd red at Reynard before he turned around and left.


    Marcus was also worried about his grandson and daughter-inw so he followed Rnd.


    "Hahaha! You''re toote! My son should have already massacred everyone in your estate!" Reynard''sughter echoed behind them. His words made them feel a chill in their hearts.


    They hadn''t anticipated that there was another Nascent Soul in the ckcrow Household.


    ''Please be safe!'' Rnd prayed in his heart.


    ***


    Meanwhile, at the eastern gate of the Firecrown Household estate.


    Screech!


    Fredrinn looked up and saw one of the Soaring Red-eyed Eagles flying straight toward him. It emitted a loud screeching noise as if it was alerting him about something.


    The beast circled above the sky before it flew toward the western side of the estate.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn quickly understood what it was trying to convey. "Kristine, follow me to the western wall!"


    Kristine was stunned by his instruction. "What about this side?" The eastern gate would be left defenseless without them.


    "The enemies are on their way to the western gate! If I''m not wrong, their entire army should be concentrated there." Fredrinn muttered with a serious look.


    Gunnar''s team was stationed there and most of their weaponry was also ced in the western wall. Since the enemy was nning to attack the western gate, this means that they were confident that they could destroy the defenses in ce!


    "What?!" Kristine was baffled, but she trusted Fredrinn. ''Why would they attack from that side?''


    "I think there is a Nascent Soul martial practitioner leading them." This was the only usible exnation for the opposing side''s confidence.


    The enemy should be aware that most of their troops were guarding the western gate, but they still went to attack that side. They wouldn''t have chosen this straightforward method if they weren''t confident.


    ''What?! A Nascent Soul! How could we stop someone at that level?!'' Kristine felt incredibly nervous. She looked at Fredrinn and saw that his eyes were still calm.


    "Let''s go! Ride your horses! Hurry up! The rest of you, head to the western gate with your fastest speed!" Not everyone in their group had mounts so Fredrinn could only bring those with horses.


    At this moment, on the western side of the Firecrown Household''s estate.


    Gunnar had also noticed the presence of an iing army. He narrowed his eyes and estimated that there were over a thousand of them!


    Seeing this, he immediately told his subordinates to sound the rms. "Grab your bows and prepare to shoot at my signal!"


    Everyone quickly moved into position upon hearing hismands.


    "Alice, I''m a bit scared." Olivia held her bow nervously.


    Alice patted her shoulder. "Don''t be scared. Captain Gunnar is a strong martial practitioner. We will be fine as long as he is around. Besides, we have learned how to fight. You should trust the results of our training."


    Olivia took a deep breath and nodded her head.

 Chapter 84: Blake Blackcrow, the First Heir of the Blackcrow Household

    Beyond the western wall, the 1000-man army of the ckcrow Household was slowly closing in.


    "Prepare the catapults!" A man who looked to be in his thirtiesmanded as he stared at the tall wall ahead of them.


    This man was the eldest son of Reynard ckcrow, ke ckcrow!


    As soon as he gave themand, several groups of men pushed the catapults in front. There were twenty catapults in total and each of them was inscribed with me array formations, making their firepower even stronger!


    Ordinary defensive walls would be sted into smithereens if attacked by even one of these enhanced catapults!


    "ce the boulders!" ke instructed his subordinates.


    He knew that no Nascent Soul martial practitioner was present in the Firecrown Household''s estate, but he wasn''t stupid enough to charge ahead recklessly.


    The soldiers responsible for operating the catapults immediately lifted the boulders and ced them into the bucket.


    These catapults were powered by stored potential energy to propel the boulders and their throwing arms were also augmented by array formations to increase their tensile strength.


    It only took less than a minute for the skilled operators to put the boulders into ce.


    "Release!" ke ckcrow issued themand. He didn''t even bother to negotiate with the people on top of the walls. He only had one mission; to destroy the members of the Firecrown Household!


    Twenty burning boulders were fired at the western wall.


    ke ckcrow looked on with a cold gaze. He knew that there were defensive array formations inscribed on the walls so this attack was only a test to see the extent of their defensive capabilities.


    The burning boulders exploded in midair before they could impact the western wall. A bowl-shaped golden energy shield that covered the entire estate was revealed after the boulders exploded.


    "A 5th-tier Defensive Array Formation? No wonder father asked me to bring that thing here." ke muttered to himself when he saw the golden energy shield.


    "Continue sending the boulders!" ke shouted.


    ''Array formations are powered by energy stones. They wouldn''t be able to sustain the consumption of energy stones for long.'' He thought.


    The barrage of burning boulders rained down upon the western wall, striking fear into Gunnar''s soldiers.


    At this moment, Gunnar''s face was ashen. He knew that the defensive array formations wouldn''tst long. Once they used up the energy stones stored within the heart of the array formations, the western wall would be destroyed!


    "Captain, what should we do?"


    Everyone looked at Gunnar with anxious gazes. The enemy''s firepower scared them. Even the members of the guards unit were also affected.


    "Don''t panic, everyone! The defensive array formations should hold out for thirty minutes! Aim the ballistas into their catapults and destroy them! We must get rid of those pesky war machines!" Gunnar issued a series ofmands to the uneasy soldiers. His calmness somehow made them feel a lot better.


    Alice and Olivia felt relieved when they saw that the soldiers had recovered from their fear. With a levelheaded leader like Gunnar, they felt more reassured.


    "I told you didn''t, I? We just need to do our assigned tasks and everything will be alright." Alice patted Olivia''s shoulder.


    Olivia nodded in agreement. The defensive capabilities of the array formations made her feel secure.


    After that short exchange, the two quickly went to do their assigned tasks.


    "Aim for their catapults!" Gunnar shouted as he stood fearlessly on top of the wall.


    The soldiers immediately aimed at the catapults upon hearing hismand.


    "Hold!"


    "Fire!"


    The ballistas''rge arrows were released.


    ke had already predicted this so when he noticed the ballistas movements, hemanded the strongest martial practitioners in his army to block the giant arrows of the ballistas.


    Multiple defensive skills were used to block therge arrows. However, some arrows still prated their defenses and struck a few catapults, rendering them unusable.


    ke''s mouth twitched when he saw this. "Useless fools!" He muttered under his breath. That wave of arrows destroyed four of their catapults. The ckcrow Household didn''t have a lot of those catapults so losing even one was a huge loss to the family.


    "Put up more defenses and don''t let them destroy more of our catapults!" He shouted in anger.


    He was dissatisfied with his troops'' performance.


    ''It looks like I have to take out that item now to minimize our losses.'' ke thought with narrowed eyes.


    "Bring out that thing!" ke sent a knowing look at his right-hand man.


    The man nodded and left his side.


    A momentter, several men appeared, pulling out a machine that looked like a modern-day artillery.


    Its tube-like body was made of an unknown metal inscribed with sevenyers ofplex array formations. There were also three array formation masters operating the machine.


    ke smiled when he saw the machine. It was thetest creation of the Blue Sky Kingdom. Their family had to pay a huge price just to buy this thing from them, but it was worth it!


    Unlike the catapults that relied on stored potential energy and some low-grade inscriptions, this machine was more highly sophisticated. It was inscribed with seven high-grade inscriptions. Even the metal balls used as bullets were inscribed with explosive array formations. This was a machine for mass destruction!


    Even the 5th-tier Defensive Formation that the Firecrown Household was so proud of would be powerless against this weapon!


    ke had seen its firepower once during a demonstration and it left a deep impression on him.


    "Load the metal ball!" ke smiled coldly as he issued themand.


    The operators carefully loaded the metal ball inside the tube-like body of the machine.


    "Fire at my signal!"


    The Array Formation Masters immediately activated the array formations of the machine. "We are ready to fire, my lord!" They shouted as soon as the array formations were activated.


    Hearing this, ke''s eyes shed with frenzied excitement. "Fire!"


    One of the Array Formation Masters pulled the trigger.


    The machine made an explosive noise and recoiled after it fired the shot.


    BOOOOM!!!

 Chapter 85: Collapse of the Energy Shield

    "What is that odd-looking machine they are pulling?" The soldiers on top of the wall frowned in confusion. They had never seen anything like that before so they were all puzzled.


    "Stop dawdling and aim for that strange machine! It must be a secret weapon that we have never heard of!" Gunnar shouted at the soldiers.


    ''Just what is that thing?'' Gunnar narrowed his eyes. He had a bad feeling when he saw the strange machine.


    At this moment, the odd-looking weapon was suddenly activated. The array formations inscribed on its body lit up and it soon produced an ear-splitting sound.


    BOOOOM!!!


    A violent explosion rang out as the defensive array formation on the wall was struck. It even caused the wall to tremble!


    Gunnar turned his head and saw a small crack on the seemingly impregnable 5th-tier Defensive Array Formation. ''What the hell was that?! I definitely saw somethinging out from the tube of that machine, but it was too fast for my eyes to follow it¡­ It was even powerful enough to cause severe damage to the golden energy shield!''


    The soldiers were also unable to believe what they witnessed.


    "There''s a crack on the energy shield!"


    "What?!"


    "That strange weapon is that powerful!?"


    While everyone was panicking, a second explosion rang out.


    BOOOOM!!!


    More cracks appeared on the energy shield, making the soldiers on top of the wall feel terrified.


    "What is going on here?!" A stern voice drifted into everyone''s ears.


    They looked over and saw Fredrinning toward them with his soldiers. He didn''t look pleased by the looks on his face.


    Gunnar and the members of the guards unit immediately lined up and bowed to him.


    "My lord!" They greeted in unison.


    Fredrinn waved his hand at them. He then hurriedly checked the army beyond the wall. The catapults and the artillery-looking machine caught his attention. ''Is that the weapon they got from the Blue Sky Kingdom? No wonder they were willing to risk their household''s reputation.'' He muttered in his heart. He didn''t expect to see a weapon that was simr to the artillery in his home world.


    Although the design was somewhat ancient, the firepower was more destructive because of the inscriptions on the weapon.


    BOOOOM!!!


    The enemy fired another shot, causing more damage to the energy shield.


    "Captain Gunnar, we need to destroy their siege machines! Tell the guards unit to rece the soldiers operating the ballistas! We must get rid of those weapons before the energy shield is destroyed!" Fredrinn immediatelymanded after understanding the situation.


    Gunnar nodded upon hearing this. He then issued a series ofmands to the guards unit and the soldiers on top of the western wall.


    There was no time to waste so everyone moved into action.


    Fredrinn took out the Crown of Eternal Glory and wore it.


    Crown of Eternal Glory [Legendary]


    - Gives the wearer 1 charm attribute (??). Allies within a 500-meter radius will gain a significant boost in their health, endurance, stamina, strength, and Qi. They will also be immune to curses and negative status effects.


    This item was perfect for the situation.


    As soon as they saw him wearing the crown, the soldiers on top of the wall felt invigorated. The depressed atmosphere also vanished and was reced with hope and confidence.


    Looking at Fredrinn''s figure made them feel like nothing could stop them!


    "Everyone, don''t panic! Lord Fredrinn is here to lead us into victory!" Gunnar was also affected by the crown''s status effects.


    At this moment, the guards unit had already reced the operators of the ballistas. They aimed for the enemy''s siege machines and fired continuously.


    Three catapults were destroyed in that short moment and some of the enemy martial practitioners also died after being skewered by therge arrows of the ballistas.


    The additional losses made ke even more furious.


    ''Their retaliation has be fiercer!'' kemanded his men to continue bombarding the energy shield with attacks. Once the defensive array formation would be destroyed, he would lead everyone to break through the western gate! With their advantage in numbers and theck of Nascent Soul martial practitioners on the other side, their victory would be assured!


    "Cavalry, prepare to charge at the gate as soon as the energy shield is destroyed! Those weaklings wouldn''t be able to stop us!" ke shouted with a fierce look.


    "My lord, the western gate is opening!" A soldier shouted in surprise.


    "Huh?" ke turned his head and saw the western gate slowly open by itself. ''What the hell are those bastards thinking? Is this a trap? No, wait! What''s that?!''


    He narrowed his eyes and saw a small army as soon as the gate was lifted.


    "Are they nning to surrender?" He lifted an eyebrow.


    "Did they think that we would spare them if they surrendered?" ke smirked coldly. He grabbed his battle axe and urged his mount to move ahead of the formation.


    "Cavalry! Charge at my signal! Once the shield is destroyed, we will kill those bastards!"


    The ckcrow Household''s cavalry emitted a war cry in excitement. With the promised wealth and glory from the household, they couldn''t wait to tear through their enemies!


    More time passed and the energy shield was already on the verge of copse. Meanwhile, the ckcrow Household''s army had already lost 15 of their catapults. They also suffered over a hundred casualties for trying to protect the catapults and the artillery.


    ke''s heart was bleeding with these losses, but it was already toote to back down. The only way to recoup their losses was to upy the Firecrown Household''s estate and collect their wealth!


    With this thought in mind, ke hardened his resolve. ''I''m going to kill all of you damn bastards to quench the fury in my heart!'' He screamed internally.


    BOOOOM!!!


    BOOOOM!!!


    BOOOOM!!!


    With three more sessive shots from the artillery, the energy shield finally copsed.


    Seeing this, a demonic smile appeared on ke''s face.


    He lifted his battle axe and shouted. "Cavalry, charge with me! Kill them all and don''t let anyone get away!"

 Chapter 86: Clash!

    (On top of the western wall before the energy shield copsed.)


    ''The defensive array formations wouldn''t be able to hold out for long. We also can''t destroy the artillery since they are tightly guarding it.'' Fredrinn racked his brains.


    The opposing side had over 1000 martial practitioners, while they only had a few hundred men. Once the energy shield fell, they would have to prevent the enemy from breaching the wall. However, that would be difficult considering the number of soldiers they had. Furthermore, the individual strength of the enemy''s soldiers was also significantly higher.


    [Defeat the 1000-man army and reveal your strength to the world! Rewards: me Dragon Crescent de, 5000 Fate Points, Spear Talent Upgrade Card x1, and Magical Beast Pellet x10!]


    The sudden appearance of the system prompt interrupted his thoughts.


    ''me Dragon Crescent de? That looks like a strong weapon¡­'' Fredrinn wascking a good weapon. The sword he had right now was only for temporary use since it was only a rare-rated sword.


    Fredrinn closed the system prompt and stayed silent for over five minutes. During this time, more cracks appeared on the energy shield and it looked like it was about to copse.


    "My lord, what should we do?"


    It was Gunnar who spoke.


    Fredrinn looked at him and said. "We will fight them."


    "Huh? What do you mean, my lord?"


    "Have the men prepare to engage the enemies! The guards unit will be the vanguard!" Fredrinn''s words stunned him.


    "My lord, isn''t it too risky to sh with them? They have superior numbers and stronger martial practitioners. We will be at a disadvantage if we fight them head-on."


    Gunnar''s words were right, but he had a n.


    "I know that. We will use the narrow path of the entrance to prevent them from surrounding our troops. This way, not many of them could enter at the same time. Take a look at them." Fredrinn pointed at the cavalry beyond the wall.


    Gunnar followed his gaze and saw the enemy cavalry that numbered in the hundreds.


    "They are preparing their cavalry. I''m sure that they will use them to destroy the western gate. However, there is one fatal w to their n¡­ The entrance is too narrow and only three cavalrymen could enter at the same time or five if they squeeze themselves together."


    Hearing this, Gunnar finally understood his n. "I see. I understand now, my lord." He admired Fredrinn''s quick thinking.


    "Go and prepare our men! The energy shield is already about to copse!"


    "Yes, my lord!"


    At this moment, a messenger came to Fredrinn''s side to make a report. "My lord, the teams of Vice Captain Aurelius and Sir Cain are here!"


    "Oh? They came right on time." Fredrinn smiled.


    "Tell them to follow Captain Gunnar''s instructions."


    "Yes, my lord!"


    After the messenger left, Fredrinn took out the Lithinum Shield. It was the reward he got after his subordinates captured Brielle.


    Lithinum Shield [Epic]


    - Gives the user the Endurance attribute (???). Can block the attacks of Nascent Soul martial practitioners.


    (???= 10% physical and magical resistance)


    With this shield, he would have the ability to defend himself against the Nascent Soul martial practitioner leading the ckcrow Household''s 1000-man army!


    "Kristine, tell the team to get ready!" Fredrinn turned his head to Kristine.


    She had no clue about his conversation with Gunnar, but she saluted without questioning hismand. "Yes, my lord!"


    After she left, Fredrinn looked at Olivia and Alice who were being taught how to operate a ballista. ''This will be a valuable experience for you two.''


    He went down the wall and joined the troops to defend the entrance.


    When Gunnar saw him, he immediately came to his side and whispered. "My lord, it''s not safe here! You should stay on top of the wall!"


    Fredrinn shook his head. "I have to be here." The attribute effects of the Crown of Eternal Glory would only work if he was close to his allies.


    Fredrinn looked like a mighty general in his battle armor. His presence also made the uneasy soldiers feelposed.


    "I know that everyone is nervous, but we need to defend this ce at all costs! We must make those bastards from the ckcrow Household pay for underestimating the warriors of the Firecrown Household!" Fredrinn''s words ignited a series of cheers from his troops.


    ''The Crown of Eternal Glory is taking effect. Their attributes should be strengthened now.'' Fredrinn jumped on top of his mount and stood at the very front of the formation.


    Looking at his valiant and fearless figure, everyone felt that no one could break past them as long as he was standing!


    Suddenly, the sound of something shattering echoed from above the sky.


    Everyone looked up and saw the energy shield copsing under the fierce bombardment of the enemy artillery.


    "Open the gate!" Fredrinn shouted.


    The soldiers immediately lifted the gate, slowly revealing the army beyond the wall.


    As soon as the gate was lifted, the enemy cavalry charged toward them with great momentum.


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes. With his battle scouter, he quickly noticed the man leading the enemy cavalry.


    [Nascent Soul 1st Layer]


    [ke ckcrow] Favorability: -10


    Seeing the information from the battle scouter and the favorability function, Fredrinn frowned. ''So it''s him!''


    "Gunnar, Cain, Aurelius! Stand behind me! Soldiers, prepare to engage inbat!" Fredrinn roared as he pulled out his sword.


    Fredrinn felt nervous as the enemy cavalry moved closer to them. Even with the enhancements from his items, he didn''t know if it was sufficient to stop a Nascent Soul martial practitioner. Not to mention the elite troops behind him.


    He took a deep breath and red at ke ckcrow. ''I must stop him!''


    At this moment, the enemy cavalry finally reached the entrance.


    Three cavalrymen rushed out from the narrow passageway and fiercely brandished their weapons at Fredrinn.


    "My lord!"


    Gunnar and the others cried out in panic.


    Fredrinn lifted his shield, effectively blocking the three men on his own. He then swiped his sword, decapitating their heads in just one sh!


    Everyone was stunned by his mighty power, but they had no time to celebrate since more enemies entered the passageway.


    "Avoid killing their horses as much as possible! Just kill the riders!" Fredrinn shouted to his men.


    "Yes, my lord!"

 Chapter 87: Our Hearts Are Forged in Fire!

    More enemies poured in, but they were effortlessly killed by Fredrinn. Gunnar and the others didn''t even need to do anything.


    His overwhelming disy of power stunned the elite cavalry under ke''smand.


    ke also noticed this and frowned. "Go and kill him!" He could only mobilize the cavalry captains who were in the Core Formation realm.


    ''Since when did you get this powerful, Fredrinn Firecrown?'' When he got a clearer look at the enemy''s face, he was shocked. It was actually the good-for-nothing heir of the Firecrown Household. However, his cultivation was vastly different from the rumors!


    With ke''smand, the powerful martial practitioners of the ckcrow Household''s 1000-man army entered the narrow passageway.


    Fredrinn was quick to notice this because of his battle scouter. "The enemy''s elite warriors are here!" He shouted.


    Hearing this, Gunnar and the others narrowed their eyes as they watched the approaching cavalry riders.


    At this moment, the first Core Formation warrior to arrive struck Fredrinn with hisnce. A fearsome wave of Qi erupted behind his attack!


    Fredrinn lifted his shield, deflecting thence''s trajectory. He then jerked his shoulder to throw the cavalry rider off guard. When the rider''s bnce was interrupted, Fredrinn casually waved his sword. The sh prated through the enemy''s armor and left a deep cut to his body. He didn''t die immediately, but he fell from his horse because of the force behind Fredrinn''s sword.


    After dealing with him, two more cavalry warriors attacked him simultaneously. Unlike the first person who was impatient with his attacks, these two worked seamlessly to fight Fredrinn.


    [Core Formation 4th Layer]


    [Core Formation 3rd Layer]


    "We will help you, my lord!" Gunnar and the others surrounded the two warriors, limiting their range of movement.


    Under theirbined attacks, the two Core Formation realm experts fell.


    ke finally realized that it wasn''t a good idea to force their way inside the narrow passageway. ''No wonder he didn''t hesitate to open the gate. Was this kid hiding his true talent all this time?'' The thought of it made him feel a bit ufortable.


    Fredrinn was believed to be a waste with no talent for cultivation and management. For him to hide his real abilities all this time without anyone finding out was a testament to his frightening wisdom.


    ke gritted his teeth andmanded his men to retreat. "Fall back! Inform the array formation makers to aim the artillery at the gate! If there''s no entrance, we will make our own!"


    The cavalry retreated at hismand and regrouped to a spot outside the range of the archers.


    "They retreated!"


    "It''s not yet over!" Fredrinn squinted his eyes. ke was quick to react when he noticed that they were at a disadvantage. He didn''t even hesitate to order the retreat.


    "My lord, they are aiming the artillery at the gate!" Gunnar''s anxious voice drifted into his ears.


    Hearing this, he immediately ordered his troops to fall back. "Cavalry and infantry, retreat! Gunnar, tell the people operating the ballistas to aim for that bloody artillery! We must destroy it!"


    Just after he gave themand, the gate was bombarded by a series of explosions. A huge portion of the stone walls copsed under the intense barrage of heavy cannon balls.


    Fredrinn waved his sword to blow away the dust cloud and prevent it from affecting his subordinates'' eyesight.


    When the dust cloud subsided, everyone saw that the gate had already fallen. There was also a big gap on the wall.


    "My lord, we can''t defend this side anymore! With thisrge of a gap in the wall, more enemies will pour in! We will only be surrounded if we stay here!" Gunnar expressed with a grave look when he saw that the situation was no longer in their favor.


    "I agree with the captain, my lord. It''s best for us to retreat." Aurelius also voice his agreement to Gunnar''s words.


    "Please make a decision, my lord."


    Fredrinn scanned everyone''s faces. They were anxious, but they waited for his decision. "I understand your worries, but once we leave, the enemies will infiltrate the estate. With our limited numbers, it will be hard for us to stop all of them if they are in a wide space. I won''t force you to stay here with me. If you want to leave, I won''t stop you."


    Gunnar and the others stared at each other in shame upon hearing his words.


    "I will stay with you, my lord!" Kristine shouted as she urged her horse to take a step forward.


    "Fuck it! I will stay as well! Even if I die, I will die with honor!"


    "I will defend this wall with you, my lord!"


    Fredrinn smiled. "What about you two?" He looked at Gunnar and Aurelius.


    The two felt everyone''s gazes.


    "How could we retreat without you, my lord? We will stay here and defend the western wall!" They replied.


    "Good!"


    At this moment, the ground suddenly vibrated.


    Fredrinn turned his head and saw the enemy cavalry charging toward them. "Wedge formation!" He shouted.


    Everyone quickly moved into position when they sensed the intense vibration of thend.


    "Fredrinn Firecrown, you will die by my axe today!" A voice filled with killing intent echoed.


    Fredrinn stared at ke who was leading the charge. His overwhelming presence brought fear upon his troops.


    "Is that a Nascent Soul martial practitioner?!" Aurelius sensed the other party''s power. Although he couldn''t urately gauge the enemy''s cultivation, he was certain that it was beyond the Core Formation realm. He only felt this kind of pressure from the patriarch!


    "Warriors of my Firecrown Household! Do not waver! Show them the indomitable will of Firecrown Household''s martial practitioners!" Fredrinn raised his sword. His words washed away the fear in everyone''s hearts.


    "Our hearts are forged in fire!" Everyone shouted the motto of the Firecrown Household.


    Seeing the valiant troops of the Firecrown Household, ke sneered in contempt. "Your courage is useless if you don''t have strength!" He shouted.


    The sounds of the war horses galloping and the chants of the Firecrown Household''s martial practitioners resonated across the western wall.

 Chapter 88: Result of His Overconfidence

    "Shield! Brace yourselves!" Fredrinn knew that casualties were inevitable given the current situation. He could only hope that reinforcements would arrive before everyone was killed.


    Fredrinn wasn''t confident that he could beat ke who was a Nascent Soul martial practitioner. After all, he was only at the initial stages of the Core Formation realm. Their chances of winning this battle were close to zero.


    ke urged his horse to rush toward Fredrinn. ''I must eliminate you, Fredrinn Firecrown!''


    With this thought in mind, he swung his axe diagonally while drawing a symbol with his spiritual power. Normally, one had to physically form the symbol with their own hands, but Nascent Soul martial practitioners were capable of interacting with the Qi in their surroundings using their spiritual power. This was the innate power that one could awaken once they formed their Nascent Soul!


    [Whirlwind sh!]


    This axe technique had a simple name, but its power was devastatingly destructive. It gathers the Qi in the surroundings to form a rampaging whirlwind that would destroy everything in its path!


    As the main target of the attack, Fredrinn felt the fearsome power of this technique. His clothes fluttered wildly as the fierce winds swept through him.


    ''Can my shield block that?'' He was skeptical, but he had no choice. He could only raise the Lithinum Shield and pray that it could block the rampaging whirlwind.


    His mount was already protesting because of the intense pressure. To ease the pressure on his mount, Fredrinn wrapped its body with his Qi.


    At this moment, the whirlwind crushed everything in its path and finally struck Fredrinn''s shield. As if something magical happened, the whirlwind lost its power and slowly dissipated.


    "Huh?!" ke was stunned when he saw this. He was already imagining Fredrinn being torn apart by the whirlwind, but thetter actually came out unscathed!


    He narrowed his eyes into slits. ''That shield must be an artifact.'' He refused to believe that Fredrinn was a Nascent Soul martial practitioner like him so the only possible exnation was that the shield was a powerful item.


    Fredrinn''s horse only took a few steps back after he blocked the fearsome whirlwind. ''It really worked!''


    Meanwhile, the two armies had already shed and in the first collision, the outeryer of the Firecrown Household''s wedge formation nearly copsed. Dozens of martial practitioners died on the spot, but the people behind them quickly adjusted their position to prevent the formation from falling apart.


    "How could this be?"


    "How did they block our elite cavalry''s advance?"


    "They don''t even have a lot of Core Formation martial practitioners on their side!"


    The martial practitioners of the ckcrow Household were stunned when they saw the situation.


    "Spear! Pierce through them!" Fredrinn suddenly shouted.


    As if they had been waiting for hismand, the warriors of the Firecrown Household pushed their spears and struck the enemies in front of them.


    "Kill them!"


    "Kill the invaders!"


    "Protect ournd!"


    Despite the overwhelming difference in cultivation, they managed to inflict serious damage on ke''s army.


    Seeing this, ke''s face darkened. "Crush them! Destroy their formation!" His voice was filled with rage. He didn''t expect that the enemies that he looked down upon could cause this much damage to his troops.


    ke turned his head. His eyes locked onto Fredrinn who was in the forefront of the wedge formation. If he could kill him, the wedge formation would copse and the Firecrown Household''s martial practitioners would lose their fighting spirit.


    "You, you, you, and you! Follow me to kill that bastard!" He randomly pointed at four Core Formation realm warriors.


    ke and the four warriors urged their mounts to charge toward Fredrinn. When they closed the distance, they executed their battle techniques and released it!


    A drop of sweat trickled down Fredrinn''s face. ''They are starting to get impatient. ke''s personality is still the same as before. What a hotheaded idiot!'' He cursed in his mind.


    "My lord!"


    Gunnar and the others shouted anxiously when they saw that he was in a tough situation. They wanted to help him, but they were also tied up by a huge number of enemies.


    "Don''t mind me! Focus on yourself! We must survive until reinforcements are here!" Fredrinn shouted. He couldn''t afford to lose Gunnar, Aurelius, or Cain. If even one of them died, the pressure on the troops would increase and their chances of survival would drop significantly.


    "How dare you look away?!" ke''s voice drifted into his ears.


    Fredrinn immediately raised his shield to block thebined attack of ke and the other four warriors.


    This time, his horse could no longer stand the overwhelming force. It copsed and emitted a pained cry.


    Fredrinn jumped in midair and somersaulted backward. Before he could evennd on the ground, a series of attacks was already aimed his way.


    He already anticipated this so he turned the Lithinum Shield to the side.


    Bang!


    He managed to block the attacks, but the force sent him flying into the air.


    "My lord!" Cain killed the enemies around him without bothering to block their weapons. Although he managed to kill the enemies, he was also struck in numerous parts of his body. He ignored the pain and caught Fredrinn.


    "Are you alright, my lord?"


    "I''m fine," Fredrinn responded weakly. His left arm was feeling numb. He also lost all sensation in the left part of his body.


    He raised his head and stared at the enemies. ''How could we win this battle? Is there even a way for us to win?'' He realized that he was too arrogant and overconfident. He thought that he would ovee all odds given his knowledge of the future, but he was wrong. He had underestimated the ckcrow Household.


    ''That bastard Raphael would definitelyugh if he saw me in this state.'' This random thought crossed his mind.


    "My lord, almost half of our troops are dead. We must retreat now! You must not die here!" Cain muttered while eliminating the enemies pouncing at them.


    ''Even with the Crown of Eternal Glory, we still couldn''t win¡­'' Fredrinn gritted his teeth.


    At this moment, ke suddenly appeared in front of them. "Die, Fredrinn Firecrown!!"


    Fredrinn''s face fell. He stepped in front of Cain and lifted his shield.


    Bang!


    ke''s axe struck his shield and sent the both of them flying in midair.

 Chapter 89: Fourth Movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style

    Fredrinn spat a mouthful of blood as he stood up with great difficulty. ''That bastard is way too strong! Even with the Lithinum Shield taking most of the damage, I still feel like my bones are breaking¡­''


    "My lord, you need to leave this ce," Cain muttered as he wiped off the blood at the corner of his lips.


    "What are you saying?"


    "You should have realized it by now, my lord¡­ We can''t beat them. The men might be holding out for now, but their stamina isn''t infinite. You should retreat now while there is still time."


    Fredrinn couldn''t even refute him. He was right. The difference in strength between the two armies was huge.


    Just as he was about to order the retreat, a system prompt suddenly appeared before his eyes.


    [Defend the Western Wall! Reinforcements areing! Stall for time and don''t let the enemies infiltrate the estate! Additional rewards: 2500 Fate Points, me-maned Shadow Steed (Nascent Soul 1st Layer)!]


    ''Dammit! How could we even stall for time in this state?'' He cursed in his mind, but the rewards were truly tempting for him to pass up.


    me-maned Shadow Steed¡­ Just from the name, he could already tell that it was an impressive mount. Not to mention that its cultivation was at the 1styer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    After a split second of hesitation, he nced at Cain and replied. "Reinforcements are on their way here. We just need to hold until they arrive."


    Hearing this, Cain nodded with a grim look.


    "What are you two chatting about?" A voice filled with contempt traveled into their ears.


    Fredrinn and Cain red at ke.


    "To be honest, I was surprised by your strength, Fredrinn Firecrown. You managed to fool everyone all these years. If you were given a few more years, you would have be a powerful expert. However, I won''t let that happen."


    Fredrinn understood the nuances in his words. "ke ckcrow, you might not be aware, but your people are in danger¡­"


    He had to stall as much time as he could.


    "What do you mean?" ke frowned.


    Fredrinn smiled grimly. "Your household''s army should be fighting the Firecrown Household''s main force at this moment¡­"


    ke had a bad feeling when he saw Fredrinn''s expression.


    "You see, we managed to get the city lord''s mansion to help us. Your family might be strong, but could they stop the joint force of the Firecrown Household and the city lord''s mansion? If I''m not wrong, they should have already arrested your people by now." Fredrinn smirked coldly.


    "What did you say?!" ke was shaken by this information. ''So this was a trap to lure out my family?! No! He should be lying. Even the city lord''s mansion wouldn''t dare to provoke us. At least not now that the city lord is not in good health.''


    "Are you perhaps thinking that the city lord''s mansion wouldn''t intervene because of the city lord''s condition?" Fredrinn muttered.


    ke narrowed his eyes.


    "That''s true. However, that is only if we hadn''t discovered your traitorous activities. To tell you the truth, we had already sent someone to report your deeds to the royal family. An envoy should be here any time now to punish the ckcrow Household! If I were you, I would escape as soon as possible!"


    ke''s eyes looked as if they could spit fire from the way he was ring at Fredrinn. "Now I understand why you dared to provoke us. You set up this whole n, huh? Fredrinn Firecrown, do you think I don''t know that you are only stalling for time? You fucking bastard! Die!"


    ke no longer bothered to speak nonsense with him. He jumped down from his mount and pounced at Fredrinn. Using his spiritual power, he drew a symbol in midair and executed another battle technique.


    [Fang of the Crazed Lion!]


    It was his strongest arcane-rank axe technique. It was a skill that was only a step away from the transcendent-rank!


    An image of a giant mountain lion materialized as soon as hepleted the symbol. It emitted an enraged roar and revealed its giant maw.


    Fredrinn threw his sword and drew a symbol in the air. It was the unique symbol of the third movement of the Seven Scorching Sword Style.


    [Seven Scorching Sword Style - Brilliant me Integration!]


    Fredrinn''s body was soon enveloped by dazzling yellow mes.


    The giant mountain lion cried out in pain after it came into contact with Fredrinn''s me. It attempted to swat him away with its gigantic ws, but Fredrinn blocked it with his Lithinum Shield. Even so, he still received severe injuries after forcefully blocking it.


    Fredrinn felt his insides twisting in pain. He spat another mouthful of blood. ''I can still hold on, but the others are not doing well.'' He gritted his teeth when he saw that more of his soldiers were dying.


    "You''re one tenacious bastard. I give you that, but this is the end of your futile struggle!" ke appeared before him.


    Cain appeared beside Fredrinn.


    "Tsk! Annoying!" ke''s eyes shed with annoyance. He lifted his axe and swung it down.


    Cain managed to lift his sword in an attempt to block the axe.


    ke''s axe struck Cain''s sword, splitting it in half before crushing into thetter''s body!


    "Cain!"


    Cain flew like a ragdoll and rammed into the wall. He then fell to the ground, his fate unknown.


    Fredrinn''s eyes shed with rage when he saw this. "ke! I won''t let you get away with this!"


    Another symbol was drawn in front of him. It was a moreplex magical form than the Brilliant me Integration.


    Even ke could feel the threat after he sensed the power emitted by the symbol. ''That is¡­ a transcendent-rank battle technique!''


    The ckcrow Household only had arcane-rank battle techniques so he was utterly shocked by this.


    "You were hiding this trump card?" He immediately made a move. He didn''t want to risk it despite the huge difference in their cultivation.


    Fredrinn''s face contorted with fury. "DIE!!!"


    [Seven Scorching Sword Style - zing Inferno Domain!]


    A domain of mes covered the twenty-meter radius around Fredrinn. Within this domain, he could freely control the mes!


    It was the beginning of his counterattack!

 Chapter 90: We Must Survive!

    Fredrinn sent a barrage of fireballs to ke.


    The fearsome mes of the fire domain scorched ke''s skin so he covered his body with Qi.


    Seeing that his fireballs were ineffective, Fredrinn sent a more powerful attack. He manipted the mes around him to form a gigantic ming spear and hurled it toward ke.


    ke deflected the ming spear with his axe, forcing it to shoot into the sky.


    Bang!


    ''I still can''t urately gauge his cultivation, but based on the power of his attacks, he should be at thetter stages of the Core Formation realm.'' ke furrowed his eyebrows.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn was already close to exhaustion. ''Of course. How could it be easy to defeat a Nascent Soul martial practitioner? Even with the zing Inferno Domain, I still can''t overpower him.''


    He had used a huge portion of his Qi to release this domain. He only mastered this recently and it was the first time he used it in actual battle. Unfortunately, the enemy was just too strong.


    While the two were engaged in battle, more than half of the Firecrown Household''s troops had already fallen. Among Fredrinn''s guards unit, ten had been killed and more than half were critically wounded.


    At this moment, Kristine cut down the enemy in front of her. She breathed heavily as she looked around. The corpses of the fallen warriors of the two armies littered across the western side of the estate. "When will this end?" She muttered with a soulless voice.


    "Die, woman!" A malicious voice echoed behind her, but she was too tired to move her body.


    She thought that she would die, but a figure suddenly appeared and killed the man before he could even touch her.


    "What are you doing, Squad Leader?! Snap out of it!" It was Anne, the deputy of her squad. She grabbed Kristine''s shoulder and pped her face.


    Pa!


    It was painful.


    Kristine''s soulless eyes regained rity. She looked up and saw Anne staring at her with worry. "Anne?"


    "Stop daydreaming! Hold your sword properly if you don''t want to die!" Anne shouted.


    Kristine scanned her friend''s body and noticed that she had numerous cuts and stab wounds. "You''re hurt¡­"


    "Stop worrying about me and worry about yourself! Enemies areing! Prepare to engage!"


    Hearing this, Kristine looked away from her. "I''ll leave my back to you." She muttered.


    Anne snorted with a grim smile.


    On another side of the western wall, Olivia and Alice had already stopped operating the ballista. They joined the main troops to fend off the invading enemy forces.


    Bothdies were covered in sword wounds. If it weren''t for the team of elites guarding them, they would have already been killed.


    "We need to bring Miss Alice to a medic!" Shouted the squad leader responsible for their safety. He knew that these two women were close to Fredrinn so he unhesitatingly guarded them as soon as the battle began.


    There was a broken spear on Alice''s shoulder. They didn''t pull it out since it might cause severe blood loss.


    Olivia was crying as she helped Alice walk. "If it weren''t for me, you wouldn''t¡­"


    "Stop ming yourself. I''m fine¡­" Alice forced a smile.


    Looking at the two pitiful women, the squad leader sighed. Suddenly, he sensed a group of warriors charging at them. His expression changed and he immediately raised his sword. "Defend the youngdies!" He shouted to his subordinates.


    Among his ten subordinates, four had already died and the remaining six were injured.


    "Kekeke! There are two women here, sir!"


    "Kill the men and bring back the women!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    The faces of Alice and Olivia fell when they heard the approaching men''s conversation.


    "I won''t let you touch them!" The squad leader swung his sword and killed two of the enemies. His subordinates also engaged them in battle. Meanwhile, Olivia stood beside Alice as she warily gazed at the enemies.


    "You don''t have to look after me," Alice muttered in a weak voice.


    "How could you say that? I won''t leave you here!" Olivia was determined to protect her. If it hadn''t for Alice, her skull might have been prated by that spear.


    "Woah! Look at these two!" A perverted voice drifted into their ears, making the twodies look over with nervous gazes.


    In front of them was a middle-aged man holding a sword.


    "Don''t even think about harming them! You will regret it!" The squad leader shouted when he saw the situation. He wanted to go and help them, but he was tied up by four martial practitioners.


    Hearing this, the middle-aged manughed condescendingly. "It seems like you two have some background for those people to willingly protect you." He muttered as he leisurely walked toward the twodies.


    "Stop! Don''te closer!" Olivia pointed her sword at the man.


    "Do you even know how to wield that sword? Look! Your hand is shaking." The middle-aged man smiled wickedly.


    Olivia gritted her teeth. She didn''t know how strong the man was, but she felt an instinctual fear as she looked at him.


    Suddenly, the man''s figure blurred and he reappeared before Olivia. Thetter swung her sword in panic, but it was easily blocked by the man. He then made a grabbing gesture while looking at Olivia''s chest.


    "Hm?" The man hurriedly retracted his hand.


    A knife covered in ice flew past him.


    "You can''t touch her!" Alice''s face was covered in sweat.


    The man''s face darkened. "I was only being lenient since you two are women." He muttered coldly as he swung his sword.


    Olivia immediately raised her sword to defend Alice.


    ng!


    She managed to block his sword, but she was thrown away and fell to the ground.


    "Olivia!" Alice''s face fell.


    "You should worry about yourself." The man grabbed Alice by the neck and lifted her off the ground.


    "Ack! Hhcjjk!" Alice fiercely struggled, but she was unable to break free.


    "I like the face you make when you struggle." His lips curved upwards to form a vicious smile.


    Pu-chi!


    The man felt a cold sensation on his chest. He looked down and saw the tip of a sword prating his body. He lost his grip on Alice and staggered before he fell to his knees.


    "Arghh!!"


    He turned his head and saw Olivia staring at him with a disgusted look. He wanted to kill her, but he couldn''t muster the strength to stand up.


    Olivia pulled out the sword from his chest and stabbed his neck.


    "Ackkkkk!! Kkkkk!!"


    The man made weird gurgling sounds. His face slowly turned red and he soon copsed to the ground.

 Chapter 91: Bountiful Rewards

    A few miles away from the estate.


    Rnd and Marcus frowned when they sensed the fluctuations of Qi in the distance.


    "They are still fighting on the western side! The enemy has yet to reach the main mansion. Those two should be fine..." Marcus muttered with a solemn look.


    "I hope you''re right. Living would be meaningless without them¡­" Rnd could only hope that Fredrinn and Margaret were still alive.


    The two increased their speed. Their figures blurred left afterimages.


    By the time they arrived at the western wall, the two armies were still in battle.


    "Go and find them! I will destroy their siege weapons first!" Marcus shouted before he went in another direction.


    "Alright."


    Rnd rushed to the destroyed gate with an anxious look on his face. The ground was littered with corpses and puddles of blood.


    He scanned the area with his spiritual perception to search for his son and wife. ''Where are you two?!''


    A momentter, he finally found Fredrinn. His son''s body was bathed in mes and he was like a fierce beast when he attacked his enemy.


    To his amazement, Fredrinn was actually fighting a Nascent Soul martial practitioner!


    After a moment of shock, Rnd immediately tapped his foot and jumped into the sky.


    "You have done well holding, my son. Leave the rest to me." He muttered as he descended andnded next to Fredrinn.


    His sudden appearance stunned Fredrinn and ke.


    "Father!"


    Rnd smiled. He was d that he made it in time. He noticed that Fredrinn was not in good condition. If he hade a littleter, something bad would have happened to Fredrinn.


    "You have a lot of exining to do when all this is over. For now, you should go and help the others. They won''t be able to hold on for much longer." Rnd patted his son''s shoulder with a proud smile.


    Fredrinn deactivated the Brilliant me Integration and the zing Inferno Domain.


    "Mom is in the hiding ce together with the nonbatants. You can fight without worry, father."


    Rnd sighed in relief. "Go. I''ll take care of thisd."


    Fredrinn nodded and left.


    Rnd turned his head and looked at ke with an ice-cold gaze. "You have surprised me, ke ckcrow. It seems like you have inherited your father''s talent. Unfortunately, your family made a terrible mistake."


    ke frowned at his words. Rnd''s presence here means that his father and the others have failed in their task. Thinking about this, an expression of unease and fear shed in his eyes. "Sir Rnd, we don''t want to be enemies with your family. We only retaliated because you kidnapped my brother and sister. If you release them, I will retreat with my troops."


    Hearing this, Rnd smirked. "You are just like your father. He also tried to talk his way out when he realized that he was losing." He muttered in a mocking tone.


    ke''s face darkened. Rnd was in the intermediate stages of the Nascent Soul so there was a huge difference in their strength. Fighting Rnd would only get him killed.


    "Are you nning to escape?" A cold voice suddenly drifted into his ears.


    ke''s expression fell. There was another expert besides Rnd! He didn''t even need to turn around to know who it was.


    ''Dammit! Even the old man is here! There is no more hope for me to escape¡­'' ke threw his axe and raised his arms in surrender.


    "A wise choice. Now, tell your men to surrender." Marcus chuckled when he saw this. Unlike Reynard who was very stubborn, ke knew when to give up.


    ke sighed in his heart.


    "Warriors of my ckcrow Household! Throw down your weapons! We have lost the war!"


    ke''s words echoed in the western side of the estate. The martial practitioners of the ckcrow Household were shocked.


    "What?! How could this be?!"


    "This must be a lie!"


    Meanwhile, the warriors of the Firecrown Household rejoiced. They raised their weapons and cheered in jubtion.


    "Is this enough, Sir Marcus?" ke stared at the old man in front of him.


    "Not bad. You are smarter than your father." Marcus stroked his beard with a pleased look.


    The warriors of the ckcrow Household were in low spirits after hearing the defeat of their main army. Their surviving soldiers were imprisoned, while ke and a few Core Formation martial practitioners were taken to the underground prison to await the royal family''s punishment.


    [You have defeated the 1000-man army! Rewards: me Dragon Crescent de, 5000 Fate Points, Spear Talent Upgrade Card x1, and Magical Beast Pellet x10!]


    [You have sessfully defended the western wall! Rewards: 2500 Fate Points, and me Maned Shadow Steed (Nascent Soul 1st Layer)!]


    [Your schemes caused the destruction of the ckcrow Household! The fate of countless people changed because of your actions! You have dyed the downfall of the Star Wind Kingdom! Rewards: 10000 Fate Points, Spear Talent Upgrade Card x1, Space Affinity Upgrade Card x1, Level Up Card x1, and Armor of Eternal Strength!]


    A series of notifications popped up in front of Fredrinn as soon as the battle concluded. The list of rewards made him extremely excited. He wanted to open his inventory and check them, but it wasn''t the right time for that.


    He reluctantly closed the system prompts and helped his father and grandfather deal with the aftermath.


    The next day, the envoys sent by the royal family arrived at the city. A banquet was held to wee them. The envoys then used the opportunity to hand the rewards given by the royal family to the Firecrown Household and the city lord''s mansion for their meritorious service.


    At this moment, Fredrinn was happily chatting with Lucas and Samantha when an unexpected person approached them.


    It was a young woman of peerless beauty. She wore a light green cheongsam and her crown braided hair was adorned with a white lotus crystal hairpin.


    "It has been a while since west met, Sir Fredrinn." She smiled at him.


    [Core Formation 1st Layer]


    [Aubrey Silversword] Favorability: 79

 Chapter 92: Flame Dragon Crescent Blade and Armor of Eternal Strength

    ''She''s already a Core Formation martial practitioner at that age?! Wait¡­ that''s not the main point. Why is her favorability toward me so high? It''s even higher than half of the members of the Firecrown Household!'' Fredrinn felt that it was incredulous when he saw the information sent by the favorability meter function.


    While concealing his surprise, Fredrinn smiled at the youngdy and slightly lowered his head in greeting. This was a normal etiquette between nobles and it came naturally to him with the previous Fredrinn''s memories. "Hello, Miss Aubrey."


    "You''re more elegant than the rumors say, Sir Fredrinn." Aubrey chuckled.


    "You tter me. By the way, this is Lucas and Samantha. They are my friends."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet¡­"


    They exchanged pleasantries and talked about random matters for a while.


    Unlike Fredrinn''s initial thoughts, Aubrey was surprisingly friendly. However, it made him feel that she had some ulterior motives and this made him a bit wary of her.


    "By the way, Sir Fredrinn. I heard that your household''s annual martial artspetition will take ce next week." Aubrey suddenly asked.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn nodded. "That''s right. If it weren''t for the recent incident, it should have started sooner. Some of our elders wanted to cancel thepetition this year, but my father decided to move it to next week instead." In truth, it was his suggestion to carry out thepetition.


    He had seen Gunnar''s nephew, Paul Gabriel, training rigorously for thepetition. Many of the young disciples also trained hard in preparation for the tournament. However, the main reason he suggested proceeding with the tournament was that some of the kids would no longer be eligible to join due to age restrictions.


    "I see. That''s good to hear. Then would you mind if I watched the tournament? I''d like to see the young talents of the Firecrown Household."


    Fredrinn was taken aback. He didn''t expect her to show interest in their household''s annual martial arts tournament. ''What is this girl''s n?''


    Just as he was about to reply, Samantha and Lucas also expressed their interest in watching thepetition.


    "What? You two also want to watch thepetition?"


    Samantha and Lucas nodded.


    "Hmm¡­" Fredrinn rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ''There shouldn''t be any problem with letting them watch thepetition. This is also a good chance to deepen the rtionship between our families. Should I invite other households toe as well?''


    After some thought, Fredrinn smiled. "Alright. I''ll inform my father about this."


    "Great!"


    "I''m d to hear that."


    A momentter, a few more heirs from martial households came to chat with them. Fredrinn became the center of attention. His unexpected reveal of power stunned many households. He was no longer the trash who was stuck at the 10thyer of the Body Refining stage. He was now a powerful expert who managed to fight evenly against a Nascent Soul martial practitioner!


    Even Aubrey who had an excellent-grade spirit root was overshadowed.


    At this moment, everyone believed that he didn''t have a low-grade spirit root, but at least an excellent-grade spirit root!


    ***


    In the next three days, Fredrinn was too busy dealing with the aftermath of the battle. He didn''t even have time to check the rewards he got when they defeated the ckcrow Household.


    On the evening of the fourth day, he finally had the chance to take a break.


    "I''m exhausted!" Fredrinn leaned on his seat. He had to deal with numerous matters after the banquet four days ago. He couldn''t evenin since it was a punishment from his father for making a decision for the family without consulting him first.


    "I finally have time to check my rewards." His expression brightened when he thought of this.


    He quickly opened the system prompts.


    [You have defeated the 1000-man army! Rewards: me Dragon Crescent de, 5000 Fate Points, Spear Talent Upgrade Card x1, and Magical Beast Pellet x10!]


    [You have sessfully defended the western wall! Rewards: 2500 Fate Points, and me Maned Shadow Steed (Nascent Soul 1st Layer)!]


    [Your schemes caused the destruction of the ckcrow Household! The fate of countless people changed because of your actions! You have dyed the downfall of the Star Wind Kingdom! Rewards: 10000 Fate Points, Spear Talent Upgrade Card x1, Space Affinity Upgrade Card x1, Level Up Card x1, and Armor of Eternal Strength!]


    "I earned a total of 17500 Fate Points, two Spear Talent Upgrade Card, one Level Up Card, and one Space Affinity Upgrade Card. I also got two powerful items, a Nascent Soul mount, and 10 Magical Beast Pellets. What a great harvest!" Fredrinn smiled from ear to ear.


    He eagerly used the upgrade cards before checking his updated character profile.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 4th Layer] [Level 34]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ????????


    Space Affinity: ??


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 20950


    "Leveling up is harder now that I''m in the Core Formation realm. I only leveled up once after all those troubles. At least I gained many useful abilities. My fate rating has also been updated, but I don''t want to see my future for the time being. I don''t want to feel pressured¡­"


    "What should I do with my fate points? I can buy a lot of things with this amount." Fredrinn didn''t open the Fate Shop to prevent himself from buying impulsively.


    He opened his inventory to check the items he got.


    me Dragon Crescent de [Legendary]


    - Increases the user''s talent in pole-type weapons by 2 stars. Enemies within 500-meter radius will be afflicted with ''Terrify'' debuff.


    (Note: Terrify = cultivation reduction)


    Armor of Eternal Strength [Legendary]


    - Increases the wearer''s endurance attribute by 3 points (?????????). Attacks beneath the Nascent Soul realm will be nullified.


    - Unique Trait (I Am Powerful!): People within 500-meter radius will sense that the wearer is one major realm stronger than their true cultivation.


    Both items were actually legendary-rated!


    "The me Dragon Crescent de is a guandao. I now have a 2 star spear talent and with the bonus effect from the weapon, I will have a 4 star proficiency. That should be enough for me to properly wield this weapon. As for the Armor of Eternal Strength¡­" Fredrinn had a weird expression after he read the description of the armor.


    Wearing it makes him immune to the attacks of Nascent Soul martial practitioners and he even gained 30% physical and magical resistance. If he wore it together with the Lithinum Shield, he would have 40% physical and magical resistance! However, the unique trait of the armor was weird.


    It makes him appear to be stronger.


    He was now at the 4thyer of the Core Formation realm. If he wore the armor, he would appear to be in the 4thyer of the Nascent Soul realm. This might seem like a useful effect, but it could only be used to scare off people.


    "Should I wear this in theing martial artspetition?" A yful smile hung on his lips. He thought that it would be fun to see everyone''s reaction.

 Chapter 93: Annual Martial Arts Competition

    A few dayster, the annual martial artspetition held by the Firecrown Household finally began. This event was supposed to be a normal tradition of the household, but something was special about this year''spetition. It was the presence of the numerous renowned figures in the city who were invited to watch the event.


    There were even famous martial practitioners from neighboring cities who attended. The one who attracted the most attention was Aubrey Silversword. The person who came with her, Manager John, also garnered attention.


    "Miss Aubrey, we were looking for you."


    Aubrey turned her head and saw Lucas and Samantha.


    "I''ll be fine on my own," Aubrey whispered to Manager John before she walked toward Lucas and Samantha.


    Manager John didn''t leave her out of his sight. He kept a certain distance from them so as not to disturb Aubrey.


    "Have you guys seen Fredrinn?" Aubrey asked while searching for that familiar figure.


    Lucas shook his head. "We haven''t found him yet. He should be here any time now."


    "I see." Aubrey was a bit disappointed to hear that.


    Samantha stared at her suspiciously. "Miss Aubrey, are you perhaps interested in that guy?" She asked.


    Hearing this, Lucas widened his eyes. He didn''t expect her sister to be so blunt to ask something that personal. They had only known each other for a week so he thought that it was too much to ask that.


    Aubrey smiled demurely. "I only want to get to know him better."


    "Is that so?" Samantha felt that she was hiding something.


    "Why don''t we head over to our seats? The first match is already about to start. I''m excited to see the young talents of the Firecrown Household." Lucas immediately changed the topic.


    "Alright."


    He heaved a sigh of relief and sent his sister a re.


    The Firecrown Household had a battle arena that was shaped like a colosseum. When they arrived, the seats were already filled. Most of the spectators were members of the Firecrown Household. As for the guests, there were special seats prepared for them.


    "Would you like to sit with us, Miss Aubrey?"


    "Alright."


    ***


    "Is it time for me to go?" Fredrinn muttered as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He was wearing the Armor of Eternal Strength and the Crown of Eternal Glory.


    The armor wasn''t bulky so he managed to hide it beneath his yishang. He also changed his hairstyle to match a certain celebrity from his home world. Fredrinn was already handsome and the new hairstyle made him look like a prince charming from a fairy tale.


    "My lord, we are ready to go."


    He looked behind him and saw threedies dressed in traditional cheongsam. Olivia and Alice looked beautiful in their dress.


    Fredrinn''s gaze stopped at the thirddy. She was wearing a ck and gold cheongsam. She also wore a matching ck and gold masquerade mask that covered half her face. This woman was Freya. She was one of the victims of the Snake Gang.


    Fredrinn retracted his gaze. "Where is that kid, Sean?" He asked.


    "He is waiting outside," Olivia responded.


    "I see. Let''s go." Fredrinn and the threedies stepped out of the room.


    "My lord. Sir Cain and the others are already in the arena." Sean, the former servant, greeted with a smile.


    This young man was the newest addition to his crew.


    The group headed to the battle arena. By the time they arrived, the ce was already packed.


    Fredrinn''s presence immediately attracted attention. This was because his cultivation was no longer in a concealed state. He turned off the concealment function beforeing here for the sole purpose of showing off. Now that the ckcrow Household was gone, he was no longer afraid to reveal his power.


    "Is that Sir Fredrinn? His aura¡­"


    "Sir Fredrinn looks handsome today¡­"


    Meanwhile, on the city lord''s side. They also noticed Fredrinn''s arrival.


    Rnd who was sitting beside the city lord almost spat his tea when he sensed Fredrinn''s cultivation. ''Since when did that brat reach the 4thyer of the Nascent Soul realm?!''


    "4thyer Nascent Soul? I never thought that he was already this strong. It seems like your Firecrown Household is destined to soar higher, Rnd." Ludwig muttered while looking at the confident Fredrinn.


    "Huh? Father, did you just say that he is a Nascent Soul?" Lucas couldn''t believe his ears.


    It wasn''t just him. Everyone was also shocked by this information.


    "That''s right. Fredrinn is a 4thyer Nascent Soul martial practitioner." Ludwig smiled in response.


    "That guy really fooled us¡­" Samantha muttered in disbelief.


    "Amazing." Aubrey''s eyes twinkled upon hearing this.


    Rnd couldn''t help but feel proud. "He still has so much to learn. His cultivation might be high, but he still needs to know how to manage the estate."


    A momentter, Fredrinn came to greet them. "Greetings, everyone. I apologize for myte arrival." He cupped his fists while scanning them with his gaze. He noticed that their favorability had increased. Most of them were already beyond 50 points.


    "Come here and sit with us, Fredrinn." Ludwig jovially beckoned to him.


    Fredrinn sent Lucas and the others an apologetic gaze before he went to sit next to Ludwig.


    "You earned big this time. You even got the royal family to notice you. If only my children were half as good as you."


    "We only seeded because of your help, city lord. If it weren''t for your support, we would have failed the operation."


    "Hahaha! You don''t need to say it like that, Fredrinn. We all know your contributions to the operation. By the way, have you already found someone you like? I can''t wait to attend your wedding."


    Fredrinn wasn''t an idiot. He quickly sensed the deeper meaning in his words.


    Everyone perked their ears. Fredrinn was now the hottest husband candidate in the city. Many of the guests even came here to discuss about marriage.


    With a wry smile, Fredrinn replied. "It''s still too early for me to consider having a rtionship, city lord."


    Ludwig''s eyes shed. "Is that so? I was indeed a bit rash to ask you about that. Haha!"


    At the corner of his eyes, Fredrinn noticed Rnd sending him a thumbs up. ''He must be having fun¡­''

 Chapter 94: Start of the Competition

    "Good morning, everyone! I''m Kristine Firecrown! I will be the host for this year''s annual martial artspetition!"


    "Before we begin with the first matchup, I will announce the rewards for thispetition." Kristine intentionally paused to keep everyone in suspense.


    "The reward for the third ce is 25000 star coins, 100 refined magic stones, and a rare-rated item of their choice!"


    "The second ce will receive 50000 star coins, 200 refined magic stones, and an epic-rated item of their choice!"


    "As for the champion¡­ they will get 100000 star coins, 500 refined magic stones, an epic-rated item of their choice, and a Foundation Establishment realm mount!"


    The participants of thepetition were excited to hear the rewards, but their enthusiasm disappeared when they remembered that there was a fierce contestant this year.


    Everyone stared at the youngdy dressed in a red and gold battle dress. She had a calm look on her face. She didn''t even flinch after she sensed the gazes aimed at her.


    "Oh? She is already at the 1styer of the Qi Gathering stage at her age. That''s very rare. I remember that only Kristine had such talent in our city." Ludwigmented.


    Rnd nodded in agreement. "She is the most talented in this batch, but there is another kid who might give her a hard time in thispetition."


    "Are you talking about that young boy right there?" Ludwig pointed at a young man holding a spear.


    "That''s right. He only recently broke through, but he has more battle experience than iza. He even participated in the recent battle against the ckcrow Household." Rnd smiled.


    Fredrinn was also familiar with the young man they were talking about. It was Phillip, a young martial warrior with humble origins. Both his parents were servants of the Firecrown Household. Rnd even bestowed him the Firecrown family name for his meritorious service.


    Phillip was only a 10thyer Body Refining martial warrior during the siege, but he broke through in the middle of the battle and killed many enemies.


    Fredrinn scanned the participants and looked for Paul Gabriel.


    A momentter, he finally saw the kid. He was nervously leaning against the wall while biting his finger.


    [Body Refining 9th Layer]


    [Paul Gabriel Haraldson] Favorability: 85


    When hest met this kid, he was only at the 8thyer of the Body Refining stage. ''What a hardworking young man¡­'' He smiled.


    At this moment, the first twopetitors had already gone up to the stage.


    They weren''t top contenders, but they fought well which earned them the crowd''s apuse.


    "Fredrinn, who do you think will win in this year''spetition?" Ludwig suddenly asked.


    The others were also interested to hear his opinion so they all turned their gazes to him.


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin. "It would be a tough battle between iza and Phillip. Both are more or less even in terms of cultivation, so their battle experience will be crucial in determining the victor. I have seen Phillip fight so I''m leaning against him. The young man is very quick with his spear and he has the advantage when ites to experience.


    As for iza¡­ she mastered an arcane-rank battle technique recently. If she uses it at the right time, she might win against Phillip."


    "I see¡­ experience is indeed important in battle. That I agree." Ludwig nodded in agreement.


    While they were chatting, the third battle had already started. This time, it ended in just less than five seconds because of the overwhelming difference in cultivation.


    The next few fights were no different. They ended in just a matter of seconds. Among the winners were Phillip and iza who defeated their opponents in just one move. Their overwhelming strength made the other participants less confident.


    At this moment, it was finally Paul Gabriel''s turn. His opponent was a fourteen-year-old 8thyer Body Refining stage martial practitioner.


    Paul had the advantage in strength so he managed to end the fight in just three moves.


    "You seem to be interested in that young man. Is there anything special about him?" Ludwig asked when he noticed that Fredrinn was keeping an eye on Paul Gabriel.


    Fredrinn smiled and shook his head. "That kid is the nephew of Captain Gunnar. He is very diligent in his training so I hope that he will get a higher ranking even if he doesn''t win."


    ***


    Paul lifted his head and looked at the VIP section where Rnd and the others were seated. He saw Fredrinn sitting with the city lord and the patriarch. The presence of these big shots made him very nervous.


    ''I should calm down and prepare for my next fight. I must not disappoint Lord Fredrinn''s expectations.'' He clenched his fists.


    "Hey!" A voice suddenly drifted into his ears.


    He turned around and saw Philliping toward him.


    Seeing him, Paul was a bit flustered.


    "Your name''s Paul, right?" Phillip chuckled when he saw his dumbfounded look.


    Paul nodded. "Yes. Do you need anything from me?"


    Phillip shook his head. "Rx. I didn''te here to provoke you. Congrats on winning your first fight. I heard that you are Captain Gunnar''s nephew."


    "Oh? Thank you. You too. Yes, I''m his nephew." Paul was surprised by his friendliness. He thought that Phillip was hard to approach, but he was unexpectedly friendly.


    "Awesome! Captain Gunnar is one of my role models. He came from a humble origin and he even lost an arm, but despite that, he still became the captain of Lord Fredrinn''s guards unit." There was a trace of admiration in Phillip''s voice.


    Hearing this, Paul''s face rxed. He was proud to hear that. "Is it true that you were scouted by Lord Fredrinn? I heard that he invited you to join his guards unit. I wonder if that''s true."


    Phillip scratched his head in embarrassment. "It''s true. Lord Fredrinn said that I would be training under Sir Cain for a year. Once Iplete my training, I will be formally assigned to the guards unit."


    "Cool! I hope I will also get scouted soon!"


    The two young men became close friends after that conversation.

 Chapter 95: Scouting Talents

    The annual martial artspetition was a three-day event. This was to ensure that all participants would have the time to rest after their battles.


    On the first day of thepetition, only sixteen participants were qualified topete in the next round.


    Paul Gabriel ended up winning his second fight and entered the top sixteen. His uncle was so proud that his stoic face broke into a smile.


    ***


    After the top sixteen were announced, the first day of thepetition finally ended.


    "Fredrinn, why don''t youe with us? Your father and I will chat about how to properly manage the city from here on out."


    Fredrinn smiled apologetically as he replied. "I really want to, but I already promised my friends that I woulde with them for a drink." While saying this, he made eye contact with Lucas.


    As if understanding his intentions, Lucas ced his arm over Fredrinn''s shoulder. "You''ve already chatted with him all day, father. We already nned to have fun tonight so you can''t take him with you."


    Ludwig was someone who had seen the world so how could he not notice the sneaky nces exchanged by the two? He pretended not to notice this and smiled regretfully. "Is that so? What a shame. Then let''s chat another day. You guys have some fun." He winked at his daughter as if hinting her about something.


    Samantha raised an eyebrow and snorted in response.


    "Haha!" Ludwigughed as he shook his head. He then bid them farewell and left with Rnd.


    Fredrinn could finally take a breather after they were gone.


    "Come on, Fredrinn! You areing with us for a drink." Lucas grinned at him.


    "Alright, but I will bring them with me. You guys don''t mind, right?" Fredrinn pointed at the threedies behind him. Sean still had to train with Cain so he didn''t n on bringing him with them. His talent was yet to be developed so he needed more time for training.


    Sean secretly heaved a sigh of relief. He was only a servant recently so he was still afraid to speak casually with those of higher status.


    "Not at all."


    "Why don''t youe with us, Miss Aubrey?" Samantha stared at Aubrey. She wanted to confirm something and this was the perfect opportunity to make her confess.


    Aubrey hesitated after hearing this. Her father strictly warned her not to go out at night.


    "If you''re worried about your safety, I think there''s no need for concern. Fredrinn is a 4thyer Nascent Soul martial practitioner and Red Sun City is our turf. No one would be foolish enough to attack us¡­" Samantha prodded her.


    "You''re right. Will you ensure our safety, Sir Fredrinn?" Aubrey asked while smiling at Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn''s eyes shed. Aubrey Silversword was a future powerhouse who would one day be famous in the entire Great Vemune Continent. Getting close to her would make his future life easier. Thinking about this, he smiled. "I will ensure your safety, Miss Aubrey."


    Later that evening, the group went to the Cloud Lake Pavilion. They shared the stories of their lives while drinking to their heart''s content. Unknowingly, their friendship deepened despite the differences in their status.


    No idents happened that night and they all safely returned to the estate after their drinking session.


    On the second day of the martial artspetition, more important guests arrived. The most notable among them was the Pce Lord of the Serene Jade Pce who came from Azure Wind City. He was a top expert whose cultivation was on par with the city lord!


    The presence of these powerful martial practitioners made everyone realize that the Firecrown Household was slowly bing stronger.


    On this day, half of the sixteen participants were eliminated and only the remaining eight were qualified to proceed to the final round of thepetition.


    Unsurprisingly, Paul Gabriel managed to clinch a spot in the top eight after defeating a participant with simr cultivation.


    [Invite the top eight participants to join the training camp for the selection of the new members of the guards unit! Rewards: 2000 Fate Points, and Servant Selection Card x1!]


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes when he saw the unfamiliar item among the rewards. He had some idea when he saw the name, but he couldn''t be sure until he got it.


    He excused himself and went down the spectator''s seats to look for the remaining eight participants.


    It didn''t take him long to find them since they were gathered in the resting area prepared for them.


    His arrival shocked the young participants.


    "Greetings, Lord Fredrinn!" The young boys and girls greeted him enthusiastically.


    Fredrinn smiled at them. "There''s no need to be formal. We are all family."


    The kids were still a bit nervous even after he said those words. In their young minds, he was already a figure who was on par with the patriarch and the city lord!


    "My lord, is there anything you need from us?" iza asked. Among the bunch, she was the only one who dared to speak with him.


    Fredrinn patted her head gently. "You guys are the best young talents of the Firecrown Household. In the future, you will be the elites who would shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting the family¡­ I''d like to invite you to join the training camp where the next members of my guards will be selected. If you follow me, I guarantee that the Core Formation realm won''t be your limit!"


    iza and the others were excited.


    "My lord, I only have a mid-grade spirit root. Is there really a chance for me to advance beyond the Core Formation realm?" One of them asked. It was the oldest in the group, a tall young boy with an average-looking face.


    At the age of fifteen, he was already at the 10thyer of the Body Refining realm. His cultivation might be higherpared to the normal disciples, but he had the most ordinary talent among the top eight. This was his greatest worry.


    Fredrinn could already imagine the amount of hardwork he went through to achieve his cultivation. ''This kid must have worked even harder than Paul¡­''


    "What''s your name?" He asked.


    "Joseph¡­"


    "Joseph, is it? I will help you surpass the Core Formation realm¡­"

 Chapter 96: Servant Selection Card

    [The top participants were in awe of your speech. They have decided to follow you! Rewards: 2000 Fate Points, and Servant Selection Card x1!]


    Fredrinn returned to his study with a satisfied look on his face.


    "Now, let''s see if my guess was right." He muttered as he took out the Servant Selection Card from his inventory. It was a purple card with the image of a kneeling person.


    [Do you want to use the card?]


    [Yes] [No]


    After clicking [Yes], a wide selection of humanoid species was disyed on the screen.


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: Intermediate-Grade


    Cultivation: Qi Gathering 10th Layer


    Age: 42


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Elf


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Cultivation: Foundation Establishment 10th Layer


    Age: 40


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Beastman


    Spirit Root: Intermediate-Grade


    Cultivation: Core Formation 1st Layer


    Age: 59


    Unnamed


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Cultivation: Qi Gathering 10th Layer


    Age: 17


    Fredrinn smiled when he saw this. He had guessed it right. The Servant Selection Card allows him to choose one servant from the list disyed by the system.


    ''These elves are really talented. All of them have high-grade spirit roots at the least. The only issue is their personality. They are incredibly arrogant beings and it might affect my ns if they act up. Hmm¡­'' Fredrinn pondered deeply.


    He sorted out the selection and removed those with low-grade and intermediate-grade spirit roots. He also removed those who were too old.


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Cultivation: Core Formation 10th Layer


    Age: 71


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Cultivation: Nascent Soul 1st Layer


    Age: 76


    Unnamed


    Sex: Female


    Specie: Elf


    Spirit Root: Superior-Grade


    Cultivation: Qi Gathering 10th Layer


    Age: 14


    Unnamed


    Sex: Female


    Specie: Half Human Half Sky Race


    Spirit Root: Excellent-Grade


    Cultivation: Body Refining 10th Layer


    Age: 2


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Dragonkin


    Spirit Root: Superior Grade


    Cultivation: Nascent Soul 10th Layer


    Age: 98


    Among the selection of servants, he was most attracted to thest two. One had an excellent-grade spirit root, while the other was a 10thyer Nascent Soul martial practitioner. Fredrinn was very tempted to choose the dragonkin because of his high cultivation, but he felt that the half-human half-sky race had a higher potential. This left him in a dilemma.


    ''Which one should I choose?'' He scratched his head and pondered deeply.


    The ckcrow Household was already destroyed so the Firecrown Household was safe for the time being. Choosing the half-human half-sky race was ideal since the family would be peaceful for the next few years.


    After racking his brain, he clicked on one of the disyed profiles.


    A momentter, the sound of a baby crying echoed in his study.


    Fredrinn went into daddy mode to pacify the anxious baby. He lifted the baby girl and let her rest on his chest while gently rubbing her back. "Rx. I will take care of you from now on¡­"


    Fredrinn took a closer look at the baby. Her purple eyes reflected the image of the gxy, looking incredibly beautiful. Her hair and eyebrows were as white as snow, making her look like a little angel. On her back, he noticed a pair of protrusions which he believed were her wings.


    "You are a beautiful little angel¡­" He smiled unknowingly.


    "What should I name you? Hmm¡­"


    "You are from the sky race and your hair is white¡­ I''ll give you the name Avariel Firecrown¡­ From now on, you are my child¡­" Fredrinn stroked the little angel''s head and kissed her.


    "Apa!" The little girl smiled.


    "Eh? Did you just call me ''papa''?" Fredrinn grinned and rewarded her with a kiss.


    While he was ying with Avariel, he suddenly heard a series of knocks on his door.


    He raised his eyebrows. "We have a visitor, Avariel."


    He went to open the door while carrying the little girl in his arms.


    As soon as he opened the door, he saw Rnd and Margaret standing outside. His eyes widened in surprise. However, the couple were more surprised than him.


    "Whose child is that?" Rnd muttered while pointing at the little girl. Meanwhile, Margaret covered her mouth with her hands while staring at Fredrinn suspiciously.


    "Ah¡­ this is¡­" Fredrinn was flustered for a moment, but his face soon broke into a smile. "This is my daughter, Avariel¡­"


    Hearing this, the couple were stunned.


    "You mean she is your child?"


    "That''s right¡­" Fredrinn nodded.


    "Then what about her mother?" Rnd furrowed his eyebrows.


    Fredrinn sighed and showed the protrusions on the little girl''s back. "She is a half-human half-sky race. Someone with a human bloodline like her is not epted by the sky race. They won''t ept her¡­" He could only tell them vaguely since Avariel was a product of the system. Saying more might expose its existence.


    Rnd and Margaret sighed.


    The sky race was very strict with their bloodline so they were only few in numbers. They refused to copte with other species since they believed that it would weaken their bloodline. It was said that they would kill their children with half bloodline so it was rare to see someone with half-sky race blood.


    "What a pitiful child." Margaret stretched her arms.


    Fredrinn understood the assignment. He carefully handed the child to her.


    Margaret smiled as she caressed the baby''s face. "What is her name?" She asked.


    "Avariel¡­" Fredrinn responded.


    Looking at the beautiful child, Rnd felt conflicted. Fredrinn wasn''t even married and the worst part was the child was motherless. "I believe you know what it means to acknowledge her as your daughter when you are not even married."


    Fredrinn knew the meaning behind his words. "I know. I won''t let anyone bully my child!" He was determined to raise her as his child.


    Rnd smiled and patted his shoulder. "Then you must raise her well."


    "Yes, father." Fredrinn nodded with a look of determination. "By the way, why did you two visit me at this hour?" He asked.


    The couple stared at each other in embarrassment. In the end, it was Margaret who replied. "Actually, we just want to know if there''s a girl you like. You are already in the right age to marry so we want to know your ns."


    Fredrinn chuckled. "So it''s about that¡­ Come in. Let''s talk inside¡­"

 Chapter 97: This Girl is My Daughter!

    Fredrinn brought Avariel with him to watch the final round of thepetition.


    "My lord, that girl is¡­" Olivia stared at the little girl in surprise. Alice was also shocked, while Freya didn''t show any reaction.


    "This is Avariel. She is my daughter." Fredrinn smiled.


    "What?!"


    "You''ll get to know more about her soon. For now, let''s head to the arena." Fredrinn wanted to reveal his daughter to the people. He knew that he would face some bacsh because of this, but he was prepared to confront them.


    On their way out of the mansion, they encountered Margaret and Rnd. The couple were excited to see Avariel, their granddaughter. Margaret even took the little girl from Fredrinn.


    "Why does my granddaughter look hungry?" Margaret stared at Fredrinn suspiciously when she saw Avariel sucking her cute little thumb.


    Fredrinn smiled helplessly. "She already ate her breakfast. I even prepared a few bottles of milk for her in case she is hungry."


    "Good! At least you''re thoughtful." Margaret snorted.


    ''Aiya. I''m no longer my mother''s favorite child¡­'' He shook his head with a wry smile.


    When they arrived at the coliseum, everyone curiously stared at the little girl in Margaret''s arms.


    "Whose child is that?"


    "Is she Madam Margaret''s second child?"


    "What a love little girl!"


    Everyone had different reactions.


    "Eh? Rnd, is she your child?" Ludwig''s eyes widened.


    Rnd didn''t know what to say so he made eye contact with Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn knew that it was time.


    He took Avariel from Margaret and stood at the edge of the VIP''s spectator section. He scanned the crowd with his gaze and proudly revealed the little girl in his arms. "Everyone, I have an important announcement to make before we start with the final round of thepetition."


    His words garnered everyone''s attention. They were curious about what he was about to say.


    "This girl is my daughter. Her name is Avariel Firecrown. She is a half-human half-sky race." His words were like a bomb that exploded in everyone''s mind.


    Fredrinn having a child was already shocking, but the most shocking thing was the child''s bloodline. She actually had the blood of a sky race running through her veins!


    Fredrinn had his reasons for revealing Avariel''s bloodline this early on. It was so that no one would find it questionable when her wings developed. He didn''t want to go through the trouble of exining it so he might as well expose it now.


    ''I just hope that the sky race won''t do something to her once they hear about this. If theyy a finger on her, I will¡­'' His eyes shed with killing intent that unconsciously leaked out.


    Everyone at the scene felt this palpitating sensation. They guessed that it was a warning from Fredrinn. Even the Nascent Soul martial practitioners were afraid when they sensed his aura. Only the experts like the city lord remained calm under this overwhelming pressure.


    "Congrattions, Sir Fredrinn! May the young miss have a healthy life!"


    "Congrattions, Sir Fredrinn!"


    Fredrinn smiled at the crowd and thanked them before he went back to his seat.


    "Is she really your child?" Aubrey asked while looking at the little girl with aplicated look on her face.


    Fredrinn nodded while gently stroking Avariel''s head.


    "What a cute little angel! Hello, Avariel! I''m your uncle, Lucas." Lucas wanted to touch the baby, but Fredrinn pped his hand.


    "Your hand reeks of alcohol!" Fredrinn red at him.


    "Come on, bro! Just let me hold her for a while!"


    ***


    The sudden appearance of Fredrinn''s daughter was more shocking than the ending of thepetition.


    Phillip ended up winning the championship after he defeated iza in the final match. The third ce went to Joseph, while Paul Gabriel barely made it into the top five.


    After the martial artspetition ended, the guests were invited to a private banquet hosted by the Firecrown Household. No one rejected the invitation for this was the perfect chance to increase their connections with other martial households and renowned sects.


    Fredrinn didn''t attend the banquet since he had more important things to do.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 4th Layer] [Level 34]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ????????


    Space Affinity: ??


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 22950


    "I now have 22950 Fate Points. That should be enough¡­" He muttered as he opened the Fate Shop.


    Fate Points: 22950


    ? Cultivation Methods


    ? Battle Techniques


    ? Equipment/Items


    ? Pets


    ? Servants


    He opened the servant category.


    Fredrinn realized that he had almost made a fatal mistake. After defeating the ckcrow Household, he had be overconfident. Luckily, he realized it in time or the consequences would have been disastrous.


    The Great Vemune Continent was filled with hidden dangers. Even in the Star Wind Kingdom which was only a small dot in the continent, danger was everywhere.


    Now that he had exposed Avariel, he had to prepare for the worst.


    The current strength of the Firecrown Household might be at the top in Red Sun City, but on the grand scale of things, it was just a tiny martial family.


    ''In the Star Wind Kingdom, the strongest is the royal family. From what I know, the current king is an expert in the 5th Phase of the Void Tempering Realm. Other than him, there should be over twenty Void Tempering powerhouses in the Star Wind Kingdom. As long as we have someone at that level protecting the household, we should be able to quietly grow our strength.


    We do have one, but his case is somewhat special¡­'' Fredrinn thought about the entric librarian whose identity was still a mystery to him.


    (Author Note: Void Tempering realm has 6 levels and they will be ssified as phases. For example, Void Tempering 1st Phase, etc.)


    ''The only option left is to find a Void Tempering martial practitioner in the Fate Shop.''


    Fredrinn filtered the selection and removed those below the Void Tempering realm. A momentter, the screen refreshed and disyed the profiles of a few individuals.


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Elf


    Spirit Root: Superior-Grade


    Cultivation: Void Tempering 1st Phase


    Age: 159


    21500 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Drow


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Cultivation: Void Tempering 1st Phase


    Age: 266


    17100 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Female


    Specie: Seafolk


    Spirit Root: Excellent-Grade


    Cultivation: Void Tempering 4th Phase


    Age: 84


    40000 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: Superior-Grade


    Cultivation: Void Tempering 1st Layer


    Age: 191


    19700 Fate Points


    "Which one should I choose?"

 Chapter 98: Argus

    "Well, I can only choose one between these four since this seafolk beauty is worth 40000 Fate Points." Fredrinn wanted to get her, but he didn''t have enough Fate Points.


    "The drow has a high-grade spirit root, but his talent is the worst among the three remaining choices. I will save 3000 Fate Points if I get him though¡­"


    "The elf and the human have the same spirit root, but the elf has a small innate advantage¡­"


    Fredrinn crossed his arms and leaned on his seat as he pondered deeply.


    If he chose the elf, he would only be left with over a thousand Fate Points.


    "Alright. I have made a choice!"


    [Do you want to proceed with the purchase?]


    [Yes] [No]


    "Yes!"


    -19700 Fate Points


    A momentter, a tall and valiant-looking old man in his sixties appeared before him. He was wearing ck battle armor with a worn-out green cape. On his back was a diamond-shaped ck shield and an obsidian-colorednce.


    "My lord, please bestow me a name!" The old man kneeled before him as he uttered those words. His voice was deep and full of dignity.


    Fredrinn nodded. "I will give you the name Argus."


    "Thank you, my lord!"


    [Void Tempering 1st Phase]


    [Argus] Favorability: 70


    "Get up."


    Argus stood up.


    Fredrinn was a tall man himself, but he was still a head shorter than this old warrior. ''This old man is probably over 7 feet tall¡­ He has the height and the body of a Viking warrior!''


    "I will be in your care from now on." Fredrinn smiled as he patted the old man''s armor.


    "It will be my pleasure to serve you, my lord," Argus replied with a salute. Based on his mannerisms and formidable presence, Fredrinn guessed that this old man was probably a high-ranking militarymander from wherever he came from.


    "Before I tell you your task. I will introduce you to your new environment. Sit down first." Argus was new to the ce so he had to learn the most basic information about Red Sun City and the kingdom of Star Wind. He also gave him a short introduction to the history of the Firecrown Household as well as the major households in the city.


    Thissted for almost three hours, but the old militarymander patiently listened without uttering a single sound.


    "That''s basically what you need to know for the time being. You will have to learn the rest on your own. You can freely browse the books in my study. You can also visit the household library if you need more information. Here is my personal token. You will need it in case someone questions your identity."


    Argus took the token and nodded.


    "For now, you can start by reading the books in my study¡­" Fredrinn stopped and remembered something important.


    He grabbed a book from the nearest bookshelf and handed it to Argus. "Can you read the words in this book?"


    Argus looked down and furrowed his eyebrows. He opened the book and flipped through the pages. "My lord¡­ I''m not familiar with thenguage written in this book¡­"


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin. The servants from the Fate Shop could speak themonnguage of the Great Vemune Continent, but they couldn''t read or write the words. He only discovered this since he didn''t ask Cain to read his books.


    After realizing this issue, he opened the Fate Shop. "Wait for a moment." He told the old man warrior as he browsed through the items in the Fate Shop.


    He scrolled through the items and finally found what he was looking for.


    Auto Trantion Device [Rare]


    350 Fate Points


    Great Vemune Common Language [Common]


    25 Fate Points


    - 375 Fate Points


    Current Fate Points: 2875


    He bought both items and handed them to Argus. "This ring is an item that automatically trantes anynguage. It should be of great assistance to you. As for this book, it is themonnguage of the Great Vemune Continent. You have to learn how to read and write it since you will be staying here now."


    "Thank you, my lord. I will do my best and learn it as fast as I can." The old man solemnly said.


    "There''s no hurry. It''s not an urgent task anyway." Fredrinn smiled.


    ***


    The next morning, Fredrinn brought Argus to his father''s study.


    "Good morning, Father." Fredrinn smiled as he greeted Rnd.


    Rnd lifted his head and rubbed his eyes. "Sit down."


    Fredrinn took his seat. He noticed the bags under Rnd''s eyes after getting a closer look at him. "You look tired, father. Did you not sleep wellst night?"


    Rnd snorted. "And who do you think is responsible for this? You left all the guests who came here for you to your parents¡­" He paused to massage his temples.


    Fredrinn chuckled in embarrassment. "Actually, I had a reason to leavest night. I went somewhere to find a reliable person." He reasoned.


    Rnd raised an eyebrow. "A reliable person?"


    Fredrinn smiled when he saw his father''s questioning gaze. "You will understand once you see him." He turned his head at the door and yelled. "Argus, you maye inside."


    Rnd skeptically looked at the door.


    Argus stepped inside the office and saluted. "Greetings, patriarch! My name is Argus."


    Rnd''s eyes widened when he sensed the aura of the old warrior. He even almost fell on his chair. ''Void Tempering! That old man is definitely a Void Tempering martial practitioner!'' He turned his head to his son and saw the smug look on his face. ''This kid¡­ He should have notified me in advance!''


    Fredrinn snickered in his mind when he saw Rnd''s flustered expression. "Father, this is Argus. From now on, he will be a warrior of the Firecrown Household."


    Rnd forced a smile. He then turned his gaze back to Argus. "Please take a seat, Sir Argus." He was the patriarch of the Firecrown Household so he managed to quickly calm his nerves.


    "Now, tell me why you brought Sir Argus here," Rnd asked with a serious look. He felt that his son was getting more mysterious as the days passed. He actually managed to hire a Void Tempering powerhouse to join the Firecrown Household! This was something that even he as the patriarch couldn''t do.


    Fredrinn grinned. "I want to create my own army!"

 Chapter 99: Life Heart Syrup

    Rnd''s frown deepened. "That will be difficult. You should know that each household is only permitted to hire a maximum of three thousand soldiers." This was a rule set up by the royal family to prevent rebellion. Only traitorous families like the ckcrow Household or those with hidden motives would break this rule.


    Fredrinn nodded. He already knew about this.


    "After the recent battle against the ckcrow Household, we lost around six hundred personnel. Even with that, we still have around two thousand soldiers. We can only hire another nine hundred at most."


    Fredrinn shook his head. "That won''t be enough."


    "Huh? Then just how many soldiers do you want to have?"


    Fredrinn raised both hands and said in a calm voice. "I want ten thousand soldiers in my army."


    There was a reason for amassing this much force... It was the future he saw from his Fate Rating. In that future, he died after being encircled by thousands of soldiers from the Blue Sky Kingdom.


    However, there was one problem...


    His father didn''t know about the future.


    Rnd''s eyes widened. "Do you even know what you are talking about? If a member of the royal family hears that, all of us will be executed!"


    "I know, father. There are two ways for a household to build an army of that size without being executed. The first one is to have a legitimate reason like defending the borders from invaders or magical beasts. The second way is for the household to be promoted to a dukedom¡­"


    In the Star Wind Kingdom, there exist powerful families that almost rival the royal family in terms of power. They are the five Dukedoms that were mostmonly known as the five ''Supreme Households''.


    Each supreme household had at least one Void Tempering powerhouse holding the fort. This was the reason why everyone feared and respected them.


    "We don''t have a legitimate reason to create an army of that size so we can''t go with the first option. As for the second option, only those with¡­" Rnd''s words trailed off when he realized something.


    Fredrinn smiled. It seemed like his father had already realized his intentions.


    "No wonder you brought Sir Argus here¡­ Let''s say I agree with your decision, but why do you want to gather that many soldiers? You''re not nning to rebel, right?" Rnd stared at him with a doubtful look.


    "Of course not!" Fredrinn shook his head with a wry smile. "When west visited the city lord''s mansion, we asked Lucas about the situation in the north¡­"


    "You mean the battle in Mount Roshire? How is it rted to creating arge army?" Rnd raised an eyebrow.


    Fredrinn''s face suddenly turned serious. "It''s entirely rted¡­ Currently, the Star Wind Kingdom has the advantage, but we can''t say for sure if the kingdom could maintain this advantage. Do you remember the artillery used by the ckcrow Household? That war weapon was created by the Blue Sky Kingdom.


    I can''t say for sure how much of that artillery they currently have, but I''m certain that they are mass producing it to prepare for a counterattack¡­"


    At first, Rnd was still skeptical, but the more he listened, the more his face became serious.


    "Once they are deployed in the north, our kingdom would suffer heavy losses and we would lose control of Mount Roshire. With a weakened army, Star Wind Kingdom would be an easy target for invasion!"


    Fredrinn''s words stunned Rnd.


    ''He came up with that from the limited information he had?'' For the first time, he became fearful of Fredrinn''s terrifying foresight.


    If Fredrinn''s words became a reality, the Star Wind Kingdom would be doomed.


    Rnd took a deep breath. This was too much for him to take in all at once.


    After a moment of silence, Rnd sighed and stared at Fredrinn. "What do you want me to do?"


    Fredrinn smiled. This means that his father approved his decision. "We must head to the capital and inform His Majesty about my conjecture."


    "What if he doesn''t believe it?" Rnd asked.


    "He doesn''t need to believe it. He just needs to hear it. When that happens, a seed of doubt will be nted in his mind. His Majesty will make the necessary preparations even if he doesn''t believe our words. Even if my words turned out to be wrong, he wouldn''t lose anything."


    "It seems like you have already thought that far ahead." He was proud of Fredrinn''s growth and sudden change of character.


    The conversation with his father ended well and they both decided to head to the capital on the 1st of November which was only three days away.


    "Let''s head to the library. I''ll introduce you to someone." Fredrinn smiled mysteriously. He wondered how the old librarian would react once he saw Argus. Although the old librarian was injured, he could still use his spiritual perception. Which means he could sense someone''s cultivation level.


    Argus didn''t say anything and just followed him without a word.


    Other than helping Argus familiarize with the library, Fredrinn actually had another goal in mind.


    At this moment, he was browsing through the item category in the Fate shop. When he was looking for the trantion devicest night, he came across a special item.


    Life Heart Syrup [Epic] 2500 Fate Points


    - Contains three drops of healing liquid. It can heal any physical injury and slightly increase Qi level upon consumption. (Only works on consumers at the Void Tempering realm and below.)


    He was nning to use this on the old librarian. If the old man was healed and decided to work for the household, they would have two Void Tempering martial practitioners!


    Even among the supreme households, only the Silversword Household and the Evergreen Household had two Void Tempering martial practitioners!


    Fredrinn had to convince the old man to stay to increase their chances of survival.


    Soon, the two arrived at the library. Argus was a new face, but because Fredrinn came with him, everyone respectfully greeted him.


    Meanwhile, the old librarian had also noticed them. When his gazended on the person behind Fredrinn, his pupils shrank. ''A Void Tempering powerhouse!''

 Chapter 100: Recovery

    "How have you been, Sir Alfred? Did you like the wines I sent recently?" Fredrinn smiled at the old man.


    The old librarian scoffed. "They are not too bad."


    Fredrinn chuckled. "By the way, this is Sir Argus. He will be working for the household starting today."


    Alfred narrowed his eyes. "Is your father aware of this?" He asked while staring deeply at Fredrinn.


    "Of course. Beforeing here, we visited my father''s office." Fredrinn responded.


    Alfred was a bit surprised to hear that. ''With Rnd''s power, he should have sensed this man''s cultivation. Did he perhaps fail to detect it?'' Thinking about this, his expression darkened.


    "Are you aware of that man''s identity? You should be careful about bringing outsiders into the estate." Alfred muttered while taking a sidelong nce at Argus.


    Fredrinn smirked. ''This old man should have sensed Argus'' cultivation.''


    "Don''t worry, Sir Alfred. I already know that Sir Argus is a Void Tempering powerhouse. Just like you¡­"


    Alfred squinted his eyes. "Who told you?"


    Fredrinn shook his head. "No one¡­"


    "It seems like those rumors I''ve heard about you are true. You even managed to fool me. Now tell me. What did youe here for? Do you want the transcendent-rank ice-type battle techniques?"


    "No! I didn''te here for that. I''ll ask for them at the right time. I came here for a different reason."


    "Stop beating around the bush and spit it out! This old man still has to clean the books."


    "Have you heard about the Life Heart Syrup?" Fredrinn asked. Alfred had been a librarian for the household for a long time so he should have read about the Life Heart Syrup.


    The old man nodded. "That''s a very rare medicine that can heal all kinds of physical injuries and illnesses. No alchemist in this kingdom is capable of refining that medicine. Even if there was one, collecting the ingredients for the medicine is another difficult challenge. Its core ingredient is the heart blood of an adult magical sea beast called Millennium Archelon.


    This creature only lives in the deepest parts of the ocean so it''s very hard to find. Furthermore, an adult Millennium Archelon has the strength of a Void Tempering powerhouse¡­"


    Fredrinn was surprised. The medicine was rarer than he had thought. From Alfred''s brief description, just one core ingredient alone was already very difficult to get.


    "If you have that medicine, can it heal your injury?"


    Alfred suddenly became silent.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn essed the Fate Shop and purchased the Life Heart Syrup.


    - 2500 Fate Points


    Current Fate Points: 375


    Regardless of the old man''s response, Fredrinn would give him a drop of the syrup. It was to repay him for his decades of service to the household.


    "That medicine can''t be bought with money. No matter how many tons of refined energy stones you sell, no one will offer it in exchange. To answer your question, yes it can heal, but it''s impossible to get it. I have already given up-" His words were cut off when Fredrinn ced a small bottle on his desk.


    "That is¡­ no way!" Inside the bottle was a small amount of golden liquid.


    "Inside this bottle is three drops of Life Heart Syrup. I can give you one drop, but what can you offer in return?" Fredrinn smiled teasingly.


    Alfred no longer had his usual indifferent face. He was utterly shocked. A medicine that was almost impossible to find was in front of him and it was something that could heal his hidden injuries.


    The old man nced at the young man in front of him. All these years he thought that this young man would cause the downfall of the Firecrown Household, but he had slowly proven him wrong recently. Today, he realized that he was still underestimating Fredrinn. "Is this how you managed to hire that person behind you?" He grinned.


    Fredrinn shrugged and calmly waited for his response.


    "Alright. If you can give me a drop of this medicine, I will acknowledge you as my lord."


    Fredrinn almost failed to hide the smirk on his face. "Good! Feel free to get a drop, Sir Alfred."


    "Can I really take it?" Alfred could still not believe it. After all, he had already given up hope for his recovery, but this suddenly happened. He thought that it was just an illusion.


    "Of course, but you must not go back on your words once you have fully recovered." Fredrinn chuckled.


    Alfred no longer hesitated. He opened the bottle and carefully collected a drop of the golden syrup.


    As soon as the drop of the m syrup touched his tongue, he felt a shocking amount of Qi and life force entering his body.


    The fatigue and illnesses that had umted over the years were washed away, making him feel refreshed. It was as if he had submerged himself in cold water after walking in a desert for a long time.


    ''What a powerful life force!'' He thought. He even felt like he might go back to his prime years once he had refined all the medicinal properties.


    Fredrinn could no longer contain his excitement. Once Alfred fully recovered, the Firecrown Household would have two Void Tempering realm martial practitioners! He couldn''t wait to visit the capital and ask for the king to promote the household into a dukedom.


    Fredrinn didn''t let anyone enter the library temporarily to prevent anyone from disturbing Alfred.


    After about two and a half hours, Alfred''splexion changed for the better. The wrinkles on his face vanished and his white hair turned ck. From looking like an old man in his twilight years, he now looked like a middle-aged man in histe forties. Furthermore, his cultivation which had been stuck for almost a century suddenly soared.


    After another thirty minutes, the old man opened his eyes.


    Void Tempering 2nd Phase


    [Alfred Emberstorm] Favorability: 80


    "Please ept this old man''s bow, my lord! From now on, I will offer my loyalty to you!" Alfred bowed with an emotional expression. He had finally recovered!


    [A man with a great history who had given up on his life was saved because of your actions! Rewards: 5000 Fate Points, and Level Up Card x1!]

 Chapter 101: Alfred’s Story

    "Please stand up, Sir Alfred." Fredrinn helped the old man. He wasn''t used to his sudden change in attitude.


    "Thank you for giving me another chance at life, my lord. This old man will forever be in your debt."


    "There''s no need to thank me, Sir Alfred. To be honest, I also had selfish reasons for saving you." Fredrinn felt a little guilty when he saw the old man''s emotional expression.


    "Whatever the reason is, I''m still grateful, my lord."


    Fredrinn didn''t expect to see this side of Alfred. He also had a vulnerable side, just like everybody else.


    He ended up listening to the old man''s story.


    It turned out that he shared a deep friendship with Fredrinn''s great-grandfather. The two wererades in arms and treated each other like brothers. When Fredrinn''s grandfather died due to an untreated injury, Alfred was devastated. He stayed in the Firecrown Household''s estate to fulfill a promise he made to histerade.


    "Your great-grandfather was a powerful expert at the 3rd Phase of the Void Tempering realm. He mastered the six movements of the ultimate technique of the Firecrown Household, the Seven Scorching Sword Style. His greatest regret was that he failed toprehend the final movement of the technique."


    "You know about the Seven Scorching Sword Style?" Fredrinn was stunned.


    "Of course! I was also the one who concealed it here using an ancient array formation. Supposedly, only those with high fire affinity and overwhelming luck should have discovered the technique. At first, I thought that it was only a coincidence that you found it, but when you revealed your power, I realized that it was destiny¡­" Alfred muttered with a smile.


    "So you knew all along, but why did you hide the Seven Scorching Sword Style?"


    Alfred''s face suddenly turned serious. "It was to protect the Firecrown Household from the people responsible for your great grandfather''s death."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "The reason why your great-grandfather died was because he was afflicted with a type of curse that slowly ate away his life. It was an incurable curse that no alchemists in the kingdom could heal. Even the doctors and medical practitioners of the surrounding kingdoms were helpless.


    As for the person who nted the curse, it was the ancestor of the Evergreen Supreme Household!" Alfred''s voice was filled with hatred when he mentioned the Evergreen Household.


    Fredrinn turned silent. The Evergreen Household was famous for their righteousness and meritorious service to the kingdom so he found it hard to believe that they were the main reason for his great grandfather''s death.


    "I know what you''re thinking, my lord. The Evergreen Household is known for its utilitarianism, but don''t be fooled by those sanctimonious bastards. Behind their kindness hides the vilest and most dangerous people in the kingdom! What you see on the surface is what they want people to see. Their true nature is even more cruel than you think!"


    "The Firecrow Household only survived until now because we fooled the Evergreen Household into believing that the Seven Scorching Sword Style is long gone."


    After a few minutes of silence, Fredrinn spoke. "What''s so special about the Seven Scorching Sword Style? Isn''t it just a transcendent-rank sword technique?"


    "That''s right. However, the Seven Scorching Sword Style is only a part of a truly powerful technique! When I investigated this together with your great grandfather, we found out that the Evergreen Household possessed the other half that would create this ultimate technique¡­ Once the two techniques are pieced together, they will form an apex-rank sword technique!"


    This time, Fredrinn could no longer remain calm. As a former yer, he knew how powerful apex-rank techniques were. Once youprehend a battle technique at that level, you can surmount levels and even kill someone who is one major realm stronger than you!


    "Have you told anyone about this?" Fredrinn asked.


    Alfred shook his head. "Even your father and grandfather are not aware of this. They are still too weak to know the truth."


    Fredrinn nodded. The Firecrown Household might look glorious in Red Sun City, but to the entire Star Wind Kingdom, it was just another big household. It wasn''t even at the level of supreme households. "Keep this a secret for now, Sir Alfred. When the time is right, I will tell them the truth."


    "I understand, my lord."


    "For now, please stay here in the library and continue with your job as the librarian. I will find you a recement after I inform my father about your recovery."


    "Yes, my lord."


    Fredrinn chatted some more with Alfred. He spent the entire morning learning more about his great-grandfather and also the history of when the Firecrown Household was still a supreme household.


    He only left the library when it was past lunchtime.


    The information he learned added more burden to his mind.


    ''Should I postpone my ns on visiting the king?'' If they suddenly asked for a dukedom promotion, the Evergreen Household might feel that something was amiss.


    ''No! I just need to hide the fact that I have learned the Seven Scorching Sword Style. I should also tell my father not to use it in public.'' Fredrinn was determined to continue his ns. Although it was risky, he had to push through since the Evergreen Household wasn''t their only enemy.


    ***


    Soon, the agreed time to depart to the capital finally came. It was a long journey and they had to pass through a few dangerous areas so they gathered a portion of their elites to join the entourage.


    Fredrinn kissed Avariel''s head and said. "Mother, please take care of my daughter while I''m gone."


    "Don''t worry about her. You two must be careful." Margaret smiled gently. Knowing that a Void Tempering powerhouse was part of their entourage, she wasn''t worried about their safety.


    Fredrinn told her about Argus to keep her from worrying.


    "My lord, pleasee back safely." Olivia and the others were reluctant to part with him even though it was only temporary.


    Fredrinn smiled. "I won''t be gone for long. You guys must train hard while I''m away. If I see no progress by the time I return, I will punish you." He joked.


    After exchanging words of farewell, they soon left the estate.

 Chapter 102: Rain City and the Town of Bransondam

    "Why are you out there pretending to be a bodyguard?" Rnd stared at Fredrinn who was riding a handsome ck horse.


    "I just want to show off my mount." Fredrinn grinned at him. This was his first time riding the me Maned Shadow Steed. It had the most striking appearance among the horses of the entourage. Its tail and mane were made of ever-burning purple mes, making it look incredibly mystical and beautiful.


    "Just where did you get that beauty?" Rnd stared in envy. It wasn''t just him, everyone in the entourage was looking at Fredrinn with unmasked jealousy.


    "Hahaha! Look at you guys!" Fredrinn was amused by their expression.


    To reach the capital, they first had to pass by Azure Wind City and three more cities after that. It was a long journey.


    "If only we had better flying mounts..." Rnd sighed while shaking his head. The Firecrown Household possessed flying magical beasts, but none were above the Qi Gathering realm. They could only use them for short-distance travel or to deliver messages. As for long journeys like going to the capital, it was impossible. This was because of the presence of numerous wild aerial magical beasts.


    Fighting them in the sky was troublesome and it might result in unnecessary casualties so they could only choose to travel onnd.


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin when he heard his father''s words. Theck of powerful flying mounts was troubling so they had to address this issue as soon as possible. However, there was one more problem. It was difficult to purchase flying mounts in the market.


    Thinking about this, Fredrinn opened the pet category on the Fate Shop. He filtered the choices to only disy the aerial magical beasts.


    Red-crowned Lightning Sparrow [Rare]


    (Cultivation: Foundation Establishment 10th Layer) 600 Fate Points


    Rainbow-tailed Sea Hawk [Rare]


    (Cultivation: Foundation Establishment 10th Layer) 650 Fate Points


    Mighty Sword-winged Eagle [Epic]


    (Cultivation: Core Formation 1st Layer)


    850 Fate Points


    Pristine White Pegasus [Epic]


    (Cultivation: Core Formation 5th Layer)


    1000 Fate Points


    Golden-crested Griffin [Epic]


    (Cultivation: Nascent Soul 1st Layer)


    5000 Fate Points


    Northern Sea cial Wyvern [Epic]


    (Cultivation: Nascent Soul 10th Layer)


    12000 Fate Points


    ck-scaled Nightmare Dragon [Legendary]


    (Cultivation: Void Tempering 6th Phase)


    50000 Fate Points


    At the moment, he only had slightly over 5000 fate points. He could only drool at the sight of the powerful aerial beasts.


    He reluctantly closed the Fate Shop and muttered with a dreamy look. "Perhaps in the near future, we would have an army of flying knights¡­"


    "Keep dreaming¡­" Rnd scoffed at his words. They couldn''t even purchase a single powerful flying mount so how could they create an army of flying knights? It was impossible.


    Two dayster, they finally arrived at the gates of Azure Wind City. The city lord was already aware of their visit so he weed them with open arms. He even invited the group to rest in his mansion, but Rnd tactfully refused. They were in a hurry to deliver an important message to the king after all so he didn''t want to waste time on unnecessary formalities.


    Luckily, the city lord of Azure Wind City was a perceptive old man. He noticed that they were in a hurry so he didn''t insist on bringing them to his mansion. Furthermore, he was even kind enough to send a team of martial practitioners to escort them toward the opposite side of the city. This saved them from a lot of trouble.


    Fredrinn wanted to visit the famous Serene Jade Pce, but he knew that it wasn''t the right time.


    The group rested in the city for a day before they resumed their journey.


    Their next stop was Rain City. It got its name because of its unique weather conditions. The city would experience rainy days five days a week, hence the name. It was also because of this unique weather that the city was rich in some very rare elixirs that mostly thrive in moist environments.


    It took them five days to reach the city.


    After they found a ce to stay, Fredrinn went to the city''srgest and most famous marketce, the floating town called Bransondam. It was famous for its winding canals and unique architectural features. The small town was submerged in water all year round so the means of transport was via boat or carriages pulled by sea creatures.


    Because of the town''s special nature, it was one of the most famous tourist attractions in the entire kingdom.


    Fredrinn held an umbre as he curiously observed the wonders of the town. With his current cultivation, he could use his Qi to shield himself from the rain, but he still purchased an umbre. It was like a specialty ornament in Rain City so he bought one as a souvenir. The one he bought could even transform into a sword which was an added feature.


    "What a peaceful ce¡­" Fredrinn muttered. Unlike Red Sun City where all sorts of people gathered, this city was like heaven if you ignored the weather.


    Fredrinn had one objective foring to this town. It was to buy a certain elixir that was produced here inrge amounts.


    He soon found a store that mainly sold herbs and elixirs. From the huge number of customers, he could tell that it was a famous store in the town.


    Fredrinn nned to buy arge quantity of the elixir so he asked the workers to call their superiors.


    "Sir, did we do something wrong?" One of the workers nervously asked.


    Fredrinn smiled and shook his head. "Don''t worry. I just want to purchase something inrge quantity so I''d like to speak with your superior."


    "I see. Please wait for a moment." The workers heaved a sigh of relief. One of them volunteered to fight their manager.


    A momentter, a middle-aged woman wearing a in white dress walked toward him. "Hello, honored guest. I''ve been told that you require my assistance. My name is Rose, I''m the manager of this store.


    [Core Formation 1st Layer]


    Fredrinn nodded calmly. "I don''t know if you''ve heard of me. I''m Fredrinn Firecrown from Red Sun City."


    Hearing this, the manager''s eyes shed with surprise. "So it''s Sir Fredrinn. Why don''t we talk somewhere more private?"


    "Alright."

 Chapter 103: Huge Deal

    The manager of the store brought Fredrinn to a private room. She then ordered the workers to prepare tea and snacks for them.


    "Can you tell me what you want to purchase, Sir Fredrinn?" Manager Rose stared curiously at him. This was the man who had recently be famous. All sorts of rumors about him spread in the kingdom and even someone like her who rarely gossiped heard a thing or two about his deeds.


    Fredrinn smiled and responded. "Rain City is famous for being rich in unique elixirs. There is this type of elixir that grows here inrge quantities. Its leaves could be made into a cream that is used for alleviating sore muscles¡­"


    Manager Rose raised her eyebrows. She was an expert in the elixir and herb industry so she was familiar with all sorts of herbs. The first thing that came into her mind was an elixir called Blood Myrtle. It got its name because of where it got its nutrients from.


    This elixir needed plenty of rainwater to grow, but other than that, it also needed a sufficient amount of blood to keep its leaves from wilting. "By any chance are you talking about Blood Myrtle?"


    Fredrinn nodded. "You''re really an expert, Manager Rose! You can identify an elixir with only a bit of information. I''m impressed." He praised.


    Manager Rose chuckled. "I''ve been in the industry for several decades so it''s only natural for me to know this much. Anyway, this elixir isn''t that special, and it''s only used as an ingredient to make some cheap cooling cream. Is this the only thing you''re looking for?" She was a bit disappointed. This elixir wasn''t even a top-grade product.


    Even if Fredrinn brought arge amount, the profit she would get wouldn''t be much, unless he purchased several tons of it.


    "That''s right. I came here to buy Blood Myrtle." Fredrinn noticed the disappointment in her tone. Even her favorability decreased by one point. However, he remained calmly seated.


    Manager Rose was an experienced businesswoman. Even though she was disappointed, she maintained her professional attitude. Fredrinn was after all a man with great status. It wouldn''t be a loss to befriend him. "Can you tell me how many Blood Myrtle you want to get?"


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin. "Hmm¡­ Let''s see¡­ For now, I want 1000 metric tons of it."


    Manager Rose almost fell off her chair when she heard this. One kilogram of Blood Myrtle was only worth about 100 Star Coins on the market. She thought that Fredrinn would only buy around a few hundred kilograms. She never would have thought that he would ask for that much. "Excuse me? Did you just say 1000 metric tons?" She couldn''t believe it.


    That was worth 100 million star coins! Even arge household wouldn''t squander that much money.


    "That''s not all. I want your store to supply me with that amount every month for the next three years." Fredrinn beamed at her.


    Manager Rose could no longer remain calm. This was a business that would earn the store 100 million star coins every month for the next three years! "S-Sir Fredrinn, w-why do you need that many Blood Myrtle?"


    Fredrinn''s smile disappeared.


    "I''m s-sorry! I didn''t mean to ask. I''m just shocked by the volume that you wanted to purchase." Manager Rose immediately apologized. She almost broke the unwritten rule in business.


    "It''s fine." Fredrinn waved his hand. "Can you handle this business?" He asked with a serious look.


    Manager Rose was silent for a moment as she pondered deeply. The store would earn a lot of money if she would ept this offer. There also wasn''t a lot of risk on their side so it was a safe business.


    After careful consideration, she nced at Fredrinn and smiled. "How could I reject an offer from you, Sir Fredrinn? It''s our pleasure to do business with you!"


    "Good! Now let''s discuss the details." Fredrinn had his reasons for thisrge business. About three years from now, a team of alchemists from the capital would discover a secret rted to Blood Myrtle which would increase its value by more than twenty times!


    The money he would earn from this deal in three years would be used to nurture his own army and to solidify the Firecrown Household''s position as a supreme household!


    Only Fredrinn knew about this information. He could have chosen to make this a lifetime deal, but that would only offend a lot of parties. That wouldn''t be ideal for the Firecrown Household. That''s why he set a limit of three years to the deal.


    The two chatted about the business for over an hour before they finally settled on the price.


    "Thank you for choosing our store, Sir Fredrinn." Manager Rose bowed deeply in gratitude. She knew that this deal would make her career better and the higher-ups might even promote her to executive level if it proceeded well.


    "There''s no need to thank me. I still have some matters to take care of, Manager Rose. I won''t be staying here for long. Thank you for the snacks. The food was great." Fredrinn bid her farewell and left.


    Manager Rose sent him off. She still couldn''t believe that she managed to make that massive deal. "Fredrinn Firecrown¡­ what an interesting fellow¡­" She muttered.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn returned to the inn where Rnd and the others were resting.


    "Where have you been?" Rnd stared at him suspiciously.


    "I just made some investments," Fredrinn replied as he handed the contract of his agreement with Manager Rose.


    Rnd curiously looked over the document. When he read the details of the contract, his eyes bulged. "What the hell is this?!" He had the urge to beat up his son when he saw the absurd agreement.


    "Rx, Father. I know it looks stupid, but that contract will earn us enough money to build a small kingdom of our own. Please trust your son." Fredrinn chuckled.


    Rnd frowned. "Just what are you nning?"


    With an unfathomable look in his eyes, he muttered. "I just want to survive¡­"

 Chapter 104: Arcane City and Magic Tower

    The group left Rain City the next day and headed to their third stop, Arcane City. This ce was the hub of martial practitioners who focused on enhancing the power of their elemental affinities and spells. People like them were called magicians.


    Unlike normal martial practitioners who regrly train their bodies, magicians were the exact opposite. Instead of training their bodies, they do research on how to maximize the potential of spells. Because of their thirst for knowledge, most magicians were skilled in spell casting.


    Spell forms that normally take around five seconds to create would bepleted by them in just three seconds or less. That''s what makes them powerful.


    The security was tight in Arcane City. They had their identities checked before they were allowed entry. Everyone was treated equally regardless of their status.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve been here," Fredrinn muttered to himself. When he was still a yer, he did several missions in this city. The thought of those times made him fall into nostalgia.


    From the entrance, he could already see a tall tower in the middle of the city. It was so tall that it almost reached the clouds. That skyscraper was the home of many magicians and trainee magicians. It was both a school and the headquarters of the kingdom''s magicians. It was called the Magic Tower.


    "I need to see someone. You guys should look for an inn. Come and find me at the Magic Tower once you''ve found a ce to stay." Rnd said to the group.


    "Yes, my lord!" With the exception of Argus and Fredrinn''s subordinates, the rest turned around and left.


    "I only need Sir Argus with me. You guys can follow the others." Fredrinn told his subordinates.


    "Yes, my lord!"


    After they left, Fredrinn nced at his father and asked. "Which distinguished person in the Magic Tower do you n to meet?"


    "What are you saying?" Rnd furrowed his eyebrows with a displeased look. "We''re going to find your uncle."


    "My uncle?" Fredrinn was puzzled. He rubbed his chin and sorted his predecessor''s memories. A momentter, the image of a kind-looking gentleman appeared in his mind. It turned out that Fredrinn had an uncle who was a full-time magician in the Magic Tower!


    Looking at Fredrinn''s stunned face, Rnd chuckled. "Do you remember him now? You were still a kid when he left the estate. He didn''t even visit us when we were attacked by the ckcrow Household. That goddamn old man!"


    Fredrinn''s uncle was the older brother of Rnd. To be precise, he was Rnd''s cousin whom he treated like a real brother. The previous Fredrinn had some impression of this uncle, but it was too distant so he could only recall a few things about him.


    "Don''t me him, father. Perhaps he is in closed-door research and temporarily cut off hismunications with the outside world." Fredrinn tried to pacify his father''s frustration.


    Rnd wasn''t truly angry. He only missed the old times and he had a bit of resentment towards his older brother for not visiting them for a long time. "How about we exchange mounts temporarily? I think I will feel better that way."


    "Nope."


    "Come on. Just this time."


    "Not a chance."


    The two arrived at the entrance of the Magic Tower in almost an hour. They had to go through numerous inspections. If it weren''t for that, they would have already arrived in twenty minutes.


    "They are really thorough with the inspections," Fredrinnmented.


    "That''s only natural. After all, inside the Magic Tower are the top researchers and magicians of the kingdom. It is only necessary to maintain this kind of security to keep them safe." Rnd said.


    At this moment, a guard fully dressed in knight''s armor stopped them. "From this point, no magical beasts are allowed inside. If one of you is a summoner, please inform me immediately." He said with a stern look.


    Hearing this, Rnd was a bit surprised. "Can you tell us why magical beasts aren''t allowed to enter? When Ist came here, we can still go beyond the gate."


    The knight frowned, but he still answered his query. "It seems like you two came from afar since you don''t know about what happened recently. A month ago, there was an assassination attempt here and the culprit was a summoner. Because of that incident, magical beasts are no longer allowed to go beyond the entrance.


    Summoners are also strictly followed by our security personnel if they want to enter the tower." The knight had long since noticed the Firecrown Household''s insignia on their clothes so he didn''t mind telling them this information.


    "I see. No wonder." Rnd nodded in realization.


    The father and son dismounted and brought their horses into the stables. The knight guided them along the way.


    "I hope I didn''t offend you two. I''m only following my superior''s instructions." The knight muttered.


    "It''s fine. You don''t have to apologize. We understand your situation." Rnd smiled at him.


    "Thank you for your understanding. I''m Garren McCaffrey, Vice Captain of the Magic Knight Security Force. May I ask for your names?" The knight extended his hand as he introduced himself.


    "I''m Rnd Firecrown, the patriarch of the Firecrown Household. This is my son, Fredrinn Firecrown, the heir of the household." Rnd grabbed the knight''s outstretched hand and shook it.


    "It''s nice to meet you. I''ve heard about your sess in eliminating a traitorous household."


    They exchanged pleasantries for a while and chatted as the knight escorted them to the tower.


    "This is as far as I can go. If you need anything, please don''t hesitate to ask me." Garren saluted.


    Rnd nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Vice Captain Garren."


    Fredrinn also thanked the man.


    "I shall take my leave now."


    After the knight left, Fredrinn clicked his tongue. "That man is a 5thyer Nascent Soul martial practitioner¡­"


    "You can sense his cultivation?" Rnd stared at him in shock. Even he could only sense that they were in the same realm, but he wasn''t sure whichyer that knight was.


    Fredrinn faked a cough. "Ahem! It was just a guess. I''m not actually sure¡­"


    His poor attempt at lying was seen through by Rnd. "You have a lot of exining to do once we return home." He muttered.


    "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Whatever."


    Rnd smacked the back of his head. "I won''t let you hold your sister if you don''t tell me the truth."


    "Eh? It''s a girl?"


    "Yes, it''s a girl. Stop changing the topic!"


    "Fine! I''ll tell you once we return."

 Chapter 105: Master Magician

    As soon as they entered the building, an old man came to receive them. He was wearing the standard magic robes of magicians, but what stood out was the emblem on his left chest. It was a purple hexagon with silver wings. At the center of the hexagon was a shiny star-shaped ocean-blue crystal that could be likened to thepiszuli gemstone in Fredrinn''s homeworld.


    This symbol denoted the rank of the old man in the Magic Tower.


    ''A Master Magician¡­'' Fredrinn thought when he saw the emblem on the old man''s chest.


    [Nascent Soul 4th Layer]


    To receive the title of a Master Magician, one has to be in the Nascent Soul realm. Other than that, one had to publish five theses on elemental spells or spell forms. Because of these requirements, there were only twenty Master Magicians registered in the Magic Tower.


    "Hello, Sir Rnd! I''m Master Magician Kennard Silverworth. It''s a pleasure to meet you." The old man smiled.


    "The pleasure is mine, Master Magician Kennard." Rnd smiled as he shook hands with the old man.


    The old man turned his gaze to Fredrinn and said. "This must be Sir Fredrinn Firecrown. I''ve heard a lot about you."


    "I have nothing but empty fame, Master Magician." Fredrinn humbly bowed.


    The old man turned his head to Argus, but he quickly retracted his gaze.


    Argus was dressed like a guard so the old man probably thought that he was simply a bodyguard


    They exchanged pleasantries before the old man brought them to the top floors of the tower.


    "I know you guys are here to see, Master Magician Andre, but you might be disappointed." The old man sighed while shaking his head.


    Rnd and Fredrinn revealed puzzled expressions.


    "You see¡­ Master Magician Andre has been in closed-door training for several months now. He strictly forbade everyone from disturbing him so his office is off limits¡­" The old master magician had a look of difficulty when he mentioned this.


    "Is that so? What a pity¡­" Rnd sighed in disappointment.


    "There is a waiting area outside his office. You can wait for him there. Actually, I have a way to contact him, but¡­" the old man hesitated.


    "What is it, Master Magician? Please tell us." Rnd stared at him in anticipation.


    The old man contemted for a moment before he took out amunication device from his pocket. "Before he went into seclusion, he gave me thismunication device. He told me to notify him only if the situation is urgent¡­ When I heard that the Firecrown Household was at war with the ckcrow Household, I almost used this device.


    Luckily, someone told me that you have already sessfully defeated them. Anyway, I''ll give this to you. You can decide whether you''ll call him or not¡­"


    Rnd took themunication device from him. "Thank you, Master Magician."


    "There''s no need to thank me."


    "That right there is his office. Don''te close to the door. You might trigger the electrocution array that he ced there." The old man warned.


    "I understand." Rnd nodded.


    "In that case, I will excuse myself. Just call me if you need anything. You can find me on the second floor." The old man left in a hurry. From the looks of it, he had a lot of things to do. The fact that he made some time to escort them was enough to show that he had a good impression of the Firecrown Household.


    "What should we do? Are you going to use that device to notify him that we''re here?" Fredrinn stared at his father. He wanted to see his uncle, but they had more urgent matters to deal with.


    "Let''s wait here for half a day. If he is not out by then, we will leave the tower." Rnd replied.


    After they had decided, they stayed in the waiting area.


    An hourter, Cain arrived and told them that they had already found an inn.


    "You guys can rest for the time being. We will be staying at the tower for half a day. Once we settle everything here, we''ll go there." Fredrinn sent Cain off and returned to the waiting area.


    A few more hours passed by, but the door remained shut.


    Just as Rnd was about to say something, themunication device in his hand suddenly lit up. "Hey, Kennard! Tell someone to bring me a pot of freshly made tea."


    Hearing this, Rnd and Fredrinn stared at each other in surprise.


    "Hey! Why are you not speaking? Are you deaf?" This time, the person on the other end sounded annoyed.


    Fredrinn sent his father an encouraging look.


    Rnd nodded and pressed the device. "Andre, it''s me¡­" His voice quivered.


    "Huh? That voice¡­ Rnd, is that you?"


    "That''s right. You bettere out of your office! Your nephew is also here to see you. I brought him with me."


    "You mean that little bastard, Fredrinn?! Why did you bring him here?! He''ll only make a mess in the tower!"


    Rnd chuckled at his words, while Fredrinn could only helplessly shake his head. Although his uncle has been in the tower, he still kept tabs on the news in Red Sun City and the Firecrown Household.


    A momentter, the door was smashed from the inside and a middle-aged man wearing spectacles stormed out with a dark look on his face.


    Fredrinn''s face froze when he saw this person. Was this still the kind and gentle uncle in his predecessor''s memories?


    When the middle-aged man saw Rnd, his face brightened. "You''re really here! It''s been a while!" It was then that he noticed Fredrinn who was standing behind Rnd.


    "Uhm¡­ hello, uncle." Fredrinn awkwardly greeted.


    Andre snorted at him. "Why did you bring that bastard here?" He looked at Rnd with displeasure.


    "Hahaha! Cut him some ck. I will tell you everything you missed during your seclusion. Listen well if you don''t want to be beaten up by your nephew." Rnd guffawed.


    Andre frowned. "Huh? What do you mean?"

 Chapter 106: Andre’s Shock

    "Here''s what happened¡­"


    "What?! You mean the ckcrow Household no longer exists?!" Andre was stunned. He only secluded himself for three months and a lot of things already happened.


    When Rnd mentioned that Fredrinn was merely pretending to be a degenerate fool, he shed his nephew an embarrassed smile. "You won''t beat up your uncle for the things he said, right?"


    Hearing this, Fredrinnughed in amusement. "You''re thinking too much, Uncle Andre."


    Andre smiled. He then turned his gaze to Rnd and asked. "By the way, why did you guyse here? I don''t think you came here just to visit me."


    "Actually¡­ we are headed to the capital." Rnd''s face suddenly turned serious. He looked around and when he noticed that a few people were passing by, he sent Andre a knowing look.


    Andre noticed this and immediately understood his intentions. "Let''s talk inside my office."


    However, he realized that the door was destroyed. He scratched his head and muttered. "Let''s find somewhere more quiet. I know a ce on the lower floors. Follow me."


    Andre brought them to the 15th floor of the tower. On this floor, there were a lot of cafes and restaurants, but only Advance Magicians and above were allowed here so the ce was rtively quiet.


    The ce Andre chose was a small cafe that mainly served tea, coffee, and pastries.


    "I own this shop. Sometimes I go here when I be sick of my empty office." Andre said the moment they took their seats.


    "No one else is here. You guys can speak freely now but before that¡­ Who is this gentleman?" Andre stared at Argus. His knight armor was too shy for him to be just a normal bodyguard so he was curious about the old man''s identity.


    "Uncle, this is Sir Andre. He is a Void Tempering martial practitioner who works for our Firecrown Household." Fredrinn gave a short introduction.


    Argus nodded at Andre to show him some respect.


    ''Void Tempering?!'' Andre almost fell off his chair. He never thought that the old knight he ignored earlier was actually a powerful expert at the Void Tempering realm!


    "Sir Argus, I hope I didn''t offend you earlier." Andre apologized nervously. He might be a respectable Master Magician, but in front of a Void Tempering powerhouse, he was nothing.


    "There''s no harm done. You don''t need to apologize." Argus calmly replied while waving his hand.


    "Thank you for your magnanimity, Sir Argus."


    "Ahem! Now, tell me why you are headed to the capital¡­" Andre looked at Rnd quizzically.


    Rnd leaned closer to him and muttered. "We will request His Majesty to promote the household into a dukedom."


    Andre was no longer surprised. He adjusted his sses and said. "Even if we have Sir Argus, there''s no guarantee that His Majesty would agree to your request. For a household to be a dukedom, there are a lot of factors that you need to consider. Having a Void Tempering martial practitioner is just one of the requirements.


    We also need a Master Alchemist, a Master Array Maker, a Master Magician, and a Master cksmith. However, if we had two Void Tempering experts, that would change things¡­"


    "We do have another Void Tempering expert, but he is gravely wounded¡­" Rnd sighed while shaking his head.


    "Are you talking about Sir Alfred?" Andre asked. He was one of the few people who knew about Alfred''s identity.


    "That''s right¡­" Rnd nodded.


    "You guys don''t need to worry about that. Sir Alfred has already fully recovered, but we can''t expose his face for the time being. He had some conflict with a supreme household so we better not publicize his identity." Fredrinn spoke.


    Andre and Rnd were both happy when they heard that the old librarian had finally recovered, but when they heard thetter half of Fredrinn''s words, their faces turned grim.


    "Did Sir Alfred tell you something?"


    Fredrinn nodder. "Yes, but it''s not the right time to speak about it. I will let you know once we return home."


    "Then what should we do? We don''t have any Master-rank figures in the household other than Andre." Rnd frowned. He didn''t think that promoting their household to a dukedom was this troublesome.


    "I might be able to help you with that. I have some capable friends who are still unaffiliated. If we can bring them to the household, we would have no problem with promotion requirements." Andre was a Master Magician so he had a lot of connections with the elites of the kingdom.


    Fredrinn already had another n for this matter, but since Andre was willing to help, he no longer said anything. As a former yer, he knew the identities of some lowkey Master-rank figures. These people were hermits who focused their attention on their personal growth. Alice who would be famous in ten years was one of them.


    "How confident are you, uncle?" Fredrinn asked.


    Andre rubbed his chin. "To tell you the truth, I''m not very confident. Those people are prideful individuals so persuading them to join us would be difficult."


    "I see." Fredrinn nodded. It was understandable. Master-rank figures were Nascent Soul realm martial practitioners who were also skilled in their professions.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll try my best to convince them."


    "Then we will stay here in Arcane City temporarily. I''d like to speak with them as well. Please send them the invitations, uncle." Fredrinn wanted to make sure that the people they chose could be trusted. He could see people''s favorability so it would help them in sifting out those with negative intentions.


    "Alright. I''ll inform my friends right away. Stay here. I''ll make some calls." Andre stood up and went out of the cafe.


    Looking at Andre''s back, Rnd suddenly said. "What if we can''t convince those people?"


    "Father, other than cultivation, what makes someone strong?" Fredrinn asked him a question instead of answering.


    Rnd frowned. "That would be position¡­"


    "That''s right, but there''s one more thing¡­ Money¡­ If you have enough money, you can even conquer the world." Fredrinn let out a wicked smile.


    ''What is he cooking up this time?'' Rnd stared at his son''s sinister smile with a strange look on his face.

 Chapter 107: Andre’s Powerful Friends

    The next day, Andre brought them to a famous restaurant in Arcane City. Unlike most ces that only used normal animal meat for their dishes, this restaurant used magical beast meat!


    There was a huge difference between normal animal meat and magical beast meat. Magical beast meat was more nutritious and they also increased one''s Qi upon repeated consumption. However, the most obvious difference was their taste. Even without spices or seasonings, dishes with magical beast meat were incredibly delicious.


    Fredrinn was really looking forward to tasting the dishes in this restaurant. Unfortunately, their main goal foring here wasn''t to enjoy the food. It was to persuade Andre''s friends to join the Firecrown Household as elders.


    When they arrived, a worker brought them to the table they reserved.


    Fredrinn noticed that four people were already waiting for them. Three were middle-aged men and thest one was an old man who looked to be in his seventies.


    "You''re finally here. You were the one who invited us, but you camete. Tsk!" A muscr middle-aged man with thick stubble muttered with his arms crossed.


    Fredrinn looked at him and inspected his cultivation.


    [Nascent Soul 4th Layer]


    His strength wasn''t that bad. His cultivation was on the same level as Andre''s.


    "Please forgive me. My brother and my nephew came to visit me yesterday. They aren''t familiar with the city so I gave them a short tour." Andre didn''t seem to mind the man''s grumpy attitude. From the looks of it, he was already used to this.


    "I''ll give you face this time since your family is here." The man snorted.


    "Haha! Don''t mind him, Andre. This guy is just in a bad mood because you haven''t invited us for a long time. He was actually the happiest when you sent the invitation yesterday." This time, the one who spoke was a middle-aged man dressed in alchemist robes.


    [Nascent Soul 3rd Layer]


    "Shut your mouth!"


    "Alright. Stop bickering you two. You guys are in the presence of Patriarch Rnd Firecrown. You should at least give him some respect." The only old man in the group chuckled at the sight of their childish banter.


    [Nascent Soul 9th Layer]


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes when he sensed the old man''s cultivation. He was only one step away from reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul realm!


    As for the remaining person. It was a quiet middle-aged man dressed in spotless white robes with golden highlights. He had the temperament of a noble so Fredrinn guessed that he probably came from a renowned household.


    [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    As if sensing his gaze, the middle-aged man dressed in white robes nced at him and smiled meaningfully.


    ''What? Did he sense my probing?'' Fredrinn didn''t expect that the quietest man in the group was actually the strongest!


    "Ignore those two. They are always like that." Andre chuckled while shaking his head.


    He then introduced the father and son duo to his friends.


    The muscr man with thick stubble turned out to be a Master-rank cksmith. His name was Norman. He came from a humble background, but he quickly rose to prominence because of his talent in smithing.


    The man dressed in alchemist robes was a Master-rank Alchemist. Unlike most alchemists who were adept in concocting medicinal pills, he was an expert in poisons! His name was Henry Bloodhound.


    Next was the old man. He was the oldest in their circle of friends so everyone treated him like their older brother. He was a Master-rank Array Formation Maker who had retired for over two decades. In the two decades since his retirement, he picked up painting as a hobby and was even recently promoted as a Master-rank Painter. This old gentleman''s name was Xavier Coldstone.


    Thest person didn''t have a profession, but he was the strongest martial practitioner in their group. He was the head of a huge mercenary organization headquartered in the capital. His name was Bernard Oceanwave.


    "That''s it for the introduction."


    "Since we have already introduced ourselves, can you tell us why you gathered everyone?" The old man, Xavier, asked.


    "I will tell you, but let''s wait for the others first. They should be here by now." Andre replied with a serious look.


    "Alright."


    Fredrinn was already aware that seven people wereing for this gathering. They were the closest friends of Andre, the people he had acquainted with after bing a Master-rank Magician.


    While waiting for the remaining three to arrive, the group discussed about trivial matters. The most talkative person in the group was the cksmith, Norman. His voice was so loud that it was starting to bother the other customers. Xavier being the oldest had no choice but to cast a spell to confine their table with an invisible wall that blocked off their sound from the outside.


    About twenty minutester, a middle-aged man dressed in white and blue robes arrived. He was a Master-rank Doctor and a martial practitioner at the 2ndyer of the Nascent Soul realm. His name was Clyde Lester.


    Five minutes after his arrival, thest two people finally arrived. One was an olddy who looked to be in her sixties, while the other one looked like a mature woman in herte thirties. This was just their appearance, but Fredrinn knew that they were older than they looked.


    The older woman was a Master-rank Magician just like Andre. She also held a higher position than him since she was the 7th-rank Master Magician of the Magic Tower. Her cultivation was also superior at the 6thyer of the Nascent Soul realm! Her name was Lolita Aragon.


    Meanwhile, the younger-looking woman was another Master-rank Alchemist. Unlike Henry who was only proficient in concocting poisons, she was the exact opposite. She was an expert in many aspects of alchemy, but her main expertise was in concocting strength augmentation pills. However, she had the lowest cultivation in the group since she was only a 1styer Nascent Soul martial practitioner.


    Her name was Yvette Florencia.


    Fredrinn was very satisfied with this bunch. They were more amazing than he had expected!

 Chapter 108: Join Us!

    "Since everyone is already here, I''ll go straight to the point."


    Everyone turned their gazes to Andre. This man rarely took the initiative to invite them so they were curious about what this was all about.


    "As you might know, our Star Wind Kingdom has five supreme households; the Silversword Household, Evergreen Household, Goldenlion Household, Sapphira Household, and the Astraljade Household. They are families whose power is only beneath the Starwind Royal Household. For an ordinary household to be a supreme household, they need to get His Majesty''s approval¡­"


    "We already know all that. Just skip the useless parts and tell us the main reason." Norman impatiently waved his hand.


    Andre nodded. "Fine¡­" He paused for a moment and nced at Rnd and his nephew before he continued. "We want the Firecrown Household to be the sixth supreme household!"


    Hearing this, everyone widened their eyes in shock. Even the calm Bernard Oceanwave was momentarily surprised.


    "What the hell are you talking about? Wait¡­ Are you actually serious?" Norman was dumbfounded.


    "I''ll take it from here, Uncle Andre." Fredrinn suddenly spoke. It was kind of rude, but he had to step in.


    He knew that no one would take him seriously because of his age so he deactivated the concealment function and revealed his aura. Beforeing here, he wore the Armor of Eternal Strength beneath his yishang.


    The aura of a 4thyer Nascent Soul martial practitioner radiated from him.


    Everyone squinted their eyes when they sensed his cultivation.


    "What Uncle Andre said is true. We n to be a dukedom!" Fredrinn muttered in a calm voice.


    "What an ambitious kid! Haha! Your personality is the exact opposite of Andre''s." Norman chuckled.


    "Sir Fredrinn, you should be aware of the requirements set by the royal family for an ordinary household to be a dukedom, right?" Clyde, the Master-rank Doctor, asked.


    "Of course I know that. For a household to be a dukedom, they need a Void Tempering powerhouse and at least four Master-rank martial practitioners." Fredrinn smiled mysteriously.


    Everyone was taken aback by his confident tone.


    "Are you saying that the Firecrown Household has a Void Tempering powerhouse?" Xavier stared at him with narrowed eyes.


    Fredrinn grinned. "To tell you the truth, we don''t just have one Void Tempering powerhouse."


    "Huh? You mean there''s more than one in your household?" Norman couldn''t believe his ears.


    "That''s right. Of course, I won''t dive into the details since you are still not part of our household¡­ Everyone, we gathered you all here because we want to invite you to join our household! It hasn''t happened yet, but it is already guaranteed for us to be the sixth supreme household! Please join us!


    We need skilled experts like you!" For this asion, Fredrinn specifically wore the Crown of Eternal Glory. It was an item that increased everyone''s favorability of him.


    "Haha!" Someone suddenlyughed.


    Fredrinn turned his gaze to Bernard. "Did I say something funny, Sir Bernard?" He smiled coldly. He wasn''t afraid of this mercenary leader at all. As long as he was wearing the Armor of Eternal Strength, no Nascent Soul martial practitioner could hurt him. Not to mention that Argus was standing behind him.


    Bernard smiled in amusement. No one in the younger generation dared to stare at him like that. "You''re one bold kid. I give you that."


    "You want us to join your Firecrown Household, but what can you even offer us? Everyone here is an expert in their fields so I don''t think weck anything." Bernard crossed his legs and leanedfortably against his seat, lookingpletely rxed.


    Fredrinn smirked. He knew that this would happen. "Did you just say that you don''tck anything? Hahaha!" Fredrinnughed as if it was the funniest joke he had ever heard.


    Seeing him like that, Bernard''s smile stiffened and his face gradually turned cold. "Are you mocking me?"


    Andre and Rnd watched the two without saying a word. However, if it weren''t for Argus who was behind them, they wouldn''t have been as calm as they were now.


    The atmosphere around them tensed up. Xavier and the others also sensed the heated air, but no one said anything. They wanted to see how Fredrinn would respond.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "Not at all. I just have some words for you, Sir Bernard. What makes you think that you don''tck anything? Have you read a transcendent-rank cultivation method? Do you possess a transcendent-rank battle technique?


    Do you have a legendary-rated weapon? Do you know the secret to bing a Void Tempering powerhouse?"


    Each question made Bernard''s face burn from embarrassment. He didn''t have any of those things!


    "If you join our household, I promise you that you can get your hands on those things¡­ Well, except for the legendary-rated weapons. At least not for now." Fredrinn casually added.


    Bernard was still doubtful of his words. "How can you prove that you have those things?"


    "Hm.. that''s actually very simple. I''ll just show you one of them, but it''s very risky since I''m not sure if you guys will join us even after I show it to you." Fredrinn put on a pondering look.


    Bernard gritted his teeth and said. "If you can prove that you''re not lying, I will join the Firecrown Household!"


    "Hey, Bernard! Why are you being like this? It''s not like you to say such things." Xavier tried to smoothen things out.


    "It''s already toote for you to say anything, Xavier." Bernard sighed. Unknowingly, he had fallen into Fredrinn''s trap. He only realized it now, but he was already a step toote.


    Xavier could only shake his head.


    Meanwhile, the others remained silent. They were interested in the things that Fredrinn mentioned. If he could trulye up with one of those items, then perhaps they would¡­


    At this moment, Fredrinn opened the battle technique category in the fate shop. He still had 5375 fate points since he got 5000 fate points for healing Alfred.


    Unlike high-rank servants, battle techniques were less expensive. Even the most expensive apex-rank ones were only sold for 10000 fate points.


    At this moment, a particr cultivation technique caught his attention. ''This one is perfect for that guy. I wonder how he would react if he sees this one.''

 Chapter 109: Soul Contract

    Boundless Ocean Arcanum [Pseudo-Apex]


    3000 Fate Points


    [Please confirm your purchase.]


    [Yes] [No]


    - 3000 Fate Points


    Current Fate Points: 2375


    After purchasing the cultivation method, Fredrinn handed it to Bernard. "This is one of the secret cultivation methods in our family''s library."


    Everyone watched as Bernard took the small booklet from his hands. They only saw the book cover, but they felt like they had been pped by the ocean wave! Just from this, they could tell that the book was authentic.


    Bernard also felt a weird sensation. It was like an illusion. He opened the first page and scanned the introductory text with his spiritual perception. Normally, he only needed to scan the book briefly and all the contents would be revealed to him. However, this book was different. Each page has a restriction and he had to use his understanding in each page to proceed with the next.


    "This is¡­"


    "This isn''t just a transcendent-rank cultivation method!" Bernard''s pupils constricted when he realized the value of the book. He only read a few lines, but his understanding of the water element increased significantly!


    Fredrinn snatched the book from him and kept it inside his storage space. "You guessed it right. That book was not a transcendent-rank cultivation method. It''s a pseudo-apex-rank!" He chuckled.


    With the exception of Bernard, everyone was stunned. Even Rnd and Andre were shocked.


    "Bernard, is what he said true? You''ve seen the book. You should be able to tell its rank after reading the first lines." Xavier couldn''t believe it.


    Bernard shook his head with a wry smile. "It''s true. Its potential is definitely beyond the transcendent-rank."


    "No way! There''s actually a cultivation method at that level in this tiny kingdom?!" Norman muttered in shock.


    "What if I tell you that it''s not the only book at that level in our library?" Fredrinn grinned.


    No one said anything. Just the one piece of the pseudo-apex-rank cultivation method was already a shocking thing. If they truly had more, then the Firecrown Household was destined to stand at the peak of the Star Wind Kingdom!


    "Everyone, I promise that if you join us, I will allow you to peruse a cultivation method simr to the one I showed. And if you prove your loyalty to the family, you will be provided with even more benefits." Fredrinn already ensnared everyone with his honeyed tongue. They knew that he had hidden motives for hiring more experts, but they couldn''t pass up this opportunity.


    "Sir Fredrinn, I apologize for my rudeness earlier. I''m willing to serve the Firecrown Household!" Bernard lowered his head. He was stuck at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm for decades. He was certain that the cultivation method he saw earlier could help him ovee this barrier and advance to the next realm.


    The others didn''t expect that Bernard would be the first one to express his desire to join the Firecrown Household.


    "Good! I know that you are destined to be a part of our family, Sir Bernard!" Fredrinnughed heartily. This was a peak Nascent Soul martial practitioner!


    "Sir Fredrinn, I''m also willing to serve the Firecrown Household!" Norman seriously said. He came from a humble background. To be who he is today, he experienced numerous challenges and struggles. He also realized that he was close to reaching the limits of his potential. He knew that he couldn''t ovee this hurdle on his own.


    Now that the opportunity had presented itself, he would be a fool if he didn''t take it.


    "Please ept me as well, Sir Fredrinn!" The poison expert, Henry Bloodhound, cupped his fist with his head lowered.


    "Hahaha! Count this old man too!" Xavier stroked his beard.


    "I''m getting bored reading books in the Magic Tower. I hope you''ll ept an old woman like me, Sir Fredrinn." Lolita chuckled.


    The remaining two hesitated for a moment, but under everyone''s persuasive eyes, they were ''forced'' to agree."


    "Great!" Fredrinn pped his hands. "With your presence, our Firecrown Household would soon be a formidable force in the kingdom! Now to finalize this agreement, please sign the soul contract with my father."


    When they heard the words ''soul contract'', everyone furrowed their eyebrows. This was a contract with a binding spell. If one party failed toply with the agreement, they would face severe penalties. There was even a high chance of death.


    "Don''t worry, everyone. This is just for formalities. I know that no one here would betray us." Fredrinn smiled innocently.


    Everyone could only force out a smile when they heard his words. However, they also understood his actions. After all, the secret he revealed was enough to turn the whole kingdom upside down.


    "Please read the contract carefully, everyone. Let me know if you have any questions." Rnd said as he distributed the contracts.


    Everyone carefully inspected the uses. They wanted to make sure that the Firecrown Household wouldn''t cheat them.


    To their surprise, the benefits were more tempting than they had expected.


    "Are you really giving us this muchpensation?" Clyde Lester was stunned when he saw the annual sry and the other benefits. Just the sry alone was already thrice his annual ie! Not to mention that there were more benefits.


    "Of course! We wouldn''t dare cheat you guys since this is a soul contract, but just to make it clear, thepensation package will only be given to you after three years of probation period." Rnd exined.


    Clyde smiled and gave him a thumbs up. "Cool!"


    "Then when can we read the pseudo-apex-rank cultivation methods?" Bernard asked. This was what he was most concerned about.


    "About that¡­" Rnd didn''t know how to respond.


    Fredrinn immediately spoke. "As guest elders, you need a sufficient amount of merit points before you are allowed to peruse our secret cultivation methods. We will set up this system since there is only a limited number of books at that level. I hope you understand, Sir Bernard."


    "I see. We will follow your arrangements." Bernard nodded. For books at that level, it was necessary to ce such restrictions.


    The contract signing progressed smoothly.


    "Elders, we will hold a weing celebration for you guys. However, we still have important matters to take care of in the capital so we can only postpone the celebration until our return to Red Sun City. For the time being, you should go back and wait for our message. If you want to rmend another Nascent Soul martial practitioner, you can bring them with you when we return." Rnd announced.


    "Yes, patriarch!"

 Chapter 110: Areswell and Star Wind City

    After they parted ways, Fredrinn received a notification from the system.


    [The Firecrown Household''s power has significantly increased because of your intervention! It is a family that is supposed to fall, but it now carries an enormous responsibility to hold the skies! Rewards: Level Up Card x2, Spear Talent Upgrade Card x1, and Heavenly Firecrown Divine Legacy!]


    [Hidden Mission Completion Rate: 25%]


    To some extent, Fredrinn already expected that he would receive bountiful rewards if he sessfully hired these Master-rank martial practitioners.


    ''It says here that I onlypleted 25% of the hidden mission. Does this mean that I would receive more if I invite more martial practitioners to join the household?'' Fredrinn couldn''t conceal his excitement. He onlypleted the mission partly, but the rewards were already impressive.


    "What are you grinning about? Are you that happy that we got those experts to join us?" Rnd chuckled when he saw his son''s happy face.


    "Of course! We are already close to bing a supreme household!" Fredrinn responded.


    Rnd nodded in agreement. He was also pleased with the growing strength of the household. "I wonder how they would react once we return home with this news."


    Fredrinn was also looking forward to their reaction.


    "So when are you guys leaving?" Andre suddenly asked.


    The father and son stared at each other before Rnd replied. "We''ll leave now."


    "I see." Andre didn''t show an exaggerated reaction. He just smiled faintly. "I was hoping that you guys would stay for a few more days, but I know that the situation is urgent. I wish you a safe journey. Inform me immediately if you ever need me. This time, I wille running as quickly as I can."


    Rnd smiled and patted his shoulder. "Once we''re done with the task in the capital, we''ll pass by here on our way back home."


    "Alright. I will wait." Andre nodded.


    On the afternoon of the same day, they left Arcane City after bidding farewell to Andre and the friends they made.


    Their next destination was Areswell. It was a city well-known for being a trading hub. Many rich merchants from neighboring kingdoms and countries would visit Areswell to buy and sell goods. Because of the diverse market and endless opportunities, it made the city a holynd for aspiring business owners. Aside from that, Areswell was also one of the most developed cities in the Star Wind Kingdom!


    There was a paved road from Arcane City that led to Areswell. It was one of the many joint projectspleted by the two cities. This convenient route made traveling easy for Fredrinn''s group and it only took them less than two days to reach Areswell.


    Looking at the tall iron gate and the fortified walls of the city, Fredrinn was in awe. Red Sun City was like a small townpared to this ce.


    As if understanding his son''s thoughts, Rnd remarked. "Areswell has a longer history than Red Sun City. It''s normal for it to be this developed. In probably another decade, Red Sun City would look like this."


    "You sound confident. Do you trust the city lord that much?" Fredrinn chuckled at his words.


    "He is a good man. If it wasn''t for his illness, he would have made more progress in developing Red Sun City." Rnd sighed while shaking his head.


    The mood became slightly unpleasant when the city lord''s illness was brought up.


    Fredrinn knew that his father respected the man so it must be hard for him to see the city lord in such poor health.


    ''Should I give a drop of that medicine to the city lord?'' Fredrinn thought.


    After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth. "Father, I have a way to help the city lord recover."


    "Huh? You do?" Rnd stared at him in shock. The city lord''s illness was something that even the renowned doctors in the capital were helpless against so he found it hard to believe. However, Fredrinn had already shown him a lot of miracles so perhaps¡­


    "Once we return to Red Sun City, we''ll stop by the city lord''s mansion. You''ll know if I''m speaking nonsense or not by then." Fredrinn smiled.


    "Alright. I can''t wait to see him in good shape." Rnd''s frown disappeared and was reced by a warm smile.


    At this moment, the group had already found an inn to stay. They didn''t choose a famous ce to prevent unnecessary troubles and drama. The establishment was rtively obscure since it was constructed in the less popted part of the city.


    They had no tasks in Areswell so they only stayed in the city for a day before they headed straight to the capital.


    The main road leading to the capital was being fixed so they had to take another route.


    "Weird¡­ The main roads leading to the capital are always maintained so damages are rare." Rndmented while rubbing his chin.


    "Perhaps there was an ident. For example a natural disaster or an attack¡­" Fredrinn''s words made Rnd''s face turn serious.


    "What''s the likelihood of a natural disaster happening?" Rnd asked.


    "It depends. Probably five times a year, but they usually don''t cause much damage since there are special organizations assigned to prevent damages caused by natural disasters." Fredrinn shrugged.


    Rnd nodded. "Which means the damage on the main road was most likely caused by a battle."


    "That''s right, but this is just our spection. We''ll know what truly happened once we arrive at the capital."


    Since they had to take a secondary road, it took them over three days to get to the capital. There was a long queue at the main entrance, but the thing that surprised them was the strict inspection of the visitors.


    "That emblem¡­ they are definitely the Golden Star Army of the Star Wind Royal Household! Why are they supervising the inspection?" Rnd muttered in shock.


    "It seems like something really happened. Perhaps the damage on the main road was rted to this." Fredrinn furrowed his eyebrows.

 Chapter 111: Elder Rex

    When it was their turn to be inspected, they showed their identification to the Golden Star Army.


    "So you guys are from the Firecrown Household of Red Sun City? I hope we didn''t offend you with our treatment. The roads have been dangeroustely so we had to tighten our security." One of the soldiers asked, his tone softened considerably from the previous cold tone that he had.


    Fredrinn smiled at him. "We understand your difficulties."


    "By the way¡­" his face suddenly turned serious.


    "On our way here, we noticed that the main road leading to Areswell was being repaired. Can you tell me what happened?" He asked.


    The soldier furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing this. "I''m sorry, but I can''t tell you that. You may enter the city now." It was obvious that he didn''t want to share any details with them.


    Looking at the soldier''s reaction, Fredrinn realized that it was more serious than he had thought. He didn''t force the topic and thanked the soldiers before he ordered the entourage to enter the city.


    "What happened?" Rnd stuck his head out of the carriage''s window.


    "They refuse to tell us what happened. I have a hunch, but I''m not yet certain. We''ll know once we gather more information inside the city. There should be some people who know about what happened. We''ll get the truth from them." Fredrinn replied.


    Rnd nodded. "Let''s stop somewhere first before we head to the pce. I know someone who might have information about this matter." As a patriarch of a martial household, he had connections to the elites of the kingdom. His cultivation might not be the best, but his potential was among the top. Because of this, he was able to connect with people who believed in his potential.


    Fredrinn raised an eyebrow. "Who?"


    Rnd smirked. "An elder from the Silversword Household. Speaking of which, aren''t you close friends with their heir? That makes it more convenient." He spoke with an ambiguous tone.


    Fredrinn ignored his teasing look. ''Now that he mentioned it, I haven''t seen Aubrey since the annual martial artspetition. She should be here in Star Wind City.''


    "What''s this? Are you actually thinking of that girl?" Rnd continued teasing his son.


    "Save it. I won''t fall for it." Fredrinn muttered, feeling a bit annoyed. Since the day he revealed his cultivation, his parents started nagging him about finding a wife. Heck! He didn''t even have a girlfriend, what more a wife.


    Rnd chuckled when he saw Fredrinn''s annoyed face.


    Soon, the group stopped in front of a shop owned by the Silversword Household. It was a store that mainly sold weapons and armor. They also had rare items used inbat andrge-scale battles.


    "Is this where we can find the person you''re talking about?" Fredrinn asked as he looked at the five-story building in front of him.


    "Yes. I''ll introduce you to him. He is older than me so you better act properly when you meet him." Rnd warned with a stern look.


    Fredrinn shrugged.


    Rnd red at him. He then told the others to stay behind to keep an eye on their mounts and carriage.


    The father and son duo entered the store. They only brought Argus with them inside. The old warrior silently followed them. Just like Fredrinn, he was also wearing the standard armor and uniform of the Firecrown Household''s elite guards.


    Their strong presence immediately attracted the attention of the customers who were inside the shop. Even the security personnel of the shop were afraid to stop them.


    Rnd beckoned to one of the workers, a middle-aged man who looked like aplete pushover.


    [Qi Gathering 10th Layer]


    Fredrinn retracted his gaze after sensing the man''s cultivation. He might not look like much here in the capital, but this person would be treated respectfully in Red Sun City. However, he was only a small-time worker in this shop.


    "Is Elder Rex here?" Rnd asked.


    The middle-aged worker raised his eyebrows. "W-Why are you looking for the elder? Do you have an appointment with him?" He cautiously inquired.


    "I''m friends with Elder Rex. If he is here, please tell him that Rnd is here."


    Hearing this, the worker heaved a sigh of relief. "So you are Elder Rex''s friend. Please wait here for a moment. I''ll inform him about your presence."


    "Alright." Rnd nodded.


    While waiting for Elder Rex, the trio went to look at the weapons on the first floor.


    Most of the items here were at least umon-rated. There were even some rare-rated items mixed with them. This was only the first floor, but the goods were already remarkable. Fredrinn wondered what kind of items were disyed on the upper floors.


    "There are some good items here. I''m even tempted to buy them." He muttered jokingly.


    To his surprise, Rnd actually believed it. "Then choose whatever you want. I''ll pay for it."


    "Nah. I don''tck items." He rejected the offer.


    "You don''t, but what about your men? Aren''t you nning to expand your guards unit? Then you should prepare some good stuff for them." Rnd smiled as if he knew what his son was thinking.


    "You''re right. Let''s talk about thatter." Fredrinn was tight on cash right now since he didn''t have a reliable source of ie. The profits they get from selling the refined magic stones were mostly used in repairing the estate and helping the families of the soldiers who died during their battle against the ckcrow Household.


    He also couldn''t afford to purchase in the fate shop in bulk with his limited fate points.


    About ten to fifteen minutester, the middle-aged worker returned with a man who looked to be in his mid-fifties.


    "I came here as soon as I heard that you''re here. I never thought that you would visit me, Rnd." The man said as he walked toward Rnd.


    [Nascent Soul 4th Layer]


    ''So that''s Elder Rex. He''s only an elder, but his strength is almost on the same level as father''s.'' Fredrinn thought to himself.

 Chapter 112: Assassination Attempt?

    "Let''s talk in my office. We must not disturb the customers here."


    "Alright."


    Elder Rex brought them to the topmost floor of the building.


    "Bring some snacks for our guests." Elder Rex instructed the young servantdy waiting inside his office.


    "Yes, Elder Rex."


    "You guys sit down. Make yourselvesfortable."


    "Thank you for inviting us in despiteing unannounced, Elder Rex." Rnd smiled.


    "What are you saying? Stop being distant to your old friend here!" Elder Rex chuckled. He then turned his head to Fredrinn who was sitting beside Rnd. "Is this your son?" He asked with a light smile.


    Rnd nodded while looking proudly at Fredrinn. "Yes. He has grown up, but he still has to learn plenty of things."


    "Look at how smug you are! You can''t even hide that smirk on your face!" Elder Rexughed while shaking his head.


    Hearing this, Rndughed heartily.


    "I don''t know if your father has already told you who I am so I''ll introduce myself. I''m Rex Silversword, the owner of this store. If you want to buy some gear, I''ll give you a huge discount." Elder Rex grinned.


    Fredrinn didn''t expect this man to be this amiable. "My father mentioned you a lot, Elder Rex. I also heard about you from my friend, Aubrey." He threw out Aubrey''s name to see his reaction.


    As expected, Rex was surprised when he heard this. "You know the young miss?"


    Fredrinn nodded. "Mn. I got the pleasure of meeting her in Red Sun City during an auction held by the Silversword Treasure House. We''ve been friends since then." It was a lie. He knew that Aubrey hated him when they first met each other. However, it was true that they were friends now.


    "I see. No wonder the young miss has been visiting Red Sun City a lot recently. It seems like she made a lot of friends there." Elder Rex''s gaze became friendlier.


    "That''s true. Miss Aubrey is a very friendly youngdy so a lot of young people became attracted to her. I was lucky enough to be her friend." Fredrinn smiled and revealed a look of embarrassment.


    Seeing him acting like this, Rnd almost barfed. ''No wonder he was able to hide his strength for a long time. From whom did he inherit his acting skills? Was it from his mom?''


    While Rnd was looking incredulously at his son''s acting, Fredrinn and Elder Rex had already be closer. The former even started calling thetter ''uncle''.


    "Hahaha! I never thought that your son was this good, Rnd! You should have introduced him to me sooner!" Elder Rexughed.


    ''It seems like praising Aubrey was the right bet.'' Fredrinn snickered in his heart.


    "Haha! Is that so?" Rnd smiled wryly.


    "Aubrey is in the estate right now. Why don''t you visit here while you are here? I bet she would be ecstatic to see her friend." Rex rubbed his chin, looking like he was in a good mood.


    "I would love to! I will visit herter." Fredrinn could only go along with him.


    After their small talk, Elder Rex''s expression suddenly turned serious. "There was an incident recently so the young miss wasn''t allowed to leave the estate."


    Here ites¡­


    Fredrinn gave his father a knowing look.


    Rnd understood his intentions. He cleared his throat and asked. "On our way here, we saw that one of the main roads was being repaired. Is this rted to the incident that you''re talking about? Can you tell us more about what happened?"


    "You''re from Red Sun City so it''s understandable that you don''t know what happened." Elder Rex furrowed his eyebrows. "A member of the royal family was attacked."


    Hearing this, the faces of Fredrinn and Rnd darkened. This was a big deal!


    Elder Rex sighed as he continued. "Princess Danielle was on her way to Areswell at that time for a vacation. No one expected that she would be attacked on the main road. Luckily she brought her guards so she managed to get out unscathed."


    ''Even the supreme household would never dare to attack a member of the royal family. It must have been done by an enemy of the kingdom!'' Fredrinn''s expression turned cold.


    "Did they find out who the culprit was?" Rnd asked.


    Elder Rex nodded with a stern look. "They were assassins sent by the Blue Sky Kingdom!"


    "What?!" Rnd was stunned.


    ''As expected. It''s them. From what I remember of the game''s background story, the assassination attempt on Princess Danielle shouldn''t have happened until next year.'' Fredrinn already knew that the future would change with his intervention, but he didn''t expect it to happen this fast.


    ''If I continue to change the progression of the story, would the yers also arrive earlier?'' Fredrinn didn''t know if this was good or bad news. The yers were unpredictable. He knew this because he was one of them. Most of them were only there for the thrill and excitement, but some extreme people find joy in senseless violence.


    After all, to the yers, the inhabitants of the Great Vemune Continent are just NPCs. Because of this, they don''t feel any emotional impact of killing anyone.


    ''There should still be some time before they arrive. I just hope that I will be ready by then.'' His eyes shed with determination.


    At this moment, Rex noticed the unfathomable look in Fredrinn''s gaze. "There''s no need to worry. The princess is safe."


    Fredrinn smiled as he hid his thoughts deeply in his mind. "That''s good to hear."


    "Let''s not talk about unhappy things. By the way, why did you guyse to the capital? I don''t think you came here just to visit me." Elder Rex changed the topic when he sensed the somber mood.


    "About that¡­ we have something to report to His Majesty," Rnd muttered.


    Elder Rex raised an eyebrow. "Is this about the incident that happened in Red Sun City? I heard that you guys fought with the ckcrow Household."


    "Y-Yeah¡­ it''s rted to that."


    Elder Rex noticed his dodgy look, but he didn''t pursue the matter. He was a smart man. He knew that some things were better left unsaid.

 Chapter 113: To the Palace

    Two hourster, they left the store. Elder Rex even sent them off which surprised the customers who were inside the building.


    Looking at them leave, Rex stared at the old man who was quietly following behind the father and son duo. ''That old man¡­''


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn was upied with his thoughts so he forgot about Rnd''s promise. It was only when they had already gotten far that he finally remembered their conversation.


    "Wait! Didn''t you promise to buy me some items?" Fredrinn stared at the carriage window.


    Rnd stuck out his head and chuckled. "Did I? You must have heard wrong."


    "You¡­" Fredrinn was speechless by his father''s shamelessness.


    Rndughed when he saw Fredrinn''s face. "I''m just messing with you. Don''t worry. Once His Majesty approves our promotion request, I''ll help you fund your army."


    Fredrinn smiled wryly while shaking his head. His father had never been like this before. He always had a stern look when they interacted. He still couldn''t get used to the sudden change in Rnd''s personality. ''Was he always like this?''


    It would take some time before they reach the pce. Fredrinn used the opportunity to look at the rewards he received.


    ''I got two Level Up Cards and one Spear Talent Upgrade Card. There should be no harm in using them since I can just conceal my cultivation again with the concealment function.'' After a moment of thinking Fredrinn used the two Level Up Cards and the Spear Upgrade Talent Card.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 6th Layer] [Level 36]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ??????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ????????


    Space Affinity: ??


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 2375


    His spear talent had now caught up with his sword talent and his cultivation was growing rapidly. As long as hepleted more hidden missions, he would soon advance to the Nascent Soul realm!


    ''Now, let''s check the third reward¡­''


    Heavenly Firecrown Divine Legacy [Pseudo-Apex] (Upgradable)


    - A special cultivation method created for the sole purpose of strengthening the Firecrown Household.


    - Increases fire affinity drastically when mastered to a certain level.


    - Unique Trait: When cultivated by descendants of the Firecrown Household, cultivation speed increases tenfold.


    ''Holy shit! This is¡­'' Fredrinn''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he saw the description. With this cultivation method, there was a chance for the Firecrown Household to make a name for themselves in the Great Vemune Continent!


    ''Hold on¡­ It says upgradable.'' Fredrinn noticed the upgradable tag, but it was greyed out and couldn''t be clicked.


    ''Perhaps there is a certain requirement before I can upgrade this book. That''s too bad.'' He felt a bit of regret, but he was already satisfied.


    At this moment, he noticed that they had already arrived at the gates of the royal pce.


    "We''re here. We can only walk at this point. Carriages aren''t allowed beyond the gates." Rnd said as he stepped out of the carriage.


    He gave some instructions to their people before he went to talk with the royal guards responsible for manning the main gate.


    "Good day, sir. I''m Rnd Firecrown from Red Sun City. I have an urgent matter that I need to report to His Majesty. Please allow us entry."


    The royal guards looked intimidating in their gold and red armor.


    [Core Formation 1st Layer]


    [Core Formation 2nd Layer]


    Fredrinn squinted his eyes when he sensed their cultivation. They were only responsible for guarding the main gate, but their strength was far from ordinary.


    "How many of you will enter?" One of the royal guards asked.


    "Only three of us will enter," Rnd responded.


    Hearing this, the royal guard nodded. "Follow me. I''ll take you guys inside."


    Normally, meeting the king would be hard, but it was different for the patriarchs of martial households. They had the privilege of being able to meet the king depending on the circumstances.


    The royal guard brought them to the entrance of the pce. Along the way, they encountered numerous soldiers guarding the perimeter of the pce. Fredrinn had already counted more than twenty Core Formation martial practitioners. There were even three Nascent Soul elites among them!


    It was just a small fraction of the royal family''s power, but it already shocked Fredrinn.


    When they arrived at the entrance of the pce, a more powerful royal guard followed them. It was a middle-aged man with a burn scar on the left side of his face.


    [Nascent Soul 1st Layer]


    "No storage items and weapons are allowed inside the pce. Please give your items to me temporarily. I will return them once you leave the pce."


    They already knew the rules so theyplied without saying anything.


    ''They shouldn''t be able to see my storage function.'' Fredrinn thought to himself as he handed his weapons and storage bracelet to the royal guard.


    "Thank you for your cooperation." The royal guard saluted after keeping their items. "I''ll take you guys to the throne room. His Majesty has already been informed of your arrival."


    The middle-aged royal guard took them inside the pce. The passageway wasplex and they had to take a few turns before they reached the throne room.


    Fredrinn had already lost count of the number of Core Formation martial practitioners inside the pce. ''The security is tight and there are even a lot of high-rank defensive array formations installed.''


    "We''re here. I can''t follow you inside. You may enter." Muttered the middle-aged royal guard as he gestured for the gatekeepers to open the huge double doors.


    "Alright. Thank you."


    The doors made squeaking noises as they slowly opened.


    "Let''s go." Rnd nodded at Fredrinn and Argus before stepping inside the throne room.


    The other two silently followed him.


    Upon entering, Fredrinn saw a man dressed in golden robes sitting on the throne. Beneath the throne were two guards in battle armor. One was a muscr old man who had a broadsword on his back, while the other one was a tall middle-aged man who had five short spears strapped on his upper back.


    [Void Tempering 3rd Phase]


    [Void Tempering 3rd Phase]


    The two had simr cultivation levels and their strength stunned Fredrinn. However, what made him more shocked was the king''s cultivation.


    [Void Tempering 5th Phase]

 Chapter 114: Doros Steelarms

    "Greetings, Your Majesty!" Rnd and Fredrinn bowed deeply at the man on the throne. Seeing this, Argus followed suit.


    Seated on the throne was a man who looked to be in his forties. He has short golden hair and a pair of prating ocean-blue eyes. He wore a stern look as he observed them. This person had the appearance of a tiger-like man. He was the current ruler of the Star Wind Kingdom, King Vulcanus Starwind!


    "I''ve heard that you have something to report. You may speak freely." The king''s voice rang like thunder within the throne room.


    Fredrinn had never been this nervous before. ''So this is what it feels like to face someone so powerful!'' He didn''t dare lift his head.


    "Your Majesty, we came here to inform you about what we discovered in Red Sun City¡­" Rnd paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "During our battle with the traitorous ckcrow Household, we discovered that the siege weapon they used was created by the Blue Sky Kingdom. It was an advanced weapon called artillery¡­"


    "Get to the point." The king frowned.


    Rnd nodded, sweat trickling down his face. "I''m afraid that the Blue Sky Kingdom is already mass-producing the siege machine. Once those destructive machines are introduced on the battlefield, our army will face catastrophic losses! Your Majesty, we need to prepare some countermeasures before they bring those war weapons into the battlefield."


    The king tapped his fingers on the armrest of the throne. "This siege machine that you are talking about. Did you bring it with you?"


    Rnd nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. It''s inside my storage device." He replied without hiding the truth.


    "Bring the item here." The king sent a look to the muscr man with the broadsword on his back.


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" The man summoned the royal guard responsible for keeping the storage items. He then handed the items to Rnd. "Don''t do anything foolish." He whispered to Rnd.


    Rnd took a deep breath as he nodded. He then took out the artillery from his storage device andid it down on the floor. "This is the siege machine, Your Majesty. It was destroyed in our battle. We did our best to repair it, but without the refining method, we weren''t able to fix it to its original state and specifications." He muttered in shame.


    The king stood up and walked down from his throne. The two shily-dressed royal guards walked one step behind him while keeping their eyes on the trio.


    King Vulcanus observed the siege weapon up close with a look of interest.


    A momentter, he went back to his throne and said. "Bring the old cksmith here."


    Fredrinn didn''t know what was on the king''s mind. He could only hope that whoever he summoned was capable enough to tell how dangerous the artillery was.


    A few minutester, the double doors of the throne room slowly opened. The person who arrived was a muscr, but short old man. He had a human-like appearance, except for his long ears and slightly reddish skin. This was the unique characteristic of a certain species, the dwarves.


    [Void Tempering 1st Phase]


    [Doros Sterms] Favorability: 0


    Fredrinn was stunned when he saw the name of the old dwarf. ''It''s actually him!''


    Doros was an important figure in the Star Wind Kingdom. Even the supreme household respected him. This was because he was the only Grandmaster-rank cksmith in the kingdom! Almost all the legendary-rated items that circted in the kingdom were his creations!


    When he was still a yer, he didn''t even have the opportunity to meet this high-ranking figure. He never thought that he would see Doros.


    "Your Majesty!" Doros bowed deeply at the king.


    "Doros, please inspect that machine and tell me your thoughts." The king instructed as he pointed at the artillery.


    "Alright." Doros nodded. He then walked over to the artillery and began his inspection.


    "From the design, it looks like an improved version of a cannon, but because of the array formations engraved on its body, it is more destructive and has a longer range. Even to a Nascent Soul martial practitioner, this thing could be dangerous.


    Where did you get this, Your Majesty?" Doros only briefly inspected the artillery, but he already managed to identify the array formations and its mechanisms.


    "Do you think it can be mass-produced?" The king asked.


    "That''s possible." Doros nodded while rubbing his chin. "If you give me some time to study it in detail, I should be able to replicate it even if we don''t have the refining method."


    Hearing this, the king smirked. "Then you have to convince them. That machine is their property."


    Doros turned his head to Rnd''s group and smiled at them.


    "We are willing to give this machine to the royal family," Rnd said without hesitation. He didn''t even bother to bargain with the old dwarf.


    "You''re one smart guy." Dorosughed when he heard this.


    The king was pleased with Rnd''s decision. "In that case, I will ept your gift. Doros, please take it back to your smithy to be studied."


    "Yes, Your Majesty!" Doros bowed and left with the artillery.


    "You have done a great service to the kingdom! It was only recently that you destroyed a rebel family and now, you even brought the siege machine. Tell me what you want. You deserve a reward." The king smiled, looking like he was in a good mood.


    Giving the artillery was indeed the best choice, just like what his son had predicted.


    "Your Majesty, please promote my Firecrown Household into a dukedom." Rnd raised his head with a determined expression.


    The king was taken aback. He raised his eyebrows. "No wonder you brought that gentleman behind you. This must have been your goal from the very start."


    Rnd felt nervous when he heard this, but he was already prepared to answer. "Your Majesty, we would like to join the battle in Mount Roshar, but with our current strength, we won''t be of much help. The only solution I could think of was to increase our manpower. To do that, our household needs to be a dukedom!"


    Hearing this, the king''s eyes shed with imperceptible light. "I see¡­"

 Chapter 115: Visiting Aubrey

    "Since you have a Void Tempering powerhouse, there should be no problem in promoting you to a dukedom. I believe you gathered the necessary personnel as well since you confidently requested it."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    "Alright. It shouldn''t be an issue. Your Firecrown Household was once a supreme household after all. I give you my word."


    The king stood up and proimed. "I, Vulcanus Starwind, hereby announce that the Firecrown Household will be the sixth supreme household of the Star Wind Kingdom!"


    Rnd and Fredrinn couldn''t conceal their excitement.


    [The Firecrown Household''s power has significantly increased because of your intervention! It is a family that is supposed to fall, but it now carries an enormous responsibility to hold the skies! Rewards: 5000 Fate Points, Level Up Card x2, and Spear Talent Upgrade Card x1!]


    [Hidden Mission Completion Rate: 40%]


    "An official seal will be delivered to your estate soon. I will also announce your promotion to the whole kingdom." The presence of another supreme household was a huge blessing to the kingdom so he didn''t mind doing them this favor.


    "Thank you for granting our request, Your Majesty! We won''t disappoint your trust! Once we gather enough manpower, we will join the battle in Mount Roshar! I promise you that!" Rnd solemnly said.


    The king smirked. "I will await that day. You guys may leave." He waved his hand.


    Just as they were about to bid farewell, the king suddenly remembered something. "By the way¡­ it is customary for a newly promoted dukedom to hold a banquet in their estate. Head back to Red Sun City at once and prepare a grand party. Don''t forget to invite the five supreme households and the royal family."


    "Alright. We will make preparations as soon as we return." Rnd wouldn''t miss this opportunity to expand their connections.


    "I heard that you came here via carriage. You won''t have enough time to prepare if you travel onnd. I''ll have someone send you back home with a flying mount."


    Rnd and Fredrinn didn''t expect this gesture. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"


    The king waved his hand. "You may go."


    They bowed deeply at the king before they left the throne room.


    On their way out of the throne room, Fredrinn felt surreal.


    "We did it, son." Rnd smiled as he patted Fredrinn''s shoulder.


    "Yeah." Fredrinn nodded his head absentmindedly.


    At this moment, a royal guard suddenly approached them and returned their storage items. "I will be responsible for driving you back home. Please follow me. The flying mounts are kept behind the pce." He said.


    "Alright. Lead the way."


    While they were navigating through the maze-like hallway of the pce, Fredrinn used the opportunity to inspect the items he received.


    ''I got two Level Up Cards, one Spear Talent Upgrade Card, and 5000 Fate Points¡­'' Fredrinn immediately used the three cards.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 8th Layer] [Level 38]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ????????


    Space Affinity: ??


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 7375


    He thought that it would take him some time before he would advance to the Nascent Soul realm.


    ''I still have a lot of things to do when I get home.'' Fredrinn closed his character profile and looked ahead with a confident smile.


    A few minutester, they arrived at the magical beast facility of the royal family. There were all sorts of magical creatures kept here and their cultivation was miles aheadpared to the ones they kept in the estate.


    Rnd talked with the royal guard for a while to inform thetter about their exact number. After their discussion, they chose threerge creatures.


    "Let''s stop by at the Silversword Household''s estate," Fredrinn told the royal guard.


    "Alright. Hop on. I will take you guys there."


    ***


    Inside the main mansion of the Silversword Supreme Household''s estate.


    Aubrey stood on the balcony while gazing at the blue sky. Her eyes were filled with longing as she thought of a certain person. "When will I see you again?" She sighed in regret. Because of the recent assassination attempt on the royal princess, her parents strictly forbid her from leaving the estate.


    "Hm? What''s that?" Looking at the sky, she noticed threerge elephant-looking creatures with wide fan-like ears.


    The appearance of those creatures alerted the members of the Silversword Supreme Household. Many people gathered in front of the main mansion, staring warily at the iing beasts.


    Aubrey jumped down from the balcony andnded beside her grandfather, the current patriarch of the Silversword Supreme Household, Duke Archival Silversword.


    "Grandpa, do you know what those creatures are?" She asked with her eyebrows furrowed.


    Duke Archival narrowed his eyes. He used his spiritual perception to observe the iing magical beasts and he soon discovered the symbol of the royal family on the creatures'' armor. "It seems like we have visitors from the royal family. Everyone, disperse! They are important guests from the royal family!"


    Hearing their patriarch''s words, everyone was relieved.


    A few momentster, the three beastsnded in front of the duke and the other members of the Silversword Supreme Household.


    Fredrinn, Rnd, and Argus got down from the beast andnded gracefully in front of them.


    Rnd cupped his hands at the duke. "Greetings, Patriarch Archival. We promised Elder Rex that we would visit Miss Aubrey. I apologize for our unannounced visit."


    Fredrinn stared at the duke. He was an old man dressed in silver and blue yishang. He looked dashing for his age. There almost wasn''t a sign of aging on his skin.


    [Void Tempering 3rd Phase]


    [Archival Silversword] Favorability: 39


    The old duke was actually as strong as the two guardians of the king!


    Before the old duke could respond, Aubrey walked towards Fredrinn and smiled gently. "So you came to visit me, huh?" She sounded happy from the tone of her voice.


    "It''s good to see you again, Aubrey." Fredrinn smiled back in response.


    Looking at the two young people who were staring at each other with ambiguous gazes, Duke Archival was left speechless.

 Chapter 116: Return

    "Rnd, I''m friends with your grandfather. There is no need to be so distant. Just call me Uncle Archival." The old duke smiled.


    Hearing this, Rnd was momentarily stunned. "I see. I understand, Uncle Archival."


    "Good! Let''s talk inside. We''ll leave the young ones on their own." Archival muttered while shaking his head with a helpless smile.


    Rnd chuckled. "Alright. I also have things to discuss with you."


    "Oh, really? I can''t wait."


    Fredrinn sent Argus a look. "You should go with my father."


    "Yes, sir." Argus nodded and left.


    After they left, Aubrey grabbed his hand and said. "Follow me. I''ll bring you somewhere." She sounded eager so Fredrinn couldn''t bring himself to reject her.


    Aubrey brought him to the man-madeke just behind their main mansion.


    "Why did you bring me here?" Fredrinn stared at her curiously. He wondered why she brought him to theke. She didn''t bring him here to go fishing, right?


    Aubrey pointed to a spot in the middle of theke. "Do you see that pavilion? Let''s go there." She excitedly said.


    Fredrinn followed her gaze. In the middle of theke was a small pavilion. It looked like a good ce to rx. He thought.


    "Let''s go there using that. Riding a boat makes you feel rxed. Trust me." Aubrey pointed at the small boat tied to a mangrove on thekeside.


    "Fine." Fredrinn regretted making that promise with Elder Rex. He felt that his rtionship with Aubrey would develop into romance if they continued meeting like this. He wasn''t against the idea, but he was afraid that she would be implicated in hisplex future.


    When he realized that he was starting to have feelings for Aubrey, Fredrinn didn''t know how to deal with it. In the end, he sighed as he thought. ''I''ll just let nature take its course.''


    "Hey! Why do you look absentminded? What are you thinking about?" Aubrey asked when she saw him in a daze.


    "It''s nothing. Just some random thoughts." He responded.


    The two took turns rowing the boat.


    Fredrinn wasn''t interested in boating so he thought that it would be boring. However, he found out that he was enjoying it.


    "It''s fun, right?" Aubrey chuckled.


    "Yeah. We should do this often."


    "Then you''ll have toe by since you don''t have ake in your estate."


    "I''ll ask my father to build one."


    Time passed by in the blink of an eye. It was time to say goodbye.


    "You should attend the banquet. I will wait for you." Fredrinn smiled before he jumped on the back of the elephant-like magical beast.


    Aubrey nodded. "I will be there."


    Rnd also bid farewell to the old duke and the elders.


    A momentter, they finally left.


    Aubrey kept staring at the sky with longing.


    "What am I seeing here? Do you like him that much?" A teasing voice drifted into her ears.


    Aubrey didn''t deny it. "It''s the first time I am interested in someone. You''ve also seen him. Isn''t he the perfect grandson-inw for you? He isn''t even 30 yet, but he''s already in the Nascent Soul realm. Is there even another young man like him in the kingdom?"


    Archival was speechless. He couldn''t even offer a rebuttal. Fredrinn has exceeded his expectations. He was indeed an exceptional young man. Not to mention that the Firecrown Household would soon be the sixth supreme household. By then, the two families would have equal status.


    "If your father was here, he wouldn''t agree to it easily."


    "I doubt that. He won''t be able to do anything once his daughter makes a decision." Aubrey snorted in disdain.


    ***


    Before heading back to Red Sun City, Fredrinn''s group stopped by Arcane City to see Andre and the seven Master-rank martial practitioners they contracted as guest elders for the family.


    They only chatted briefly. They didn''t stay for long since they still had to prepare for the banquet. After bidding everyone farewell, the group left Arcane City and headed to Red Sun City.


    The return trip only took less than three days. If they hadn''t stopped at Arcane City, they would have arrived home much earlier.


    The threerge magical beastsnded in front of the main mansion, scaring everyone out of their wits. If they hadn''t seen the unique symbol of the royal family on the beasts'' armor, they might have attacked them before theynded.


    "Thank god you guys are safe." Margaret smiled in relief when she saw the father and son.


    "I missed you." Rnd hugged his wife.


    "I missed you too¡­"


    "Let''s go inside first. I''ll tell you everything that happened."


    "Father, wait!" Fredrinn called out.


    Rnd and Margaret turned their gazes to him. "What is it?"


    "I will go and visit the city lord. While I''m gone, you should discuss with mom about the banquet preparations. I''d feel more at ease if she handled the preparations." Fredrinn muttered.


    "Oh, right! I almost forgot about that. Alright. Just send my regards to the city lord and please, do your best, my son."" Rnd wanted to go with him, but he had to prepare for the banquet.


    Fredrinn nodded. "Yes. You can rest assured, Father. I''ll make sure that the city lord will recover."


    "Good. You may leave." Rnd waved his hand.


    Margaret didn''t know what this was about, but she didn''t say anything when she saw their serious faces. She only sent Rnd a knowing look.


    "I''ll tell you everythingter," Rnd whispered.


    Hearing this, she smiled. She then looked at Fredrinn and said. "Take care on the road."


    "Yes, mom. I''ll be back soon." Fredrinn left right away. There was no time to rest. The city lord''s condition was worsening.


    During his time as a yer, Ludwig wasn''t the city lord of Red Sun City. Which means that he would probably die from his illness.


    If he cured the city lord, the Springfield Household would owe them a huge favor. The city officials would also be grateful.


    ''I''ming, city lord. Please wait for me.''

 Chapter 117: Giving a Drop of Life Heart Syrup to the City Lord

    It was already afternoon when he arrived at the city lord''s mansion. When Samantha and Lucas heard that he was there, they immediately stopped what they were doing to greet him in front of the mansion.


    "It''s been a while, Fredrinn! You''ve be even more famous! They call you Star Wind''s Prince Charming now." Lucasughed as he made a funny face.


    "Many of my female friends also want to get to know you. Do you want me to schedule a meeting with them?" Samanthaughed along with her brother.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "Now is not the best time." He muttered with a serious look.


    Seeing his expression, the pair of siblings realized that he must havee here for something important.


    "I need to see the city lord. Can you bring me to him?"


    The smile on Lucas'' and Samantha''s faces disappeared when they sensed the urgency in his voice.


    "He is in the back garden with our mom. We will take you there." Samantha responded.


    "Let''s go." Fredrinn nodded.


    While they were walking to the back garden, Lucas could no longer hold back his curiosity. "What''s going on, dude? Did something bad happen?"


    Fredrinn patted his shoulder. "Don''t worry. You''ll know soon."


    Lucas'' face twitched when he heard this. ''Why couldn''t you just say it?'' He thought.


    Fredrinn was unaware of Lucas'' thoughts. Although thetter was curious, he no longer said anything after that.


    A few minutester, they finally arrived at the back garden. Fredrinn noticed that there was a newly built gazebo in the middle of the garden. The city lord and his wife were there, enjoying tea as they observed the sea of flowers.


    The city lord had a strong spiritual perception so he immediately sensed their arrival. He turned his head. He was taken aback when he saw Fredrinn walking side by side with his children. "Fredrinn?" He muttered.


    His wife, Hannah Sparks, followed his gaze. She was also surprised to see Fredrinn. However, this time, she no longer held negative feelings about him.


    "Greetings to the city lord and Madam Hannah." Fredrinn cupped his fists and lowered his head lightly.


    "Fredrinn! It''s good to see you! You don''t need to be formal with me. We''re both Nascent Soul martial practitioners after all." The city lord was happy to see him. Fredrinn was among the young people that he admired. There was no one like him in the kingdom.


    Even Lucas whom he was proud of fell shortpared to him.


    Hannah didn''t say anything. She just nodded to acknowledge his presence.


    "How can I do that? You are the city lord and the person most admired by my father! He might scold me if I don''t show you enough respect." Fredrinn chuckled.


    "Haha! You''ve gotten better at socializing." Ludwig didn''t show it, but he was pleased by his words.


    After exchanging pleasantries, the city lord asked. "What brings you here?"


    Fredrinn''s expression suddenly turned serious. "I came here to ask about your health, city lord. My father has been very worried about your condition."


    "I see¡­" Ludwig sighed and weakly smiled. "I stopped searching for a cure. I guess I don''t have much time." There was a trace of reluctance in his voice.


    Hearing his words, Samantha and Lucas teared up. Even Hannah revealed a lonely expression.


    "City Lord, have you heard about the Life Heart Syrup?"


    Ludwig raised his eyebrows in surprise. He didn''t expect Fredrinn to know such rare medicine. "Of course! It''s one of the medicines I was looking for, but¡­ why do you ask?"


    Fredrinn smiled and took out a small bottle from out of nowhere. "Inside this bottle is two drops of Life Heart Syrup. I came here to give you a drop."


    "What?!" Ludwig was stunned. He didn''t know what the Life Heart Syrup looked like, but the golden liquid inside the bottle in Fredrinn''s hand was emitting a dense amount of Qi and life force. He was certain that it could cure his illness!


    Hannah and the other two stared at them in confusion. They didn''t know anything about the medicine. They could only surmise that it was valuable since Ludwig spoke highly of it.


    "Can that medicine cure my father?" Samantha asked.


    "Absolutely. To be honest, I have three drops of this medicine, but I already gave one to a Void Tempering powerhouse. It worked on him so I can assure you that it will cure the city lord." Fredrinn replied confidently.


    "That amazing?" Samantha was shocked.


    "Are you really giving it to me? That thing is extremely valuable and it won''t just cure me. It will also increase my cultivation! I might even advance to the Void Tempering realm once I refine the medicinal properties!" Ludwig stared at Fredrinn with hope and excitement.


    "City lord, my father asked me to deliver it to you. Please ept it."


    "Alright. I won''t forget this favor, Fredrinn. Once I recover, I will visit your estate and thank your family in person." Ludwig promised.


    Fredrinn smiled and handed the bottle to him. "I can only give you one drop though." He joked.


    "Haha! Of course! I''m not shameless enough to take thest drop." Ludwig''s hand was shaking.


    Without hesitation, he poured one drop of the golden liquid into his mouth and handed back the bottle to Fredrinn. "Thank you, Fredrinn." He muttered before he closed his eyes to focus on refining the medicinal properties.


    When Fredrinn used the favorability meter function on the family of four, he noticed that their favorability towards him had increased significantly.


    At this moment, Ludwig felt a surge of Qi and life force flowing through his body. He felt like he was baptized and was being replenished after being empty for so long.


    A momentter, his cultivation that was stuck at the 9thyer of the Nascent Soul realm showed signs of progress.


    Ludwig''s muscles tightened and the Qi in his body slowly saturated.


    Even without his battle scouter function, Fredrinn sensed that Ludwig had broken through the 10thyer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    However¡­ it didn''t stop at that.

 Chapter 118: A Powerful Ally

    Fredrinn stared at the city lord in anticipation. He was about to break through the Void Tempering realm!


    "Back off. It will get rough in a while." Fredrinn waved his hand, signaling the others to move a certain distance from the city lord.


    "What''s going on, Fredrinn?" Lucas asked. He could sense an overwhelming power within his father''s body, but because of his limited cultivation, he couldn''t urately sense Ludwig''s impending advancement.


    Hannah and Samantha also stared at him.


    "The city lord will soon advance to the Void Tempering realm!" Fredrinn''s answer made them surprised and excited. After all, the Void Tempering realm represented the peak strength of the kingdom.


    At this moment, more and more martial practitioners sensed themotion caused by the city lord''s imminent advancement. They gathered near the city lord''s mansion to see what was going on. When they discovered that the source of themotion was the city lord, they were gobsmacked.


    "The city lord is advancing to the Void Tempering realm!" Someone shouted in admiration.


    The others revealed a mixture of emotions when they heard this. Some were excited, while some were shocked. There were also people who were scared.


    After some time, the Qi around them finally calmed down as the city lord sessfully stepped into the Void Tempering realm.


    When Ludwig opened his eyes, he sensed the presence of many martial practitioners around his mansion. However, he pretended like they didn''t exist. He appeared before Fredrinn and grabbed his hand while looking at him emotionally. "Thank you so much, Fredrinn. I will never forget this favor. If you ever need me, you just need to say the word and I will be there."


    Fredrinn smiled at the city lord''s words. "Congrattions on your breakthrough, city lord!"


    Ludwig shook his head. "I never dreamed of this. My only wish was to recover, but I gained more than that because of you."


    "Congrattions, father! We now have a Void Tempering powerhouse in the city! Let''s see who still dares to cause trouble!" Lucasughed in a boisterous manner. His father''s advancement brought him so much joy.


    Hannah and Samantha also congratted him.


    "Let''s go inside first. There are many eyes around." Ludwig chuckled. His slightly hunched back was now straight like a pole and his graying hair turned jet-ck. The mighty city lord was back!


    Ludwig brought everyone inside his study room for some privacy.


    They talked about how to develop the city to be the next Areswell. As someone who had seen the future, Fredrinn gave the city lord some tips on how to maximize the city''s potential. His suggestions garnered everyone''s interest. They never thought that he was also an expert in managing the city other than being a genius martial practitioner.


    As for their praises, Fredrinn merelyughed it off.


    "By the way, I heard that you and Rnd went to the capital. I thought it would take some time before you guys would return." Ludwig changed the topic. He was curious about what their goal was for going to the capital, but he didn''t ask him directly.


    Fredrinn could already tell what was on his mind. "I won''t hide it from you, city lord. Actually, we visited the capital to request for a dukedom promotion from His Majesty."


    Hearing this, the city lord and the others were stunned.


    "What?!"


    "Someone in your household advanced to the Void Tempering realm as well?" Hannah stared at him in disbelief.


    Fredrinn nodded. "That''s right. We have been cultivating him in secret so you guys might not know him."


    "From what I heard, you don''t just need a Void Tempering realm powerhouse to be a dukedom. You need a specific amount of Master-rank martial practitioners as well." Samantha muttered.


    "We have enough Master-rank martial practitioners. His Majesty has also approved our promotion request. The whole kingdom should receive the announcement soon."


    "You guys have really hidden yourselves well." The city lordughed. He was genuinely happy for their sess.


    "We will soon host a banquet to celebrate our promotion. We still haven''t made our preparations so I will have someone deliver the invitation in a few days. I hope you guys will be there."


    "Of course! You can expect our whole family to be there!" Ludwig pped his thigh as he expressed his desire to join the banquet.


    They talked for another thirty minutes before Fredrinn excused himself. He left the city lord''s mansion after bidding them farewell.


    [You gained a strong support! Rewards: 2000 Fate Points, and Level Up Card x1!]


    Fredrinn immediately used the Level Up Card.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 9th Layer] [Level 39]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ????????


    Space Affinity: ??


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 9375


    He was only a few steps away from advancing to the Nascent Soul realm!


    When he arrived at the Firecrown Household estate, it was already evening. Olivia and the others eagerly weed him. They also showed off the results of their training which left him satisfied. Given some time, they would soon be decent-level experts.


    ***


    One weekter, news about the Firecrown Household''s promotion to a Dukedom spread across the kingdom. The birth of the sixth supreme household sparked everyone''s interest. Were they powerful enough to maintain their status or will they repeat what happened in the past? Everyone was curious.


    The entire Red Sun City was in a festive mood. The city lord had advanced to the Void Tempering realm and now, the sixth supreme household turned out to be someone from their city.


    Many experts from across the kingdom gathered in Red Sun City to join the festivities. One of them was even a member of the royal family!


    At this moment, inside a famous inn in the city.


    A valiant-looking youngdy dressed in gold and red battle armor was leaning against her chair with a bored look on her face.


    "Your Highness, the Firecrown Household sent a team to escort you to their estate." The messenger outside her room said after knocking on her door.


    Hearing this, the youngdy stood up and grabbed the longsword leaning against the table. "They''re quick." She grinned.

 Chapter 119: The Princess’ Unexpected Interest

    Fredrinn looked at the golden-haired woman who stepped out of the inn. ''So that''s Princess Danielle¡­''


    He was expecting to see a demure youngdy befitting the title ''royal princess''. However, the woman in front of him was far from that. She was almost as tall as Fredrinn and she had this pair of discerning eyes that seemed to see through his thoughts.


    [Nascent Soul 3rd Layer]


    [Danielle Starwind] Favorability: 70


    She was more powerful than he had expected, but what made him more surprised was the high favorability.


    The princess also noticed him from the crowd. She walked towards him as she observed him from head to foot.


    "Greetings, Your Highness!" Fredrinn greeted her with the standard etiquette of martial households.


    Princess Danielle smiled at him. "You must be Fredrinn Firecrown, the heir of the Firecrown Supreme Household." She emphasized the word ''supreme''.


    Fredrinn nodded. "It tters me that you know my name, Your Highness. We can chatter. Please enter the carriage." After saying that, he made a ''this way'' gesture.


    "Alright." The princess didn''t make things difficult for him. She calmly entered the carriage.


    After making sure that she was ready, Fredrinn jumped on top of his mount and instructed the entourage to start marching.


    Fredrinn took a glimpse of the princess'' silhouette through the curtain on the carriage window. ''Danielle Starwind¡­ This woman¡­''


    When he was still a yer, he had once read the history of the Star Wind Kingdom. It was necessary to be aware of the kingdom''s past since there were missions that involved historical events.


    In the background story of the game, Princess Danielle was one of the leading figures in the battle against the Blue Sky Kingdom. She was a woman, but she surpassed many talented generals when it came tomanding an army. She was even given the nickname ''Blood Princess'' because of her viciousness towards her enemies.


    However, because of her rising fame, the powerhouses of the Blue Sky Kingdom deemed her a huge threat. They devised a n to eliminate her. Toplete this n, the Blue Sky Kingdom sacrificed numerous warriors. Eventually, the princess fell into their trap and was inhumanely defiled before she was killed. Her death caused the feud of the two kingdoms to intensify.


    Thinking about this, Fredrinn sighed and shook his head.


    They soon arrived at the estate. Upon their arrival, the members of the Firecrown Supreme Household and their guests came to wee the princess.


    Many guests hade to visit because of the banquet that would be held soon. Because of this, the estate was very lively with all sorts of people around. There were even guests from the five supreme households.


    After the princess greeted them one by one, she excused herself and asked Fredrinn to take her to the separate mansion that was specially prepared for members of the royal family.


    The mansion wasn''t that far so Fredrinn suggested that they walk. He wanted to give her a short tour of the estate to make her familiar with the ce.


    "I heard that you are a Nascent Soul martial practitioner. Is this true?" The princess asked as she looked at his side profile. There was almost no man her age that she was attracted to, but Fredrinn was different. He was said to be a genius on the same level as Aubrey of the Silversword Household. This alone was enough to make her interested in him.


    His handsome face was just a bonus, a big bonus to be exact.


    Fredrinn chuckled in his heart. Everyone misunderstood his strength because of the unique effect of the Armor of Eternal Strength. He hadn''t turned off his aura concealment function since then. After all, he had advanced too quickly. It would be hard to exin himself if they sensed the sudden jump in his cultivation.


    "I''m not as powerful as you think, Your Highness." Fredrinn humbly responded.


    Princess Danielle chuckled. "I also heard that you hid your cultivation for over a decade. You''re really good at doing this."


    Fredrinn smiled in embarrassment.


    The two chatted along the way,pletely ignoring the people following behind them.


    Not longter, they arrived at the VIP mansion.


    "We''re here, Your Highness. You should get some rest. There will be-"


    "Hold on." The princess raised her hand.


    Fredrinn stopped talking and stared at her in surprise.


    "Why don''t you follow me inside? I have things to discuss with you." Her radiant smile almost blinded him.


    Fredrinn only hesitated for a second before he epted her invitation. "Alright."


    He gave some instructions to his subordinates before he followed the princess inside the VIP mansion.


    The princess told her escort warriors to leave them alone. Fredrinn became more curious because of how secretive she was acting.


    "We can talk here." The princess said as soon as they arrived at the spacious living room. She took her seat and signaled to Fredrinn to take the seat adjacent to her.


    "Can you tell me what this is all about, Your Highness?" Fredrinn asked.


    "Why are you in a hurry? Do you still have tasks to do?" Princess Danielle muttered in a teasing voice.


    Fredrinn wanted to say ''yes'', but she might interpret it differently so he shook his head. "No."


    "Don''t worry. I won''t keep this long." She adjusted her sitting posture before she continued.


    "The reason I came here wasn''t just to join the celebration of your household''s promotion. There is actually one more thing that I came here for."


    She crossed her legs and cupped her face as she said. "Let''s get married."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn almost fell off his chair. Why did this woman suddenly discuss marriage? He even thought that he had probably heard her wrong. "Uhm, did you just say that we should get married?" He asked tentatively.


    "Yeah. I did." Princess Danielle smirked.


    "That¡­" Her calm reply made him speechless. She was really carefree.


    "Why are you hesitating? Are you already betrothed to someone?"


    "It''s not that¡­"


    "It''s fine. I don''t mind if you have another wife."


    Fredrinn''s face twitched upon hearing this. ''It''s fine for you, but His Majesty would definitely skin me alive if he heard you say that nonsense in front of him.''

 Chapter 120: Heirs of the Supreme Households

    "Your Highness, marriage is an important part of your life. You should consider it wisely before making any decisions. You might regret it in the future if you do things with haste." Fredrinn put on a serious look.


    The princess smiled at his words. "You''re the only one who dared to lecture me."


    "I don''t dare lecture yo-"


    The princess raised her hand. "It''s fine. I will prove it to you soon. You may not believe me now, but you will eventually feel my sincerity. You may leave. I''ll be fine on my own."


    Fredrinn was at loss for words. He didn''t know if she was actually serious. "Just let me know if you need anything. Well, at least not about this matter¡­"


    He didn''t linger for long. He was afraid that the princess would force him to marry her on the spot. That would be disastrous.


    He never would have thought that the princess would be interested in marrying him. Life was truly unpredictable.


    In the next few days, more and more guests arrived at the estate. The banquet hosted by the Firecrown Supreme Household would be held in three days. Fredrinn and the others were busy entertaining their guests. They didn''t even have much time to rest. If they weren''t martial practitioners, they would have already copsed from exhaustion.


    At least once every day, the princess used all sorts of ways to pester Fredrinn. She never forgot to bring up marriage every time they had the chance to talk. About this matter, he could only smile helplessly.


    Fredrinn also encountered the members of the five supreme households. For this banquet, they mostly sent the younger generation. They only brought one or two elders to escort their heirs.


    The Silversword Supreme Household sent Aubrey Silversword and her oldest brother, Franklin Silversword.


    Franklin Silversword was a master-rank array formation maker and his cultivation was already at the 2nd Layer of the Nascent Soul realm! Among the heirs of the five supreme households, he had the second highest cultivation.


    The Evergreen Household sent their second heir, Evan Evergreen, and two Nascent Soul elders.


    The Evergreen Supreme Household was a family of Ephyreans, a race of humanoid fairies that mostly inhabited the forest. They have wings on their backs and the number of their wings was a strong factor that determined their status in the family. For instance, Evan Evergreen, the second heir of the household had six golden wings which was a rarity among Ephyreans.


    Evan''s cultivation was also at the 2nd Layer of the Nascent Soul realm!


    Next was the Goldenlion Supreme Household. They are a rare species of Beastkins. They looked like humans, but they also had the features of lions. Because of their bloodline, the members of their family had strong muscr physiques.


    For this banquet, they sent their first heir, Kustas Goldenlion, and a 10th Layer Nascent Soul elder.


    Kustas Goldenlion was the pride of the Goldenlion Supreme Household. He was also the strongest among the heirs present in the Firecrown Household estate with a cultivation at the 3rd Layer of the Nascent Soul realm!


    Meanwhile, the Saphhira Supreme Household was a family of elves. They are known for their high wind and wood affinity. The people they sent were their first heiress, Yvanna Sapphira, and two powerful female elders at the Nascent Soul realm.


    Yvanna''s cultivation was only at the 1st Layer of the Nascent Soul realm. She also had the lowest cultivation among the heirs of the supreme households.


    Lastly, there was the Astraljade Supreme Household. They were a family of a rare race called Astrals. They were proficient in illusion techniques. They were also known for their incredibly beautiful facial features. The people they sent were their first heiress, Akari Astraljade, and one female elder at the 9th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    At this moment, Fredrinn was in thepany of these people. His ma, Princess Danielle was also there.


    It was the third time they had gathered like this since they arrived at the estate. They were already quite familiar with each other after interacting for some time.


    "Fredrinn, why don''t we go for a light spar? We have been chatting about the same thing and I''m starting to get sick of it. We should liven up things for a change." Kustas Goldenlion suggested while sending Fredrinn a taunting smile.


    Hearing this, the others revealed a look of interest.


    Fredrinn raised his eyebrow in surprise. "You want to spar with me?" He looked at the massive guy in front of him. Fredrinn was already tall for a human, butpared to Kustas, he was like a child.


    "Don''t tell me you''re scared?" Kustas smirked, his eyes shed with fighting intent.


    Everyone turned their gazes to Fredrinn, excited to hear his response.


    "Things are finally getting interesting." Evanughed as he smoothed his apple-green hair.


    Fredrinn shook his head. Although he was only a 9th Layer Core Formation martial practitioner, he was confident that he could beat Kustas. He might be weaker than Kustas in terms of Qi, but he had one major advantage- he was overgeared.


    "Are you sure?" Fredrinn''s face suddenly turned serious. His obsidian-like eyes stared deeply at Kustas.


    The guests from other households also noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere.


    "What''s going on?"


    "I don''t know."


    "I think I heard them talking about a spar."


    "Eh? A spar between the heirs of the supreme households?"


    Everyone observed them with curious gazes. They were eager to see the power of the famous heirs!


    "It seems like everyone wants to see it happen." Kustas stood up whileughing boisterously.


    Fredrinn didn''t want to spar with him, but if he rejected his challenge, people might say that he was afraid. This might hurt the Firecrown Supreme Household''s reputation. He couldn''t allow that to happen!


    "Alright, but we should control our Qi. I don''t want to damage the estate." Fredrinn took out the me Dragon Crescent de. The moment he revealed this weapon, his aura abruptly changed.


    He became intimidating, like a predator looking at its prey!


    Kustas felt a wave of unease when he met Fredrinn''s gaze, but he immediately concealed his emotions when realized this.


    "Don''t disappoint me, Fredrinn." He grinned as he took out a huge two-handed war hammer.

 Chapter 121: The Spar

    Seeing the huge hammer in Kustas'' hands, Fredrinn''s mouth twitched. If he hadn''t worn the Armor of Eternal Strength beneath his clothes, he would have already admitted defeat.


    Everyone immediately vacated and made a huge space for them.


    "Who do you think will win?" Evan asked as he watched the scene in excitement.


    "Kustas is a 3rd Layer Nascent Soul martial practitioner. As for Fredrinn, I have no idea how strong he is so I can''t say for sure." Yvanna Sapphira muttered after some thought.


    Evan rubbed his chin. He also failed to detect Fredrinn''s power so he was also not certain about what would be the oue of this spar. "What do you think, Miss Aubrey? You''re more familiar with Fredrinn than the rest of us."


    Everyone turned their gazes to Aubrey.


    "To be honest, I''m also not sure about Fredrinn''s current realm. He is very secretive with regards to his cultivation." Aubrey''s response made them a bit disappointed, but this also made them look forward to the result of the spar.


    At this moment, Fredrinn and Kustas were still staring intently at each other with no intention of making the first move.


    ''I don''t have any skills rted to pole-type weapons. The Seven Scorching Sword Style is meant for swords so its power would be reduced considerably if I used it with the me Dragon Crescent de.'' Fredrinn realized that he had neglected his training all this time. He was so upied with the household''s promotion that he had forgotten to learn more skills.


    ''Well, it''s not like I can use a technique in this spar.''


    While he was distracted by these thoughts, Kustas suddenly made his move. He tapped his foot and propelled himself toward Fredrinn while lifting his war hammer with both hands. "Let me see what you''ve got, Fredrinn!" He shouted.


    They agreed not to use any lethal moves so Kustas didn''t activate a battle technique. However, with the weight of his weapon and the inmate power of a Nascent Soul martial practitioner, his normal attack was still bound to be devastating.


    Fredrinn''s spear talent was at four stars, but with the unique effect of the me Dragon Crescent de, his talent was increased to six stars! This made him more proficient in wielding the guandao. Coupled with the battle experiences he received as rewards, Fredrinn could be considered a master of pole-type weapons.


    Fredrinn didn''t n to retreat after seeing Kustas'' attack. He had confidence in his armor''s abilities. After all, it has the effect of neutralizing the attacks of Nascent Soul martial practitioners!


    Fredrinn disyed his impressive skill in wielding the guandao. The weapon danced in his hands, leaving trails of de light in the air. He also disyed remarkable footwork that made him look like he was dancing in the sea of clouds.


    Soon, the two weapons shed, causing a massive explosion that sent shockwaves through the surroundings.


    Fredrinn''s feet sunk deeply into the ground which soon formed a small crater because of the impact of their sh.


    "Huh?" Kustas was stunned. Although he didn''t use his full power in that attack, it should be sufficient to deal with someone at the 2nd Layer of the Nascent Soul realm!


    This could only mean one thing. Fredrinn''s power was beyond that!


    It wasn''t just him who realized this, the heirs and the elders who were watching the spar also had simr thoughts.


    Kustas pushed himself away andnded a safe distance from Fredrinn. He then furrowed his eyebrows. "Fredrinn, stop hiding your power and show me what you''re capable of!" He shouted.


    Fredrinn smiled helplessly. He was just a fake Nascent Soul martial practitioner so what was there to show? However, he couldn''t reveal any weakness in front of everyone so he initiated an attack.


    His movement appeared slow in everyone''s eyes, but the moment he wielded his guandao, an overpowering sensation seemed to have descended upon them.


    This was another unique effect of the me Dragon Crescent de. People that Fredrinn deemed as enemies would have their powers reduced to a certain degree. He only wanted to use it on Kustas, but to instill a powerful image on those present, he decided to adjust the range of the weapon''s ''Terrify'' debuff.


    me Dragon Crescent de [Legendary]


    - Increases the user''s talent in pole-type weapons by 2 stars.


    - Enemies within 500-meter radius will be afflicted with ''Terrify'' debuff.


    As the main target of the debuff, Kustas felt like he was being crushed by a mountain. He didn''t sense Fredrinn activating any skills so he thought that it was merely the pressure brought upon by Fredrinn''s intimidating aura. Thinking about this, he was enraged. How could a member of the mighty Goldenlion Supreme Household feel afraid over another''s aura?!


    He raised his head and bellowed as if to release his pent-up anger. However, he found out that the pressure was still there.


    ''Am I actually afraid of him?'' Kustas couldn''t believe it and he was starting to doubt his self-confidence.


    "I don''t believe it!" He red at Fredrinn and swung his war hammer with all his might. Since the other party seemed to be powerful, he no longer held back his strength.


    His muscles contracted and the veins on his arms popped out like wriggling serpents.


    As if unafraid of Kustas'' outburst of power, Fredrinn continued to swing his guandao. He didn''t disy any fancy movement, just a in horizontal sh. However, this seemingly ordinary strike stopped the unstoppable war hammer in midair!


    A violent sound echoed as the two weapons once again shed. Sparks flew out in all directions.


    Kustas'' face contorted as he used all his might to crush Fredrinn. However, thetter remained still with no signs of weakness.


    "Holy shit! He actually stopped Kustas'' war hammer with a simple swing of his guandao! He didn''t even look tired!" An elder eximed in shock.


    The others also revealed their astonishment.


    At this moment, Fredrinn deactivated the debuff effect of the me Dragon Crescent de. He then put it away as he indifferently said. "Let''s stop here for now."


    Hearing this, Kustas reluctantly put away his war hammer. "Fine."


    "How could you guys stop when it''s just getting interesting?" An amused voice drifted into their ears.


    ''Hm?!'' Fredrinn sensed a strong auraing towards him.

 Chapter 122: Scaring Evan, Fredrinn’s Dilemma

    Fredrinn unconsciously raised his hand.


    "You actually blocked my dagger?"


    In front of him was Evan who hadunched a sneak attack using his dagger.


    Everyone was shocked by the scene. From their point of view, it looked as if Fredrinn had managed to stop Evan''s dagger barehanded.


    Fredrinn frowned as he looked at him. If it wasn''t for the Armor of Eternal Strength''s unique effect that automatically nullifies attacks, Evan''s dagger would have wounded him.


    "What is the meaning of this, Evan? Do you wish to anger me byunching a sneak attack?" His voice carried a trace of coldness.


    Evan pushed himself back andnded a few meters away from him. He thenughed while concealing his surprise. He had great confidence in his speed so he thought he would at leastnd a blow on Fredrinn. He didn''t expect that thetter could actually stop him barehanded. It was truly conceivable! "You''re overreacting.


    It was just a greeting from a friend."


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes. He recalled Alfred''s words about the Evergreen Household. ording to him, they were deceptive and they hid their true nature behind their fake smiles.


    All this time, he maintained a friendly rtionship with Evan since he didn''t want to be on the radar of the top experts of the Evergreen Household. However, it seemed like they had little regard for him and his family.


    Thinking about his great grandfather who had died under the schemes of the Evergreen Household, the me Dragon Crescent de suddenly appeared in his hand. He also deactivated the aura concealment function.


    Soon, the aura of a 9th Layer Nascent Soul martial practitioner was revealed, shocking the heirs and the elders present at the scene.


    "It seems like you treat me like some joke, Evan." Fredrinn''s eyes shed with killing intent. It was so palpable that everyone present could sense it.


    At this moment, the elders finally reacted.


    "This is getting out of hand! Please stop Fredrinn! He might kill the heir of the Evergreen Household!" Someone shouted in rm.


    The elders of the supreme households immediately surrounded Fredrinn and Evan to stop the situation from escting.


    Fredrinn activated the ''Terrify'' effect of his guandao, making everyone feel an overwhelming sense of suppression. He walked step by step towards Evan, his eyes emitting cold light.


    "F-Fredrinn¡­" Evan finally realized what a huge mistake it was to provoke this person. He only wanted to y some prank on him. He never thought that it would bite him back in the ass like this.


    The two Nascent Soul elders of the Evergreen Household appeared in front of Evan.


    "Sir Fredrinn, please quell your anger! Our lord didn''t mean to offend you in any way!" One of them said, his face covered in cold sweat. Sensing Fredrinn''s aura, the elder felt that he couldn''t the young man if he would truly attack Evan. After all, he was only a 7th Layer Nascent Soul realm.


    The other elder had simr thoughts so they tried to pacify Fredrinn''s anger.


    Fredrinn stared deeply at Evan. His chilling gaze almost made thetter wet his pants.


    "Since the elders have spoken, I will forget this transgression. However¡­"


    "If this happens again, I won''t be lenient anymore." Fredrinn flicked his sleeves and walked away.


    The overwhelming pressure disappeared as soon as he left.


    "How terrifying! So this is his true strength!"


    "It looks like the Firecrown Household''s position as the sixth supreme household is already set in stone. With a prodigy like Fredrinn in the next generation, their future is already guaranteed."


    Everyone sighed at the sudden turn of events. No one expected things to end in such a manner.


    A young dragon was born!


    Meanwhile, the protagonist of everyone''s conversation was now facing another dilemma.


    In front of him were youngdies from the guest households. They surrounded him and tried to get his attention. Some of them even intentionally revealed more of their skin just to get him to look at them.


    "Uhm, youngdies, what are you doing?" Fredrinn forced out a smile while staring at them helplessly. He had achieved his desired effect of making the heirs fearful of his power, but he never thought that this would also make him a target husband for the youngdies of the martial households.


    "Sir Fredrinn, how did you be so strong? I heard that you aren''t even thirty, but your cultivation is already at the 9th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm! Could it be that you have an excellent-grade spirit root?" A youngdy with a curvaceous body and big watermelons asked with a shining gaze.


    The other youngdies immediately perked up their ears as they eagerly stared at him.


    Looking at their fervent gazes, Fredrinn was already formting a n on how to escape from them.


    "Hahaha! Who would have thought that I would see that kind of expression on your face? It seems like you are also weak towards women." A voice filled with schadenfreude drifted into his ears.


    Fredrinn turned his head and saw Lucas walking side by side with his sister, Samantha who was simrlyughing at his situation.


    "Hey! Who are you to speak like that to Sir Fredrinn?"


    "How dare youugh at Sir Fredrinn?"


    "Have even seen yourself in front of the mirror?"


    Lucas'' face twitched when he heard their words.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn immediately used the chance to escape while the women were busy cursing Lucas. Of course, he didn''t forget to send his friend a thumbs-up for pulling the aggro away from him.


    When Lucas saw Fredrinn slipping away, he was dumbfounded. "Hey! That bastard¡­"


    "Did you just curse Sir Fredrinn?"


    "Sisters, let''s beat him up!"


    "Beat him up!"


    "Hey, wait! It''s all a misunderstanding! Wait! Not my face! Dammit! Stop hitting my face you bloody bitches!"


    "Samantha, help your brother!"


    Hearing this, Samantha immediately pretended like she didn''t hear anything. She even disguised herself as one of thedies and joined them in beating Lucas.


    "Dammit! Screw you, Fredrinn!"

 Chapter 123: Progress of His Closest Aides

    Time passed by, unknowingly.


    The banquet hosted by the Firecrown Household finally began. Almost all the powerful martial households in Red Sun City were invited. There were even visitors from other parts of the Star Wind Kingdom. However, the most notable guests were still the members of the supreme households and Princess Danielle who came in the name of the royal family.


    In thest few days, discussions about the Firecrown Household''s heir spread like wildfire. It was said that he was only one step closer to reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul realm, an achievement that was unheard of in the entire history of the kingdom. This ced him in the same realm as the legendary geniuses written in history books.


    Because of his rising fame, Fredrinn didn''t dare step out of his study room. He just stayed there most of the time and monitored the progress of his closest aides.


    At this moment, Fredrinn was sitting on Sean''s back as thetter was doing push-ups.


    Sean''s face was covered in sweat and it looked like he would copse at any moment.


    "Are you tired?" Fredrinn asked while looking at his reflection in a hand mirror.


    "N-No, my lord!" Sean gritted his teeth.


    "Keep going. If you drop me, I''ll tell Cain to increase your training time." Fredrinn chuckled as he put down the mirror.


    "Y-Yes, my lord!" Sean''s arms trembled as he pushed himself to the absolute limits. He only had a low-grade spirit root so he was very diligent in his physical training. It was even to the extent that he would overexert himself. He learned this self-torturing method from Cain.


    Fredrinn turned his gaze to the side where the threedies, Olivia, Alice, and Freya were gathered. They were sitting cross-legged while performing the breathing method of their respective cultivation techniques.


    Upon closer inspection, one could see a faint glow from the markings on the ground beneath them. It was an array formation that significantly increased cultivation speed. This was an array that was engraved by Elder Ardul, their household''s array formation maker.


    Other than this array formation, they were also provided with top-notch cultivation resources.


    With all these resources at their disposal, their cultivation had increased by leaps and bounds in just a short amount of time. Though most of it wasrgely attributed to their talent.


    The ones who disyed the greatest growth among the four were Olivia and Alice. These two had excellent-grade spirit roots and coupled with their diligence, they continuously broke through as if there was no obstruction in their path.


    Fredrinn activated his battle scouter to inspect their progress.


    Olivia had the highest cultivation at the 7thyer of the Qi Gathering realm. She was closely followed by Alice who was at the 6thyer. Meanwhile, Freya who only had a superior-grade spirit root and even startedter than them had just recently stepped into the 10thyer of the Body Refining realm.


    As for Sean who had a low-grade spirit root¡­ He was only at the 3rdyer of the Body Refining realm even after exhausting many pills and refined energy stones. He progressed at a snail''s pace. It was truly regrettable since he was the most diligent in the group.


    Suddenly, they heard a series of knocking on the door.


    "My lord, it''s me." Kristine''s voice echoed.


    "Come in. It''s not locked."


    "Alright. Excuse me." Kristine pushed the door and entered. She wasn''t surprised when she saw them training. She was also among the select few that Fredrinn had trained. Because of this, she progressed considerably to the point that even she was astonished.


    Fredrinn stared at Kristine and inspected her cultivation.


    [Foundation Establishment 3rd Layer]


    In just slightly over a month, she advanced by twoyers! It was a progress that would have normally taken her almost two years!


    "My lord!" She performed a simple salute.


    Fredrinn waved his hand. "What is it?" He asked impatiently.


    Kristine didn''t make her wait and said. "Lord Rnd is asking for your presence at the banquet hall. The main event will soon start and your presence is required."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn promptly stood up. "Is it finally time?" He smiled.


    "Yes, my lord." Kristine nodded.


    Sean copsed on the floor, exhausted beyond repair. He was breathing heavily like a dog who had almost drowned to death. His sweat trickled down his face before falling to the floor.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn smirked. "Sean, you better wipe the floor and make sure that it''s clean when Ie back."


    Sean didn''t even have the energy to utter a word. He only emitted a soft grunt to acknowledge his instruction.


    "You guys stay here and continue with your training. It''s not yet time for you to reveal yourselves to the world."


    "Yes, my lord!" Thedies nodded in understanding. Fredrinn told them that they were his secret force, but they knew that they were still far from being of use to him.


    After giving them a few more instructions, Fredrinn went to his closet and changed into the attire he prepared for the banquet.


    Crimson Dragon Ceremonial Yishang [Epic]


    - Increases the wearer''s charm and endurance by 1 point.


    - me spells at the Nascent Soul realm and below are automatically nullified.


    Fredrinn spent 1500 fate points to buy this from the fate shop which left him with 7875 fate points.


    The ceremonial yishang looked striking with its design. The dragon pattern at the back looked like it could devour the entire world.


    When he wore it, his entire being seemed to have transformed into the progeny of the me god! He looked sharp and devilishly handsome.


    Of course, he didn''t forget to wear the Armor of Eternal Strength beneath his yishang as an added assurance. Who knows? Maybe another idiot woulde to provoke him at the banquet.


    After making sure that his hair was nicely fixed, he smiled contentedly and left the closet.


    "How do I look?" He asked the stunned Kristine.


    "You look dashing, my lord." She promptly replied with a smile.


    "Great! Let''s go to the banquet hall." Fredrinn was ready to face the honored guests.

 Chapter 124: Banquet, Reuniting with an Old Friend

    Fredrinn headed to the banquet hall with Kristine. He wanted to bring Cain with him to the banquet, but the guy''s personality and temperament just didn''t fit well with the asion so he just left him to oversee the guards unit''s training.


    The servants they encountered along the way bowed to him respectfully. The initial disdain they once had for him was now reced with reverence. His status in the family had even subtly exceeded that of his father, the patriarch of the household.


    When they arrived at the banquet hall, all eyes immediately gathered on Fredrinn. His dashing looks attracted the attention of the youngdies. Some madams even looked like they were ready to risk it all.


    Under everyone''s gazes, Fredrinn calmly walked along the red carpet. He greeted and shook hands with the guests who approached him. He perfectly exhibited the attitude of an heir from a supreme household, garnering everyone''s admiration and praise.


    After greeting the guests, Fredrinn approached his father and bowed to him. He then greeted the elders of the supreme households. Of course, he also reluctantly greeted the princess.


    After he greeted the important guests, Fredrinn went to chat with his friends. The first on his list was Lucas and Samantha. The former stared at him with malice and his eyes seemed like they would spurt fire at any second.


    Fredrinn feigned ignorance when he saw Lucas'' expression. Meanwhile, Samantha almost failed to hold back herughter when she saw this.


    Next, Fredrinn went to chat with the heirs of the supreme households. He didn''t forget to send Evan Evergreen a re when he passed by him. However, this time, Evan no longer dared to look him straight in the eyes. He even faintly trembled when Fredrinn came close to him.


    Not longter, the main event of the banquet, the conferment of dukeship to the Firecrown Household, finally began.


    Princess Danielle served as the king''s proxy. She handed the official seal and documents to Rnd. She also presented the gifts from the royal family.


    After which, the elders of the supreme household followed suit. One by one, they presented the gifts they prepared. Finally, the representatives of the martial households handed their gifts to Rnd.


    The elders of the Firecrown Supreme Household were all smiles from start to finish. They never thought that they would see this scene in their lifetime. It was beyond their dreams!


    After the conferment ceremony, Rnd took the chance to announce that his wife would soon give birth to his daughter. This news surprised everyone and they immediately congratted him. They also wondered if his daughter would be as talented as Fredrinn. If that happened, the Firecrown Household was destined to rise to greater heights.


    The banquet continued for the next five hours.


    As soon as the banquet concluded, Fredrinn excused himself and headed straight to his daughter''s room. Because of his busy schedule, he had neglected her in the past few days which made him feel extremely guilty.


    The little girl was being taken care of by his mother''s most trusted associates. There were also elite martial practitioners stationed nearby to ensure her safety.


    When he arrived, he found out that Avariel was sleeping on her bed. He sat next to her and gently caressed her face. "I''m sorry for being a bad father, my little angel. I promise that I''ll make it up to you." He whispered as he nted a kiss on her face.


    He stayed with her for some time before he headed to his room to get some well-deserved rest. To prepare for the banquet, he moved around the city nonstop in the past few days. Although he was already a high-ranking martial practitioner, he still felt mentally exhausted.


    ***


    Soon, the Firecrown Supreme Household was officially recognized as the sixth supreme household of the Star Wind Kingdom. The citizens of the kingdom had different opinions about this matter, but almost everyone was happy with the emergence of another superpower in the kingdom.


    After all, their presence would make the kingdom more powerful which in turn would positively affect the safety of the normal citizens.


    After being officially recognized as the sixth supreme household, the Firecrown Supreme Household soon began their recruitment of soldiers. Many martial practitioners were attracted by their recruitment. Fredrinn even spotted some rare gems among these people.


    During the recruitment, Fredrinn encountered an acquaintance. It was the guard captain of the Drunken Mist Inn where he once stayed with his mother. He had almost forgotten about this fellow since he had never heard any news from him.


    Fredrinn had a good impression of this guy. He was a magical beast lover who also had some talent in cultivation. Although his talent might not beparable to the prodigies like his closest aides, this guy definitely had some potential. Despite being raised in amoner family, he managed to reach the Foundation Establishment realm before the age of 40. It was a feat that was by no means ordinary.


    [Foundation Establishment 7th Layer]


    [Thurman Wadlow] Favorability: 82


    "It''s been a while, Thurman. I thought that you would nevere to see me." Fredrinn smiled as he took the initiative to extend his hand.


    Thurman was nervous when he came here. He thought that Fredrinn had already forgotten him. To think that Fredrinn had even remembered his name. This filled him with so much emotion. "I feel honored that you still remember me, my lord." He bowed respectfully.


    "Dispense with the formalities. I already invited you to join us a long time ago so there''s no need for you to go through all the tests. Follow me. There is only one test that you need to take."


    Thurman didn''t expect that he would receive this kind of treatment. It filled him with immense pride when he saw the jealous gazes of the other martial practitioners who came for the job.


    "My lord, what test do I need to take?" He curiously asked.


    Fredrinn chuckled. "It''s just a spirit root test so there''s no need for you to be nervous. We need to confirm your spirit root to know your potential, but even if you don''t have a good spirit root, I''ll still give you a suitable position in the household''s army." He patted Thurman''s shoulder reassuringly.


    "I see. Thank you for your kindness, my lord!"

 Chapter 125: Legendary Pet Selection Card

    "My lord!" Aurelius abruptly stood up from his seat when he saw Fredrinn entering the spirit root testing area.


    Fredrinn waved his hand. "Sit down. I came here to test my friend here." He pointed at Thurman who was behind him.


    Aurelius turned his head at the person behind Fredrinn. The guy was tall and muscr. His cultivation was also above the standard of those who came to take part in the tests. Since he was someone rmended by Fredrinn, he believed that this person should have some talent.


    Thinking about this, Aurelius nodded. "What''s your name?"


    Fredrinn nodded at Thurman.


    "My name is Thurman Wadlow, sir!"


    "Thurman, is it? Come here and ce your hand on the testing orb." Aurelius remembered his name. They might be colleagues soon so there was no need to make things hard for him.


    "Yes, sir!" Thurman nervously reached out to the orb. He hadn''t tested his spirit root yet since his family didn''t have a spirit root testing device. Furthermore, it was also quite expensive to have himself tested so he had no idea what kind of spirit root he possessed.


    The applicants who came to be tested curiously watched the orb. They wondered what kind of spirit root he had for him to be personally brought in by Fredrinn.


    Under everyone''s surprised gazes, the orb emitted an orange glow.


    "High-grade spirit root!"


    "He has a high-grade spirit root!"


    The applicants eximed at the result. In Red Sun City, there were only less than a hundred people who had high-grade spirit roots. They were talented individuals who had a high chance of advancing to the Core Formation realm. They even had some chance to reach the Nascent Soul realm!


    Thurman was also excited. He didn''t that he had a high-grade spirit root. All this time, he thought that it was only intermediate-grade at best.


    "Good! I wasn''t wrong about you." Fredrinn grinned as he patted Thurman''s shoulder.


    "Thank you, my lord! I was just lucky!"


    Fredrinn chuckled at his words. "Luck is part of your strength. Anyway, you should consider moving into the estate. Once you be one of us, you will have to stay here most of the time."


    "Uhm, can I bring my mother with me?" He asked hesitantly.


    "Of course! You can bring your family with you. You should go back home for now and tell them the good news. If you need anything, just find Aurelius. He will arrange everything for you."


    "Thank you so much, my lord!" Thurman was happy that his family was allowed to move in with him. They had some issues with their living environment so moving into the Firecrown Supreme Household''s estate was like a godsent opportunity.


    Fredrinn gave him a few more words of encouragement before he left to observe the other testing areas.


    They nned to take in more than 9000 martial practitioners to fill their army. Even though they were in a hurry to establish their army, Fredrinn suggested to his father to only take in those with potential and perseverance.


    Once the household gathered 10000 soldiers, Fredrinn would select the best of them to join his guards unit and form his elite force!


    Another month went by in the blink of an eye. The Firecrown Household had finally gathered a total of ten thousand soldiers!


    [The Firecrown Household''s power has significantly increased because of your intervention! It is a family that is supposed to fall, but it now carries an enormous responsibility to hold the skies! Rewards: 5000 Fate Points, Level Up Card x1, Ice Affinity Upgrade Card x1, and Legendary Pet Selection Card x1!]


    [Hidden Mission Completion Rate: 60%]


    Fredrinn received a notification as soon as thest spot was taken. He immediately used the Level Up Card and the Ice Affinity Upgrade Card on himself.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Core Formation 10th Layer] [Level 40]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ??????????


    Space Affinity: ??


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style, Divine Ice Flower Execution


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 12875


    He had finally stepped into the peak of the Core Formation realm! Just one more step and he would be a true Nascent Soul martial practitioner!


    After taking a look at his profile, Fredrinn grabbed the Legendary Pet Selection Card.


    After activating the card, a selection of magical beasts was disyed on the screen.


    Millennium Turtle Sovereign [Legendary]


    (Cultivation: Void Tempering 5th Phase)


    Electro Wyvern [Legendary]


    (Cultivation: Void Tempering 4th Phase)


    ck-scaled Nightmare Dragon [Legendary]


    (Cultivation: Void Tempering 6th Phase)


    Two-headed Lava Golem [Legendary]


    (Cultivation: Void Tempering 5th Phase)


    Howling Hell Wolf [Legendary]


    (Cultivation: Void Tempering 4th Phase)


    Twelve-winged Forest Fairy [Legendary]


    (Cultivation: Void Tempering 4th Phase)


    Seeing the six choices, Fredrinn was stumped. Each magical beast had their advantages. For instance, the Twelve-winged Forest Fairy was a very mystical magical beast. It was believed to be extinct, but what''s most interesting about this creature was its innate ability to nurture elixirs. It also had strong healing and buffing powers.


    The only downside about this magical beast was its rtively weakbat power. Twelve-winged Forest Fairies were also gentle in nature so they didn''t like to be involved in wars and disputes.


    Another interesting magical beast was the Millennium Turtle Sovereign. Just like its name, it was a magical beast that could live for thousands of years! This creature had strong vitality and it also possessed a high affinity with water, making it an invincible creature in the ocean or environments with bodies of water.


    Fredrinn carefully read the description of the magical beasts. He didn''t dare choose lightly since these creatures were capable of trampling the kingdom!


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin. ''The most powerful is the dragon, but taking care of it would exhaust our family''s resources.'' He wanted to choose a magical beast that could fight since there would soon be a war against the Blue Sky Kingdom. The top of his choice was the dragon, but it was bound to attract unwanted attention once it was exposed to the world.


    As much as he wanted to choose it, he didn''t have the strength to protect the beast if an unexpected situation came up.


    "What a pity!" Fredrinnmented his own weakness. If only he was strong enough, he wouldn''t even hesitate to choose the dragon. However, he knew that it was not the best choice given his current situation. In the end, he could only reluctantly select the¡­

 Chapter 126: The Perfect Shield, Daphne

    As soon as Fredrinn made his selection, a blinding light shed and obscured his vision. When he opened his eyes, he saw a tiny woman with twelve transparent golden wings. Her beauty was ethereal, like a sacred being untainted by the filth of the mortal world. She was only the size of Fredrinn''s palm, but the Qi emanating from her body almost made him breathless.


    A momentter, the tiny woman looked around her with a baffled look on her face. "Are you my master?" She muttered when her confused eyes shifted towards Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn couldn''t help but admire her looks. This tiny fairy had the most beautiful face he had ever seen. Even the absolute beauties in the kingdom looked ordinarypared to her.


    While nodding his head, Fredrinn said. "My name is Fredrinn Firecrown. You can call me Sir Fredrinn or you can also refer to me as your lord since that''s what everyone calls me here."


    Enjoy stories on m_v lem|p-yr


    "I see. In that case, I''ll call you Lord Fredrinn. Please give me a name, my lord."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn thought deeply. This was a being at the 4th phase of the Void Tempering realm so he had to give her a fitting name. "Let''s see¡­"


    "You''re a forest fairy and your hair is green like a healthy leaf of a tree. I''ll give you the name Daphne." Fredrinn smiled as he offered his palm.


    "Daphne¡­" The forest fairy seemed to like this name a lot. Her cold face soon broke into a smile. She then gracefullynded on Fredrinn''s palm.


    Looking at the naked fairy on his hand, Fredrinn almost fell into a trance. He shook off his dirty thoughts. "Do you like your name?" He asked.


    Daphne hummed in response.


    "We should get some clothes for you. I can''t let you go out naked."


    "It''s fine, my lord. I can do this." Daphne waved her arm. Using the power of her Qi, she wove a dress that is almost transparent and just barely enough to cover the most private parts of her body.


    "That''s better, but I think that I should still get you some clothes. You can''t wear something like that when you''re in front of other people." Fredrinn reminded her.


    "Yes, my lord." Daphne obediently nodded.


    Fredrinn inspected her cultivation using the battle scouter function.


    [Void Tempering 4th Phase]


    He then checked her favorability.


    [Daphne] Favorability: 100


    "Daphne, in the Great Vemune Continent, forest fairies are extinct creatures so you shouldn''t let anyone see you especially if they are wicked people. Do you understand?"


    "I understand, my lord."


    "Good. Your main task at the moment is to protect my daughter and my parents. I''ll let you see them soon, but you should hide under my clothes first. They might faint from shock if they see you." It would be hard to exin if his parents saw her.


    "Before that, I''ll teach you some basic information about this world and the kingdom where we are located¡­" Fredrinn spent the remainder of the day teaching her the important things she needed to learn.


    Daphne was a forest fairy with high cultivation so she quickly absorbed everything he told her.


    With Daphne in the family, the Firecrown Household now had three Void Tempering powerhouses!


    The next day, Fredrinn woke up feeling incredibly refreshed.


    Last night, he asked Daphne to cast a sleeping spell on him. He had been so busy in the past few weeks that his body was craving some sleep.


    When he was about to get up from the bed, he realized that something was clinging to his arm, preventing him from rising. "Huh?"


    Fredrinn uncovered the nket and saw a green-haired woman glued to him like a ko. She was butt naked so he saw everything that he wasn''t supposed to see.


    Looking at the familiar face, Fredrinn muttered. "Daphne?"


    It was the forest fairy. However, she had unknowingly transformed into a human. He wondered if this was one of the abilities of forest fairies.


    Daphne''s eyshes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes. She then abruptly stretched her limbs which inadvertently exposed her body. Even the slit between her legs was fully revealed, making Fredrinn feel a certain physiological reaction.


    "Aiya!" Fredrinn didn''t blink his eyes, afraid that he would miss this scene.


    "My lord?" Daphne got up, causing her watermelons to jiggle.


    ''Should I grab it?'' Fredrinn thought about doing it, but looking at the innocent expression on the fairy''s face, Fredrinn immediately quashed the thought.


    He got up from the bed and looked away from the big melons. "How did you transform into a human?" He asked while struggling to keep his eyes on her face.


    "Oh? It''s easy. I can just do it." She replied, looking like a clueless child.


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin. There were more interesting things about her than what was written in the description.


    "Since you can transform into a human, there should be no need to hide you. Can you maintain this appearance all day?" If she could maintain this form indefinitely, that would make things easier. He would be spared from having to exin to his parents and also from hiding her from the rest of the world.


    However, there was just one issue. She didn''t have themon sense of humans. She was smart, but she was an innocent kid.


    "Maintaining this form doesn''t consume much Qi. I can do it all day." Daphne nodded her head.


    Fredrinn smiled upon hearing this.


    Suddenly, a brilliant n came into his mind.


    Lately, his parents mentioned marriage to him every time they had the chance. They even gave him some portraits of thedies whom they found perfect to be his wife. Many martial households also visited the estate to propose marriage and there was also Princess Danielle who used all sorts of reasons just to see him. This matter had troubled him and he also couldn''t reject his parents all the time.


    However, the solution to this issue was right in front of him.


    Staring at Daphne''s peerlessly beautiful face, Fredrinn chuckled. This girl was the perfect shield to stop everyone from pestering him about marriage.

 Chapter 127: Caught

    ''How should I introduce Daphne to my parents?'' Fredrinn started formting a n in his mind.


    It would be suspicious if he suddenly brought her to his parents. Those two were smart people, especially his mother. Margaret was responsible for running most of the family''s businesses. Fredrinn wouldn''t be able to fool her without a definite alibi.


    While he was immersed in his thoughts, he suddenly heard a series of knocks on his door. "Who woulde to my room at this time of the day? It''s still early in the morning¡­" He furrowed his eyebrows in displeasure. He never had any decent rest since the banquetst month.


    "Wait for a moment." He said as he hastily put on a robe to cover himself with. He then opened the door.


    When he saw who was outside, Fredrinn was surprised. "Mom? What are you doing here by yourself?"


    It was his mother, Margaret Cloudsky. She was already pregnant for a few months and her belly had a slight bulge.


    Seeing Fredrinning out of his room, she smiled gently. "Are you not happy to see your mother? Don''t tell me you''re hiding a woman inside your room?" She muttered in a teasing voice.


    "How could that be-" It was then that he remembered that Daphne was still inside. It wouldn''t be good if his mother saw her right now. Daphne was butt naked so Margaret would certainly misunderstand things which might cause his n to fall apart.


    Margaret sensed that something was amiss when she saw Fredrinn''s dodgy expression. "You''re not actually hiding someone inside, are you?" She stretched her neck and took a peek inside his room.


    Fredrinn quickly shut the door, but Margaret happened to see a woman on his bed in that instant. "Who is she?" Her voice sounded cold.


    Looking at his mother''s serious face, he knew that he was already busted. "Mom, it''s not how it looks. She''s¡­ ays¡­" He didn''t know how to exin it. He wanted to say that nothing happened, but he knew that his mother wouldn''t believe him.


    Margaret narrowed her eyes. "No wonder you refused to look at the portraits of those girls. It turns out that you''re already seeing someone."


    ''Hold on¡­'' Fredrinn suddenly thought of a better idea.


    "Mom, actually¡­ I wanted to introduce her to you and Father soon. I was just waiting for the right time." Fredrinn said while scratching the back of his head.


    "Your father is in the energy stone mine. I will go there to inspect the new buildings for our miners and the guards. Get dressed ande with me. Also, bring that girl with you." Margaret didn''t wait for him to respond. She promptly turned around and left.


    When Fredrinn could no longer see her face, a grin hung on her lips.


    After she left, Fredrinn headed back to his room to get changed. He also briefed Daphne on what she should do.


    Daphne looked utterly confused by his exnation. He wanted to teach her a few more things, but he couldn''t let his mother wait. He could only pray that Daphne wouldn''t make a mistake.


    A whileter, Fredrinn finally stepped out of his room. He didn''t wear anything fancy this time since they were headed to the mines. He only wore a set of casual clothes. Standing beside him was Daphne who was wearing Olivia''s spare clothes. The clothes were a size smaller than hers so they fitted tightly around her body, fully outlining her delicate curves.


    "Hold my hand. Remember what I told you." Fredrinn reminded her.


    "Yes, my lord. I''ve remembered them well." Daphne nodded.


    "Let''s go."


    When the people inside the mansion saw him walking hand in hand with a woman, they were incredibly surprised.


    "Who is that woman?"


    "Is she Lord Fredrinn''s fianc¨¦e?"


    "How beautiful!"


    Fredrinn smirked when he heard their discussion. ''Please spread the word faster for me. That way, all those annoyingdies would stop pestering me.''


    They soon arrived at the main hall where his mother was waiting.


    At this moment, Margaret chatting with Tyrell and Darius. They all stopped talking and turned their heads when they sensed their arrival.


    Seeing Daphne who was affectionately holding Fredrinn''s hand, the three of them were stunned.


    Margaret''s eyes lit up when she got a clearer look at Daphne.


    "Mom, I hope we didn''t make you wait for too long." Fredrinn smiled at Margaret. He also nodded to Tyrell and Darius.


    "Greetings, Madam Margaret. My name is Daphne. It''s an honor to meet the madam of the Firecrown Supreme Household." Daphne curtsied as she greeted Margaret. This was something taught to her by Fredrinn. Surprisingly, she managed to perform it well and it didn''t look like it was her first time doing it. Fredrinn silently praised her.


    Her performance exceeded his expectations.


    Margaret also seemed pleased. It was obvious that she liked Daphne. This was the advantage of having a beautiful face.


    Darius and Tyrell didn''t even dare stare at her for too long. She was too beautiful that they were almost enamored after just taking one nce at her face


    "So your name is Daphne? There''s no need to call me madam. We will be family soon so there''s no need for formalities. Just call me mom next time, okay?" Margaret expertly grabbed Daphne''s arm and pulled her away from Fredrinn.


    Daphne smiled and nodded obediently. "Yes, mom." Her voice was pleasant to the ears, making Margaret like her even more.


    "By the way, from which family did youe from?" Margaret suddenly asked.


    "I''m already an orphan¡­ My parents left me when I was still young." Daphne put on a sad look.


    Her acting was so good that even Fredrinn almost believed her. ''This girl is a better actress than I thought¡­''


    "I''m sorry, Daphne. I shouldn''t have asked that." Margaret felt sorry when she heard about Daphne''s ''past''. She immediately changed the topic and avoided asking about Daphne''s private life.


    Looking at the two women who were already on their way out of the main hall, Fredrinn was left speechless. "Wait for me!"

 Chapter 128: Magic Aquanite

    With the ckcrow Household out of the picture, the energy stone mine now fully belonged to the Firecrown Household. Rnd also increased the volume of the mining operations since the Firecrown Household would require a lot of money for their expansion.


    This energy stone mine was one of the main sources of ie for the Firecrown Supreme Household. To ensure the quality of work, the family even invested in a new building for the miners and guards. A new leisure facility was also built just for them. Not just that, their wages also increased and they even received new equipment to rece the old ones.


    Furthermore, they even received free housing and their children were also provided with allowance for their education and martial training.


    With these amazing benefits, the lives of the miners and the guards significantly improved.


    At this moment, Fredrinn and the others finally arrived at the new residential building. They alighted from the carriage and inspected the building in front of them.


    "Is this the residential building of the workers?" Margaret turned her gaze to Darius.


    Thetter was Rnd''s right-hand man so he knew a lot of things that were happening in the household.


    Darius nodded. "Yes, madam. We expedited the construction of this building after we received funding from the royal family. The new leisure facility is on the third floor. Lord Fredrinn made the designs of the indoor game equipment."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn recalled that he had indeed given them some ideas back then. He taught them the designs and rules of billiards. He also taught them about other leisure games like basketball and volleyball.


    There were no such games in the Great Vemune Continent so when he introduced those fresh ideas to them, everyone was thrilled. Fredrinn could still remember the excited faces of the workers when they first tried billiards. Thinking about that, he couldn''t help but smile.


    "I heard that it was your idea to improve the living conditions of the workers. Good job." Margaret was proud of her son.


    Behind the residential building were the stables where normal horses were kept. The mining site was quite far from the estate so they needed to have some horses for their transportation.


    After inspecting the new facilities, the group headed straight to the energy stone mine.


    When they arrived, Rnd immediately came to see them.


    "What took you guys so long?" Rnd hugged and affectionately held his wife''s hand.


    It was then that he noticed an unfamiliar girl beside Fredrinn. She was wearing a fitting dress that showed off her curves.


    Seeing this woman holding his son''s arm so intimately, Rnd raised an eyebrow in surprise.


    "Son, you should introduce Daphne to your father." Margaret chuckled when she saw her husband''s inquisitive expression.


    "Father, this is Daphne. She is my woman." He felt a bit embarrassed when he said that.


    "Daphne, this is my father. You should greet him."


    "Greetings, patriarch." Daphne obediently greeted Rnd.


    "There''s no need to be formal." Rnd gave his son a sneaky thumbs-up as if he approved Daphne.


    To this, Fredrinn could only smile while shaking his head.


    "Let''s talk about family matterster. You should tell us why you told us toe here first." Margaret said.


    "Oh, right!"


    "It would be better if you guys follow me. I''ll show you something good." Rnd smiled mysteriously.


    Seeing him acting like that, the group curiously followed him.


    Rnd brought them to one of the storage rooms where all raw energy stones were stored.


    "Two days ago, one of our miners found something at the lowest level of the mine. Do you know what he found?" After saying this, Rnd opened the storage room, revealing arge quantity of green raw ores.


    "That''s¡­" Fredrinn was stunned when he saw the ores.


    "Do you recognize it, son?" Rnd chuckled.


    "How could I not recognize it? Those are Magic aquanite!" Fredrinn approached the nearest pile of raw materials and grabbed a handful.


    Smelting this ore would produce a metal called magic aquanite. It was a very rare material like the orichalcum. It was a durable piece of metal that could withstand the violent Qi of high-level martial practitioners. Most equipment used by Void Tempering powerhouses was also made from this material. Because of its rarity and high demand, magic aquanite was even more valuable than orichalcum.


    "It seemed like you have studied a lot." Rnd looked pleased.


    Fredrinn ignored his father''s teasing look and asked. "Father, have you inspected how much magic aquanite we can mine down there?"


    Rnd nodded. "Of course! That was the first thing I had our people do when they informed me about it. We still haven''t done any detailed inspections, but there should be enough for us to make full gear for our ten thousand soldiers. Their horses'' armors included."


    "What?! That much?" Usually, magic aquanite could only be found in small amounts so he was shocked by Rnd''s words.


    "The stock here is just the first batch. There''s still more down there." Rnd chuckled.


    "Look at you acting so smug." Margaret lightly prodded her husband''s waist with her elbow.


    "Father, have you sealed off the area?"


    Hearing this, Rnd''s face suddenly turned serious as he nodded his head. "I had our soldiers barricade the area around the mining site. I also signed an agreement with our workers to keep them silent."


    "That won''t be enough." Fredrinn shook his head.


    Once news that magic aquanite was found in the mining site, it would attract unwanted attention. Although they had been promoted to a supreme household, there was no guarantee that no one woulde to attack them. After all, magic aquanite was no ordinary material. Even the royal family shouldn''t haverge amounts of it in stock.


    "What should we do then?" Rnd also knew this. That''s the reason why he called them here. He wanted to get Fredrinn''s opinion.


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin. They had three Void Tempering powerhouses including Daphne, but their ten thousand-man army was still not ready for battle.


    "For now, we should only ce our most trusted martial practitioners here. As for the new soldiers, don''t let them get closer to this ce. There might be spies from other households among them." Fredrinn didn''t have the time to inspect each of the newly hired soldiers so he guessed that some spies might have gotten in. ''I need to deal with them before they discover the magic aquanite.''

 Chapter 129: Prioritize the Mining of Magic Aquanite

    "If we maintain the current mining volume, how long would it take to mine all the magic aquanite?" Fredrinn asked.


    Even if they did their best to hide this matter, it would soon leak out. They had to prioritize the mining of magic aquanite before that happened.


    Rnd furrowed his eyebrows and said. "We should ask the experts. We''ll get the urate answers from them. I''ll bring you to see the head miner."


    Not longter, Rnd brought them to the head miner.


    "My lord! Mydies!" The head miner and the workers immediately greeted them.


    "Don''t mind us. We only came here to chat with the head miner. You guys can go and do your thing." Rnd waved his hand.


    Hearing this, the miners bowed and left, leaving the header miner on his own.


    "I wonder how I can help you, my lord." The head miner was a bit nervous. He rarely had the opportunity to talk with the patriarch. To someone like him, the patriarch of the Firecrown Supreme Household was like a high official.


    Rnd smiled and patted the man''s shoulder. "There''s no need to be nervous. We only have some questions for you."


    "I see. I''ll do my best to answer your queries." The head miner felt less nervous when he saw how easygoing the patriarch was.


    Rnd sent Fredrinn a knowing gaze and nodded to him.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn understood his intentions.


    "Hello, Head Miner John. It''s been a while!" Fredrinn extended his hand at the head miner. He had spoken with this guy before when the miners sent a request for a raise. He was a patient and hardworking man so Fredrinn respected him a lot.


    "I feel honored that you still remember someone like me, my lord!" The head miner didn''t expect that Fredrinn would remember a nobody like him.


    "How could I forget you?" Fredrinn chuckled.


    "By the way, I''d like to know more about the situation with the mining of the magic aquanite. How long would it take our miners to dig out everything?" Fredrinn asked.


    Hearing this, Head Miner John''s face turned into work mode. He thought for a moment and carefully responded. "My lord, we haven''t done a detailed inspection on the magic aquanite ores within the mine so I can only give you a rough estimate based on our current data¡­"


    "¡­ If we maintain the current workload, it should take us around half a year to dig out all the magic aquanite ore. If we temporarily halt the mining of the energy stones and prioritize the magic aquanite ore, I believe we can do it in four months."


    "Four months?" Fredrinn frowned. Plenty of things could happen in those four months. What if one of their miners got drunk and identally spilled the secret? It would be a disaster!


    "That won''t do. We need to hire more miners. We must dig out all the magic aquanite ore within a month!" Fredrinn didn''t any mistakes to happen so the best choice was to expedite the mining of the ore.


    "But my lord¡­ we can''t casually hire people if we want to hide things here. It might take us some time to find trustworthy miners." The head miner reminded him.


    "I know. I already have the right people in mind for the job. Just prepare their equipment. I will bring them here soon. For now, tell our miners to halt the mining of the energy stones. We will prioritize the magic aquanite ores."


    "This¡­" The head miner turned his head to the patriarch to seek his opinion.


    Rnd nodded when he sensed his gaze.


    Seeing the patriarch''s confirmation, the head miner said. "Alright. I''ll get our people to work on it, my lord! Even if we have to double our workload, I''ll make sure that this task will be done without any mishaps!"


    Fredrinn smiled and patted his shoulder. "I trust you, Head Miner John."


    "Please excuse me. I''ll start the operation now." The head miner bowed deeply and left with quick strides.


    Fredrinn stared apologetically at his father. "I''m sorry, father. I made a decision on my own."


    Rndughed and shook his head. "You don''t need to apologize. You are the heir of the Firecrown Supreme Household. You will soon be responsible for these tasks so it doesn''t matter."


    "I''m just curious¡­ where are you going to find more miners?"


    "About that¡­ do you remember the people we saved from the slums?" Fredrinn grinned. When his subordinates took down the Snake Gang, they saved a bunch of people who were victims of their crimes. Those people had already been absorbed into the Firecrown Supreme Household. Their loyalty to the household was strong because of their gratitude. He wasn''t worried that they would betray him.


    Besides, he could always check their favorability through the favorability meter function.


    "I see. So you were talking about them." Rnd was also aware of those people. He was the one who approved of their stay in the household. He even allowed the families of those people to join the household.


    "But¡­ can you guarantee that they would be tight-lipped?" Although he trusted Fredrinn, he knew howplicated the human heart was. There was no knowing if those people would remain tight-lipped if someone would bribe them.


    "You can rest assured, father. I''ll take care of it. I''ll make sure that only those we can trust will enter the mining site." Fredrinn muttered reassuringly.


    "Alright. I''ll leave it in your care then. We should head back to the mansion and discuss your situation first. I didn''t know you were hiding such a finedy. No wonder you ignored all those youngdies from before." Rnd winked at him knowingly.


    Seeing his antics, Margaret pinched his waist secretly. "Stop teasing your son. Can''t you see that Daphne is here?"


    "Aiyo! Yes! Yes! Yes! Let''s go home!"


    Daphne saw through everything, but she didn''t understand what was going on. Her curious eyes moved back and forth between the couple and Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn squeezed her hand and said. "Let''s go home, Daphne."

 Chapter 130: Black Flame Heavy Cavalry

    The family had lunch together with Daphne at the main mansion. Because there was an important guest, more food was served on the table.


    "Since when have you two known each other?" Rnd asked while looking at Fredrinn and Daphne.


    Margaret also cast a curious nce at them.


    "I don''t remember the exact date, but it wasst year." After being transmigrated into this body, Fredrinn had mastered the art of acting. He didn''t even bat an eye when he lied to his parents. He felt a bit guilty about lying to them, but he had to hide Daphne''s true identity.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t trust his parents, but there was no guarantee that they wouldn''t identally expose her if they knew the truth.


    Margaret and Rnd asked them more questions which Fredrinn answered most of the time. Daphne rarely got the chance to respond since Fredrinn was worried that she would say something wrong.


    Halfway to their meal¡­


    "Have you two discussed marriage?"


    "We are already thinking about it, but with all the issuesing up, we¡­" Fredrinn sighed with a look of regret.


    Daphne matched his acting by putting up a sad look.


    "That won''t do! You guys should get married as soon as possible!" Rnd suddenly became more serious.


    "But father, what about the issues at the mine? We can''t neglect that." Fredrinn gulped, feeling a bit nervous. He hadn''t thought about marrying Daphne for real at all.


    "The mine is important, but your marriage is more important. You shouldn''t let Daphne wait, my son. You have to be firm and push through even with all the obstacles in your path! Have you forgotten our household mantra?" Rnd started with his habitual nagging again.


    Surprisingly, Margaret didn''t side with Fredrinn this time. She seemed to have reached a tacit agreement with Rnd.


    Looking at his parents'' serious faces, Fredrinn realized that he was screwed. Thinking about this, he stared at Daphne and sent her an apologetic look. From the looks of it, this fake rtionship would end up bing real.


    "Alright, but we should discuss this after we deal with the issues at the mine. I won''t be able to marry Daphne in peace if we can''t resolve that problem." Fredrinn could onlypromise. Besides, he didn''t actually mind marrying Daphne. Although she wasn''t human, she was beautiful and innocent. In his home world, he couldn''t even dream of marrying a girl like her.


    "Good! Don''t worry about the mine. I''ll help you with that!" Rnd grinned. He looked happier now that his son finally found the perfect wife material.


    The conversation became more harmonious after that and thetter half of the meal became longer.


    ***


    Two weeks passed by since the magic aquanite was first discovered.


    News about Fredrinn having a fianc¨¦e spread like wildfire. It didn''t take long for those in the higher circles to hear this information.


    Fredrinn was responsible for spreading this information. He was hoping that this would stop those annoying youngdies from pestering him.


    At this moment, Fredrinn was observing the training of his new guards unit. He took the most talented and skilled people from the ten thousand-man army they hired. Now, his guards unit had five hundred members and all of them were the absolute best in terms of skill level.


    Fredrinn renamed his guards unit to ck me Heavy Cavalry. He nned to turn them into the sword and shield of the Firecrown Supreme Household!


    When they fought with the ckcrow Household, Fredrinn realized what theycked.


    It was a formidable and reliable force.


    They already have Rnd''s elite unit, but most of their members are already old and they will soon retire. Thus, he wanted to transform the ck me Heavy Cavalry into the family''s most powerful force!


    Each member of the newly formed ck me Heavy Cavalry passed Fredrinn''s loyalty test. They had the highest favorability so he wasn''t worried that they would betray him or the household.


    In thest two weeks, Fredrinn also ordered the household''s cksmiths to make new gears for them using the magic aquanite they mined. To increase the efficiency, Fredrin specifically summoned the Master-rank cksmith Norman and the Master-rank Array Formation Maker Xavier Coldstone.


    With these two Master-rank martial practitioners leading the production, the equipment of the ck me Heavy Cavalry waspleted in just less than two weeks!


    "Everyone, silence!" The newly appointed Deputy Regiment Commander, Bernard Oceanwave shouted. His stern eyes scanned the group, making sure that everyone was in position. This guy was one of the Nascent Soul martial practitioners they invited to join the household.


    He was new to the household, but because of his high cultivation potential, Fredrinn appointed him as the Deputy Regiment Commander of the ck me Heavy Cavalry.


    Unlike before, the Firecrown Supreme Household no longercked Nascent Soul martial practitioners. Just in his ck me Heavy Cavalry, three of the five Company Commanders were in this realm.


    "My lord, I have called everyone here as per your instructions!" Bernard performed a standard salute. After his arrival at the estate, he had been performing well so Fredrinn allowed him to peruse the Boundless Ocean Arcanum.


    Fredrinn nodded. He then turned his gaze to Argus who was standing beside him. "Regiment Commander Argus, you may take the stage."


    The old warrior nodded respectfully. "Yes, my lord."


    Everyone stared at the old man with awe and fear. They were already aware that this tall and stern-looking old man was a Void Tempering powerhouse. Other than Fredrinn''s immediate family, he was the next person they respected.


    "Attention!"


    As soon as Argus shouted, the members of the ck me Heavy Cavalry turned their eyes to him.


    "Today, you will receive the new equipment created by our household''s most talented craftsmen! You must treasure them well and use them to make the household''s name reverberate throughout the Star Wind Kingdom and even the whole Great Vemune Continent!" Argus'' words made everyone''s blood boil in excitement. They could already imagine themselves sweeping across the kingdom in their new equipment.


    The thought filled everyone with glee.


    [The Firecrown Household''s power has significantly increased because of your intervention! It is a family that is supposed to fall, but it now carries an enormous responsibility to hold the skies! Rewards: 5000 Fate Points, Level Up Card x1, Space Affinity Upgrade Card x1!, and Legendary Item Selection Card x1!]


    [Hidden Mission Completion Rate: 80%]

 Chapter 131: Fredrinn’s Choice

    After the newly crafted equipment was distributed to the ck me Heavy Cavalry, Fredrinn told Argus and Bernard to resume their training.


    Meanwhile, he returned to his study room to inspect the items he received from the hidden mission.


    This time, he received one Level Up Card and one Space Affinity Upgrade Card. Thetter was quite rare and it was only the second time he received it.


    Without much hesitation, Fredrinn used the two upgrade cards.


    Normally, one would need to open their soul nodules to advance to the Nascent Soul realm. Every martial practitioner has four soul nodules, but they are in an inactive state. Furthermore, activating them was no simple task and it required one to be at the peak stage of the Core Formation realm to be qualified to take this step.


    The first soul nodule was called Tien. It was located in the upper part of the soul, right on the head. Activating this soul nodule would awaken one''s ability to use spiritual power. It was a special ability that allowed one tomunicate with the surrounding elements using the soul as a medium. It was a power unique only to Nascent Soul martial practitioners.


    Usually, one would experience excruciating pain to activate the Tien soul nodule, but to Fredrinn who was using a Level Up Card, he felt absolutely nothing.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Nascent Soul 1st Layer] [Level 41]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ??????????


    Space Affinity: ????


    Cultivation: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style, Divine Ice Flower Execution


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 17875


    "Eh? I thought I would feel something during this advancement. I even prepared some painkillers." Fredrinn muttered under his breath.


    He had finally stepped into the Nascent Soul realm!


    After some time, Fredrinn opened his inventory and took out the Legendary Item Selection Card.


    As soon as he used the card, an array of legendary items were disyed on his screen.


    Blue Heaven Lightning Sword [Legendary]


    - A sword crafted by a renowned ancient cksmith. The sword''s de was bathed in lightning, strengthening it significantly.


    Energy Cannon ster [Legendary]


    - A siege weapon crafted by an evil group of magicians. It was created for the sole purpose of destroying a kingdom!


    me Sword Realm


    - A 6th-tier Array Formation engraved by a Grandmaster-rank Array Formation Maker during the ancient era. It has both defensive and offensive abilities.


    Servant Upgrade Card [Legendary]


    - Using this card would promote your servant to the next realm. Can only be used for servants below the Nascent Soul realm. Cannot be used on the living beings of the Great Vemune Continent.


    Pocket Dimension [Legendary]


    - A small world created by a powerful being. Can only sustain magical beasts or pets. Creatures within the dimension will gain a boost in their growth and possibly awaken an inherent bloodline.


    Flute of the Beast Whisperer [Legendary]


    - ying this flute will open a separate dimension and permanently summon 1000 flying magical beasts raised by the maker. This item was crafted by an ancient Grandmaster-rank cksmith with the help of a Grandmaster-rank Array Formation Maker.


    Fredrinn carefully read the description of each item.


    The Blue Heaven Lightning Sword seemed like an overpowered weapon, but he already had the me Dragon Crescent de so he crossed it out from his selection.


    Meanwhile, the Energy Canon ster was also a powerful siege weapon, but they had no use for it in the meantime. Furthermore, the royal family was already researching the artillery created by the Blue Sky Kingdom. Thinking about this, Fredrinn also removed this item from his selection.


    Among the four remaining items, Fredrinn decided to cross out the Servant Upgrade Card. It was useful, but the effects were quite limited for a legendary item. If it could be used on Nascent Soul martial practitioners or even Void Tempering powerhouses, he would consider choosing this item.


    This time, only three were left after crossing out what he deemed unnecessary at this moment.


    ''This me Sword Realm seemed like a versatile array formation.'' Fredrinn rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    After careful consideration, he decided to eliminate this item from his selection. This was because the recently hired Master-rank Array Formation Maker, Xavier Coldstone, was already working on a new array formation for the household. It would be redundant if he chose the me Sword Realm.


    Finally, only two items were left, the pocket dimension and the flute of the beast whisperer.


    Fredrinn spent almost half an hour thinking about which item would be the best for the present situation. In the end, he selected the flute of the beast whisperer.


    The pocket dimension was definitely tempting. Unfortunately, the Firecrown Household didn''t have a lot of magical beasts so he wouldn''t be able to maximize its potential.


    After making his selection, a golden flute appeared in his storage.


    He took out the flute and observed it for a while. The surface of the flute was smooth to the touch. He tried using some force on the flute and he discovered that its material was very durable.


    From the description, ying this flute would summon a thousand magical beasts. As for what kind of magical beasts, it wasn''t mentioned.


    "Will they recognize me as their master if I summon them?" Fredrinn muttered skeptically.


    He trusted the items from the system, but this one filled him with worry. After all, he didn''t know what kind of creatures would emerge if he yed the flute.


    "I shouldn''t y the flute here. The magical beasts might trample the mansion. I should find an open space with no people around. Otherwise, it would be hard to exin the mystery of the flute. To be safe, I should bring Daphne with me." Fredrinn went to find Daphne. She was a 4th Phase Void Tempering powerhouse.


    Whatever magical beasts would emerge, Fredrinn believed that she could handle them.


    A whileter, he found Daphne at the pavilion in the newly made garden behind the main mansion. She was chatting with his mother. He wanted to know what they were discussing, but they immediately stopped talking when they saw him approaching.


    "My son, what brings you here? Do you need something?" Margaret smiled at him.


    Fredrinn bowed to his mother. "I don''t want to disturb you two, but there is something I''d like to discuss with Daphne. It''s quite urgent." He muttered with an apologetic look.


    "I see. Since it''s urgent, you should go with him, Daphne. We''ll talk againter after your discussion." Margaret didn''t make things difficult for him.


    "Yes, mom. I''ll see youter." Daphne affectionately held Margaret''s hand. The two had grown considerably closer after spending two weeks together. Margaret already treated her like a daughter-inw.


    "Thanks, mom. I''ll bring her backter."

 Chapter 132: Emergence of 1000 Magical Beasts

    "Where are we going, my lord?" Daphne asked.


    "Somewhere with no one around. Daphne, you should stop calling me like that from now on. People would find it weird if they heard you call me like that. You should call me by my name."


    "I see. Alright."


    Fredrinn brought her to the forest outside the estate. He didn''t want to activate the array formations in the estate so he could only choose this location. This ce was called Dead Oak Forest. It got its name because most of the trees here had died due to the extreme weather andck of care.


    The Firecrown Household tried to revive this forest, but the climate in this part of the city was always dry, making it an incredibly difficult task. In the end, the family decided to abandon it after failing to revive the forest a couple of times.


    "What a pitiful forest. I can hear the trees screaming. They need help." Daphne looked around with a look of pity. She was a forest fairy and she had the innate ability tomunicate with nature.


    "I want to help them." As soon as she uttered these words, Fredrinn sensed a strong fluctuation of Qi from her. It was powerful, but gentle at the same time.


    "What element is this?" Fredrinn muttered in shock.


    Suddenly, he saw the dying field of grass beneath his feet slowlying to life. The gloomy brown leaves turned into resplendent green!


    "This is wood and water element!" Fredrinn gasped at the incredible power that Daphne had shown.


    Looking at the lively trees and the dense shrubbery, Fredrinn was gobsmacked. ''So this is the true ability of a forest fairy¡­''


    "I apologize for acting without your consent, my lo- Fredrinn¡­ I can''t ignore the cries of the forest." Daphne lowered her head.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn smiled as he rubbed her back. "It''s alright. You did the right thing. But¡­ will the forest survive? The weather here is always dry and hot."


    Daphne smiled confidently. "The forest will survive. I revived the heart of the forest. As long as it''s here, this forest will survive on its own."


    "Heart of the forest?" Fredrinn didn''t know what she was talking about. He spread his spiritual perception and soon discovered that there was a flow of water nearby. "A stream?"


    "That''s right¡­ Its pulse is weak, but it will slowly recover. I just need to help it heal. It will fully recover in a week." Daphne looked happier now that the forest was healing. She looked very beautiful when she smiled.


    Fredrinn wanted to know more about this heart of the forest, but he decided to put it off since there was a more important matter at hand.


    "Daphne, just stay right there. I''ll summon a thousand magical beasts soon. If they aren''t friendly, you must suppress them." Fredrinn took out the Flute of the Beast Whisperer from his storage space.


    Daphne felt conflicted when she heard that. She didn''t want to hurt magical beasts, but she also wanted to help Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn felt guilty when he saw her expression, but there was no other choice. Argus was busy training the ck me Heavy Cavalry, while the old librarian Alfred couldn''t leave the library. "I''m sorry, Daphne. You don''t need to hurt them. Just make sure that they won''t attack us."


    Daphne''s expression eased up when she heard this. "Alright. I''ll do my best."


    "Thank you."


    After making sure that no one was around, Fredrinn yed the flute.


    A gentle melody soon echoed within the forest. The wind blew by and produced a humming sound as if it was praising the melody.


    Not longter, a rift in space was formed right above Fredrinn and Daphne. As the melody continued, the rift in space became bigger.


    Soon, they heard the roars of magical beasts from within the rift.


    And just like that, multiple figures emerged from the rift.


    Fredrinn didn''t stop ying the flute even after their arrival.


    More and more magical beasts emerged from the rift and they soon blotted the sky.


    When a thousand of them appeared, the rift closed up and slowly disappeared.


    Fredrinn put down the flute and observed the creatures. They were muscr horses with wings and a sword-like horn on their forehead. They were twicerger than regr war horses and their facial features also looked more intimidating. They had a pair of ferocious eyes that seemed to look down on everything! Their sharp rows of teeth looked as if they could bite through metal!


    However, the most striking of all was their majestic appearance.


    "Sword-horned Carnivorous Unicorn!" Fredrinn eximed in shock. Those magical beasts were a wild species of flying beasts. They were untamable and no kingdom seeded in breeding or taming them.


    Fredrinn scanned them with his spiritual perception and found out that the unicorns were all in the Core Formation realm! Furthermore, there was one special unicorn among them. It was almost twice their size and it had four wings! Its sword-like horn was like a broadsword!


    Discover what''s next at m,vl-em,py-r


    Fredrinn immediately used his battle scouter function.


    [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    ''Holy shit!'' His eyes widened when he sensed the cultivation of this unicorn.


    He btedly realized that they had already been surrounded by the unicorns.


    Fredrinn looked around them and found out that there was no room for escape. "They don''t bite, right?" He muttered while forcing out a dry chuckle.


    Suddenly, the alpha of the unicorns descended from the sky andnded in front of him.


    Fredrinn was already prepared to defend himself when the unicorn suddenly lowered its head in submission.


    "It wants to recognize you as its owner," Daphne remarked with a calm smile. She could sense the mood of the magical beasts. When she found out that they weren''t a threat, she secretly heaved a sigh of relief.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn''s eyes shed with joy. If he could tame the alpha of the unicorns, the entire herd would definitely follow him!


    With some hesitation, Fredrinn reached out his hand and touched the unicorn''s head.


    The creature closed its eyes and emitted a soft humming sound as if it enjoyed his touch.

 Chapter 133: Equipment Production

    "How should I deal with these guys?" Fredrinn muttered helplessly as he looked at the muscr unicorns around them.


    If he let these guys fly to the estate, it would cause amotion and even alert the nearby martial households.


    Once their presence was revealed, the household would be under strict scrutiny which might cause some conflict with the other martial households or even the royal family.


    "What should I do?" Fredrinn pondered deeply with a troubled look on his handsome face.


    "Why don''t you let them return to that separate dimension?" Daphne suggested while touching her chin. Her thoughtful expression looked cute.


    When Fredrinn heard her suggestion, his eyes lit up. "Oh, right! Why didn''t I think of that?!"


    He stared at the flute in his hand. "But how do I summon thay rift? Will it appear if I y the flute?" He scratched his head. There were no detailed instructions on how to use this item so he didn''t know if it''ll work.


    "I''ll just try it." Fredrinn brought the flute to his lips and started ying a melody.


    The herd of Sword-horned Carnivorous Unicorn seemed to be affected by the melody. They all became still as if they were hypnotized.


    Suddenly, a whirring sound echoed from above as a crack appeared in the space.


    "It really appeared!" Fredrinn eximed in surprise.


    When the rift became bigger and wider, the unicorns uniformly moved in a straight line and entered between the cracks in space.


    Fredrinn only stopped ying the flute when all the unicorns had disappeared. "So I can summon them any time I want. How useful. No wonder this is a legendary-rated item."


    Sometimeter, the two returned to the estate.


    ***


    Two weeks went by after Fredrinn advanced to the Nascent Soul realm, and the mining of the magic aquanite was finallypleted. All the mined ores were stored in a secret vault to be prepared for smelting.


    Inside the smithing workshop of the Firecrown Supreme Household.


    Dozens of muscr workers and cksmiths could be seen moving back and forth. Everyone was busy with the production of the new gear requested by Fredrinn.


    At this moment, Fredrinn was inspecting the finished products together with Daphne and Rnd.


    "We followed the design you made, my lord. We added some gantium and orichalcum in this armor, but is this really necessary for a mount?" Norman felt that it was overkill for a mount to have this kind of overpowered armor.


    Fredrinn was pleased with the final product.


    Finely Crafted Magical Beast Armor [Pseudo-Legendary]


    - An armor crafted by a Master-rank cksmith with the help of a Master-rank Array Formation Maker. The ingredients used are top-tier materials, but the skills of the maker are quitecking which resulted in an imperfect product.


    Although it was deemed imperfect by the system, Fredrinn felt that it was powerful enough. In the Star Wind Kingdom, no mounts had this kind of armor. Heck! Even the royal guards didn''t own one!


    "You guys did great. This one should be a bit special since the magical beast that will wear is not an ordinary creature. You will see it when the time is right." Fredrinn chuckled.


    "We still have enough materials to make 1000 more of this armor, right?"


    "1000? Just where will you find that many mounts?" Even Rnd was stunned by his ridiculous demands.


    "I already have the mounts, father. Prepare to be shocked when you see them." Fredrinnughed with a mysterious look.


    Rnd smiled wryly while shaking his head. "By the time we make all the gears for our army, the funds we received from the royal family will be depleted. We should expand our businesses. We might get broke if we don''t do something."


    "About that, do you still remember the herbs I ordered from Rain City?"


    "You mean those cheap herbs stocked in our storage?"


    "Father, they are only cheap now because people haven''t discovered their value yet. However, once their true worth is revealed, the price of those cheap herbs will skyrocket! Believe me. We just need to wait for a few years. By then, our household might even surpass the entire kingdom in wealth." Fredrinn whispered thest sentence.


    Hearing this, Rnd stared at his son with an incredulous look. This kid was speaking nonsense again. Last time he told him that they would have their own flying beast cavalry. And now, he was telling him that their wealth would surpass the entire kingdom in just a few years. It was truly ridiculous.


    However, for some reason, a small part of him believed that his son was telling the truth. This small belief made him trust Fredrinn''s decisions despite them bordering insanity.


    The trio soon left the smithing workshop and headed straight to the training grounds where the army was undergoing rigorous training.


    After one month of repetitive training, the ten thousand-man army had already transformed into an elite force. Their cultivation had also been strengthened significantly. The ones who showed the most shocking progress were still the ck me Heavy Cavalry. Furthermore, from their initial member count of five hundred, they had already doubled in size.


    "By the way, I received a report from my elite unit that some people are lurking near the mining site," Rnd said as they walked along the training grounds.


    "I''ve already heard of it from my subordinates. I''m told that those people are spies sent by the Evergreen Supreme Household. They tried to infiltrate the mine a couple of times, but we managed to intercept them."


    "I see. So it was your people''s work. It seems like my worries are unnecessary." Rndughed while shaking his head. He had been secretly investigating those suspicious people, but his men hadn''t discovered anything substantial. He never thought that Fredrinn had already uncovered their identities.


    "What should we do with them, father? We didn''t kill them since they are members of the Evergreen Supreme Household, but they still showed no signs of stopping their investigation even after we captured their men." Fredrinn was starting to get annoyed with those people. He finally realized why the old librarian, Alfred, hated their guts.


    "Let''s wait for now. Our soldiers are still not ready so we better not do anything rash."


    Enjoy reading at m,v lem|p,yr


    "Fine¡­"

 Chapter 134: Summoned Into the Battlefield!

    After Fredrinn''s short discussion with his father on the spies they captured, he headed straight to his study room to gather his mind.


    The Evergreen Supreme Household was slowly showing their fangs. ''Did they find out that we were secretly mining magic aquanite? That shouldn''t be possible.'' Fredrinn''s face was grim.


    To ensure the secrecy of the magic aquanite, he did a major cleanup on the people working at the mine. He sent his men to investigate those with low favorability towards him. During this process, he discovered some moles sent by other martial households and sent them to other areas to prevent them from sending news about the mine.


    Fredrinn was contemting this issue when a servant suddenly came to inform him that the royal family had sent a messenger to deliver an urgent message.


    Fredrinn immediately headed to his father''s office when he heard this.


    Usually, the royal family would only send letters to deliver messages. They only sent messengers when the message was of great importance.


    Fredrinn had a bad feeling about this.


    When he arrived at his father''s office, he saw Rnd frowning while reading a letter. As for the royal messenger, he was nowhere to be found.


    "Father, where is the messenger?"


    Rnd turned his head to him. "Lock the door and read this."


    Looking at his father''s serious face, Fredrinn felt a bit nervous. He wondered what was written in the letter for him to have that kind of expression.


    After locking the door, Fredrinn took the letter from his father''s hand and carefully read it.


    The first thing he noticed was that this letter was personally written by the king!


    Fredrinn skipped the formalities and went straight to the contents of the letter.


    It was quite long, but Fredrinn quickly understood the important parts.


    The Blue Sky Kingdom had deployed its artillery on the battlefield at Mount Roshire! The army of the Star Wind Kingdom suffered heavy losses and they were forced to retreat!


    When theyst visited the pce, they had already informed the king about the artillery, but the kingdom''s army was still caught unprepared.


    Now, the king was requesting the supreme households to send half of their soldiers to the battlefield to replenish their troops.


    Fredrinn could sense the king''s urgency from his letter. It was obvious that the Star Wind Kingdom''s army was barely holding on to their defensive lines. If the supreme household refused to send aid, the remaining troops at the frontlines would soon copse.


    Fredrinn put down the letter and stared at his father. "I will go and lead our troops!"


    "No! How could I send you there? You haven''t even married Daphne yet! I''ll go there instead! Stay here and protect the household while I''m gone!" Rnd rejected him firmly. Fredrinn was the hope of the family to rise so he didn''t want to take a risk sending him to the frontlines.


    "Father, you can''t leave mom! She is pregnant! She will give birth in a few months! The patriarch will be needed here so it is my job as the heir of the household to lead our troops into the battlefield! Please grant my request, father!" Fredrinn was determined to go into battle this time. The situation in Mount Roshire was too vtile for Rnd to be there.


    Unlike Fredrinn, he didn''t have the Armor of Eternal Strength so he couldn''t let his father go there.


    When Fredrinn mentioned Margaret''s situation, Rnd''s face froze. He was torn and he couldn''t bring himself to make a decision.


    Seeing Rnd''s hesitant face, Fredrinn had no choice but to deactivate the aura concealment function.


    When Fredrinn''s aura was revealed, Rnd was stunned. "You! That power¡­" He had only sensed this kind of overwhelming pressure from Void Tempering powerhouses! Fredrinn was actually emitting this suffocating force simr to those top figures! He couldn''t believe it!


    "Father, this is my true power! Even if the sky falls, I can still force my way out. Please trust your son." Truthfully, it was still a bit too early for him to enter the battlefield.


    Rnd was still in shock so he couldn''t respond right away.


    When he regained his senses, he rubbed his eyes and muttered through gritted teeth. "A-Alright¡­" It seemed like he had used up all his energy to utter this response.


    Fredrinn noticed his father''s quivering voice. It must''ve been a tough decision for him. "I will gather the ck me Heavy Cavalry! We will depart tomorrow!" He couldn''t back out now. There was no turning back! If he showed even a hint of hesitance, his father might insist on sending himself into the battle.


    Fredrinn couldn''t allow that to happen.


    Without waiting for his father''s response, Fredrinn turned around and left the office.


    When he was gone, Rnd copsed on his seat with tears streaming down his face. This would be the first time Fredrinn would be sent to a real battlefield. The battle against the ckcrow Household was nothingpared to the war between two kingdoms!


    ***


    The next day, five thousand soldiers gathered at the entrance of the Firecrown Supreme Household. Their families were also there to say their goodbyes.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn was carrying a little girl in his arms while bidding farewell to his parents.


    "Mom, Dad, please take care of yourselves. I will leave my daughter in your hands."


    "Daphne, you should stay here. You must apany Mom while I''m gone. She is pregnant so she needs someone to talk to. Don''t leave her side."


    Margaret cried when he said his goodbyes. She knew that his son was headed to the frontlines. "Please take care of yourself, my son. You muste back!"


    She almost fainted when she uttered those words.


    Rnd immediately grabbed her to prevent her from falling.


    "Son, are you really not bringing Sir Argus with you?" Rnd stared at him while putting up a calm look. However, his reddening eyes betrayed his true emotions.


    "I will be fine, father."


    "We don''t know what tricks the Evergreen Household would do so Sir Argus and Sir Alfred must be here to protect the household."


    Rnd was already aware that Alfred had fully recovered. Fredrinn told him about it some time ago after the banquet.


    For this expedition, Fredrinn brought all of his trusted subordinates except Sean. The kid was still too weak to participate in the war.


    Dressed in his Crown of Eternal Glory and the Armor of Eternal Strength, Fredrinn mounted the me Maned Shadow Steed.


    "Warriors of my Firecrown Supreme Household! Let''s go!" Fredrinn''smanding voice echoed like thunder.


    "Yes, my lord!"


    The members of the Firecrown Supreme Household watched them leave, their faces filled withplicated emotions.

 Chapter 135: The Commander’s Plot

    Mount Roshire was located north outside the Star Wind Kingdom''s territory.


    Fredrinn''s army traveled on foot and it took them nearly two months to reach the Star Wind Kingdom''s camp.


    When they arrived, the Deputy Commander of the camp, a man named Nate Woodman, came to greet them.


    "I have heard so much about you, Sir Fredrinn Firecrown! I''m d you came with your troops!"


    "The Firecrown Supreme Household is ready to serve the kingdom, Sir Nate!" Fredrinn gave a standard salute.


    [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    Fredrinn didn''t see this person when he was a yer. He guessed that Nate would probably die in the battle against the Blue Sky Kingdom.


    "Follow me. I''ll take you to see themander. Leave your troops here. Someone will make the necessary arrangements for them."


    "Yes, Sir Nate!" Fredrinn nodded. The military was very strict when it came to ranking so he didn''t dare disrespect Nate.


    Based on what he heard about Nate, his position was just below themander. He was a veteran with decades of experience.


    A momentter, Nate brought him to thergest tent in the camp.


    "Themander is waiting for you inside," Nate said as he tilted his head sideways, gesturing for him to enter the tent.


    Fredrinn nodded and stepped inside the tent.


    Upon entering, he saw six people sitting around the round table with the map of the battlefield in front of them.


    The moment Fredrinn walked in, all eyes were focused on him.


    Fredrinn nodded at the people inside the tent while cupping his hands.


    Based on their attire, he guessed that they were representatives of the supreme households.


    "The new supreme household actually sent their only heir into battle? I''m surprised." One of them, a middle-aged man with four wings on his back, remarked with a chuckle.


    Fredrinn turned his gaze at the man.


    [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    [Kris Vone Evergreen] Favorability: 15


    He wasn''t surprised by the low favorability. He humiliated their second heir recently so he wouldn''t be surprised if they were hostile towards him.


    Other than Kris Vone who showed a hostile attitude, the others were rtively friendly, especially the Silversword Household''s representative elder.


    "Hoho! A young dragon has emerged in Red Sun City! It''s an honor to meet you, Sir Fredrinn. I''m Fern Silversword, an elder of the Silversword Supreme Household."


    "I don''t deserve such praise, Elder Fern. I still have much to learn from elders like you." Fredrinn humbly responded.


    He also greeted the other representatives except for Kris Vone.


    Thetter was annoyed after being ignored and he almost erupted into fury.


    "I offer my greetings, Commander Galleon!" Fredrinn bowed at the middle-aged man who had a w mark across his face.


    [Void Tempering 1st Layer]


    "Sit down. We have something to discuss." Commander Galleon pointed at the vacant seat.


    As soon as Fredrinn took his seat, Galleon opened his mouth. "In the past month, we lost two¡­"


    Galleon skipped the formalities and went straight into the topic. He gave a recap on what happened during the past month to give Fredrinn an idea about what was going on.


    From his words, Fredrinn realized that the situation was more serious than he had expected. From what he knew, the Star Wind Kingdom wasn''t supposed to lose their early.


    ''Did my actions affect the war?'' Fredrinn contemted deeply.


    The Blue Sky Kingdom deployed their artillery earlier than he had anticipated. Something changed in the future that he knew! His presence was slowly affecting the history of the game!


    "Fredrinn, one of our corpsmanders died in battle, leaving his position empty. Without the presence of a corpsmander, we were forced to retreat from that location. I want you to take his spot and reim the area taken by the enemy!"


    Hearing this, the representatives of the supreme households were stunned. They thought that Galleon had long since abandoned that area. It was one of the key locations in the battlefield. It was a hill near Mount Roshire, a perfect ce to defend. Unfortunately, they lost it after being bombarded with artillery projectiles. Taking it back from the enemy was easier said than done!


    Even if they managed to take it back, defending it would be difficult since the enemy had the artillery.


    Fredrinn analyzed the situation based on the small information he had gathered.


    He looked at the battle map with furrowed eyebrows, thinking deeply as to why Galleon would give him such a dangerous task.


    A momentter, he discovered a pattern on the battle map. Based on the cement of the troops, he finally realized Galleon''s n.


    "Commander, are you nning to¡­"


    "That''s right! It seems like you are smarter than I thought. Since you know my n, are you willing to y a part in it?" Galleon didn''t expect that Fredrinn would uncover his n in just that little amount of time. Even the old fogies of the other five supreme households didn''t realize his n.


    Fredrinn rubbed his chin.


    Galleon ced his troops in such a way that the Blue Sky Kingdom would be forced to deploy their artillery to a certain location. However, the task he was given was quite dangerous since it was at the center of the battlefield. To be specific, Galleon wanted to use Fredrinn''s troops to divert the Blue Sky Kingdom''s attention.


    [Take control of the four key locations on the battlefield! Rewards will be given to each key location you capture!]


    When Fredrinn saw this system notification, he smiled wryly.


    He raised his head and stared at Galleon. "I will follow your instructions, Commander Galleon!"


    Hearing this, Galleon grinned. "Good!" As the one who plotted this whole situation, he knew how dangerous this mission was.


    "But my troops won''t be enough to take back that hill. I will need more soldiers!"


    "Didn''t I say that you will rece the deceased corpsmander? The soldiers he left behind will be in your care from now on. Nate will take you to their campter." Galleon was quite pleased with this young heir.


    "Commander, I don''t think Fredrinn is ready for that task!" Someone suddenly voiced out their disagreement.

 Chapter 136 : Mad Bear Corps

    Everyone turned their head to Kris Vone.


    Galleon frowned upon hearing his words. He could sense the animosity between Kris Vone and Fredrinn. He had been on the battlefield for almost two years now so he didn''t know the recent events in the kingdom.


    "I don''t care about the conflict between your households, but in this ce, you better forget about them! I don''t want to see my people stabbing each other in the back! I don''t want to hear that again from you, Kris Vone! Do you understand?" Galleon was truly angry this time. This guy actually dared to question his authority because of some household conflict.


    He didn''t even use honorifics which showed how dissatisfied he was.


    "Yes, Commander¡­" Kris Vone lowered his head. Galleon was a Void Tempering powerhouse working for the royal family. He was someone that he couldn''t afford to provoke. ''Tsk! What a lucky bastard! Galleon is actually protecting him!


    Is this an order from His Majesty?''


    "Everyone is dismissed. You should go back to your camps and start your battle preparations! We must take Mount Roshire before this year ends!"


    "Yes, Commander!"


    After they left the tent, Fredrinn felt a piercing gaze. He didn''t even need to look to know who it was.


    "You''re lucky, kid! You better watch yourself from now on! If you make one mistake, I will make sure that you will be punished!" Kris Vone whispered coldly when they brushed shoulders.


    Fredrinn ignored his provocation. It wasn''t the right time to sh with the Evergreen Household.


    He bid farewell to the representatives of the supreme households and left without even looking at Kris Vone.


    "Arrogant bastard!" Kris Vone gritted his teeth and left with heavy strides.


    Looking at his furious back, the other representatives chuckled in amusement.


    "It seems like the conflict of their ancestors will continue in this generation." One of them muttered while shaking his head.


    The others didn''t say anything, but they agreed with his words.


    After that meeting, Fredrin brought his troops to the camp of the deceased corpsmander.


    Deputy Commander Nate Woodman led the way for them. He also gave Fredrinn some important information about the other corpsmanders and some noteworthy divisionmanders. This was to give him a rough idea about the structure of their army.


    An hourter, they arrived at a camp surrounded byrge wooden walls.


    "We''re here." Deputy Commander Nate muttered.


    Fredrinn saw ten soldiers approaching them on their horses. Their armor had sword marks and dried-up blood, a clear indication that they had recently fought a bloody battle.


    Seeing them, Nate immediately showed his token. "I am Deputy Commander Nate Woodman! Bring us to see the acting Corps Commander!"


    When the soldiers saw the token, their grim gazes eased up. They gave him a standard salute. "Deputy Commander, we can only allow a maximum of five people to enter the camp. The rest must stay here." One of them said.


    "I understand." Nate nodded. It was normal for them to be this cautious. After all, they lost their corpsmander in the recent battle.


    Nate turned his head to Fredrinn and nodded to him. "Let''s go. Leave your troops here for the time being. Once we talk with the acting corpsmander, we can let them in."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn gave his troops a few instructions before he entered the camp with Nate.


    ording to what he heard from Nate, this corps was called the Mad Bear Corps. It got its name from its deceasedmander who was known as ''Mad Bear''. He was a powerful martial practitioner at the 9th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm. He was from a peasant family and worked his way up to be a militarymander.


    Unfortunately, he met his end at the hands of the Blue Sky Kingdom''s fearsome artillery. It was a tragic death.


    Currently, the deputy corpsmander of the Mad Bear Corps, Ullyses Ironheart, was temporarily working as themander. He was also from a poor family and he had been working for thete Mad Bear for a few decades so he was the most affected by his death.


    "This is the Deputy Corps Commander''s tent. Please wait here while I inform him of your arrival." The soldier said before he entered the tent.


    Less than half a minuteter, he came back with a middle-aged man who had a cast on his left arm.


    Fredrinn observed him closely. Other than his left arm that seemed to be fractured, this man also had a broken nose and a stab wound on his neck. ''How did this guy survive with all those wounds?''


    [Nascent Soul 8th Layer]


    "Greetings, Deputy Commander Nate!" Ullyses performed a snappy salute which caused some of his wounds to open up.


    Nate immediately grabbed the other party''s shoulder and stopped him from making any drastic movements. "There''s no need to be formal, Deputy Corps Commander. I came here upon the orders of Commander Galleon to send Sir Fredrinn to rece the vacant spot of the Corpse Commander." While saying this, he looked at Fredrinn who was beside him.


    Ullyses furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the young-looking man. He looked no older than thirty and had the delicate features of someone brought up in a rich household. "Are you serious?" His voice sounded colder.


    Sensing the change in his tone, Nate immediately said. "Deputy Corps Commander Ullyses, this man right here is the heir of the sixth supreme household, Fredrinn Firecrown."


    Nate leaned in closer to the Ullyses'' ear and whispered. "He might not look like it, but I heard that he is a 10th Layer Nascent Soul martial practitioner."


    Ullyses raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I was prejudiced! Please forgive me for my ignorance, Sir Fredrinn." He apologized. If what Nate said was true, then this young man was more than qualified to take the corpsmander''s position.


    Fredrinn waved his hand and smiled. "It''s just a misunderstanding. Let''s work together, Deputy Corps Commander. I''m still young so I might need your advice from time to time."


    "It would be an honor, Sir Fredrinn¡­ No, I should call you Corps Commander now." Ullyses let out a smile, but Fredrinn could sense the sadness in his eyes. He was probably thinking about thete corpsmander.

 Chapter 137 : The Mad Bear Corps is on the Move

    Deputy Commander Nate left after bidding them farewell. His task was done so he didn''t linger for long.


    Fredrinn told Ullyses that his troops were still waiting outside so thetter immediately sent someone to bring them in.


    They conversed about the situation of the Mad Bear Corps. Ullyses told him everything he needed to know about the corps.


    ording to Ullyses, the Mad Bear Corps currently had over twelve thousand soldiers. Eight thousand of them died in the recent ambush, including their corpsmander and two divisionmanders.


    Fredrinn''s troops bolstered their numbers to over seventeen thousand.


    ***


    The next day, Fredrinn summoned Ullyses to his tent.


    "Good morning, Corps Commander! What can I do for you?" Ullyses gave him a salute.


    Fredrinn put down the reports and looked at him. "We need to reorganize the Mad Bear Corps." After reading the data given to him by Ullyses, he discovered that the Mad Bear Corps'' structure was skewed.


    Excluding Fredrinn''s troops, they had twelve thousand soldiers that were divided into four divisions. Each division had a varying number of soldiers which resulted in numerous holes within their ranks. This had to be addressed immediately since it would be a disaster if they were sent to war in this condition.


    Fredrinn told him about his thoughts, educating him about the importance of each unit in the war.


    To make an analogy, the Mad Bear Corps was like a house that lookedpletely fine on the outside but was verycking in foundation. One strong push and it would copse.


    "I see." Ullyses finally realized why some of the soldiers failed to keep up with their formation. It was actually because of the holes within their ranks. He failed to discover this since he was too focused on getting revenge. Luckily, he hadn''t sent his corps into battle yet or it would have been a disaster.


    In the next few days, Fredrinn reorganized the Mad Bear Corps into five divisions, with his own troops forming the fifth and also thergest division with five thousand soldiers. He also named them the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division. They will serve as the spearhead of the corps in theing battle.


    What they needed now was battle experience so this was the perfect ce to sharpen their des.


    Two weeks after they arrived at the Mad Bear Corps'' camp, Commander Galleon finally gave them the order to attack and recapture the hill.


    "So this day has finallye!" Fredrinn stepped out of his tent dressed in his Armor of Eternal Strength and Crown of Eternal Glory. He held the me Dragon Crescent de in his right hand, while the Lithinum Shield was strapped on his back.


    "Corps Commander, everyone is ready to march! You just need to give us themand!" Ullyses reported with a stern look. The cast on his left arm had already been removed. He was still not in perfect condition, but he insisted on participating in this mission.


    Fredrinn nodded. He jumped on his mount and urged it to move towards where the Mad Bear Corps was gathered. Ullyses silently followed him.


    A momentter, Fredrinn saw the entire corps fully dressed in their battle gear.


    "Mad Bear Corps, move out!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Their target this time was to recapture the hill on the western side of Mount Roshire. They gave this hill the name ''Blood Burn Hill'' in honor of the fallen soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps.


    "Light the arrow!" Fredrinn shouted.


    Hearing this, Ullyses immediately sent a signal to the messengers.


    Soon, an arrow was released into the sky. This was a signal to inform Commander Galleon that they were on the move.


    As soon as the arrow reached its peak, the soldiers of the Star Wind Kingdom made their move.


    Fredrinn''s presence on the battlefield was slowly turning the cogwheels of fate. Unbeknownst to him, a huge change was about to happen in the future that he was aware of.


    The scouts of the Blue Sky Kingdom noticed their movements so they immediately sent a message to inform the troops stationed at the Blood Burn Hill of their march.


    At this moment, inside the tent of themander stationed at the Blood Burn Hill.


    "Commander, our scouts sent an urgent report through our falcons." The messenger handed the letter to the middle-aged man with an eyepatch and a scar on the left part of his mouth.


    This man was Harmon Violetcloud, the Corps Commander of the Mighty Tiger Corps that was stationed at the Blood Burn Hill.


    "So those guys couldn''t sit still anymore? Are they nning to avenge their idiot corpsmander?" He muttered in contempt after reading the contents of the letter.


    He burned the letter and looked at the messenger with a cold gaze. "Tell everyone to prepare for war! The enemy ising!"


    He suddenly grinned as he added. "Bring themander of the artillery division here. I''d like to speak with him."


    "Yes, sir!"


    In the next twenty-four hours, the two armies started their preparations. Each had their own n and goal in mind.


    ***


    The Mad Bear Corps stopped marching at the forest a few miles away from the Blood Burn Hill. The tall trees and dense shrubs masked their presence. It was the perfect ce to set up camp.


    From this spot, they could already see the Blood Burn Hill. The enemy camp was surrounded by wooden walls, making it a temporary stronghold. Attacking it would be difficult for them because of their terrain advantage. Not to mention that they possessed those incredibly destructive artilleries.


    Just looking at the fortified hill made them feel nervous.


    "Sir, what are your ns? Once we leave this forest, we will expose ourselves to them.


    Those cunning bastards will never go down the hill! They will wait for us to reach the range of their artillery!" Ullyses muttered while clenching his fists.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t send you guys to death. Besides, I already have a way to make those people go down the hill." Fredrinn grinned.


    ''They aren''t the only ones who have useful toys.'' To make this mission a huge sess, Fredrinn invested 1000 Fate Points to buy an item from the Fate Shop. This item would be crucial in this battle.

 Chapter 138: Bernard’s Mission

    Meanwhile, Bernard Oceanwave was now on his way to infiltrate the hill. His task was to nt a suspicious-looking item in the enemy camp. He didn''t know what this item was used for, but he could sense a dense amount of fire element within the item.


    Upon closer look, it just looked like an ordinary box with strange mechanisms and symbols. If Fredrinn hadn''t told him what it was, he wouldn''t know that it was actually a powerful weapon.


    ''Just where did Lord Fredrinn get this strange item?'' Bernard thought as he nervously held on to the box. Fredrinn warned him not to drop the box or it would cause a massive explosion.


    Bernard hugged the box like how he would his wife. It was embarrassing, but it was better than dying because of a strange box.


    At this moment, he had already reached the foot of the hill. He encountered some scouts along the way, but no one noticed him.


    "I''m almost there." Bernard wiped off his sweat. Carrying this dangerous item made him exhausted.


    The bottom of the hill was heavily guarded so he had to make a few detours to evade the patrolling soldiers.


    Twenty minutester, he reached the middle part of the hill without any idents.


    However, he had to stop when he was about to make it to the top of the hill. This was because there was a Nascent Soul martial practitioner patrolling the area.


    Bernard concealed his aura and hid on the branch of a tall tree.


    ''How do I get past this fellow without alerting the enemies?'' He thought to himself as he looked around, searching for another path he could take. Unfortunately, the other parts of the hill were more heavily guarded.


    ''Should I kill him?'' Bernard''s eyes shed with killing intent. The sess of his mission was crucial to their victory. He had toplete his task no matter what happened!


    Bernard took out a short sword. His main weapon was a trident, but using it would cause quite amotion so he chose a short sword. Although he couldn''t bring out his full strength with this weapon, he was confident that he could take down the Nascent Soul martial practitioner with it. This was the confidence of someone who was only a step away from advancing to the Void Tempering realm!


    Bernard gathered his Qi into his short sword and lunged at the patrolling Nascent Soul martial practitioner.


    "Hm?!" The Nascent Soul martial practitioner sensed his presence, but he was a tad toote to respond.


    Bernard stabbed the man''s chest with the sword, pulled it out, and swung it horizontally, swiftly decapitating his head.


    After killing the man, Bernard took the man''s clothes to disguise himself as a soldier of the Mighty Tiger Corps. He then headed to the top of the hill after burying the corpse.


    Bernard jumped over the wooden wall and finally entered the enemy camp. Four low-ranking soldiers saw him, but he quickly eliminated them before they could alert the others. After taking care of them, Bernard calmly walked around the camp to find the perfect ce to nt the box.


    Some soldiers spotted him, but they thought that he was merely carrying supplies.


    Suddenly, someone stood before him, preventing him from taking another step. "Hey! Who are you? I haven''t seen you before. From which division do you belong?"


    Bernard inwardly cursed.


    "There he goes again, stopping another rookie."


    "Tsk! That bastard is one of the biggest bullies here. The enemy is already beneath the hill, but he still finds the time to bully people."


    With Bernard''s powerful hearing, he heard everyone''s conversation. Their words made him relieved. ''So I wasn''t discovered.''


    "Why are you silent? Do you know who I am? I''m a Company Commander you fucking idiot!" The man prodded Bernard''s chest with his finger.


    Bernard almost punched him out of instinct. If it wasn''t for his mission, this guy would have already died. ''I can''t lose myposure here.''


    Bernard lowered his head while concealing his fury. "I apologize, Company Commander. I was in a hurry since I had to deliver this important package to the Corps Commander."


    "Corps Commander?" The man flinched when he heard this.


    "Yes. You can punish meter, sir, but I really need to deliver this on time." Bernard was on the verge of exploding.


    "Why didn''t you say so earlier? You may go." The man was obviously afraid of the corpsmander, but he pretended like he was letting Bernard go.


    ''Dammit! I''ll fucking kill you if I have the chance!'' Bernard cursed the man as he hurried to find a ce to dispose of the strange box.


    After another half an hour, he finally ced the box in what looked like an important storage facility where many gears were kept. He even saw several dozen artillery shells.


    When he was done with his mission, he quickly left the enemy camp. He already knew which path to take so going down the hill was a lot faster.


    On his way down, he took out a small device. ''How do I use this again? Lord Fredrinn said that there was a small protrusion here and I just need to press it.''


    Click!


    "Have you done the task?" Fredrinn''s voice drifted into his ears.


    Bernard was a bit surprised. He was already aware that this was a device capable of connecting him with someone from afar, but he still found it unbelievable. ''What a marvelous item!'' He thought.


    "Yes, my lord!"


    "Good! Tell me once you''re out of the hill."


    "I''m almost there. I''m already in the middle of the hill."


    A few minutester¡­


    "My lord, I''m already out of the hill," Bernard reported.


    "Great! You will hear some explosionster. Come back here as fast as you can!"


    Bernard was curious about the power of that strange box.


    It didn''t take long for him to hear an earth-shattering explosion from the top of the hill.


    BOOOMM!!!


    Looking at the enemy camp that was engulfed in fearsome mes, Bernard was stunned. ''Luckily I didn''t drop that thing¡­''

 Chapter 139: Fearless Charge!

    Fredrinn stared at themunication device in his hand. It was another item he purchased from the Fate Shop for 200 Fate Points. He bought six of them and handed them one each to the divisionmanders, while he kept one for himself.


    With his recent purchases, he was only left with 15675 Fate Points. However, Fredrinn felt that it was necessary. They were outnumbered and the enemy had the advantage in terrain. Not to mention the artillery in their hands. To gain an advantage over an enemy like this, he could only buy the items in the Fate Shop.


    Suddenly, themunication device lit up.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn''s eyes shed. "Have you done the task?"


    "Yes, my lord!" Bernard''s reply immediately came.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn smiled. "Good! Tell me once you''re out of the hill." While saying this, he took out what looked like a remote control device. It was remotely connected to the strange box that Bernard nted in the enemy camp. If he pressed the button, the mechanisms on the strange box would be triggered and cause an explosion.


    Box of Fiery Death [Epic] 1000 Fate Points


    - Inside this strange-looking box is a bomb so powerful that it could kill a Nascent Soul martial practitioner caught in its fearsome mes. The explosion radius is 200 meters. Make sure that you are at a safe distance before pressing the remote.


    A momentter came Bernard''s report.


    "My lord, I''m already in the middle of the hill."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn sent Ulysses a look. "Prepare for battle! Our enemies will soon leave the hill!"


    Ulysses was surprised to hear that.


    The divisionmanders also heard his words through themunication device and immediatelymanded their subordinates to prepare.


    At this moment¡­


    "My lord, I''m already out of the hill,"


    "Great! You will hear some explosionster. Come back here as fast as you can!" Fredrinn immediately pressed the button after warning Bernard over themunication device.


    As soon as he pressed the button, an earth-shattering explosion rocked the Blood Burn Hill! It was like someone had lit up a million firecrackers that exploded at the same time.


    Looking at the burning enemy camp, the soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps were stunned.


    In that instant, they finally understood why the young corpsmander was confident that the Mighty Tiger Corps would go down the hill. It turned out that he had nned it all along.


    Looking at the ferocious mes that engulfed the enemy''s camp, Ullyses narrowed his eyes. The explosive force that erupted was a hundred times stronger than the artillery''s firepower. From where did Fredrinn get that kind of weapon? He wondered.


    "Mad Bear Corps, take out your weapons and charge with me! Don''t let the enemies escape! We will avenge our fallenrades and take back the Blood Burn Hill!" Fredrinn''s shout echoed within the forest, spurring everyone awake.


    His words made everyone''s fighting spirit soar, especially the surviving members of the Mad Bear Corps.


    They wanted to avenge their brothers!


    Fredrinn led the charge and everyone quickly followed. With the effects of the Crown of Eternal Glory, his soldiers'' strength was amplified.


    The fearsome charge of the Mad Bear Corps caused the ground to tremble.


    Following the explosion, the Mighty Tiger Corps were forced to abandon the hill. Some of their soldiers even panicked and hastily rushed out of the camp. This caused chaos in their formation.


    Seeing the enemies rushing down the hill, Fredrinn raised his me Dragon Crescent de and shouted. "Archers release your arrows!"


    As soon as he gave themand, the shield bearers gave way to the archers. It was a formation that they had practiced for a long time. After they swapped ces, the archers immediately fired their arrows in several session.


    Many soldiers of the Mighty Tiger Corps failed to react in time and were turned into sieves as the arrows rained on them.


    Sensing the copsing morale of his troops, Harmon Violetcloud was furious. They had actually fallen into the enemy''s trap! He didn''t even realize it! This made him a bit fearful of the new corpsmander of the Mad Bear Corps.


    "I won''t fall so easily! Maintain our formation and stop going down the hill! Form another defensive barrier using the trees! Don''t let the enemies get close!" He shouted a series ofmands.


    The soldiers of the Mighty Tiger Corps calmed down when they heard his words. The surviving divisionmanders led their troops in hastily erecting a wooden barrier.


    Meanwhile, the soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps had already reached the foot of the hill.


    "We will pierce through the enemy''s formation! ck me Heavy Cavalry Division, lead the charge with me!" Fredrinn bellowed.


    Bernard who had already regrouped with them led the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division. They formed a tight box formation behind Fredrinn. Although their momentum decreased after reaching the hill, their morale didn''t falter. With a fearless corpsmander like Fredrinn who was in the most dangerous spot at the front, they felt like they could tear through the enemy''s defenses!


    Soon, the two armies collided!


    The soldiers of the Mighty Tiger Corps couldn''t even withstand the ferocious assault of the ck me Heavy Cavalry. The hastily assembled first line of defense quickly crumbled under their unstoppable charge.


    ''What the hell is this?!'' Ulysses was bbergasted. He never thought that the young heir of the Firecrown Supreme Household was actually this fearless.


    Looking at his unshakable figure in front of the formation, Ulysses felt a strong urge to follow him.


    Dozens of soldiers attacked Fredrinn, but he managed to block them effortlessly. And then with a swing of his guandao, multiple enemies were cut in half!


    Seeing how powerful their young corpsmander was, the soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps became even more ferocious with their attacks as if they were injected with chicken blood.


    Thest bits of doubt Ulysses had towards Fredrinn vanished in an instant. He was thoroughly convinced.


    While he was reeling from shock, Fredrinn had already killed an enemy Nascent Soul martial practitioner. He might only be at the 1st Layer of the Nascent Soul realm, but he had the power of items. People in the same realm as him were nothing in his eyes!

 Chapter 140: The Unstoppable Fredrinn

    Harmon quickly spotted Fredrinn''s conspicuous presence and felt that he was the biggest threat in the battle. ''I must take down that fellow!''


    Harmon knew that he had to eliminate that person to change the momentum of the war.


    "Mighty Tiger Corps, heed my call! Kill the guandao-wielding bastard!" Harmon shouted at the top of his lungs, causing the veins on his face to protrude.


    When the soldiers of the Mighty Tiger Corps heard his rallying roar, they immediately turned their frenzied gazes toward Fredrinn.


    Lifting his heavy sword, Harmon urged his mount to charge down the hill. His subordinates trailed behind him.


    Because of the steep hill, they soon picked up a strong momentum that seemed to be capable of decimating everything in their path.


    At this moment, Fredrinn also noticed that he was being targeted. However, he wasn''t the least bit afraid of them. With the unique effect of the Armor of Eternal Strength and the Lithinum Shield, he was like a moving tank!


    "Corps Commander, move back! You must retreat!" Ulysses shouted in concern when he saw the enemies charging towards Fredrinn.


    The soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps were also worried about his safety.


    "Do not falter! I''m Fredrinn Firecrown, the heir of the Firecrown Supreme Household! I''m a peak Nascent Soul martial practitioner! These puny flies are nothing to me! Keep your shields up while I stop these crazy bastards! Look closely and see how powerful your Corps Commander is!" Fredrinn''s arrogant and carefreeughter drifted into everyone''s ears.


    Both enemies and allies were bbergasted by his words.


    Facing the charge of hundreds of enemies, he actually stood his ground without a hint of hesitation and fear!


    "You arrogant fool! Face the fury of my heavy sword!" Harmon bellowed in rage. After taking a closer look, he discovered that this man was actually much younger than he had thought. As for Fredrinn saying that he was a peak Nascent Soul martial practitioner, he merely treated it as rubbish. How was that possible?


    Even the most talented young martial practitioners in the Blue Sky Kingdom weren''t at that level. He didn''t believe it at all.


    Harmon''s heavy sword fell bringing about a fearsome wave of earth spikes. Each earth spike had the power to end the life of a Nascent Soul martial practitioner and there were over several dozen of them!


    [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    [Harmon Violetcloud] Favorability: - 12 (Hostile)


    Fredrinn calmly lifted his shield to block Harmon''s heavy sword.


    CLANG!


    "What?!" Harmon was stunned. His heavy sword powered by a battle skill was actually blocked! The other party didn''t even flinch.


    After blocking the heavy sword, Fredrinn used the new skill he learned.


    First stance of the Divine Ice Flower Execution! Blooming flowers!


    This was a transcendent-rank spear technique! Fredrinn made some variations with the movements since he was using a guandao.


    As soon as he executed the skill, numerous plum blossoms appeared and bloomed. The visual impact was so striking that Harmon was momentarily dazed. It was as if he was entranced by an illusion.


    When he sensed what was happening, he hurriedly circted his Qi, swiftly dissipating the illusionary power that almost took over his mind.


    However, Fredrinn''s guandao had already struck down, giving him no time to respond.


    ''Fuck!'' Harmon gritted his teeth in fear. He hastily lifted his heavy sword while tilting his body to the side.


    Fredrinn''s guandao struck his heavy sword and cut it in half. The momentum of his guandao only decreased by a bit and continued its way down which tore a portion of Harmon''s shoulder and eventually cut down his mount''s body!


    The war horse cried out in pain and copsed, causing Harmon to lose bnce and heavily fall onto the ground! He remained motionless, his life and death unknown.


    Seeing this, the soldiers of the Mighty Tiger Corps quickly rushed to his aid.


    "Protect the corpsmander! Kill that guy!"


    "Kill him!"


    Looking at the hundreds of enemy soldiers, Fredrinn remained unfazed.


    "Today, I will make you remember my name!" Fredrinn roared as he charged at the advancing enemies,pletely disregarding therge disparity in numbers.


    With a wave of his guandao, bodies were torn apart! No one managed to get past his defenses and he remained unscathed even after facing more than a hundred enemies all by himself!


    Fredrinn was like a meat grinder! Whoever tried to take him down was torn apart, their bodies almost unrecognizable!


    Soon, hundreds of enemy corpses piled up around him, but Fredrinn''s tall figure remained undauntingly calm.


    His armor was already drenched in blood and small pieces of flesh were stuck on the de of his guandao.


    His mighty figure made everyone scared.


    "He''s a demon! We can''t beat him!"


    "I don''t want to fight anymore!"


    While the enemies were starting to despair, a figure suddenly appeared and stood staunchly before Fredrinn. "The war is still not over! He is just one man! Our reinforcements will arrive soon! We must hold them back!"


    "It''s the Deputy Corps Commander!"


    "With him around, there is still a chance to make aeback!"


    The soldiers of the Mighty Tiger Corps regained their confidence when they saw this person.


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes.


    [Nascent Soul 9th Layer]


    [Grayson Casterfall] Favorability: -7 (Hostile)


    This guy was also powerful, but that wasn''t the most interesting thing about him. It was the fact that he managed to stabilize his troops'' morale with merely his presence. This person had the qualities of a leader.


    "Corps Commander, we are here to help you!" Ulysses shouted as he came to Fredrinn''s side. His eyes shed with reverence as he looked at Fredrinn.


    The ck me Heavy Cavalry Division had also crushed their enemies and immediately came to support him.


    The two armies were at a standstill. No one moved as they warily red at each other.


    A momentter, Fredrinn lifted his guandao and swung it, flicking off the pieces of flesh stuck on its de.


    "You will be a good stepping stone for my soldiers," Fredrinn muttered, pretending to be calm and strong. In truth, he had almost depleted his Qi.


    Hearing this, the enemy Deputy Corps Commander, Grayson Casterfall, frowned.


    Fredrinn pointed his guandao forward and shouted. "Mad Bear Corps! Kill them and avenge our fallenrades!"


    Upon hearing hismand, the Mad Bear Corps roared as they furiously charged at the enemies.


    "Kill them!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

 Chapter 141: Complete Victory

    Fredrinn watched as the two armies shed once more. It looked as if he had no intention to join the battle and was simply there to observe.


    Everyone thought that it was because he disdained to fight the enemies, but in truth, Fredrinn was just silently recovering his Qi. If he joined the fight now, he would only reveal his weakness which would be a huge blow to the powerful persona he had created.


    As the battle raged on, the Mad Bear Corps'' was slowly gaining ground. Their grief at the deaths of theirrades fueled their determination to fight, disregarding the injuries they suffered.


    Their reckless way of fighting scared the Mighty Tiger Corps and this slight change in their mental state greatly affected their morale. Even with the presence of their reliable Deputy Commander Grayson Casterfall, they still failed to ovee the Mad Bear Corps'' ferocious onught.


    "Where are the reinforcements?! We can''t hold them back for long!" Someone shouted in a dispirited voice.


    At this moment, over half of the Mighty Tiger Corps were killed and the enemies still maintained their ferocity. It was only a matter of time before all of them would be killed.


    Looking at their dwindling numbers, some soldiers of the Mighty Tiger Corps threw down their weapons and kneeled, expressing their surrender.


    "I''m not fighting anymore!"


    "Don''t kill me! I surrender!"


    "Stop stabbing me! I have already surrendered!"


    Their pleas for mercy were ignored by the furious Mad Bear Corps. Even those who had surrendered were mercilessly killed.


    "You have no right to surrender! Grab your sword and fight me, you damn bastards!" Ulysses roared, his eyes reddened in fury.


    Fredrinn was no longer new to this scene, but to someone who was born in a peaceful modern world, the bloody scene still made him feel nauseated.


    He frowned in disgust.


    The old members of the Mad Bear Corps were like grim reapers, reaping the lives of those who had surrendered.


    Fredrinn didn''t stop them. If he had experienced the same situation, he would have done the same thing. He wouldn''t deprive them of their rights to avenge theirrades however cruel the methods they used.


    Before the sun had set, the Mighty Tiger Corps was almost annihted. Their Deputy Commander, Grayson Casterfall, was killed by Ullyses and their high-ranking military officers died in battle. If Fredrinn hadn''t given themand to stop, the surviving soldiers of the Might Tiger Corps would have been killed by the furious Mad Bear Corps.


    Among the thirty thousand soldiers of the Mighty Tiger Corps, only less than three thousand survived and all of them were injured to some degree. Meanwhile, the Mad Bear Corps also suffered some losses with over four thousand casualties. Even the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division lost a hundred men.


    It must be noted that the soldiers of the ck me Cavalry possessed armor made from magic aquanite so it was incredibly difficult to kill them. The hundred that died were unlucky since most of them were killed by Nascent Soul martial practitioners. If they had encountered weaker enemies, they would have survived. Unfortunately, there were no ifs in war.


    The captured enemy soldiers were chained to prevent them from escaping or causing any disturbances.


    "Sir, I''m here to give my report!" Ulysses dismounted from his horse and gave Fredrinn a snappy salute. His eyes were filled with reverence and admiration as he stared at this young corpsmander.


    "Speak." Fredrinn nodded his head.


    "We found the artilleries in their base camp, but most of them were already burned. We managed to find twenty-four that were still usable, but all the shells had already exploded during the fire. We also discovered their armory¡­"


    To summarize Ullyses'' report, they managed to get about 20% of the Mighty Tiger Corps arsenal. Over ten thousand injured war horses were captured. Given some time, they would have a reserve of mounts. It is just such a pity that they lost most of the equipment during the fire.


    [You have captured one of the four key locations that is crucial in this war! Rewards: 3000 Fate Points, Level Up Card x1, and Healing Card x1!]


    [Mission Progress: 25%]


    Fredrinn received the notifications once they took over Blood Burn Hill.


    He immediately used the Level Up Card to advance his cultivation to the 2nd Layer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    His Fate Points shot up to 18675, a decent amount to buy some valuable items. However, Fredrinn didn''t have any intention to buy anything at the moment. He wanted to save up his Fate Points for future use.


    Fredrinn stared at thest item he received.


    Healing Card [???]


    - Allies within a 100-meter radius will significantly recover their health. (Cannot be used duringbat.)


    Seeing the description, Fredrinn''s eyes shed. This was a useful item. Many of his soldiers were gravely wounded, but because of theck of medicines and medical practitioners, some of them might not make it. This card might save their lives!


    Without wasting any time, Fredrinn told Ullyses to gather all the grave injured soldiers in one ce.


    Ullyses was confused by his instructions, but he stillplied.


    In just less than an hour, the injured soldiers were gathered inside a big tent that spanned about a hundred meters.


    Fredrinn then used the Healing Card.


    As soon as he activated it, the card slowly formed into globules of light and filled the tent.


    "This energy¡­" Fredrinn sensed the strong life energy in each globule of light. It wasn''t just him, all the soldiers also sensed the fluctuation of energy.


    An anxious Ullyses entered the tent to check the situation and he was stunned when he saw that the injured soldiers were gradually recovering. What made him more shocked was the rate at which they were recovering. He even saw someone whose innards were visible, his skin slowly closed up and soon only a scar remained on his chest.


    "What the hell is this?" He was gobsmacked. He had never seen something like this before. Not even those expensive medicines made by alchemists were capable of achieving this kind of effect.


    It was then that he noticed Fredrinn who was in the middle of the tent. The life energy congregated around him as if he were the source of this miracle.


    (Note: Please checkment section.)

 Chapter 142: Battle Report

    Fredrinn saw the look of astonishment in Ullyses'' eyes, but he didn''t say anything and just nodded at thetter to acknowledge his presence.


    "Corps Commander!" Ullyses greeted him respectfully. He respected Fredrinn before because of his background and strength, but this time, he wholeheartedly admired him. Despite the huge difference in their age, he didn''t mind treating the young man as his superior. In fact, he was even proud of it.


    Fredrinn beckoned to him. "I brought some medicines with me. Distribute them to our injuredrades and make sure that they are well taken care of."


    Hearing this, Ullyses was moved. He felt that Fredrinn was truly kind. Soldiers like them would receive supplies from the royal family in limited numbers so they use them sparingly. It was rare to see amander willing to share his supplies with his subordinates.


    Fredrinn randomly inspected Ullyses'' favorability and found out that it had increased to 85. This made him smile. This guy was truly honest that it was so easy to please him. He didn''t expect that giving away some medicine would earn Ullyses'' respect.


    "Thank you, Corps Commander!" Ullyses bowed deeply, his eyes shed with gratitude.


    Fredrinn patted his shoulder. "There''s no need to thank me. I''m just doing my job as your corpsmander. I''ll leave this matter in your care. Report to me if somethinges up."


    "Yes, Corps Commander!" Ullyses, this veteran soldier almost cried when he heard Fredrinn''s words.


    Fredrinn left the tent after giving some instructions to Ullyses.


    He had now taken over Blood Burn Hill ording to Commander Galleon''s ns. By now, the Star Wind Kingdom''s forces should have already taken care of the artillery of the Blue Sky Kingdom.


    Galleon''s n was to bait the Blue Sky Kingdom into deploying their artillery to support the soldiers of Blood Burn Hill. This means Fredrinn and the Mad Bear Corps were just a diversion. Their goal wasn''t just to take control of Blood Burn Hill, but to destroy the enemy''s artillery.


    When he realized Galleon''s n, he was truly impressed with the veteranmander''s scheme.


    ***


    Two dayster, a messenger from the main army arrived to deliver the news about the battle led by Commander Galleon and two of the supreme households.


    Fredrinn''s eyebrows tightened when he read the contents of the letter.


    This letter was personally written by Deputy Commander Nate.


    ording to him, Commander Galleon led over a hundred thousand soldiers to attack an enemy''s camp where the artillery was stored.


    A separate force of thirty thousand soldiers was also sent to stop the enemy reinforcements headed to Blood Burn Hill.


    The main army led by Commander Galleon sessfully destroyed the enemy''s artillery and they even killed forty thousand enemy soldiers. However, the Galleon''s army lost thirty thousand soldiers.


    Meanwhile, the separate force led by Kris Vone Evergreen that was supposed to stop the reinforcements sent to Blood Burn Hill managed toplete their mission after a fierce fight. Unfortunately, the enemies managed to fire their artillery which caused significant losses on his army. Of the thirty thousand soldiers under hismand, only six thousand survived. It was a pyrrhic victory.


    Fredrinn didn''tugh at his plight. He didn''t like Kris Vone, but the soldiers under him were innocent. Their death didn''t make him feel good.


    "Any orders from themander?" Fredrinn asked the messenger as he burned the letter.


    The messenger nodded and replied. "A new corps will be sent here to defend the hill. The Commander wants you to return to the main camp to discuss how to capture more key locations."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn nodded. He thought that themander would ask him to defend the hill. This would affect his mission to capture the four key locations on the battlefield. He didn''t expect that themander would take the initiative to invite him for another meeting. This means that themander was already made aware of Fredrinn''s overwhelming victory against the Mighty Tiger Corps.


    "I see. Thank you for delivering themander''s message. You may stay in the camp for a meal." Fredrinn sent off the messenger.


    Three dayster, a corps of about thirty thousand soldiers led by Fern Silversword arrived at the foot of Blood Burn Hill.


    Fredrinn''s troops were busy with rebuilding the camp on top of the hill so they hadn''tpletely cleaned the aftermath of their battle against the Mighty Tiger Corps. There were still some corpses here and there. The smell of blood was evident, making Fern''s soldiers frown.


    Fern strictly followed the military rules. He didn''t force his way in on top of the hill and patiently waited for Fredrinn to invite him toe.


    He had already heard about the Mad Bear Corps'' overwhelming victory. With only seventeen thousand soldiers, they managed to recapture Blood Burn Hill which had over thirty thousand enemy soldiers. Not to mention the dozens or even hundreds of artillery they possessed. When he first heard about the results of the battle, Fern found it unbelievable.


    Fredrinn only lost five thousand soldiers and his army thoroughly decimated the Mighty Tiger Corps. This information made him gain a deeper understanding of Fredrinn. He was indeed as powerful as the rumors made him out to be.


    A momentter, Fredrinn finally descended the hill together with a hundred soldiers dressed in ck armor.


    Seeing those soldiers, Fern narrowed his eyes. He had also heard a few things about them. They are soldiers of the Firecrown Supreme Household. He never would have thought that a newly formed army would possess such destructive might in battle. It was truly incredible. As to how the Firecrown Supreme Household had trained them, no one knows.


    At this moment, Fredrinn had already approached them.


    "I didn''t expect you to arrive so soon, Corps Commander Fern. I apologize foringte. I hope I didn''t make you guys wait for too long." Fredrinn greeted him respectfully. This gentleman was Aubrey''s rtive so Fredrinn didn''t want to be rude to him.


    "Hahaha! There''s no need for you to apologize, Corps Commander Fredrinn. I know you are busy dealing with the aftermath of the battle here." Fern wasn''t the least bit bothered. He wanted to know more about this young man who showed exemry achievement in battle.


    "Thank you for being understanding. Let''s talk in the camp. I can''t let your soldiers stand in the middle of the heat."

 Chapter 143: Returning to the Main Camp

    "Everyone''s been talking about you, Fredrinn. You really did great this time and I heard that you even captured the enemy''s corpsmander alive." Fern remarked in admiration.


    With a limited number of troops, Fredrinn exceeded everyone''s expectations. Fern no longer treated him as someone in the younger generation. He treated him like a peer, someone who had equal status to him.


    Facing his undisguised ttery, Fredrinn remained humble. It was obvious that Fern wanted to befriend him. He was already acquainted with Aubrey so he didn''t mind strengthening his rtionship with the Silversword Household. Who knows? Maybe this connection would be useful in the future.


    After exchanging some pleasantries, they finally went to the most important matter.


    "You don''t need to worry about the situation here, Fredrinn. I will deal with the rest. You can ease your mind and head back to the main camp." Fern chuckled.


    "Thank you, Sir Fern! I can rest easy with you taking care of the situation here." Fredrinn was satisfied with his conversation with Fern.


    "Why don''t you stay here for another day to take some rest?" Fern politely invited.


    "Thank you for the invitation, Sir, but I have to decline. I can''t let themander wait." Fredrinn tactfully rejected.


    "I see. I wasn''t thoughtful enough. In that case, I won''t hold you back. Be careful on your trip back to the main camp. There might be some scattered enemy soldiers hidden in the area so you should remain vignt." Fern reminded him.


    "I understand. I''ll keep your words in mind."


    Fredrinn bid him farewell. He thenmanded the Mad Bear Corps to go down the hill and head back to the main camp.


    ***


    Almost a weekter, Fredrinn and the Mad Bear Corps finally returned to the main camp. Their arrival was weed with cheers and apuse from the soldiers stationed at the camp.


    Fredrinn remained calm in the face of everyone''s excitement. He knew that he would soon face tougher battles so he didn''t let the victory go over his head.


    Commander Galleon and Deputy Commander Nate personally weed their arrival.


    "You didn''t disappoint me, Fredrinn. You have truly exceeded everyone''s expectations." Galleon''s words were almost identical to what Fern had told him. This made him chuckle.


    While they were congratting him, someone was eyeing him coldly in the distance. "Damn bastard! Just what kind of tricks did he use to defeat that idiot Harmon?! With only seventeen thousand soldiers at that! Dammit!"


    Kris Vone was infuriated. He also seeded in his task, but he lost almost 80% of his soldiers. He thought that it was only because of the enemy''s artillery, but when he heard about Fredrinn''s overwhelming victory, he was utterly shocked. Because of this, he was alwayspared with Fredrinn which made him annoyed.


    He didn''t want to ept that he was inferior to someone who was so much younger than him! It was a huge blow to his pride.


    "Why are you acting so pathetic, Kris Vone?" A voice filled with disdain drifted into his ears.


    He turned around and frowned at the one who had spoken. It was a middle-aged man with the distinctive features of a lion, a sign that he was a member of the Goldenlion Supreme Household.


    "Shut your mouth, Nilo! Do you think I''m afraid of you?!" Kris Vone red at him.


    "Have you finally dropped your sanctimonious act? I knew you were hiding this kind of rotten attitude." The guy called Nilo sneered.


    Hearing this, Kris Vone was about to grab his weapon when he sensed the presence of someone approaching.


    "What is going on here?"


    They turned their head and saw Galleon staring at them with a frown.


    Seeing him, Kris Vone immediately saluted. "We are just having an ordinary conversation, Commander." He replied.


    Nilo chuckled while shaking his head. This guy was truly shameless. He didn''t even bother to hide his true colors now. ''So much for the so-called kind elder from the Evergreen Supreme Household¡­''


    Galleon gave Kris Vone a deep look, but he didn''t pursue the matter to avoid foiling everyone''s feelings. "You two should follow me to the meeting room. We will discuss our next course of action."


    "Yes, Commander!"


    After that brief verbal disagreement between the two elders, Galleon led them to the meeting room.


    First, they discussed the recent battles. When Galleon talked about Fredrinn''s aplishment, everyone silently gave him a thumbs up. And when Galleon mentioned Kris Vone''s pyrrhic victory, everyone sent him judging looks.


    ''These damn bastards!'' Kris Vone gritted his teeth. He wished that he could p their faces to wipe off their arrogant mug.


    After Galleon talked about the recent battles, he grabbed a stick and pointed at an area on the battle map, circling it with the end of the stick. "This is another area that we need to capture. It''s called the Green Lake Valley. The enemy has set up camp in one of the hills¡­ this one right here¡­ The location is hard to attack and easy to defend so we had never seeded in taking that ce.


    We lost many soldiers for trying to capture the valley. The person in charge of defending that ce is Vance Casterfall. He has fifty thousand soldiers under hismand and he also has ten Nascent Soul martial practitioners working for him¡­"


    Everyone quietly listened. They wanted to know who would be sent to that hellhole.


    After giving them a rough idea about the situation in the Green Lake Valley, Galleon stared at them. "Once we take control of that valley, we can push our main camp further and fight for a chance to take over Roshire Mountain. Which one of you guys would like to take this mission? I can give you thirty thousand soldiers."


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    "Why don''t we give this mission to Fredrinn?" Kris Vone suddenly spoke.


    His words instantly earned everyone''s disapproval. Fredrinn had already proven his capabilities so no one agreed with his idea.


    Just as Galleon was about to reprimand him, Fredrinn suddenly opened his mouth. "That sounds like a good idea. However, I only have twelve thousand soldiers left and 25% of them are still injured. Even with the addition of thirty thousand soldiers, I don''t think it would be enough to conquer the valley. I would be more confident if Sir Kris Vone would support me in this mission."


    Hearing his words, everyone''s eyes widened.


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 Chapter 144: Next Mission: Conquer the Green Lake Valley

    Everyone could sense the implications in his words. If Kris Vone was sent to support Fredrinn in his mission to conquer the valley, the former might face an ident.


    Everyone had heard about Fredrinn''s unparalleled might on the battlefield. Facing hundreds of enemy soldiers at once without faltering. It was something that no one in the meeting room was brave enough to do. Perhaps only a Void Tempering powerhouse like Commander Galleon could do the same.


    If Fredrinn did something to Kris Vone during the mission, he could report thetter''s death and me it on the enemy.


    Kris Vone''s expression darkened. This guy was truly bold. ''This damn bastard! How dare he underestimate me?!'' He gritted his teeth in rage while ring at the calm-faced Fredrinn.


    Galleon stared deeply at Fredrinn. "If I sent Sir Kris Vone with you, how confident are you to conquer the Green Lake Valley?"


    Everyone was surprised to hear his words. From the looks of it, themander nned to support Fredrinn. He didn''t even care about sacrificing an elder of a supreme household!


    "Commander! How could you listen to a brat''s ramblings?!" Kris Vone knew that Fredrinn wouldn''t be so kind to him once they were left alone. Although he was confident in his own skills, he held some trepidation towards the young man.


    "Shut your mouth!" Galleon mmed the table, knocking down the chess pieces on the battle map.


    His overwhelming aura leaked out, making everyone feel suffocated.


    "I have been lenient with you because of your affiliation with the Evergreen Supreme Household, but did you really think that I would let you do as you please here? In this ce, my words are absolute! I don''t care if you are from the supreme household! If you question my words again, I will have you executed on the spot!


    Do you understand me, Kris Vone?!" Galleon''s eyes seemed like they could shootsers.


    Kris Vone hung his head low, not daring to look at themander in the eye. "Yes, Commander¡­"


    "Your foolishness caused your corps to suffer heavy casualties. If you want to redeem yourself, then follow Fredrinn in his mission to conquer the Green Lake Valley!"


    Kris Vone''s face fell. He wanted to say something, but when he saw the fury in themander''s eyes, he immediately swallowed the words he was about to say.


    "Does anyone have any objections?" Galleon scanned the rest with his piercing gaze.


    No one said anything. They didn''t have any intention to save Kris Vone. Nilo, the representative of the Goldenlion Supreme Household even snickered at thetter.


    "Since no one is against the idea, we will proceed with it." Galleon then turned his gaze to Fredrinn. "Fredrinn, I want you to lead your troops to the valley ten days from now. If you seed in this mission, I will request the royal family to promote you as a General!"


    General was a position given only to the strongest military leaders of the Star Wind Kingdom. Their authority was only beneath that of the Great Generals.


    If he received this title, he would have the authority tomand fifty thousand soldiers! He could even bring them to the estate once the war was over. This was just one of the perks of being a General.


    To Fredrinn who sought stability and strength, this was definitely a tempting offer.


    "Don''t worry, Commander! I will conquer the Green Lake Valley for our Star Wind Kingdom!" Fredrinn patted his chest confidently. He still had his trump card so he wasn''t worried about failing the mission.


    Hearing his bold promation, Galleon chuckled, seemingly pleased. "Good! I will expect great results from you!"


    Fredrinn bowed his head. He didn''t forget to send Kris Vone a deathly nce which made thetter''s face twitch.


    The meeting continued for another thirty minutes before Galleon dismissed everyone.


    "Alright. You guys may take your leave."


    Everyone stood up and bowed to him before they left.


    As soon as they stepped out of themander''s tent, Fredrinn ced his arm over Kris Vone''s shoulder, acting like they were close friends. "Corps Commander Kris, I will wait for you at our camp. Don''t bete. We have a lot of matters to discuss."


    Kris Vone was repulsed by his actions and he wanted to push him off. However, he found out that he couldn''t move Fredrinn when he exerted his strength. It was as if his energy vanished into thin air when he touched Fredrinn. ''What the hell?! How did he do it?''


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    "Oh! I didn''t know that you are actually close to Corps Commander Fredrinn. I thought you despised him since you were so angry when you heard his achievements." A voice filled with derision echoed behind them.


    Fredrinn turned around and saw the elder from the Goldelion Supreme Household.


    "You must be joking, Corps Commander Nilo! Haha! How could I despise Corps Commander Fredrinn? That''s ridiculous!" Kris Vone''s face was so unsightly to behold.


    Nilo burst intoughter when he heard his words. "Hahaha!"


    Fredrinn realized that this elder also held some grudges against Kris Vone. "You must have misunderstood him, Corps Commander Nilo. I''m quite close with Kris Vone and I even consider him as my elder brother. With him by my side on our next mission, I don''t have to worry about my life. I''m sure that he would even sacrifice his life to protect me."


    Fredrinn''s words were full of hidden meanings.


    Nilo understood this right away and grinned. "Is that so? I must have heard it wrong at that time. I''m sorry!"


    "It''s alright."


    "I still have things to do so I''ll take my leave first." Fredrinn bid everyone farewell and winked at Kris Vone before he left.


    "Look at you acting so submissively in front of someone who could be your grandson! Hahaha!" Niloughed contemptuously as he walked away.


    Kris Vone''s eyes shed with imperceptible darkness. ''Since it hase to this, don''t me me for being ruthless! How dare you embarrass a proud member of the Evergreen Supreme Household!?''

 Chapter 145: Kris Vone’s Scheme

    In the next three days, Commander Galleon sent a total of thirty thousand soldiers to Fredrinn, instantly bolstering his troops to forty-two thousand. He didn''t include Kris Vone''s troops in the count since he didn''t have any ns of epting them as his own. At least not for now.


    At this moment, Fredrinn was overseeing the joint exercise of his newly acquired soldiers. They came from different divisions so the overall unity of his new troops was not so strong. They needed more training to get them more familiar with each other.


    "Reporting to the Corps Commander!" Ullyses came and gave him a salute. His loyalty towards Fredrinn had grown considerably after the battle against the Mighty Tiger Corps. He now held this young corpsmander in high regard.


    Fredrinn nced at him and nodded in acknowledgment. "Speak."


    "Sir, that guy from the Evergreen Supreme Household hase with his troops," Ullyses reported. He heard from the soldiers that Kris Vone didn''t have a good rtionship with Fredrinn. Because of this, he had no good impression of that fellow.


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    Fredrinn furrowed his eyebrows. "How many soldiers did he bring?" He asked. From thest report, it was said that Kris Vone only had three thousand soldiers left. Three days have passed since then so he believed that Kris Vone must have gathered more with the help of his connection and identity.


    Ullyses frowned. "After our initial count, there should be around ten thousand of them."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn''s eyes shed.


    Kris Vone was really resourceful. He actually managed to acquire an additional seven thousand soldiers in just three days without Commander Galleon''s assistance.


    Fredrinn didn''t feel good about it.


    Seeing that he was silent, Ullyses carefully asked. "How should we deal with them, sir?" He had a nagging feeling that something bad would happen on this mission.


    "Tell him toe see me," Fredrinn responded. He had to observe the situation first before making a decision.


    "Yes, sir!" Ullyses nodded before he turned and left.


    Kris Vone might be an enemy, but not all of his soldiers were loyal to him. Fredrinn didn''t want to involve those innocent soldiers in his disputes with Kris Vone.


    Soon, Ullyses came back with two more people. One of them was Kris Vone and the other was an unfamiliar face.


    "Greetings, Corps Commander Fredrinn." Kris Vone greeted him with azy salute.


    When Fredrinnst saw him, Kris Vone didn''t even dare look at him in the eye. However, something was different this time. Fredrinn sensed the usual confidence in Kris Vone''s eyes. He wondered what made this guy regain his confidence.


    Out of habit, Fredrinn inspected their cultivation through the battle scouter.


    Kris Vone''s cultivation was still the same at the 10thyer of the Nascent Soul realm. What made him surprised was the cultivation of the person standing behind Kris Vone.


    [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    [Bryan Roy Evergreen] Favorability: 29


    This guy who was acting like Kris Vone''s subordinate was actually a member of the Evergreen Supreme Household!


    Fredrinn felt an air of conspiracy when he discovered the man''s identity. He then realized that this man''s presence might be the reason for Kris Vone''s sudden spike in confidence.


    ''Oh? So you received some support from your family¡­'' Fredrinn maintained aposed look as he nodded at Kris Vone.


    He then eyed the man behind Kris Vone and asked. "This gentleman man is?"


    "Oh, you mean this guy? Don''t mind him. He is just a subordinate that I have been training." Kris Vone waved his hand.


    His answer was already suspicious. If Fredrinn didn''t have the battle scouter and the favorability meter, he would have been kept in the dark. This guy was truly a schemer.


    Fredrinn didn''t show any fluctuations in his emotions. He just nodded casually after Kris Vone responded.


    "I wonder what are your arrangements for my troops¡­" Kris Vone squinted his eyes, and a fierce glint shed for a moment before it vanished.


    "We need to reorganize the troops and make them more familiar with each other. This way, we won''t have to worry about their teamwork when the timees." Fredrinn answered his queries.


    Kris Vone nodded, seemingly relieved with his decision.


    They became silent for a few minutes before Kris Vone opened his mouth.


    "I know that we have some disagreements, Corps Commander, but we should work together for the sake of the kingdom. I hope we can forget about our differences even if it''s only temporary." He had a sincere look on his face.


    If Fredrinn hadn''t seen through his ploys, he would have believed his words. This guy had truly mastered the art of deception. However, Fredrinn decided to y along with Kris Vone to let the other party think that he wasn''t aware of anything.


    "You''re right. I admit that I was also wrong. I hope that it''s not toote to repair our rtionship." Fredrinn put on a regretful face. He even let out a deep sigh as if to express some sorrow.


    Ullyses was surprised by his words. It was just recently that he heard Fredrinn cursing Kris Vone andughing at the guy''s misfortune. What is this sudden change in attitude? Looking at Fredrinn''s regretful face, Ullyses couldn''t tell if he was merely acting.


    It wasn''t just him, Kris Vone was simrly surprised. He thought that Fredrinn would make things difficult for him. He had even prepared his lines in case they ended up in a verbal disagreement. He never thought that Fredrinn would easily let go of their grudge. However, he didn''t immediately believe his words. It might be an act to make him lower his guard.


    Thinking about this, Kris Vone cursed him in his mind. ''Dammit! I almost fell for his act!''


    The two put on their masks to hide their true feelings.


    They continued this act for the next five days after the reorganization of their troops.


    To the soldiers, it seemed like they had already reconciled. It brought a positive change to the troops and their sense of cohesion solidified.


    Perhaps only Fredrinn and Kris Vone knew that their true battle was just about to begin.


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 Chapter 146: Spy

    Just like that, three days passed in an instant.


    The day of the mission finally arrived.


    Fredrinn led the Mad Bear Corps to the Green Lake Valley. Their numbers totaled at about fifty-two thousand including Kris Vone''s newly assembled troops. With this number, it was no longer appropriate to call them a corps, but Fredrinn was still not a General so they couldn''t be called an army either.


    After the reorganization, the Mad Bear Corps now had ten divisions with each division having five thousand soldiers.


    To prevent Kris Vone from causing trouble, Fredrinn divided his ten thousand soldiers and sent them into different divisions. Surprisingly, Kris Vone didn''t give much of a reaction to his decision.


    During the reorganization, Fredrinn also discovered one more suspicious individual under Kris Vone. It was another guy at the 10th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm, making him the third at that level including Kris Vone and Bryan Roy. With this discovery, Fredrinn realized that Kris Vone might be plotting to eliminate him during the mission together with those two other guys.


    The Mad Bear Corps traveled for five days before they finally caught a glimpse of the valley.


    "Let''s set up camp here." Fredrinn issued amand.


    Everyone immediately set up camp and erected some defenses in case of enemy attack.


    "Sir, should I send a team to scout the valley?" Ullyses probed.


    They didn''t encounter an enemy scout during their march which made him feel uneasy. As a veteran soldier, he felt that there was something wrong with the path ahead.


    "There''s no need for that." Fredrinn shook his head.


    In truth, Fredrinn had also noticed the unusual peace in the area. Knowing that an enemy was waiting for them, he was expecting to encounter some of their scouts, but they didn''t find anyone.


    Fredrinn put two fingers on his mouth and made a unique whistling sound akin to a bird''s cry.


    A momentter, two birds appeared and circled above them, emitting screeching noises as if answering his call. These two were the Soaring Red-eyed Eagles that he purchased from the Fate Shop a few months ago. After consuming a lot of resources, they transformed into giant magical aerial beasts.


    As for their cultivation, Fredrinn managed to elevate their strength to the 10thyer of the Qi Gathering stage. Just one more step and they would advance to the Foundation Establishment realm.


    A few days ago, he sent these two to scout the path in advance. However, after three days of aerial observation, they didn''t report anything.


    "Have you guys found the enemies?" Fredrinnmunicated with the birds. The two eagles didn''t know how to speak the human tongue, but Fredrinn could understand them through the spiritual connection they shared.


    The two eagles descended.


    Fredrinn alerted the troops and instructed them not to attack the eagles.


    Looking at him petting the two magical beasts, the soldiers realized that they must be his pets.


    The eagles made cawing sounds.


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes after hearing the eagles'' message.


    It turned out that the enemies had changed location!


    The valley was sandwiched by tworge hills. ording to the intel they got from Commander Galleon, the enemy had set up camp on one of the hills. The other hill was left with only a thousand soldiers to act as a distraction. However, the eagles told him something different from the information he had.


    Both hills had five thousand cavalry soldiers waiting in ambush, while the remaining forty thousand soldiers were quietly hidden beneath the hills.


    It was impossible to see them onnd because of the tall grass fields. The spiritual perception of the Nascent Soul martial practitioners also failed to detect them. Fredrinn guessed that they possessed an array formation that blocked their presence. This gave the enemy the chance to set up this trap.


    It was a well-nned trap, but it was impossible to set this up without enough preparation and knowledge of the Mad Bear Corps movements.


    Thinking about this, Fredrinn''s expression darkened. ''There was a spy among his troops!''


    In the past few days, he was upied with training them so he didn''t have the time to check the soldiers one by one. It was a miscalction on his part.


    The first person he suspected was Kris Vone. He was the most suspicious considering their past alterations, but he didn''t have any proof.


    While Fredrinn was deep in his thoughts, someone suddenly approached him.


    "Corps Commander, why don''t we sneak up on the enemy camp while they are still unaware of our presence?" It was Kris Vone.


    His suggestion increased Fredrinn''s suspicions.


    Fredrinn sneered in his mind. "No!" He shook his head.


    "Once we go through the grass fields, the enemy scouts will immediately discover us. They have a higher vantage point so it''s easy for them to notice our movements." Fredrinn exined.


    Ullyses who was quietly standing behind him, nodded in agreement.


    Kris Vone furrowed his eyebrows. ''This guy is so cautious. Did his birds discover something?'' To eliminate Fredrinn, he even decided to send information about the Mad Bear Corps'' movements to the enemies.


    He nned to make the Mad Bear Corps and the enemy sh. When Fredrinn would be upied in battle, he would then assassinate Fredrinn together with the two experts sent by the Evergreen Supreme Household.


    Fredrinn noticed the slight fluctuation in his eyes so he used the favorability meter function.


    [Kris Vone] Favorability: -1 (Hostile)


    Seeing this, Fredrinn became certain that this guy was the spy! He almost grabbed his guandao out of anger, but he held himself back. Kris Vone was still unaware that he had already seen through his schemes.


    "We can''t stay out in the open for long, sir. They might discover us soon and we will lose our chance to catch them unprepared. Please reconsider your decision." Kris Vone didn''t give up immediately.


    Fredrinnughed coldly in his heart. This guy was really good at ying innocent. If it was someone else, they might have already fallen into his trap.


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    "Don''t worry, Sir Kris Vone. We will attack the enemy camp tomorrow evening. We will make use of the night to ambush them." Fredrinn muttered. A n was slowly formed in his mind.


    Hearing this, Kris Vone furrowed his eyebrows as if he were against the idea.


    ''Then I will let you live for another day. Tomorrow, I will have your head!'' Kris Vone thought as he concealed his true thoughts.


    He wasn''t aware that Fredrinn was already two steps ahead of him.

 Chapter 147: Caught Red-Handed

    Later, on the same day, Fredrinn discreetly gathered Ullyses and the other divisionmanders who had the highest favorability towards him. He didn''t bring everyone to avoid alerting Kris Vone.


    Soon, eight people came, including Ullyses. These people were the backbone of the Mad Bear Corps!


    Toplete his n, he needed their cooperation.


    At this moment, everyone stared at Fredrinn who had his back facing them.


    "Everyone, I know that you must be confused right now. Why did I call you here?" Fredrinn suddenly spoke as he turned around.


    "On our way here, I discovered something unusual. I believe some of you might have noticed it¡­"


    "Isn''t it weird that we hadn''t encountered an enemy scout while marching here?"


    When Fredrinn mentioned this, some of them narrowed their eyes as if they had realized something.


    "Normally, we should have encountered a few of the enemy scouts, but it''s like they were made aware of our presence and left before we discovered them."


    Suddenly, one of the sharp-minded divisionmanders frowned as he spoke. "Sir, are you saying that there is a spy on our side?"


    The moment he uttered those words, everyone''s faces changed.


    Fredrinn nodded. "That''s right. I wasn''t sure of it at first, but something happened that confirmed my suspicions."


    "Did you all see the eagles from earlier?"


    Everyone nodded. They had seen those two eagles.


    "Those two are my tamed magical beasts and through my connection with them, I couldmunicate with them¡­"


    Fredrin told them about what the eagles had discovered.


    "What?!" Ullyses'' eyes shed with rage. They had almost fallen into the enemy''s trap! If it weren''t for Fredrinn''s eagles, they would have been unaware of the danger lurking in the valley.


    Everyone connected the dots and they realized that Kris Vone was the most suspicious person.


    "Are you suspecting, Sir Kris Vone?" One of them dropped the name.


    "I knew that bastard was up to no good! We can execute him on the spot, sir!" Ullyses'' face contorted with fury. If it weren''t for the others holding him back, he would have already stormed into Kris Vone''s tent.


    "We can do that, but not everyone would believe us. They would only think that I''m using my authority to eliminate him which wouldn''t be good for me and the Mad Bear Corps." Fredrinn shook his head.


    Ullyses calmed down after hearing his words. "What should we do then?" He asked.


    Everyone stared at Fredrinn, waiting for him to respond.


    "Earlier, I told him that we would attack the enemy camp tomorrow evening. If my suspicions are right, he should be writing a letter now to inform the enemy about it. As long as we get that letter, we will have evidence of his treason!" Fredrinn muttered coldly.


    Everyone couldn''t help but admire him. He was truly worthy of being the heir of the Firecrown Supreme Household! At the same time, they were also afraid of his ability to scheme. They immediately told themselves to never go against this young corpsmander!


    "Here''s the n¡­ You guys should¡­"


    ***


    Meanwhile, inside Kris Vone''s tent.


    He was sitting on a chair, writing something on a piece of paper. asionally, he would look around to check if someone was spying on him. After making sure that no one was nearby, he continued writing on the paper.


    Kris Vone looked incredibly cautious as if he was afraid that someone would find out what he was doing.


    ''Fuck! To think that I would do something like this just to eliminate a snot-nosed bastard!'' He thought furiously in his heart.


    He could no longer stand the contemptuous gazes of the others. He believed that things would go back to normal once he disposed of Fredrinn.


    It took him a few minutes to write the letter.


    Kris Vone carefully folded the paper and sealed it with wax. He then rolled it and tied the center with a piece of string.


    After making sure that the letter was properly sealed, Kris Vone shouted. "Bryan Roy,e here!"


    Following his call, Bryan Roy entered the tent, his face looked calm and cold. "Sir, you called?"


    Bryan Roy was a distant descendant of the Evergreen Supreme Household. He climbed his way to the top and was granted the surname Evergreen after years of struggle. He was one of the most loyal martial practitioners of the household whose task was to clean up the family''s mess. In short, he does their dirty work.


    "Send this letter to the enemy camp. Make sure that this will reach theirmander''s hands." Kris Vone muttered as he handed the letter to him.


    Bryan Roy nodded and took the letter carefully. "I understand, sir!"


    "Go! Don''t let anyone see you!" Kris Vone waved his hand.


    Bryan Roy nodded. He then turned around and left to call their trained falcon.


    However, something unexpected happened when he stepped out of the tent.


    Hundreds of people had surrounded the tent. All of them were pointing their weapons at him.


    Seeing all these people, Bryan Roy''s first thought was to destroy the letter, but just as he was about to burn the letter, he realized that he had lost sensation in his right hand.


    When he heard something drop, he looked down and realized that it was actually his hand!


    "Don''t move!" A cold voice drifted into his ears. He soon discovered that a person was standing behind him and the de of a sword was already on his neck. One wrong move and his head would roll!


    "What is going on out there?!" Kris Vone''s annoyed voice echoed from inside the tent. When he stepped out and realized what was going on, his heart dropped.


    Under Kris Vone''s rmed gaze, he saw Fredrinn approaching him from the middle of the crowd. Thetter then grabbed the letter from the severed hand and smiled teasingly at Kris Vone.


    "What do you think you''re doing, Fredrinn?! Are you trying to betray the kingdom?!" Kris Vone was shaking in anger and anxiety.


    Fredrinn chuckled at his words. "What do you think will happen if I send this letter to Commander Galleon and tell him that you wrote it?" He muttered with a yful look while waving the letter in front of Kris Vone.

 Chapter 148: Wild Wolf Corps

    ''Dammit! I was careless!'' Kris Vone''s eyes darted around as he thought of a way to get out of this situation.


    "Why are you silent? Do you feel guilty for betraying the kingdom?" Fredrinn''s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.


    Looking at everyone who was ring at him with the intent to kill, Kris Vone felt his heart drop. "Fredrinn, you set me up! You must have nned to do this from the start! As for that letter, it has nothing to do with me!"


    "I knew you would say that." Fredrinn chuckled as if he was already expecting this. He then gave a signal to the people behind him.


    After getting his signal, a group of soldiers dragged out a middle-aged man whose face was covered in bruises and blood.


    Seeing this person, Kris Vone''s eyes widened. It was the other expert sent by the Evergreen Supreme Household! ''How did they capture him so easily?! Was it Fredrinn''s doing?!''


    This guy was a 10thyer Nascent Soul martial practitioner so Kris Vone didn''t expect to see him in such a state. ''Fucking useless! Dammit!'' He cursed in his heart.


    "I heard some interesting things from this guy. ording to him, you sent out letters about our movements to the enemies. I wonder if it''s true?"


    "Nonsense! How could I do something so ridiculous?! I would never betray the kingdom!" Kris Vone denied the allegations vehemently.


    Fredrinn clicked his tongue, feeling annoyed by his lies. "Get him! Seal his cultivation and lock him inside the cage!" He instructed in a cold voice.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Kris Vone aggressively fought back. "How could you do this to me?! I''m an elder of the Evergreen Supreme Household?! Do you guys want your families to get killed?!" He shouted furiously.


    Kris Vone might be powerful, but against tens of Nascent Soul martial practitioners and hundreds of veteran soldiers, he was still overwhelmed. In the end, he was captured and locked up inside a special cage with Bryan Roy and the other guy.


    "After this battle is over, I will report your actions to themander. With the evidence in our hands, I''m pretty sure that even the Evergreen Supreme Household wouldn''t be able to save you." Fredrinn muttered as he looked at Kris Vone who was locked up inside the cage. With their cultivation sealed, they had no hopes of escape.


    "Wait! Fredrinn! I was wrong! I promise that it was a misunderstanding!" Kris Vone forced out an ugly smile, pleading Fredrinn with his most sincere voice.


    Fredrinn felt disgusted by his act. "Please have some self-respect. You are after all an elder of a supreme household. You should get your act together."


    After that, Fredrinn turned around and told the guards to keep an eye on them. He even left a dozen members of the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division to take turns in looking after the cage.


    Fredrinn wanted to kill him, but that would only anger the Evergreen Supreme Household. The other supreme households might also be dissatisfied if he killed Kris Vone without trial. This was how difficult it was to deal with a member of the supreme household.


    The best thing he could do was report this to Commander Galleon and hopefully, he would file aint to the royal family. Once the royal family was involved, Kris Vone would have no room for escape.


    After dealing with Kris Vone, Fredrinn summoned the division leaders to discuss their strategy.


    "At this moment, the enemy must be thinking that we are unaware of their trap. We could use that to our advantage."


    "Sir, although we outnumber them, the enemies are more familiar with the terrain and there might be more traps out there if we aren''t careful."


    "I''ve already taken that into consideration¡­"


    The meeting proceeded smoothly without the presence of the troublemaker, Kris Vone. Everyone exchanged their opinions and suggestions to create a solid n to conquer the valley.


    ***


    Meanwhile, hiding within the valley was a man who looked to be in his fifties. An impatient look hung on his face as he observed the peaceful grasnd. This guy was the corpsmander of the Wild Wolf Corps, stationed in the valley. His name was Van Daleson. He was a 10thyer Nascent martial practitioner and one of the top experts in the Blue Sky Kingdom''s military


    "Is there still no sign of them moving?" He muttered to the person in front of him.


    It was someone younger, a guy who looked like he was in histe thirties. "They still haven''t entered the grasnd, sir! Should I send some scouts to observe them closely?" The man inquired.


    Van Daleson frowned upon hearing his words. "No! Let''s wait for a moment. That guy should be sending us a letter soon."


    "Sir, can we really trust that person? What if it was part of their n from the very start and that guy was just acting as a double agent to fool us? You should reconsider your decisions, sir."


    Van Daleson''s face darkened, but he still nodded his head. It was possible and if they had truly nned it from the start, his Wild Wolf Corps might be at a disadvantage despite their familiarity with the terrain.


    "I heard that the man leading the enemies is the same person who took down Harmon Violetcloud''s Mighty Tiger Army. We should indeed be careful when facing someone like that." Van Daleson muttered.


    Harmon was stronger than him despite their cultivation being the same. The one thing he had that was better than Harmon was hismanding ability. Unlike Harmon who only knew how to use his brute force, Van Daleson was confident in his strategies.


    After some thought, Van Daleson said. "Go and send a team of scouts to check the enemy''s movements. Inform the artillery division to keep their eyes peeled. If the enemies enter their range, tell them that they are free to shoot."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Van Daleson started changing his approach. He didn''t want to end up like Harmon! He would never make the same mistake as that guy! He vowed to himself.

 Chapter 149: Attacking the Right Hill by Surprise

    A few hourster¡­


    "Sir, there is still no news from our scouts. I think they met an ident."


    Hearing this, Van Daleson frowned. ''Did we really get tricked from the start? No¡­ ording to our spies from their main camp, the dispute between that man named Fredrinn and that elder from the Evergreen Supreme Household is true. This means there is a high chance that Fredrinn might have already discovered Kris Vone''s actions. It seems like he had also been dealt with.


    That guy called Fredrinn is truly capable.''


    "What should we do, sir?"


    Just as Van Daleson was about to respond, he suddenly saw ck smoke rising from the right hill. "What''s happening?!" He had a bad feeling when he saw that.


    At this moment, he heard the sound of a distant sh and the shouting of men.


    "We were fooled! They already knew our location!" Van Daleson''s eyes shed with unease.


    They had five thousand cavalry on top of the right hill. They were the best riders in his Wild Wolf Corps so taking them down wouldn''t be easy even if they were outnumbered.


    "We still have time to send reinforcements to the right hill! Follow me there to take a look!" Van Daleson rallied the troops, awakening the forty thousand soldiers who were lying in wait.


    By the time they climbed the top of the hill, they realized that almost all of their five thousand cavalry soldiers had already been killed. This filled Van Daleson with rage.


    With furious eyes, he shouted. "Kill them all!" He raised hisnce and squeezed his legs, urging his mount to run faster.


    Seeing their corpsmander charging into battle, the Wild Wolf Corps immediately followed. Their shouts echoed across the valley.


    By his initial estimates, there were about thirty thousand enemy soldiers. ''We outnumber them by ten thousand. If their strength is simr to my soldiers, we should be able to beat them here!''


    However, there was something that didn''t add up.


    ording to the information sent by Kris Vone, there should be around fifty-two thousand soldiers. There were still twenty-two thousand missing.


    Thinking about this, Van Daleson suddenly thought about the left hill. ''Don''t tell me they sent all those soldiers to attack the left hill. Dammit!''


    He had realized it toote. He could only hope that his soldiers on the left hill could hold on.


    At this moment, he suddenly noticed a figure dressed in shy armor and a jeweled crown. The man was holding a huge shield and a terrifying-looking guandao with a de that was in the shape of a crescent moon.


    ''That must be Fredrinn Firecrown, themander of the Mad Bear Corps!''


    Seeing Fredrinn mercilessly cutting down his cavalry soldiers, Van Daleson gnashed his teeth in rage. "Fredrinn Firecrown, face your death!"


    ***


    "Fredrinn Firecrown, face your death!"


    Fredrinn turned his head and saw a martial warrior charging at him with unstoppable momentum.


    [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    [Van Daleson] Favorability: -19 (Hostile)


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes when realized the man''s identity.


    Beforeing here, he studied information rted to the Wild Wolf Corps so he knew who Van Daleson was.


    Van Daleson thrusted his spear, bringing about a fearsome power akin to a roaring dragon.


    In the face of this attack, Fredrinn calmly lifted his Lithinum Shield.


    CLANG!


    A violent but dull nging sound echoed as soon as thencended on his shield.


    Van Daleson recoiled in shock, while Fredrinn remained still as if he was unaffected by the collision.


    ''What?! How sturdy is this guy?!'' Van Daleson''s eyes shed with shock. He charged from a long distance and used all his power in that strike, but Fredrinn actually managed to fend it off without stepping back!


    From that brief sh, he discovered that he might not be Fredrinn''s match.


    However, there was no turning back. If he showed even a sign of weakness, his troops'' morale would drop. Given the current situation, it wouldn''t be good for the Wild Wolf Corps.


    "To think that a powerful young warrior like you has emerged in the Star Wind Kingdom. What a pity! If only you were in my Blue Sky Kingdom, we could have been friends!"


    "I didn''t know you were the chatty type!" Fredrinn had long since activated the unique traits of his equipment.


    No matter how powerful Van Daleson was, he wasn''t able to escape the weakening effect of the me Dragon Crescent de.


    As their weapons shed, the two armies also collided.


    With the unique effects of the Crown of Eternal Glory, all soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps receive a buff in their abilities. Furthermore, the enemies were also significantly weakened because of the status effect of the me Dragon Crescent de.


    With all the advantages, the Mad Bear Corps disyed power that overwhelmed the Wild Wolf Corps!


    To make aparison, it was like a group of able-bodied adults fighting a bunch of kids in theirte adolescence.


    It was a one-sided battle!


    Facing the ferocious Mad Bear Corps, the soldiers of the Wild Wolf Corps were pushed back.


    Van Daleson also noticed the enemies'' incredible strength and it made him feel desperate. ''How can this be?! How is this possible?! How could my soldiers lose so easily?!'' He was in despair.


    "Surrender! Put down your weapons and we will spare your lives!" Fredrinn pointed his guandao to Van Daleson while eyeing him coldly. If he could bring this person alive, they might gain some valuable intel that could be useful for this war.


    Hearing his words, Van Daleson''s face contorted with rage. "Are you looking down on me?! We''re still not done!"


    With a wave of hisnce, he formed dozens of wind des that shot through the air with speed that was even faster than regr bullets.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn sighed. This guy was more hot-tempered than Harmon Violetcloud.


    Before the wind des could touch his body, Fredrinn raised his shield.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    A thick cloud of dust was formed after the wind des struck Fredrinn''s shield.

 Chapter 150: Servant Upgrade Card

    When the dust subsided, Van Daleson widened his eyes in disbelief.


    In front of him was Fredrinn. He was still unscathed even after blocking those fearsome wind des! Even his mount wasn''t injured.


    "What?!" Van Daleson eximed as if he had seen a ghost. That was his strongest battle technique and the guy effortlessly blocked it. Was there still any meaning in fighting someone like him? He felt an overwhelming sense of despair. There was no hope of victory.


    "Surrender! Do you want to see more soldiers get killed?!" Fredrinn uttered coldly, his words jolted Van Daleson awake.


    Thetter turned his head and looked at the scene of carnage. The Wild Wolf Corps that he was so proud of was breaking apart in front of his eyes. The difference in the two armies'' strength was evident.


    Van Daleson slowly loosened his grip on hisnce as he shook his head, sighing heavily with an emotional gaze.


    Suddenly, the image of his family came into his mind. His eyes regained rity. He raised his head and bellowed. "Wild Wolf Corps, this will be our final battle together! Fight with all your might! Remember that we are fighting for our kingdom!


    Don''t let ourrades'' sacrifices be in vain!"


    As soon as they heard theirmander''s words, the lifeless eyes of the Wild Wolf Corps were suddenly ignited.


    "For the Blue Sky Kingdom!"


    "Kill the enemies!"


    "I''ll bring one of you into hell with me!"


    As if they were possessed by evil spirits, the Wild Wolf Corps began their fierce counterattack.


    Van Daleson also charged at Fredrinn. The hesitation in his eyes vanished, only the intent to kill remained.


    Seeing how things yed out, Fredrinn shook his head and sighed. "So it has stille to this." He muttered.


    ng!


    Fredrinn blocked hisnce with his shield and countered by stabbing out his guandao!


    The de of his guandao prated Van Daleson''s chest.


    "Argh!" Thetter spat a mouthful of blood and red at Fredrinnas as he grabbed the shaft of the guandao. "Y-You will die with me!" He raised hisnce and pushed it towards Fredrinn''s head!


    "This bastard!" Fredrinn didn''t expect that this guy would resort to this kind of suicidal tactic.


    Fredrinn hastily lifted his shield in an attempt to block the attack. He managed to change its trajectory but thence still somehow found its way towards his chest.


    Just as Van Daleson thought that he could bring Fredrinn down with him. A dull ng echoed as he failed to prate Fredrinn''s armor.


    ''No way! What kind of armor is that?!'' These were hisst thoughts before his head was cleanly severed.


    The headless corpse fell from the war horse and a made ''thud''.


    Looking down at his corps, Fredrin muttered. "You were a great fighter, Van Daleson. I respect you."


    With the death of their corpsmander, the Wild Wolf Corps lost their will to fight. Most of themmitted suicide, while the remaining four thousand surrendered.


    Meanwhile, the battle on the left hill also ended with theplete annihtion of the Wild Wolf Corps five thousand cavalry soldiers.


    The cheers of the Mad Bear Corps echoed across the valley.


    ***


    Half a dayter¡­


    Near the northern border of the Star Wind Kingdom, in the main camp.


    "Sir, we received news from the Mad Bear Corps!" Nate rushed to themander''s tent as soon as he received the letter sent by the Mad Bear Corps.


    Galleon who was looking at the battle map with a frown was surprised to hear this. "Come in quick! Show me the letter!"


    "Yes, sir!" Nate stepped inside the tent and handed the letter to him.


    Galleon removed the seal and opened the letter.


    It was a message personally written by Fredrinn. Written in the letter was a detailed description of how the Mad Bear Corps'' conquered the Green Lake Valley. Fredrinn also mentioned Kris Vone''s act of betrayal and that he had secured evidence that would prove Kris Vone''s actions.


    "That bastard Kris Vone! He actually dared to betray the kingdom!" Nate gnashed his teeth in anger. He didn''t like that fellow from the start.


    Galleon was also furious. "If what Fredrinn mentioned in this letter is true, then Kris Vone deserves to be punished for his crimes!" He was relieved that Fredrinn didn''t quietly dispose of Kris Vone. It would have caused a major dissatisfaction on the Evergreen Supreme Household''s side.


    "Should we report this to the royal family?" Nate asked.


    Galleon nodded. "We need to send a trustworthy messenger to inform the royal family about this incident. Things will get serious once Kris Vone arrives so we better prepare for that as well."


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Stay here. I''ll write the letter first."


    ***


    [You have captured one of the four key locations that is crucial in this war! Rewards: 5000 Fate Points, Level Up Card x1, Healing Card x2, and Servant Upgrade Card x1!]


    [Mission Progress: 50%]


    The rewards were more bountiful than when they conquered Blood Burn Hill. Other than the three rewards, he even got a Servant Upgrade Card!


    Servant Upgrade Card [Legendary]


    - Using this card would promote your servant to the next realm. Can only be used on servants below the Nascent Soul realm. Cannot be used on the living beings of the Great Vemune Continent.


    Fredrinn immediately used the Level Up Card which elevated his strength to the 3rd Layer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    Fredrinn immediately summoned Cain and used the Servant Upgrade Card on him.


    As soon as he activated the card, Cain''s strength immediately jumped to the 2ndyer of the Nascent Soul realm!


    The huge leap in his strength made Fredrinn feel a bit jealous, but it was only for a moment.


    "Thank you for bestowing me with this power, my lord!" Cain bowed deeply in gratitude.


    This guy was the first servant he got from the Fate Shop. Cain was a quiet but loyal person. He deserved this reward so Fredrinn didn''t hesitate to use the Servant Upgrade Card on him.

 Chapter 151: Left Minister Charles Brownrock

    Fredrinn Firecrown [Nascent Soul 3rd Layer] [Level 43]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ??????????


    Space Affinity: ????


    Cultivation: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style, Divine Ice Flower Execution


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 20675


    It was only recently that he had advanced to the 2ndyer of the Nascent Soul realm. If someone learned the speed of his breakthrough, they might die of shock.


    After taking a look at his character profile, Ullyses came to give his report.


    From their initial number of fifty-two thousand soldiers, seven thousand died. Whether it was a coincidence or not, most of those who died were part of Kris Vone''s ten thousand soldiers. Perhaps only Fredrinn would know if this was deliberate or merely a coincidence.


    The Mad Bear Corps temporarily camped at the Green Lake Valley to recuperate. Fredrinn also used the two Healing Cards he got to speed up his troops'' recovery. He didn''t find it wasteful since he was already thinking of incorporating them into the household once he became a General.


    "Congrattions in advance, corpsmander! It seems like I have to call you General next time." Ullyses didn''t forget to kiss his ass. This guy had mastered the art of bootlicking and he was really slick with it.


    "Stop ttering me and go do your work." Fredrinn shooed him away with a wry smile.


    Meanwhile, Kris Vone who was stuck inside the cage with his two subordinates had an ugly reaction when he heard the jubnt cheers of the Mad Bear Corps.


    "I''m done for¡­" He muttered with a gloomy look on his face.


    As for Bryan Roy and the other guy, they could only helplessly sigh as they watched him fall into despair.


    ***


    Several days went by after the battle at the Green Lake Valley.


    Fredrinn''s name became even more famous after his victory over the Wild Wolf Corps. He became a symbol of hope and strength for the soldiers of the Star Wind Kingdom.


    The Blue Sky Kingdom also felt threatened by the emergence of the new powerhouse among the enemy. They even set up a huge bounty for whoever could take Fredrinn''s life.


    Fredrinn was still oblivious that he was already being preyed upon.


    At this moment, he was on his way back to the main camp to deliver Kris Vone and his cronies to face the trial.


    "Wee back, General Fredrinn Firecrown!"


    "Wee back, General!"


    As soon as his entourage arrived, the soldiers respectfully saluted him. He could see the reverence in their eyes.


    Fredrinn raised his eyebrows in surprise. He turned his gaze to Ullyses to seek his opinion, but thetter shook his head, clearly unaware of the situation as well.


    Suddenly, the soldiers parted, revealing three people approaching them. One of them was Commander Galleon. The person beside him was an old man dressed in golden dragon robes, a sign that he was someone working for the royal family. As for thest person¡­


    "Fredrinn! Long time no see!"


    Fredrinn wasn''t surprised when he saw the third person. It was Princess Danielle, his ma.


    When they locked up Kris Vone a few days ago, Fredrinn sent a separate letter to the princess, detailing Kris Vone''s crime. He wanted to bring her into the trial to make sure that Kris Vone wouldn''t escape punishment.


    "Greetings, Your Highness." Fredrinn smiled as he bowed to her. Ullyses and the other soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps they brought with them also bowed. No one dared to disrespect her. Although she had the lowest chance of ascending to the throne, she was still the daughter of the current king.


    Princess Danielle wanted to act coy with him, but knowing that many eyes were watching, she could only send him a resentful gaze. They had already agreed to call each other by their names, but Fredrinn actually broke their promise.


    Once he got closer to the princess, Fredrinn whispered. "I can''t call you by your name here. There are a lot of people watching. They might think that I don''t respect you." He exined himself.


    Princess Danielle''s gaze softened when she heard this. "I''ll let you off this time." She muttered.


    "By the way, this is Sir Charles Brownrock. He is the kingdom''s left minister and he is also one of my father''s most trusted men." The princess introduced the old man behind her.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn stared at the old man and used his battle scouter to check thetter''s cultivation.


    [Void Tempering 3rd Phase]


    [Charles Brownrock] Favorability: 11


    ''Huh? Why is his favorability so low?'' Fredrinn was surprised by the low favorability, but he didn''t show it to his face. He smiled at the old minister and cupped his fists.


    "Greetings, Left Minister! I''ve heard so much about you!"


    "Ho! I''m honored that a fine young warrior like you knows me." The old man squinted his eyes and chuckled. He had a kind face that gave off the impression that he was an honorable gentleman. However, his low favorability sent rm bells to Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn felt that the old man was hiding a secret.


    After exchanging pleasantries with the old man and the princess, Commander Galleon finally had the chance to speak.


    "Good job, Fredrinn! You did as you promised and conquered the Green Lake Valley."


    Fredrinn smiled in response. "I only did my job."


    Commander Galleonughed lightly. "When I received your letter a few days ago, I immediately requested the royal family to promote you to be a General. I got their reply yesterday saying that they epted the request. They also sent me your General''s token, ceremonial yishang, and sword.


    From now on, you will be known as the ck me General!" He then took out a box from his storage device and handed it to Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn carefully took the box and bowed. "Thank you, Commander Galleon!"


    Galleon shook his head and smiled. "There''s no need to thank me. You deserve this position and I don''t think anyone has any objection regarding your promotion. If you want to thank someone, you should thank Her Highness. She strongly supported your promotion."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn stared gratefully and the princess.

 Chapter 152: Trial

    "Normally, we would have celebrated your promotion, but we are still at war so that would have to wait until the battle is over. I hope you understand." Commander Galleon smiled apologetically.


    Fredrinn didn''t mind this. "It''s fine. We can do that once we conquer the Roshire Mountain." His bold words made themander speechless. Even he wasn''t certain about taking full control of the mountain. After all, the Blue Sky Kingdom is a formidable enemy. They had numerous experts and the kingdom''s history was also longer than the Star Wind Kingdom.


    "Hahaha! We expect great things from you ck me General." The Left Minister suddenly remarked.


    Hearing the old man''s words, Fredrinn smiled as he lowered his head. "I''ll do my best, Left Minister."


    "We should head to the trial room we have set up." Commander Galleon led the way for them.


    A momentter, they arrived at arge tent. A few minor officials sent by the kingdom were already there, waiting patiently for the trial to start.


    As soon as they came in, everyone immediately stood up and bowed deeply.


    The Left Minister raised his hand. The gentle smile on his face was gone and was reced with a cold look. "Let''s begin with the trial. Bring the criminals in for questioning!"


    Fredrinn nodded and sent Ullyses a knowing look. Thetter understood his gaze and immediately stepped out of the trial room to get Kris Vone and the other two.


    Not longter, he came back, dragging the three criminals who were tied in chains.


    When Kris Vone saw the princess and the Left Minister, his heart dropped. He knelt and cried as he muttered in a pitiful voice. "Your Highness, I have been wronged! I''m innocent! Please give me a chance to prove my innocence!"


    "Silence! Do you think you can fool us with your lies?!" Commander Galleon red at him.


    "Commander, that brat is just tricking you! He set up a trap for me! I really didn''t do anything wrong!"


    "That shameless asshole!" Princess Danielle couldn''t help but curse when she saw this. She trusted Fredrinn. She knew that he wasn''t someone who would use underhanded tricks.


    "Left Minister, I have solid evidence that can prove Kris Vone''s betrayal," Fredrinn spoke as he took out Kris Vone''s handwritten letter.


    The Left Minister nodded. "Bring it here for us to see."


    Fredrinn handed the letter to the old man.


    The Left Minister opened the letter and read the contents. Soon, his face turned dark.


    After less than a minute, he put down the letter and stared coldly at Kris Vone. "How can you exin this letter, Kris Vone?"


    "A-Ah, that¡­ I didn''t write that letter! It was him! He wrote that letter to set me up!" Kris Vone pointed to Fredrinn with tears in his eyes.


    Thetter almost failed to hold back the urge to beat him up. If it weren''t for everyone''s presence, he wouldn''t have minded teaching that fellow a painful lesson.


    Seeing his futile act to y innocent, the Left Minister became even more enraged. "Do you take me for a fool? If you speak one more lie, I''ll have someonee to cut your tongue!"


    Kris Vone shut his mouth in fear. He wanted to speak, but he was afraid of the Left Minister''s threats. He looked around the room, searching for someone who would believe him, but those people who were once close to him immediately lowered their heads when they met his eyes. ''Those fucking bastards! How dare they pretend like they don''t know me after taking all of my money?! Dammit!''


    He was out of options and he even considered taking the princess hostage, but knowing that there were a lot of experts inside, he immediately erased those thoughts. Even without those experts, he wouldn''t be able to do anything with the array formation sealing their cultivation.


    The Left Minister questioned Kris Vone''s subordinates, but they refused to respond and pretended to be mute.


    In the end, the criminals failed to prove their innocence and with the evidence of their crimes, the Left Minister and the officials concluded them guilty of treason.


    "No! I won''t ept this! I want to talk with the patriarch! You''re going to pay for this! Ahhh!!!!" Kris Vone''s screams echoed, but they fell on deaf ears.


    He was already proven to be guilty. Siding with him would only cause trouble. No one even bothered to speak with him.


    After the trial, Kris Vone and the other two were locked up inside a cage and were taken away by the royal guards to be sent back to the capital. Your next read is at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    In the next two days, Fredrinn stayed at the main camp to discuss with themander about their next course of action. With two key locations under their control, they managed to push back the Blue Sky Kingdom''s army out of the Roshire Mountain. If they capture the remaining two key locations, they would finally be able to control the mountain!


    The meetings with themander ended longer than usual. This was because of the presence of one troublesome fellow, the princess. She gave all sorts of reasons to stick with Fredrinn. Even going as far as telling him that she was willing to join the Mad Bear Corps.


    Fredrinn was helpless with her advances. She was already aware that he had a fianc¨¦e waiting at home, but she still didn''t budge. She even told him that he didn''t mind being his concubine. How could Fredrinn ept that? The king might skin him alive if he took his daughter as his concubine.


    At this moment, Fredrinn was on his way to bid everyone farewell. It was time to return to the Green Lake Valley.


    "Fredrinn, wait!"


    Hearing the princess'' familiar voice, Fredrinn sighed. This girl hadn''t given up.


    Turning his head, he nced helplessly at her. "Your Highness, I really can''t take you with me. We just conquered Green Lake Valley so it''s still full of dangers. I can''t let you go there. Besides, His Majesty wouldn''t agree."


    "I already got his approval."


    "He what?"


    "He told me that I can follow you. He wants me to learn from you." The princess grinned mischievously.


    "What could you learn on the battlefield? You should just stay here. I can''t let you go there and be exposed to danger." Fredrinn shook his head.

 Chapter 153: Sending a Letter

    "You don''t need to worry about my safety. Besides, I won''t be going there alone." Princess Danielle smugly said as she snapped her fingers.


    Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Four men dressed in red and gold armor suddenly appeared behind her.


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes when he saw them. With his battle scouter, he realized that all four of them were at the 10th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    "These four are my personal bodyguards. They have been with me since I was a child. It was also because of them that I survived the recent assassination attempt. Don''t be surprised, all of them are-"


    "At the 10th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm. Is that what you want to say?" Fredrinn muttered.


    His words surprised the princess. Even the four royal bodyguards didn''t expect that he would see through their cultivation with just a nce.


    "As expected of my future husband. I knew you would sense their cultivation." Princess Danielle pretended to be calm and forced out a smile.


    Fredrinn''s mouth twitched. "Your Highness, you should be careful with your words. You are a singledy. Your reputation might be damaged if someone heard you just then." He reminded her in a stern voice.


    "Yes. Yes. Yes. I''ll listen to you." Princess Danielle linked arms with him and nodded obediently.


    Seeing her acting like this, Fredrinn sighed with a defeated look. He gave up on persuading her. She was just too formidable with her advances that it embarrassed a modern man like him.


    "Fine. I''ll bring you with me, but you have to follow my instructions once you''re there. If you disobey me even once, I''ll send you back here." Fredrinn could onlypromise with her. The good thing was that she brought four capable warriors. They would be useful to his missions.


    Princess Danielle''s eyes shed with excitement. "Of course! I''m at your beck and call ck me General!" She said as she gave him a standard military salute.


    Her enthusiasm made Fredrinn chuckle. ''Will she still be this happy when she experiences the brutality of war?'' He thought. He didn''t know why this woman insisted on going to the battlefield. Most women her age would choose to stay at home to y music or study literature. Her personality was definitely unique.


    Later that afternoon, Fredrinn bid farewell to themander and the others. The Left Minister was no longer there. He went back to the capital to deal with Kris Vone''s issue. He didn''t even have the time to say goodbye to the princess since the situation was quite urgent. After all, this matter was rted to one of the supreme households.


    After bidding everyone farewell, Fredrinn''s small group returned to the Green Lake Valley. The route was already cleared so they didn''t encounter any danger along the way. There were only less than a hundred of them in the group so it only took them a few days to arrive at the valley.


    At this moment, the soldiers were busy constructing a defensive wall on top of the two hills.


    Fredrinn had his men upgrade the defenses in case the Blue Sky Kingdom would send an army to reim the valley.


    The moment they arrived, the soldiers immediately stopped what they were doing and lined up neatly in front of Fredrinn, forming a small path for them to cross. "Wee back, ck me General!"


    "Wee back, ck me General!"


    Their loud sonorous voice echoed across the valley.


    Fredrinn felt a bit embarrassed by his new title, but he was also proud. He was finally a General!


    He felt like he needed to say something in this situation. He urged his mount to walk ahead. With his head held high, he shouted. "Everyone, it has been tough for us! Throughout the battles we fought, we lost many friends, brothers,panions, andrades¡­ However, we managed to conquer Blood Burn Hill and the Green Lake Valley! We must¡­"


    "¡­For the prosperity of the Star Wind Kingdom!"


    "For the prosperity of the Star Wind Kingdom!"


    Staring at the domineering figure surrounded by hot-blooded soldiers, Princess Danielle fell even more deeply in love with him.


    In the evening, Fredrinn wrote a letter to his family, telling them about his experiences on the battlefield. He also expressed his longing for them in the letter. He wanted to see his daughter, Avariel, and his fianc¨¦e, Daphne. Of course, he didn''t forget to mention the part about him being promoted to General. He wondered how his parents would react if they read the letter.


    After writing the final sentence, Fredrinn stared at the letter and smiled. He then rolled it and sealed it with wax before stamping it with his exclusive stamp.


    Fredrinn stepped out of his tent and summoned the Soaring Red-Eyed Eagles with a bird-like whistle.


    The two birds descended from the sky andnded before him. They affectionately rubbed their heads on his body while emitting soft cawing sounds.


    "I want you guys to deliver this letter to the estate. Make sure that it reaches my father''s hand." Fredrinn muttered as he rubbed their heads.


    He then slid the letter into the special container tied to one of the eagle''s legs.


    Just as he was about to send them off, he suddenly remembered something.


    He took out an item from his storage space and put it inside the container together with the letter. It was the jade bracelet he got from an old man some time ago.


    "Go!" Fredrinn sent them off. With the two of them delivering his letter, it would reduce the risk of being attacked by other aerial magical beasts.


    The eagles soared into the sky and soon vanished.


    Fredrinn looked away from the clouds and sighed. "I wonder when my mother would give birth. I want to see my little sister."


    In his letter, he suggested what name they should give to his sister.


    "Gwenaelle¡­" The owner of the bracelet wanted to give that name to his daughter. Fredrinn liked the name so he wanted his sister to have it. It was also to honor the memory of the bracelet owner''s unborn child.

 Chapter 154: Fishing at the Lake with the Princess

    Three weekster, the Mad Bear Corps had finallypleted their fortifications on the two hills of the Green Lake Valley. During these three weeks, everything was peaceful and there were no major battles. They only asionally encountered some enemy scouts observing them from the distance.


    The soldiers enjoyed this rare peace, but there was someone who had a different opinion.


    Princess Danielle leaned on her chair with an udy-like posture. She didn''t seem to care about showing this side of her to Fredrinn. However, Fredrinn liked her unpretentious attitude. She wasn''t like those noble youngdies from martial households who would put on a gentle facade in public.


    "I''m bored. Let''s go fishing at theke." She spoke as she stared at Fredrinn who was going over the daily reports of the divisionmanders.


    His Mad Bear Corps now had fifty thousand soldiers with the addition of the new soldiers sent by the main camp. He had twenty-two Nascent Soul martial practitioners under him. He didn''t include the princess'' bodyguards since they weren''t part of his corps.


    Once the war was over, he could bring these soldiers into the estate to settle down if they agreed to permanently work for him.


    Hearing the princess'' words, Fredrinn raised his head. "I told you that you should have gone back to the capital. There''s nothing much to do here."


    He could now talk casually with her since they had grown closer after interacting for three weeks. He didn''t even address her formally now and just called her by her name when they were alone.


    Princess Danielle pouted in dissatisfaction. "It''s even more boring there. I have to study calligraphy, painting, dancing, and many other things. I don''t want to do that all day." She muttered with a depressed look.


    "Many young girls want to be in your ce."


    The princess sneered. "They don''t know the difficulties of being a member of the royal family. If they were to experience a day of my life, I bet they would change their mind."


    Looking at her all depressed and miserable, Fredrinn sighed and put down away the reports. "Fine. I''ll apany you to go fishing, but you better disguise yourself as a soldier. We can''t let the enemy scouts know that the princess of the kingdom is here."


    Princess Danielle''s eyes lit up. "You can''t go back on your words! I''ll go get changed. Wait for me here." She stood up and excitedly left.


    "How childish," Fredrinn muttered with a chuckle.


    A momentter, he went down the hill with the princess and headed to theke behind the right hill. They took their time to walk and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the valley.


    If they weren''t at war, this ce would have been a perfect spot for couples to go sightseeing. Unfortunately, this beautiful ce had been damaged to a certain extent because of the repeated battles. Only theke was rtively in good condition.


    Following the two were the princess'' bodyguards as well as Bernard Oceanwave who was the current divisionmander of the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division. Thetter has been training the new cultivation method he got from Fredrinn and he could even feel that he was close to advancing to the Void Tempering realm. This would have been impossible if he remained as the leader of a mercenary group.


    Working for Fredrinn was the best decision he made in his life.


    ''Her Highness is smitten by my lord, but I don''t think he will ept her love since he is quite loyal to Miss Daphne.'' Bernard sighed as he watched them walk side by side.


    After walking for almost an hour, they finally arrived at the side of theke. The air here was more pleasant and they could even feel the vibrant atmosphere brought upon by the unique Qi of theke.


    Fredrinn and the princess chose a spot at thekeside before they threw their fishing hooks into theke.


    "How about we cook the fish that we capture for lunch?" The princess spoke eagerly.


    "That sounds good. I haven''t had fish in a while." Fredrinn didn''t want to dampen her enthusiasm. Besides, he also wanted to try eating the fish on theke.


    "I heard that the fishes here are quite strong. I don''t know if it''s true, but they said that a powerful magical beast is living in the depths of theke."


    "Is that so? I wonder if that''s true."


    "Why don''t we look for it?"


    "What if it''s a Void Tempering magical beast? We would only invite disaster if we provoke it."


    "That''s true¡­"


    This rare peace continued for another three days until a messenger from the main camp arrived to deliver Commander Galleon''s handwritten letter.


    Sitting inside his tent, Fredrinn unrolled the letter and read it with a serious look.


    ording to themander, the Star Wind Kingdom''s troops had advanced further and they had already set up camp at the foot of Mount Roshire. The Blue Sky Kingdom''s troops also retreated to recuperate their losses, but themander mentioned that they were only replenishing their troops.


    Themander stated in his letter that he wanted the Mad Bear Corps to upy the Roshire ins, the vastnd beneath Roshire Mountain.


    Fredrinn put down the letter.


    If the Star Wind Kingdom upied the Roshire ins, they would have more routes to move their troops and supplies. However, upying this ce with only fifty thousand soldiers would difficult considering the size of the ins.


    ording to themander''s letter, another General would be there to support Fredrinn in upying thend.


    Commander Galleon only briefly mentioned the name of this General.


    Silent Sword General¡­


    Fredrinn heard a few things about him. He was a 10thyer Nascent Soul martial practitioner and he was also an elder of the Sapphira Supreme Household!


    Fredrinn had a good impression of the Sapphira Supreme Household. He was even close friends with their heiress, Yvanna Sapphira.


    "Roshire ins¡­ It looks like another battle is waiting for us." He muttered as he stepped out of his tent.

 Chapter 155: Swift Wind Corps and the Silent Sword General

    Two dayster, the corps that would rece them in guarding the Green Lake Valley finally arrived.


    They were the Green Arrow Corps led by a veteran martial practitioner at the 9th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    Fredrinn chatted briefly with their corpsmander before he left the valley with his troops. There was no time for idle talk. The corpsmander of the Green Arrow Corps also knew about Fredrinn''s new mission so he didn''t force him to stay longer.


    On their way to the Roshire ins, Fredrinn turned his head to the princess who was riding her war horse. "Your Highness, do you know anything about the Silent Sword General?" He was curious about this guy.


    Princess Danielle thought for a moment. As a member of the royal family, she had a wide range of connections. "I met him before during the birthday banquet of the Sapphira Supreme Household''s matriarch. I think it was four years ago. From what I know, he is the uncle of Yvanna. You know her, right?"


    Hearing this, Fredrinn was surprised. "Her uncle?" Yvanna was one of his closest friends. They had first met each other during the celebratory banquet of the Firecrown Supreme Household. She was a beautiful and demure youngdy with a tantalizing body and dreamy eyes.


    Yvanna never mentioned anything about having an uncle.


    "Yes. The Silent Sword General is the older brother of Yvanna''s father." Princess Danielle added.


    "Interesting¡­" Fredrinn muttered with a curious smile.


    ***


    Five dayster, Fredrinn''s Mad Bear Corps and the Swift Wind Corps led by the Silent Sword General finally met.


    Suddenly, Fredrinn saw a familiar figure among them. "Yvanna?" He muttered in surprise. He didn''t expect to see her here.


    Yvanna also seemed to have noticed him. She smiled and nodded to him.


    "Ehem!"


    Fredrinn turned his head at the man standing beside her. He was over six feet tall with long pointed ears and short golden hair.


    [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    [Lester Sapphira] Favorability: 40


    Fredrinn realized that this man was probably the Silent Sword General.


    At this moment, he was looking at Fredrinn with a sharp gaze. "You must be General Fredrinn, the man they call the ck me General. I am Lester Sapphira, themander of the Swift Wind Corps. It''s an honor to finally meet you." He cupped his fists to show his respect.


    Fredrinn also cupped his fists in greeting. "The honor is mine. I have heard a lot of your stories, General Lester. The name ''Silent Sword General'' is truly well deserved!" He smiled politely.


    Lester''s calm face broke into a smile.


    "We have been here for more than a week now. Why don''t you follow us inside the camp first? Let''s talk privately. My niece also wanted to chat with you."


    "Uncle!" Yvanna showed an embarrassed smile when he mentioned that.


    "Alright."


    "We''ll take you there."


    A momentter, Lester brought them to the camp and invited them to his tent. Fredrinn epted his invitation. He also brought the princess with him.


    When Yvanna saw Fredrinn bringing in a woman dressed in full body armor, she raised her eyebrows.


    Fredrinn didn''t n to hide her identity so he opened his mouth. "Your Highness, you should remove your helmet now."


    When Lester and Yvanna heard him address the woman in such a way, they both gasped in shock.


    Princess Danielle clicked her tongue as she removed her helmet. "You are really no fun, Fredrinn." She wanted to pretend like a normal guard, but Fredrinn destroyed her n just like that.


    As soon as she revealed her face, Lester and Yvanna immediately bowed. "Your Highness!"


    "There''s no need to be formal." The princess waved her hand.


    "Your Highness, why are you here? This ce is dangerous!" Lester said with concern.


    "Of course, it''s to gain battle experience." Princess Danielle responded.


    Seeing how willfully she replied, Lester was left speechless. He had a lot to say, but he didn''t dare scold the princess. In the end, he could only helplessly sigh in his heart.


    Yvanna was quite close with the princess so she didn''t have such worries. "Your Highness, you could put your life at risk if you stay here. The battlefield is full of uncertain factors. We never know if an enemy is lurking in the shadows."


    "Give it up. I don''t know how many times I told her to return to the capital, but she never listened to me." Fredrinn shook his head with a wry smile.


    "But¡­"


    "You can rest assured. I will keep her safe. Trust me." Fredrinn had long since given up on persuading the princess. This girl was too stubborn. He knew that she would never listen to him.


    "Fine." Yvanna was still worried, but she had no choice but to trust Fredrinn.


    "Anyway, let''s get to the main topic. General Lester, can you tell me about the situation in the ins?" Fredrinn turned his gaze to the Silent Sword General.


    Lester''s face suddenly turned serious at the mention of this. He then replied. "The enemy has over one hundred fifty thousand troops led by three powerful martial practitioners at the 10th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm. Furthermore, there is also a powerhouse who was said to have one step at the Void Tempering realm at the helm."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn''s eyebrows scrunched up. "A half-step Void Tempering powerhouse?"


    Half Step Void Tempering, just like its name, are people who were only a hair''s breadth away from advancing to the Void Tempering realm. They only needed an epiphany to make this final step.


    "Even for myself, I might not be his match." Lester shook his head with a heavy look.


    Fredrinn wasn''t surprised. Lester might be powerful, but there was still a significant difference between him and someone at the half-step of the Void Tempering realm.


    "Are there any suspicious movements from their side?" Fredrinn asked.


    Lester nodded. "My scouts reported that the enemies are gathering their troops. They might be preparing to attack us. Our camp is well hidden, but they might have already found our location.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn narrowed his eyes.

 Chapter 156: Blue Mountain Army and Markelle Duskhill

    "What about you, Fredrinn? Can you handle that guy on your own?" The princess suddenly asked. Her words stunned the three people present especially Lester and Yvanna.


    Fredrinn might be powerful, but against a half-step Void Tempering expert, even someone like him could not win.


    A Void Tempering powerhouse was someone who hadprehended an intent and summoned its energy form.


    The intent was a deeper understanding of a specific element or concept. Let''s take fire intent for example. Toprehend fire intent, a martial practitioner needs a high affinity with fire and also a thorough understanding of its characteristics. Someone who had fullyprehended fire intent could increase the power output of any me-attributed techniques or weapons with the fire attribute.


    For half-step Void Tempering experts, although they hadn''t fullyprehended an intent, they would have already formed the embryonic energy form.


    Even peak Nascent Soul martial practitioners would be powerless against them.


    "I''m not sure if I could beat him, but I should be able to withstand his attacks. I''m confident with my defense." Fredrinn answered after deep contemtion.


    Lester and Yvanna were taken aback by his words. Fredrinn made it sound easy, but it wasn''t that simple to defend against a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse.


    "It still wouldn''t be easy even if General Fredrinn could hold back the half-step Void Tempering expert. The enemy still outnumbers us by over fifty thousand soldiers. If we shed with them with the army that we have, it would be a difficult battle." Lester shared his opinion. Considering the enemy''s strength, he didn''t want to be hasty. That would only lead to their destruction.


    Fredrinn was silent for a moment. He had the Crown of Eternal Glory which could enhance his allies'' physical attributes. He also possessed the me Dragon Crescent de which could significantly reduce the enemy''s cultivation.


    Crown of Eternal Glory [Legendary]


    - Gives the wearer 1 charm attribute (??). Allies within a 500-meter radius will gain a significant boost in their health, endurance, stamina, strength, and Qi. They will also be immune to curses and negative status effects.


    me Dragon Crescent de [Legendary]


    - Increases the user''s talent in pole-type weapons by 2 stars.


    - Enemies within 500-meter radius will be afflicted with ''Terrify'' debuff.


    Other than his equipment, he also had the Flute of the Beast Whisperer which could summon a thousand Core Formation realm Sword-horned Carnivorous Unicorns along with their 10th Layer Nascent Soul realm alpha unicorn. Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin


    However, Fredrinn didn''t want to reveal the unicorns. He wanted to keep them a secret for now and keep them as the trump card of the Firecrown Supreme Household.


    "That''s also what the enemies would be thinking right now. They outnumber us and they also have a powerhouse leading them so they must be confident that they could defend the ins. However, we could use their overconfidence to our advantage." Fredrinn''s eyes narrowed into slits.


    No one spoke. They waited for him to continue.


    "To win this battle, we should take the initiative to attack."


    Lester widened his eyes. He found it ridiculous. How could they win against an enemy who has more soldiers and stronger experts? He didn''t know where Fredrinn got his confidence from.


    Fredrinn noticed the subtle change in his expression. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but I''m that confident in my abilities. General Lester, please trust me. I promise that we will conquer the Roshire ins if you lend me your support." While saying this, he stared deeply at Lester. He needed Lester''s troops to win this battle.


    Lester took a deep breath. He didn''t expect to hear this from Fredrinn even after he had reminded him of the enemy''s power.


    ''This guy took over two key locations in just a few weeks. Perhaps he might be able to do it¡­''


    After careful thought, Lester looked back at Fredrinn and forced a smile. "Since you''re so confident about this, I will give you my full support, General Fredrinn. However, if I ever sense that we are on the losing side, I will ask my men to retreat right away." He could only make thispromise since he was still uncertain about Fredrinn''s ims.


    Fredrinn smiled at his words. It was understandable for him to have some doubts. Lester hadn''t seen him fight, but once the battle started, Fredrinn wondered if Lester would have a different opinion.


    "That''s more than enough, General Lester. For this battle, my Mad Bear Corps will take the vanguard. While we''re here, we should discuss how we will attack them¡­"


    The discussion became more serious after that.


    ***


    Meanwhile, in the enemy camp.


    A middle-aged man with a sh wound on his neck was overseeing the training of the troops. This man was the Commander of the Blue Mountain Army, Markelle Duskhill. Other than his prestigious military title, he was also the Grand Elder of the Duskhill Household which is a powerful family in the Blue Sky Kingdom. Their strength was equal to the supreme households of the Star Wind Kingdom!


    At this moment, a soldier suddenly came towards him and gave a salute. "Commander, I have something to report!"


    Markelle furrowed his eyebrows. Normally, the messengers would never dare to disturb him while he was training the soldiers. For this messenger toe to him, Markelle guessed that his report should be very important. "Speak." He muttered coldly.


    The soldier knew that themander was displeased after being disturbed so he didn''t dare waste his time and said. "Commander, we have discovered another corps that entered the ins. ording to our scouts'' preliminary observations, they believed that the new troops were from the Mad Bear Corps led by the newly appointed enemy general, Fredrinn Firecrown."


    Hearing this, Markelle narrowed his eyes.


    Fredrinn captured two of the key locations they had gotten control of. Because of him, their control over the Roshire Mountain was limited and their main army was even forced to retreat. It was even said that his Mad Bear Corps was unstoppable.


    "So they are targeting the Roshire ins this time, but did they really think that sending the Mad Bear Corps and the Swift Wind Corps would be enough to defeat me? Am I that easy in their eyes? They must be blind!" Markelle gritted his teeth in anger. He felt that the enemy was underestimating him and it made him incredibly furious.

 Chapter 157: Divide the Enemy Troops

    "Gather themanders!" Markelle was thoroughly enraged this time. He didn''t like the feeling of being targeted.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Not longter, thirty divisionmanders and three corpsmanders of the Blue Mountain Army gathered before the round table inside Markelle''s tent.


    After everyone had gathered, Markelle opened his mouth. "I believe you guys have already received the news about the presence of Fredrinn and his Mad Bear Corps."


    Everyone nodded upon hearing this. They all have scouts monitoring the enemy''s movements. When Fredrinn arrived near the ins, they were informed of his arrival.


    "Fredrinn captured two key locations that we had secured and because of him, many of our Blue Sky Kingdom''s martial practitioners died. Now, the leaders of the Star Wind Kingdom have sent this guy to the Roshire ins. It''s obvious that they had set their sights on us. If we are to be defeated, the morale of our troops would be greatly affected.


    We must win and take back everything that they had taken from us!"


    Everyone could sense the rage in his voice.


    "What are your ns,mander?" One of the three corpsmanders asked.


    "ns? We don''t need that! We outnumber them! We are also more powerful than them! What do we have to fear?!"


    Most of them agreed with his words. The Mad Bear Corps might be powerful, but Fredrinn wasn''t a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse like Markelle. No matter how strong he was, could withstand Markelle''s overwhelming power?


    "The troops will be ready to march in two days. We will attack them then. As for that Fredrinn guy, I''ll kill him myself!" Markelle was confident in his strength. Since the war started, he had never encountered someone who couldst three strikes against him.


    "We will follow yourmands, sir!"


    "Yes,mander!"


    Later that night, the Blue Mountain Army was already making preparations for their attack.


    Little did they know that a small group of elite martial practitioners had quietly made their way near their camp. This group had five hundred soldiers. All of them were the strongest soldiers in warriors of the Mad Bear Corps and the one leading them was Fredrinn himself. Their goal was to cause confusion in the enemy camp by shooting burning arrows into their tent.


    It was a diversionary tactic to divide the enemy''s troops.


    At this moment, Fredrinn had just eliminated a patrolling enemy soldier by lopping off his head with a single strike of his sword. For small fries like this guy, Fredrinn didn''t even need to use the me Dragon Crescent de. An ordinary sword was more than enough to take their lives.


    After killing the patrolling enemy soldiers, Fredrinn made an insect-like sound. It was the signal for the elite troops tomence the attack.


    As soon as they heard the signal, they immediately lit their arrows with fire and shot them into the camp.


    Suu! Suu! Suu! Suu!


    Suu! Suu! Suu! Suu!


    Soon, arge number of enemy tents were engulfed in mes. Some unlucky soldiers failed to react in time and were burned to death. The me they used wasn''t ordinary and the arrows were even augmented with array formations which significantly increased thebustion rate of the me.


    "Enemy attack!"


    "Put out the fire!"


    "Grab your weapons and search for the enemies!"


    Enraged shouts echoed from the distance, but Fredrinn''s group didn''t stop their attack.


    Other than causing confusion among the enemy troops, Fredrinn also wanted to lure them into attacking his group. Once a portion of the enemies would be lured away, he would send a signal to the main force led by Lester. He would then escape and regroup with the main force during themotion. This was the n he came up with after a long discussion with Lester and the others.


    To defeat an army that outnumbered them, it was necessary to employ some tactics. Brute force alone wouldn''t be enough to defeat them, especially an army like the Blue Mountain Army.


    "The enemies are here!" Someone finally discovered them. Fredrinn''s group didn''t intentionally hide their presence so they were quickly discovered by the enemies.


    A momentter, arge number of soldiers led by two Nascent Soul martial practitioners came charging towards them. Their killing intent shot through the skies.


    Facing their furious charge, Fredrinn made a whistling sound. It was the signal to retreat. Their goal has been reached so it was time to regroup with the main force.


    "Do you think I will let you guys escape?!" One of the Nascent Soul martial practitioners jumped off his mount and dashed ahead of his troops.


    Fredrinn stopped in his tracks and stared at him.


    [Nascent Soul 7th Layer]


    Sensing the enemy''s strength, Fredrinn sneered. He took out the me Dragon Crescent de and brandished it with both hands!


    A fearsome wave of me was created as soon as he swung his guandao. The enemy waste to react and he even realized that his cultivation was suppressed by an unknown power. He hastily lifted his weapon, but Fredrinn''s guandao sliced through it like butter before it cut the man''s body in half!


    "Corps Commander!"


    After killing the man, Fredrinn didn''t waste more time and retreated with his troops.


    ''The others should have already finished their tasks as well.'' Fredrinn thought to himself. His group wasn''t the only one who made an attack. There were also other groups sent to attack other parts of the enemy camp. In total, there were six groups other than them with each group having five hundred soldiers.


    "Fire the signal arrow!" Fredrinn shouted.


    Not far from him, a soldier stopped for a moment to shoot an arrow into the sky.


    Bang!


    A blue firework exploded, illuminating the night sky with a touch of blue.


    A momentter, five more blue fireworks exploded from different directions.


    Seeing this, Fredrinn heaved a sigh of relief.


    "It seems like everyone seeded." He muttered with a smile. He then urged his mount to move faster.


    Meanwhile, Lester stared at the distant blue fireworks with narrowed eyes. While raising his long sword, he shouted. "Warriors of my Star Wind Kingdom! Charge! Kill the enemies!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!"

 Chapter 158: Death Arrow General And Fire Spear General

    A few minutes before the attack on the Blue Mountain Army''s camp, Markelle was inside his tent, making his own preparations for the departure the next day.


    He pulled out the sword strapped on his back and cleaned its de with a cloth. This weapon has been with him since he started his journey as a martial practitioner. It was his most treasured possession. "Tomorrow, I will let you drink the enemy''s blood." He muttered in a chilling voice.


    His sword was somewhat special. It has the strange ability to suck blood and the more blood it consumed, the stronger it bes.


    Suddenly, Markelle sensed something unusual. He stood up and nced in a certain direction with his eyebrows furrowed.


    "Enemy attack!"


    He heard his soldiers shouting in rm.


    By the time he stepped out of his tent, he saw his troops'' tents catching fire. He was momentarily surprised. He didn''t expect that the enemies would take the initiative to attack them.


    Just as he was about to go out to look for the enemies, anothermotion happened on the other side of the camp.


    More tents were engulfed in mes, causing confusion and panic among his soldiers.


    Seeing this, Markelle gritted his teeth in anger. With a furious look, he bellowed. "Prepare for battle!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, Lester led the Mad Bear Corps and the Swift Wind Corps to charge at the enemy camp, roaring at the top of his lungs with his sword raised in the air.


    The Blue Mountain Army was still in a state of confusion so they failed to react in time which caused significant casualties on their side in the initial sh of both armies.


    Lester''s sword moved like a mirage, reaping the lives of dozens of enemies in every strike. True to his name, his sword was swift and silent.


    Under his leadership, the Mad Bear Corps and the Swift Wind Corps crushed the first defensive line of the enemies, killing five thousand soldiers in just the blink of an eye!


    When they were about to pierce through the second defensive line, Lester noticed that the enemies had already bolstered their defenses. Their resistance decreased the momentum of his troops.


    Realizing this, Lester frowned and observed the situation. The morale of his troops was still high, especially the soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps who were at the vanguard. Despite the resistance they faced, they ferociously fought their way into the enemy''s formation.


    ''So this is the strength of the Mad Bear Corps.''


    His attention was focused on a specific division whose soldiers were covered in ck armor from head to foot. ''Those guys should be the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division of the Firecrown Supreme Household. Their strength and lethality is indeed a cut above the other divisions.''


    "Hm?!" Suddenly, he sensed a feeling of danger. He instinctively moved his head to the side, narrowly avoiding an arrow shot at him.


    He immediately raised his guard and stared at the attacker. It was a middle-aged man holding a long bow. Seeing him, Lester narrowed his eyes. This person was dangerous. If he hadn''t been evaded in time, he would have been killed by that arrow.


    "Death Arrow General!" He recognized the person''s identity. It was one of the Blue Mountain Army''s three Corps Commander, Death Arrow General.


    Just like himself, this guy was also at the 10th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    Encountering him here so early in the battle wasn''t a good thing.


    "So it''s you, General Lester." Death Arrow General grinned when he saw the look on Lester''s face.


    Lester didn''t say another word. He had to end this battle fast before the enemies could strengthen their defenses. He squeezed his legs, prompting his war horse to run.


    Lester kept his eyes on Death Arrow General. If he wasn''t careful, this guy could end his life with a single arrow.


    Death Arrow General sneered. ''He wants to fight me in closebat. Did he think that he could beat me up close?''


    When he realized Lester''s intentions, he wasn''t flustered. He simultaneously fired three arrows at Lester.


    "Hmph!" Seeing this, Lester grunted as he swung his sword, destroying the three arrows effortlessly.


    Death Arrow General knew that a frontal sh was inevitable. He grabbed his sword and urged his mount to rush forward. "Are you underestimating my sword skills?!" He furiously roared.


    Lester remained silent. He executed a sword technique while drawing a symbol with his free hand. A momentter, a powerful wind de was released and threatened to cut Death Arrow General in half!


    Facing this attack, Death Arrow General''s expression suddenly turned serious as he executed his own sword technique. Subsequently, an incorporealrge golden sword appeared before him and collided with the wind de.


    BOOOMM!!!


    The collision of the two powerful sword techniques caused a violent explosion and created a shockwave that threw the nearby soldiers into the air.


    As soon as the dust subsided, the figure of Lester and Death Arrow General could be seen, unscathed.


    ''My sword techniques are weaker than him. I can''t beat him on my own.'' Death Arrow General frowned. In that sh, he might have appeared unharmed, but he was actually pushed back.


    While he was thinking about how he could beat Lester, he noticed a figure approaching them. Seeing this person, Death Arrow General smiled in relief.


    "Did I miss something?"


    Lester turned his head and looked at the man who had just arrived. ''Fuck! This is getting troublesome!''


    The neer was an old man dressed in blue battle armor. He was holding a spear on his right and a shield on the other.


    ''Fire Spear General¡­'' Lester muttered.


    Just like Death Arrow General, this old man was also a Corps Commander of the Blue Mountain Army. He was famous for his spear techniques and his strong defensive skills.


    Lester wasn''t even sure if he could beat this old man in a one versus one battle.


    ''I shouldn''t have listened to that kid¡­'' He sighed as he regretted listening to Fredrinn''s n.

 Chapter 159: Fredrinn Versus Markelle

    Lester fought fiercely against the two, but he was slowly losing ground as the battle continued.


    Fire Spear General was the mainbatant, while Death Arrow General provided support with his timely arrow shooting.


    ''Dammit! This old man''s defense is too strong! I can''t even go through him!'' Lester wanted to take down the archer first, but the old man held him back. He was like a tough nail, difficult to pull out.


    Meanwhile, on another part of the battlefield, Fredrinn was also facing his own troubles. In front of him was the rumored armymander of the Blue Mountain Army, Markelle Duskhill.


    At this moment, this powerful martial practitioner was staring at him cold piercing gaze. "You must be Fredrinn¡­"


    "And you must be Markelle Duskhill. You don''t look like much." Fredrinn nonchntly said.


    Markelle''s face stiffened as rage welled up in his heart. "Your arrogance knows no bounds." He snorted.


    "Enough talking. Show me what you got! Let me see how powerful the so-called half-step Void Tempering powerhouse is!" Fredrinn equipped his Lithinum Shield.


    Without saying another word, Markelle pulled out his treasured sword and appeared before him in just the blink of an eye. With a quick swipe, he struck down hard while unleashing a transcendent-rank sword technique.


    Fredrinn''s face turned serious when he sensed the power behind his attack. He lifted his Lithinum Shield to block it.


    When Markelle''s sword struck his shield, Fredrinn felt an overwhelming force that almost pushed him off the ground.


    With a grunt, he pushed his shield and swung his guandao in a downward cut.


    Markelle easily avoided this. ''This guy''s isn''t that fast or strong, but his defense is even better than that old man.'' This was what he discovered after that sh with Fredrinn.


    (He is referring to Fire Spear General in the sentence above.)


    Fredrinn was no longer as rxed as he was earlier. He noticed that there was a small dent on the surface of the Lithinum Shield. This was the first time it happened since he got it from the system. If it weren''t for the Armor of Eternal Strength taking the brunt of the damage, he would have already been seriously injured in that single exchange.


    This was the true power of someone at the half step of the Void Tempering realm!


    ''I just need to hold back this guy. As long as we destroy his army, he will be nothing!'' Fredrinn tightly held his shield.


    "Come! Attack me with all that you''ve got!" Fredrinn''s heroic voice echoed in all directions, increasing the morale of the Star Wind Kingdom''s troops.


    The soldiers who came with him felt an invisible force increasing their power and physical abilities. Despite being surrounded by countless enemies, they managed to fend them off with their newfound strength!


    Fredrinn''s presence brought them an unprecedented level of confidence. As long as he was there, they will never be defeated!


    Empowered by Fredrinn''s buffs, the five-hundred-man army tore through the enemy lines, opening a huge gap in their seemingly formidable formation.


    Seeing this, Markelle furrowed his eyebrows. He finally realized why Fredrinn managed to conquer two key locations. Turns out that it was because of his soldiers. He wanted to help his troops, but Fredrinn prevented him from advancing further.


    "You have to go through me first!"


    "Pesky fly! Die!" Markelle''s sword turned into a blur as he executed another transcendent sword technique.


    Numerous sword phantoms appeared and threatened to turn Fredrinn into a sieve.


    "That won''t be enough to destroy me!" Fredrinn shouted as he performed a series of hand seals.


    In just half a second, a translucent spherical barrier enveloped him.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The sword phantoms punctured the ground and caused massive cracks to appear!


    When the clouds of dust subsided, Fredrinn''s figure could be seen. His shield had more dents and his armor was covered in dust and dirt. However, he remained standing ever so arrogantly as if the attack did no damage to him.


    "Is that all you''ve got? I''m so disappointed." Fredrinn muttered with a calm look. However, he was actually screaming inside. Half of his Qi has already been depleted after releasing that defensive technique.


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    Markelle narrowed his eyes. He used all his power in that attack, but it only left a few dents on the enemy''s shield. ''Is that shield a legendary relic?'' His eyes gleamed with desire the more he thought about this. If he got hold of that shield, he would be unstoppable on the battlefield!


    A momentter, they once again shed.


    ***


    Cain could see Fredrinn fighting with the enemy''smander. Even though he was quite far from them, the shockwaves of their sh still reached his location. ''What fearsome power they both have!''


    Suddenly, he saw an enemy cavalry charging at him.


    Cain snorted and effortlessly parried the enemy''s spear. He then swung his sword which cut the cavalry rider in half!


    After dealing with that stray cavalry soldier, Cain raised his sword and shouted. "Onwards! We need to support the general! Push your way through!"


    They were still affected by the buffs provided by Fredrinn''s Crown of Eternal Glory. Furthermore, the enemies were also affected by the terrify debuff of the me Dragon Crescent de.


    Under the leadership of Cain, the ck me Heavy Cavalry Divison and the rest of the Mad Bear Corps gradually overpowered the enemy''s defensive formation.


    They were like a bunch of tanks mowing through the battlefield.


    In the midst of this gruesome battle, Olivia, Alice, and Freya were quietly honing their skills. They were still bottom-level warriors in this grand battle, but unlike before, they were no longer helpless.


    There were also Core Formation experts protecting them, ensuring that no fatal injuries would be inflicted upon them.


    Among the Core Formation martial practitioners was the princess who was currently covered in full battle armor. With her face fully covered, no one managed to recognize her identity.


    ''Is there no end to this?'' Sheined in her heart, but the sight of that lofty figure blocking the enemy''s strongest expert made her feel invigorated.

 Chapter 160: Changing the Tides of the Battle

    Meanwhile, Lester''s battle with the two corpsmanders of the Blue Mountain Army was about to reach its climax.


    Lester half knelt with blood leaking out from the corner of his mouth. He stabbed his sword to the ground to keep himself from falling.


    "So this how I die, huh?" He let out a bitter chuckle as he stared at the spear that was about to prate his body.


    Time seemed to have slowed down in that instant.


    Just when he thought that he was about to die, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of him and parried Fire Spear General''s attack.


    Schwing!


    Feeling shocked by the sudden turn of events, Lester raised his head to get a clearer look at the person who had saved him. "You are¡­"


    Lester immediately recognized the guy after seeing his side profile. It was Bernard Oceanwave, the divisionmander of the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division!


    Lester had seen this guy a couple of times before since he was always together with Fredrinn. He just didn''t expect that Bernard was actually powerful enough to parry Fire Spear General''s attack.


    "It seems like I came just right in time. Are you alright, General Lester?" Bernard muttered with his back facing Lester.


    Lester gritted his teeth and pushed himself up with a bit of difficulty. He then responded with a dry chuckle. "As you can see, I look like shit right now."


    "Since you can still afford to crack a joke, I guess you''re alright."


    "Leave this to me and take the time to recover your Qi," Bernard muttered as he eyed the two opponents before him.


    "Who are you!?" Fire Spear General frowned. This person actually managed to parry his spear without much effort. He never thought that there was another expert on the same level as them on the enemy''s side.


    "Division Commander of the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division, Bernard Ocean! Remember that name for that is the name of the man who will end your life!" Bernard smashed his trident into the ground and made a series of hand seals.


    After getting the Boundless Ocean Arcanum from Fredrinn, he hadprehended a battle technique that could be said to have reached the level of transcendent-rank skills. He had been perfecting it since he learned the battle technique.


    [Fury of the Vast Sea] Experience tales at m v|l e''-NovelBin


    As soon as he made the final hand seal, an image of arge ocean wave appeared, bringing about the fury of the sea.


    Seeing this, Fire Spear General immediately released a wall of mes with a wave of his spear.


    Unfortunately for him, the fearsome giant wave engulfed the wall of me and struck his body like a tsunami!


    Ssh!!


    The old man drowned in the vast sea before he heavily mmed into the ground, forming a deep pit in the process!


    Death Arrow General watched in horror as everything unfolded.


    "Half-step Void Tempering!" He eximed in disbelief.


    When Bernard released that power, Death Arrow General sensed the power that was simr to their leader, Markelle.


    Bernard didn''t stop there. He appeared before the old man who was struggling to get up and stabbed him with his trident.


    Fire Spear General couldn''t even protect himself. He died on the spot!


    After killing the old man, Bernard turned his head and smiled at Death Arrow General. "You''re next!"


    Death Arrow General felt his heart drop when he saw Bernard''s smile. He immediately released a barrage of arrows as he retreated.


    Bernard shook his head, seemingly disappointed by his cowardice. He waved his trident, flinging away the arrows as if they were nothing! He then threw his trident at the escaping Death Arrow General.


    "Noo!!" Thetter shifted his body, but as if it had eyes of its own, the trident changed direction and impaled him, nailing him into the ground!


    "Argh!" Death Arrow General felt his body slowly turning cold.


    ''So this is what death feels like. I feel cold¡­''


    Those were hisst thoughts before he closed his eyes forever.


    Lester watched the entire fight in utter disbelief. The experts who had almost killed him died in just the blink of an eye.


    ''There''s actually a guy like this working for Fredrinn?'' He couldn''t believe it. Even in a supreme household, a half-step Void Tempering would be revered and respected, but someone at level was now working for a young man who could even be his grandson!


    "General Lester, we don''t have time to dawdle! The battle isn''t over yet!"


    "Let''s go! General Fredinn''s group still needs our support!"


    Hearing this, Lester woke up from his stupor. He nodded his head and immediately hopped on his horse. "Let''s go!"


    The two led their army and bulldozed their way into the enemy formation!


    At this moment, Lester finally caught sight of Fredrinn''s figure.


    He was surrounded by enemies on all sides fending them off with his guandao and shield. Furthermore, he also had to defend against the attacks of Markelle, a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse!


    Despite the precarious situation he was in, Fredrinn stood his ground without falling. Compared to him who had almost died against two corpsmanders, Lester felt embarrassed. ''That is what a true General should be like¡­'' He thought to himself.


    The appearance of Lester and Bernard changed the tide of the battle. Their timely arrival saved Fredrinn''s exhausted troops.


    "General Fredrinn, we''re here to support you!" Lester shouted as he cut his way through towards Fredrinn.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn who was almost out of Qi breathed out a sigh of relief.


    ''They are finally here.''


    Markelle was stunned. ''We outnumber them and we also have more experts. So why are we being pushed back?'' He couldn''t believe his eyes.


    "Markelle, this is the power of my troops. Just give up. You stand no chance." Fredrinn shook his head with a calm look.


    "Surrender and we will spare your lives!" He bellowed.


    "Surrender and we will spare your lives!" The soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps echoed his words.


    Lester looked around in surprise. It wasn''t over yet so why are they shouting as if they had already won the battle?


    However, something surprising happened.


    A few enemies actually threw their weapons and raised their hands. More and more enemies surrendered after seeing that they were on the losing end.


    ''What the hell is going on?'' Lester was speechless.

 Chapter 161: Fredrinn Faking the Severity of his Injuries

    "They are surrendering?" Lester muttered in disbelief. Although they were losing, they still outnumbered them.


    "Intimidation. We learned it from the General. It''s quite effective, to be honest." Bernard muttered with a chuckle.


    "So is this how you conquered the other two key locations?"


    "Not really. Not everyone will be intimidated. We kill those who fight back until all of them lose the will to fight."


    At this moment, only a small percentage of enemies surrendered. The rest continued fighting even more fiercely.


    "Warriors of the Star Wind Kingdom, kill those who haven''t surrendered! Kill them!" Fredrinn bellowed.


    Hearing his words, the Mad Bear Corps and the Swift Wind Corps who were buffed by his items'' blessings began their carnage.


    The Blue Mountain Army which was famous for its powerful soldiers were likembs in the face of these ferocious beasts. No matter how hard they fought back, the buffed army fought even harder!


    Lester was in awe as he watched the one-sided massacre. He finally realized what hecked as a General.


    It was the ability to inspire his troops.


    Markelle Duskhill found himself surrounded by the enemies. If it had been earlier, he would have had no trouble with fighting multiple warriors. However, he was already exhausted. He has been attacking Fredrinn relentlessly but to no avail. The guy was like a fortress, unbreakable and firm.


    In one final struggle, Markelle fought everyone with everything that was left of him.


    Just as he was about to get killed, he heard Fredrinn''s voice. "Take him alive. We can use him to force the Blue Sky Kingdom to cede control of thend near Roshire Mountain."


    That was thest thing he heard before he lost consciousness.


    ***


    [You have captured one of the four key locations that is crucial in this war! Rewards: 6000 Fate Points, Level Up Card x1, Healing Card x2, and Servant Upgrade Card x1!]


    [Mission Progress: 75%]


    Fredrinn instructed the troops to confiscate the enemies'' weapons and seal their cultivation. He also instructed them to gather the injuredrades into one location and used the Healing Cards on them to increase their recovery speed.


    "General Lester, I''ll leave the clean up to your troops. My soldiers will bring the prisoners to the main camp. I''ll also stay here with half of the Mad Bear Corps just in case the Blue Sky Kingdom sends another army." Fredrinn was worn out after that battle. He couldn''t even defeat Markelle by himself. He was still too weakpared to the true powerhouses.


    "Alright. You should get some rest. I heard that you broke an arm after that fight with Markelle." Lester muttered as he stared at Fredrinn''s loosely hanging left arm.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn smiled bitterly while nodding his head. "Yeah."


    "By the way, where is Yvanna?" He asked.


    "She should be with the princess right now. Do you want me to call her for you?"


    Fredrinn shook his head. No, it''s alright. I''ll go and find her."


    "Don''t overwork yourself. This victory wasrgely because of your presence. You deserve to rest. I''ll take my leave first. Just send someone to inform me if you need anything."


    "Alright. See youter."


    After he parted with General Lester, Fredrinn searched for Yvanna and the princess.


    He asked around and he soon arrived at the tent guarded by four Nascent Soul martial practitioners. They were the princess''s bodyguards.


    When they saw Fredrinn, they gave him a respectful salute. "Greetings, General Fredrinn!"


    Fredrinn waved his hand. "Is the princess inside?"


    "Yes, sir! Her Highness has been looking for you."


    "I see. Good job, you guys." Fredrinn acknowledged their contribution to keeping the princess safe.


    "We are only doing our job."


    After some small talk with them, he entered the tent.


    Inside the tent were Yvanna and the princess. Both were nursing their wounds. Even though they weren''t in the vanguard, they still sustained some minor injuries.


    "Fredrinn? We have been looking for you! Where have you been?" Princess Danielle immediately came to his side.


    "We heard that you broke your arm after your battle with Markelle Duskhill. Are you alright?" Yvanna stared at him with concern.


    "I had to deal with some matters. As for my arm¡­ It should be fine after a month or two." Fredrinn calmly replied. In truth, he could heal this injury using the healing card, but he had already used up all his cards. He also didn''t want to stay in the infirmary because he wanted to be in a quiet environment.


    "You didn''t even ask someone to put a splint on your arm! Come here. Let me do it for you."


    "Fine. Fine." Fredrinn could only allow her to pull him.


    With his current physical constitution, he could fully recover in just two weeks. He just exaggerated his injuries to make it seem like he was seriously wounded.


    This was part of his n to deceive his enemies and the spies. Who knows? Maybe they might fall into his trap. To make this more convincing, he also had to fool his allies.


    Yvanna applied medicine to his bruises and wrapped his broken left arm with a splint that was simr to the long arm brace and posterior elbow splint in his home world.


    A martial practitioner has a strong life force so there was no need for an operation to deal with broken bones. Wounds like the one Fredrinn had would naturally heal after some time.


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    "You shouldn''t move too much in the next few weeks." Yvanna reminded him.


    Fredrinn nodded. "Thank you."


    "It''s nothing." Yvanna smiled at him.


    "Fredrinn, you should get some rest for now. You can leave the rest to us." The princess spoke.


    "I should do that." Fredrinn didn''t insist on staying. He bid them farewell and left.


    "Your Highness, will he be alright? That battle with Markelle must have left him some internal injuries." Yvanna worriedly said after Fredrinn left.


    Princess Danielle furrowed her eyes. "He will be fine. He is the ck me General. He will probably recover in just a month."


    "What if the enemies will attack us while he is recovering? Without him, I don''t think we can withstand another battle." Yvanna knew that they wouldn''t win that war without Fredrinn. His presence alone had a huge impact on the battle.


    Princess Danielle frowned. "Let''s pray that it doesn''t happen."

 Chapter 162: The Three Volunteers

    Inside themander''s tent, in the main camp of the Star Wind Kingdom''s troops stationed at the northern borders.


    Commander Galleon was about to eat his lunch when he heard the messenger''s voice outside the tent. "Commander, we got a letter from Roshire ins! It was sent by the Mad Bear Corps!"


    Hearing this, Commander Galleon narrowed his eyes.


    Recently, he sent the Mad Bear Corps and the Swift Corps to head to Roshire ins. Their task was to conquer the ins, but he knew that it was almost impossible considering the difference in numbers. Furthermore, the enemies stationed at the ins also had a half-step Void Tempering holding down the fort. Even Fredrinn and Lester wouldn''t be able to beat that guy.


    Galleon couldn''t send more troops on their side since their main force was still keeping the enemies'' main force in check. He nned to send a half-step Void Tempering realm martial practitioner to support them once the situation stabilized.


    ''This must be a letter from them requesting for reinforcements.'' Commander Galleon thought to himself.


    "Bring it in."


    The messenger entered the tent and presented the letter to him.


    Galleon took the letter and removed the seal.


    He knew Fredrinn''s handwriting and the one on the letter was different.


    However, when he read the report of them defeating the Blue Mountain Army, Commander Galleon was shocked.


    "That guy actually devised a n to defeat the Blue Mountain Army and he even fought Markelle on his own!"


    When he read the part about Fredrinn being seriously injured and even having his arm broken, Commander Galleon frowned. ''They won the battle, but Fredrinn didn''te out unscathed. It looks like it was a tough victory for them.''


    Galleon burned the letter after reading its contents. He then looked at the messenger and said. "Summon all the corpsmanders in the main camp! I have something important to tell them!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    An hourter, all the corpsmanders stationed at the main camp gathered in themander''s tent.


    After everyone arrived, Commander Galleon finally opened his mouth. "Everyone, I summoned you all here to inform you about two important things. Which one do you want to hear first? The good news or the bad news?"


    "Let''s hear the good news first." One of the corpsmanders spoke.


    Commander Galleon scanned their faces and said. "We have conquered Roshire ins. I received a message from the Mad Bear Corps an hour ago. The letter also has theirmander''s seal so it should be reliable."


    "Then that means we are only one step closer to conquering the Roshire Mountain!"


    "This is good news!"


    The corpsmanders were excited, but they quickly shut their mouths when they realized that Commander Galleon wasn''t happy.


    "Commander, why aren''t you happy? Is this about the bad news?"


    "Can you tell us the other news, sir?"


    Galleon took a deep breath and responded with a heavy voice. "In this battle, the Mad Bear Corps lost fifteen thousand soldiers while the Swift Wind Corps lost over twenty thousand. This means almost half of the soldiers we sent died in the battle against the Blue Mountain Army. Furthermore, the worst part is that Fredrinn was seriously injured in his fight against Markelle Duskhill.


    He is currently recovering and the letter didn''t mention the gravity of his injuries."


    Hearing this, everyone frowned.


    Fredrinn was like a symbol of hope for them in this war. He only arrived at the frontlines recently, but his presence overturned the battlefield. He conquered two key locations and now he had conquered the third.


    "That can''t be! How did someone like him¡­" Vice Commander Nate couldn''t believe it.


    "It''s the ck me General. He will be fine."


    "Commander, we should send someone to verify his condition. We can''t lose General Fredrinn now! A budding talent like him will be a pir of the kingdom if he is given some time to grow. Please allow me to go there!" Vice Commander bowed his head deeply.


    Commander Galleon was also worried about Fredrinn. He wanted to go there himself, but it might attract the attention of the Void Tempering powerhouses on the enemy''s side. "Fine, but you will have to wait. The soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps will arrive soon with the defeated soldiers of the Blue Mountain Army. You can go with them after they deliver the prisoners."


    Vice Commander Nate nodded. "I understand, sir."


    "You only have fifty thousand soldiers with you. That won''t be enough to defend the ins." Commander Galleon muttered as he dribbled his fingers on the table, seemingly in deep thought.


    He knew that the news about Fredrinn''s injury would soon reach the enemy''s side. When that happens, another army will certainly be sent to Roshire ins. Without Fredrin''s leadership, they wouldn''t be able to defend the ins for long.


    Galleon couldn''t give it up. He didn''t want to waste Fredrinn''s efforts.


    "Commander, I''m willing to go with Vice Commander Nate." The one who had spoken was a bald middle-aged man with a gnarly scar on his left cheek that exposed his teeth. This made his voice sound strange and dreadful.


    Everyone stared at him in surprise. This man was one of the few experts who hade from a poor background. He never involved himself with the members of the supreme households since he hated their guts.


    "Ulric, are you sure about this?" Commander Galleon stared deeply at him.


    "Yes, sir." Ulric nodded with an indifferent look.


    "Alright, but we need one more volunteer. I fear that arger army would attack the ins so we must send more troops to defend it."


    "Commander, if we send too many soldiers there, the main camp will have fewer people to defend to defend it." One of themanders suddenly spoke.


    Hearing this, Galleon shook his head. "It''s fine. If an enemyes, they will die by my hands!" His voice was filled with killing intent.


    The man who had spoken no longer dared to say anything. As long as Galleon was there, the main camp would be imprable!


    "Commander, I''ll go with them." This time, the one who had spoken was a middle-aged man with a bulging belly.


    Everyone frowned when they looked at him. From their faces, it was obvious that they didn''t like this fellow.


    This man was a former merchant. He rose into position after bribing his way to the top. He also had ties with many powerful martial households so no one dared to be involved with him.


    Galleon was silent for a moment before he nodded. "In that case, Ricky will be going with you two."


    "Does anyone object to this?"


    No one said anything. With that, the three people who would be sent to the ins had been decided.

 Chapter 163: Nix

    A weekter, twenty thousand soldiers from the Mad Bear Corps finally arrived with the eighty thousand prisoners from the Blue Mountain Army.


    Their arrival was met with cheers and apuse, but the soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps didn''t look happy.


    After delivering the prisoners, Bernard headed to themander''s tent.


    "Division Commander Bernard Oceanwave of the Mad Bear Corps requests an audience with themander!"


    "Granted! You may enter!"


    Bernard entered the tent and saluted. "Greetings,mander!"


    Galleon was taken aback when he sensed Bernard''s power. He never thought that Fredrinn actually had someone like this in his troops. Even in the main camp, there weren''t a lot of half-step Void Tempering realm powerhouses.


    "Sit down." Galleon pointed at the chair in front of him.


    "I''ll just stand, sir. I won''t stay here for long. I need to return to the ins after Iplete my task here." Bernard tactfully declined.


    Galleon nodded. "Alright. I won''t force you. Tell me what''s your business here?"


    "Yes, sir." Bernard took out a letter and handed it to him. "This is a letter written by our General. He said that only you should read this letter."


    Galleon narrowed his eyes upon hearing this. He removed the seal and unrolled the letter.


    After a moment of reading, Galleon''s face twitched. ''I knew it. That bastard wouldn''t fall so easily. Turns out that he has a n like this. What a cunning bastard.''


    The worry in his heart dissipated.


    "Please deliver this letter to your General." Galleon handed a sealed letter to Bernard.


    "I will make sure that it reaches the general''s hands, sir!" Bernard nodded his head solemnly.


    "Mn. By the way, three more armies will be joining you on your return trip. They will help you defend Roshire ins from potential threats."


    "I have been told."


    "Alright. You may go."


    ***


    Meanwhile, back to the Roshire ins.


    Fredrinn was resting in his tent, contemting what he should do with his Fate Points.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Nascent Soul 4th Layer] Level 44


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ??????????


    Space Affinity: ????


    Cultivation: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style, Divine Ice Flower Execution


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fate Rating: D (Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 26675


    He had umted over twenty-six thousand fate points. With this much, he could already buy something decent.


    ''Should I continue saving up my fate or should I buy something useful?'' Fredrinn clicked the Fate Shop to see if there were new items added.


    Blue Heaven Lightning Sword [Legendary] (25000 Fate Points)


    - A sword crafted by a renowned ancient cksmith. The sword''s de was bathed in lightning, strengthening it significantly.


    Energy Cannon ster [Legendary]


    (30000 Fate Points)


    - A siege weapon crafted by an evil group of magicians. It was created for the sole purpose of destroying a kingdom!


    me Sword Realm


    (28000 Fate Points)


    - A 6th-tier Array Formation engraved by a Grandmaster-rank Array Formation Maker during the ancient era. It has both defensive and offensive abilities.


    Fredrinn was scared by the prices of the legendary items so he immediately clicked on the servant section.


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Human


    Spirit Root: Superior-Grade


    Cultivation: Void Tempering 2nd Phase


    Age: 235


    27350 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Female


    Specie: Seafolk


    Spirit Root: Excellent-Grade


    Cultivation: Void Tempering 4th Phase


    Age: 84


    40000 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Beastkin


    Spirit Root: Superior-Grade


    Cultivation: Void Tempering 2nd Phase


    Age: 226


    29150 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Female


    Specie: Subus


    Spirit Root: Excellent-Grade


    Cultivation: Void Tempering 6th Phase


    Age: 185


    60000 Fate Points


    Seeing the unfriendly prices, Fredrinn sighed and closed the Fate Shop. He thought that he was already rich after umting almost 30000 Fate Points. Turns out that he was still piss-poor.


    He could check the lower-rank goods, but he was no longer interested in them.


    Just then, a thought suddenly urred to him.


    "Hold on. I still have one Servant Upgrade Card with me. What if I buy a 10th Layer Core Formation realm martial practitioner and use the card on them, wouldn''t they automatically advance to the 10th Layer of the Nascent Soul realm?"


    Fredrinn''s eyes brightened when he thought of this.


    He opened the Fate Shop and clicked on the servant section. He then filtered the searches to only show Core Formation realm martial practitioners.


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Half-Giant


    Spirit Root: Superior-Grade


    Cultivation: Core Formation 7th Layer


    Age: 69


    7600 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Elf


    Spirit Root: Excellent-Grade


    Cultivation: Core Formation 10th Layer


    Age: 32


    11500 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Male


    Specie: Beastkin


    Spirit Root: Superior-Grade


    Cultivation: Core Formation 9th Layer


    Age: 80


    8500 Fate Points


    Unnamed


    Sex: Female


    Specie: High Human


    Spirit Root: Divine-Grade


    Cultivation: Core Formation 10th Layer


    Age: 25


    25000 Fate Points (Time Limited Deal!)


    Fredrinn''s eyes widened when he saw thest image. ''A Divine-Grade spirit root! It actually exists! Holy shit!''


    Fredrinn didn''t even hesitate and immediately confirmed his purchase.


    - 25000 Fate Points


    His Fate Points immediately dropped to 1675, but Fredrinn didn''t care.


    Fredrinn closed his eyes reflexively when a blinding light shed in front of him.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw a tall young woman with long white hair and a pair of blood-red eyes. She had an emotionless face as if she was detached from the world.


    She stood calmly before Fredrinn and stared at him with an indifferent gaze.


    ''What a terrifyingly cold woman!'' He thought to himself.


    "You have a cold aura like that of an ice cier. I will give you the name ''Nix''. It means snow from where Ie from." Fredrinn felt that this was the most fitting name for her.


    Nix didn''t say anything and merely nodded her head.


    Fredrinn inspected her favorability.


    [Nix] Favorability: 100


    ''So she just really has a cold personality.''


    He then took out the Servant Upgrade Card and used it on her.


    [Nix] Nascent Soul 10th Layer


    Nix didn''t show any reaction after the sudden jump in her cultivation. It was as if nothing could cause a ripple in her emotions.

 Chapter 164: The Arrival of the Support

    Nix [Nascent Soul 10th Layer]


    Age: 25


    Spirit Root: Divine-Grade


    Sword Talent: ????????????????????


    Spear Talent: ????????????????????


    Archery Talent: ??????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????????


    Ice Affinity: ??????????????


    Wind Affinity: ??????????


    Earth Affinity: ????????


    Lightning Affinity: ??????????????


    Space Affinity: ????????????????????


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fredrinn''s eyes bulged when he saw her profile. It was even more outrageous than Olivia''s profile! ''This girl must have been the daughter of destiny wherever she came from.''


    "Can you speak?" He asked. He was curious if this girl could speak or if she was truly mute.


    "Yes." Her voice was cold like perennial ice.


    Fredrinn was amazed by her unique character.


    "Can you tell me where you came from?" He tried asking her.


    Nix spoke, but no words came out of her mouth.


    "Huh? Did you say something?" Fredrinn raised his eyebrows in confusion. He also experimented this on Argus and Cain, but he couldn''t get any information from them. It was as if something was blocking off the information from reaching him.


    Fredrinn inspected Nix''s clothes. She was wearing a fancy-looking blue-scaled armor paired with a battle skirt. On her back was a pair of curved white swords that looked like they were made from the fang of arge creature. Based on her attire, he surmised that she was someone from a powerful martial household.


    "The others will be suspicious of you if you go out alone so you should stick with me until everyone is familiar with your presence," Fredrinn instructed.


    Nix nodded her head without saying a word.


    ***


    Ten dayster, Bernard finally returned with the support sent by the main camp, an army of one hundred twenty thousand soldiers! Including Bernard''s troops, there were over one hundred forty thousand of them!


    Seeing this massive army, Lester was stunned. If it weren''t for the gs that revealed their identities as their allies, he might have considered fleeing.


    "General Lester, long time no see!" Nate greeted him with a smile.


    "It''s been a while, Vice Commander Nate!" Lester was filled with surprise when he saw the familiar face.


    Nate was an important figure in the main camp. He was the second inmand and held enormous military influence.


    "We''re all acquaintances here so I don''t think there is a need for me to introduce you to those two." Nate pointed at the two people behind him.


    Lester followed his gaze and saw a chubby middle-aged man and a bald man with a gnarly facial scar.


    He didn''t say anything after seeing them. He didn''t like those two especially that opportunistic fellow, Ricky.


    After exchanging some pleasantries, Bernard excused himself and left.


    "By the way, how is General Fredrinn''s situation?" Nate asked.


    Ulric and Ricky perked their ears, obviously curious about his situation as well.


    Hearing this, Lester sighed and shook his head. "It has been more than two weeks since our battle against the Blue Mountain Army, but General Fredrinn shut himself in his tent and refused to go out. He only let his trusted subordinatese in to change his bandages."


    Nate''s eyes shed with concern. "It seems like his condition isn''t getting any better. Can you bring me to see him?"


    Lester had a troubled look. "I can take you there, but I don''t know if he is willing to see you."


    "It''s fine. I''ll just try my luck."


    "Alright. You guys follow me. I''ll take you to his tent."


    Lester brought them to Fredrinn''s tent, but before they could even get close, a white-haired woman with blood-red eyes blocked their path.


    "You are not permitted to go in." Her chilling voice drifted into their ears.


    Lester forced a smile. "That woman is General Fredrinn''s subordinate. She stops anyone from getting close to Fredrinn''s tent." He exined when he saw their reaction.


    "Isn''t that Bernard?" Nate pointed at Bernard who was about to enter the tent.


    Bernard noticed their presence and turned his head. He cupped his fists at them before he entered.


    "Miss Nix, please inform General Fredrinn that Vice Commander Nate is here. If you mention it to him, I believe he will allow us to go in." Lester tried to negotiate with Nix.


    However, he was met with her cold gaze.


    Lester sighed helplessly. "It seems like we can''t see him today. We should go. We can try again another day."


    Just as they were about to leave, Bernard suddenly came out. "Wait! The general wants to see you guys."


    Lester''s eyes lit up when he heard this. He has been worried about Fredrinn all this time. He tried asking Yvanna and the princess about his situation, but those two refused to answer. He even thought that Fredrinn might have been suffering from a severe internal injury.


    The four dismounted from their horses and headed inside the tent.


    Nix silently followed behind them.


    Upon entering, they finally saw Fredrinn. His face was deathly pale and his left arm was wrapped with a splint.


    When they saw his condition, they all frowned.


    "What''s with that look, everyone? Don''t worry about me. I''m fine." Fredrinn stood up. His back was straight like a sword. If it weren''t for his pale face, they would have thought that nothing was wrong with him.


    "Vice Commander Nate, it''s been a while! How have you been?" Fredrinn feigned surprise when he saw Nate.


    Before they arrived, Bernard had already sent a letter via carrier pigeon so he knew who wasing. He also gave a short introduction about the other two who came with Nate.


    "I should be the one asking that General Fredrinn. It''s good to see that you''re doing well. I was really worried when I heard that you were gravely injured." Nate sighed.


    The two exchanged a few more words before Fredrinn turned his head towards the other two. "These gentlemen are?"


    "Oh! You still haven''t met them yet. Let me do the introductions."


    "This man right here is Corps Commander Ulric and this guy is Corps Commander Ricky."


    Ulric and Ricky nodded to Fredrinn.


    "It''s a pleasure to see you guys!" Fredrinn extended his right hand and shook hands with them.


    He also used the opportunity to check their favorability and cultivation.


    [Half-Step Void Tempering]


    [Ulric Meyers] Favorability: 71


    [Nascent Soul 9th Layer]


    [Ricky lon] Favorability: 77


    Seeing this, Fredrinn was confused. He thought that one of them was a spy, but based on their high favorability, the likelihood of them being one was slim.


    ''This should be the perfect chance to eliminate me. I even created the impression that I am gravely injured.''


    At this moment, he inadvertently activated his battle scouter and favorability meter function on Nate.


    [Half-Step Void Tempering]


    [Nate Woodman] Favorability: -10 (Hostile)

 Chapter 165: Gregor Pilar

    Fredrinn''s heart was in turmoil. He had never suspected Nate from the start at all.


    Who would have thought that the vicemander of the army was actually a spy?


    His battle scouter had never been wrong. It could urately reveal the person''s favorability towards him. Nate''s hostility was very suspicious since Fredrinn had never provoked him.


    Although he was shocked by this revtion, Fredrinn didn''t show it to his face.


    He chatted with his visitors as if there was nothing wrong.


    An hourter, Lester and the others finally left.


    [You discovered a high-ranking spy in your midst! Eliminate this threat before he can cause a major wave in this war! Rewards: Level Up Card, and 2000 Fate Points.]


    Fredrinn strengthened his resolve when he saw the system prompt.


    "Bernard, send some people to secretly monitor Corps Commander Ulric and Corps Commander Ricky."


    Bernard was taken aback. "Are you suspicious of them, General?" He asked cautiously.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "No, it''s just a diversion. I want to make the spy think that I still don''t know his identity."


    "There is a spy among them?" Bernard frowned. He had traveled with them for over ten days, but he didn''t discover anything amiss.


    "Don''t tell anyone about this. I''m still not sure. It''s just my spection, but if I''m right, that guy will definitely find the chance to attack me." Fredrinn was already certain about the spy''s identity, but he didn''t know how to exin it.


    "Yes, sir! My lips are sealed! You can rest assured!" Bernard nodded.


    "We will set up an ambush here and wait for the spy to fall into the trap. Here''s my n¡­"


    In the next three days, Fredrinn didn''te out of his tent. Even during mealtime, his subordinates would just bring the food to his tent.


    His uncertain condition brought a sense of unease to the troops.


    Another day went by, but there were still no signs of movement on Nate''s side. He remained true to his identity as the leader of the reinforcements sent by the main army.


    Fredrinn even took his time to set up a trap for him, but the guy didn''t fall for his schemes.


    ''Does he know my n?'' Fredrinn thought. Only his most trusted subordinates were involved with the n so it should be impossible for Nate to know their intentions.


    This could only mean one thing- Nate had no interest in assassinating him. At least not for now.


    While he was grumbling in silence, he received a report from Bernard that a huge army was advancing towards the ins.


    "General, our scouts have discovered approximately two hundred thousand soldiers marching in our direction! If they don''t stop their march, they will be within our range before evening! What are your orders, sir?"


    Hearing this, Fredrinn clicked his tongue, feeling slightly annoyed. He sent his people to find evidence of Nate''s betrayal, but there was still no progress. And now, another army was about to attack them.


    From the looks of it, he would have to postpone Nate''s matter until they were done dealing with the iing army.


    "Tell the troops to prepare for battle! We still have time to set up some traps! Get everyone to move!" Fredrinn waved his hand.


    "Yes, sir!"


    ***


    Meanwhile, the person leading the army that was approaching the ins was an old man with long white hair that reached up to his waste. His figure was thin, looking like a feeble schr who would copse with a strong blow of the wind.


    The old man was dressed in light battle armor made from leather and steel. On his back was a purple saber with a curved tip.


    This old man was one of the strongest experts dispatched by the Blue Sky Kingdom, Gregor Pr. His martial prowess was only a step away from advancing to the Void Tempering realm!


    Gregor Pr was known for his unusually cruel nature. He was even given the nickname ''Blood Saber General''.


    Riding on his muscr war horse, Gregor''s eyes were terrifyingly cold.


    ''I will avenge you, myrades! I will kill that bastard, Fredrinn Firecrown, with my own hands! I will offer his blood as a sacrifice to appease your souls!''


    When he heard the consecutive victory of Fredrinn''s army, it filled Gregor with profound rage.


    Fredrinn was a huge thorn in their side. He had to be eliminated to tip the war back in their favor.


    "How close are we to their camp?" Gregor shouted to his deputy, a middle-aged man with an eyepatch.


    "If we go by this pace, we will enter their range before nightfall! Sir, I suggest that we stop for a moment and let our soldiers recuperate. We have been marching nonstop for almost two days straight. The high-ranking soldiers are fine, but the normal soldiers are starting to feel the fatigue. It would be bad if they fought in that condition." The man with the eyepatch suggested with a serious voice.


    Hearing this, the old man furrowed his eyebrows, clearly displeased by his words. However, he knew that his words made some sense. If they forced their weary soldiers to fight, it would be disastrous, especially considering the strength of the enemy''s forces.


    The old man relented with a reluctant gaze. "Fine. Tell the troops to stop the march and rest for the rest of the day. We will attack them at dawn tomorrow."


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    "Wise choice, sir. I will convey your words to the troops!" The man with the eyepatch was relieved. He then sent a hand signal to the messengers who immediately delivered the instruction to the rest of the troops.


    Soon, the army came to an abrupt halt.


    Gregor dismounted his horse and said to his deputy. "Bring all the corpsmanders here. We need to discuss our battle n."


    "Yes, sir!" The man with the eyepatch strongly agreed with his decision. The enemy troops were led by a man who was said to be undefeated. It would be unwise to sh with him without necessary preparations.

 Chapter 166: Gathering for a Battle Meeting

    Three hourster, Bernard returned to Fredrinn''s tent to give the updated report of the enemy''s movements.


    "Sir, our scouts have determined the identity of the opposing army. They are the Blood Saber Army led by Gregor Pr who is famously known as the Blood Saber General. He has been a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse for several years and he has more experience in battle than Markelle Duskhill.


    Although he isn''t good at stratagems, he has a veteran tactician by his side who makes up for hisck of tactical knowledge¡­"


    Fredrinn nodded with a grim look. His experience with Markelle Duskhill made him cautious against half-step Void Tempering powerhouses. Unlike Nascent Soul martial practitioners, they are more troublesome because of their Intent. Markelle almost broke his Lithinum Shield with his power so Fredrinn didn''t want to make the same mistake.


    "Summon the corpsmanders at once! I need outside my tent as soon as possible!"


    "Yes, sir!" Bernard acknowledged hismand with a salute before he turned around and left.


    In less than an hour, the corpsmanders gathered outside Fredrinn''s tent. Everyone wore serious gazes, tensed about the iing battle.


    Ricky in particr was visibly nervous.


    He wasn''t promoted to his position by normal means. He bribed many officials and military personnel to barely be a corpsmander. He only came into the battlefield since he was conscripted by the royal family. He didn''t dare reject their request, afraid that they would strip him of his position.


    As for why he volunteered to join Fredrinn''s army, it was because of thetter sessive victories. He thought that he would gain more military achievements by following Fredrinn, hence his decision.


    Now, he regretted his impulsiveness. It wasn''t even a day since he arrived, but an enemy was already knocking on the door.


    Meanwhile, the other corpsmanders were much better. Although they were also nervous, they managed to contain their anxiety. The most rxed among them was Ulric.


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    At this moment, everyone was staring at Bernard, the man who gathered them here.


    "Bernard, where is General Fredrinn?" Lester asked, his eyebrows locked with concern.


    After the recent battle, he developed a strong reliance on Fredrinn. Thetter''s remarkable leadership had already convinced him. Even though they shared the same status, he didn''t mind following Fredrinn.


    Everyone looked at Bernard with bated breath.


    Just as Bernard was about to respond, Fredrinn finally stepped out of his tent fully dressed in his Armor of Eternal Strength. He was already fully healed, but he still had the splint on his left arm. He was intent on keeping his act until the spy, Nate Woodman, would bite the bait that he had casted.


    Closely following him was Nix, the cold and indifferent young woman whose martial prowess wasn''t beneath that of the people gathered here.


    "General Fredrinn!"


    "Why are you on your armor, General? You should stay here and continue to recuperate. We can deal with the enemy."


    Fredrinn smiled at them. "There''s no need to dissuade me from joining the battle. Our soldiers'' morale might decline if they don''t see me in action."


    "You guys can rest assured. Although I haven''t fully recovered, my right arm is in perfect condition. I can still wield my weapon."


    "Anyway, that''s enough about me. We have a more important matter to talk about." Fredrinn''s expression suddenly turned serious.


    "Our enemy this time is the Blood Saber Army. Have you guys heard of them?"


    "Blood Saber Army!" Ricky''s eyes shed with fear when he heard this.


    The others also showed strong reactions upon hearing the identity of the opposing side.


    The Blood Saber Army was well-known. They were one of the strongest forces of the Blue Sky Kingdom. They had never lost a single battle, but the reason for their fame wasn''t their undefeated record. They became famous because of how they defeated their enemies. True to their name, the Blood Saber Army had never left a single surviving among their enemies.


    Even those who had surrendered would be brutally murdered. They were heartless, cold killing machines!


    "If it''s them, it will be a difficult battle," Nate muttered while rubbing his chin.


    "From what I know, they have four half-step Void Tempering powerhouses, including Gregor Pr. Other than those four powerhouses, they also have ten peak Nascent Soul experts."


    Everyone narrowed their eyes at his words.


    On their side, they had three half-step Void Tempering powerhouses- Bernard Oceanwave, Ulric Meyers, and Nate Woodman. They didn''t know Fredrinn''s exact cultivation so they didn''t include him in the list.


    From the distribution of their experts alone, the opposing side already had the upper hand. Not to mention that Fredrinn was not in his best state.


    The only good news was that the number of their troops was more or less the same.


    "At this moment, the enemies are still exhausted. We should make use of this and attack them now."


    Fredrinn''s words stunned them, especially the three who just joined recently.


    "General Fredrinn, we shouldn''t be reckless." Nate was the first to disagree.


    "Although they are exhausted, our troops are also not in perfect condition. The soldiers of the Mad Bear Corps and the Swift Wind Corps are still recovering from thest fight. Attacking now is not a good idea."


    Ricky nodded in agreement, while the others remained silent.


    "I understand where you''reing from. However, the enemies will not sit still. Based on their movements, I can tell that they won''t sit still for long. I''m certain that they will attack tomorrow!" Fredrinn spoke with great confidence.


    "We shouldn''t hesitate. Now is the best time to attack! Once their soldiers have fully rested, they will be in top condition. We can only even the odds if we attack them now." Fredrinn added.


    Everyone furrowed their eyebrows. Fredrinn''s suggestion was risky, but they also found his words convincing.


    They were silent for an entire minute and the person who broke the silence was Lester.


    "Fuck it! I''ll do it! I''ll follow you, General Fredrinn! You have already proven your capabilities in battle and your ns have never failed me! I will trust you once again."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn nodded at him. "Thank you for your trust, General Lester."


    "I will follow your arrangements, General Fredrinn," Ulric spoke.


    Only Ricky and Nate hadn''t made a decision.


    "What about you two?" Fredrinn nced at them, his eyes intentionally hovered over Nate.

 Chapter 167: Lure the Enemies

    "What choice do we have? You guys have already agreed." Nate smiled wryly while shaking his head.


    Everyone''s eyes turned to Ricky.


    "I-I¡­ will follow your decision." Ricky forced a smile while sighing bitterly in his heart. He didn''t sign up to be a cannon fodder, but it seemed like he would have to join the battle.


    "Good! Prepare your troops! We will depart at once!" Fredrinn dismissed them and went to assemble the Mad Bear Corps.


    The rest of the corpsmanders also gathered their troops.


    Once everyone was in position, Fredrinn jumped on top of his mount and raised his me Dragon Crescent de as he shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "CHARGE!!!"


    He squeezed his legs and urged his war horse to move, leading the vanguard with ferocious force.


    The rest of the army quickly followed, forming a pyramid behind him.


    Fredrinn wanted to make full use of the buffs so he raised his hand and gave the signal to change formation.


    Seeing his signal, the messengers immediately ryed his instructions to the troops, raising their gs in a timely fashion.


    Soon, the army formed a rectangr box with Fredrinn at the center.


    For this battle, Fredrinn didn''t n to just recklessly attack them.


    The Blood Saber Army wasn''t like the armies they had encountered before. They were a bunch of cruel killers so ordinary tactics wouldn''t work on them.


    At this moment, the Blood Saber Army had already noticed their approach.


    Gregor''s eyes shed with killing intent upon seeing the approaching army. He jumped on his horse and grabbed the saber on his back.


    "Raise your weapons and prepare to sh with the enemies! Remember what he came here for! Kill them all!!!"


    The man with the eyepatch, Johnson Maxville, narrowed his eyes. He didn''t expect the enemies tounch an offensive.


    ''How bold of them to attack us when their soldiers haven''t fully recuperated. Is this Fredrinn''s idea? So he wants to fight us while our soldiers are exhausted. Not bad.''


    ''However¡­''


    ''You guys have underestimated the power of our troops!''


    Soon, the two armies shed!


    Gregor was in the very front of the formation, killing tens of soldiers in his every strike!


    He was like a specter of death. Wherever he passed by, a trail of blood would follow!


    "I won''t let you touch my soldiers!" An angry voice echoed.


    A person suddenly appeared in front of Gregor, blocking his path, and preventing him from continuing his massacre.


    This person was none other than Nate Woodman.


    Fredrinn tasked him to lead the vanguard since he had the most amount of troops.


    "Just you?" Gregor snorted as he lifted his saber and made a series of hand seals to execute a battle skill.


    Nate also released a series of attacks with his battle axe, forcing Gregor to cancel his skill.


    "Annoying fly!" Gregor bellowed in rage, brandishing his saber relentlessly, leaving hundreds of afterimages in the air.


    As the two half-step Void Tempering powerhouses fought, the surrounding area crumbled under their terrifying power.


    In that instant, they shed a dozen times causing violent shockwaves in each collision!


    Although the two looked evenly matched, Nate realized that the other party was faster than him. Just the slight difference in their speed left multiple cuts on his body.


    ''Dammit! I need to get out of here! This bastard is too strong!'' Nate thought to himself as he backed off with a quick leap.


    Suddenly, he noticed the signal from the messenger.


    "Retreat!" Nate immediatelymanded his troops to fall back after he saw the signal.


    Nate''s troops retreated swiftly, disengaging with the enemies without hesitation.


    Seeing this, Gregor was furious. How could he let go of them?


    "Don''t let them get away! Kill them! Kill them all!" He shouted as he urged his war horse to pursue them.


    Johnson Maxville frowned at the enemy''s sudden retreat. ''Why did they retreat?''


    He observed the changes in their formation.


    "Hm?!" Something caught his attention.


    "A phnx behind the box formation? It was a trap!"


    "Stop! Don''t let them lure you in!" Johnson shouted in rm, but his voice was drowned by the loud chanting of the enemy troops.


    "Dammit! This was their n from the start! The initial charge was just a diversion! They nned to lure our main troops to the location of their phnx!" Johnson was stunned by the enemy''s quick thinking.


    The Macedonian phnx. This battle formation was something that Fredrinn learned from his home world.


    He incorporated this formation into the Mad Bear Corps arsenal.


    For this formation, he used the ck me Heavy Cavalry Divison who had the sturdiest defense. He equipped them with long spears that would act as a deterrent to force the enemies to change direction.


    At this moment, Gregor and the Blood Saber Army had btedly discovered the phnx so it was already toote to retreat.


    Left with no choice, Gregor pulled the reins to the side, urging his horse to evade the long spears.


    "Cunning bastards! Dammit!"


    Now that the Blood Saber Army''s formation was forced to separate, their defenses weakened which left them vulnerable to attacks.


    "Mad Bear Corps, ughter them!" Fredrinn''s roar echoed.


    He emerged like a phantom and crushed into the Blood Saber Army''s soldiers. The powerful stomp of his mount killed a few soldiers and he followed it with a quick swipe of his guandao.


    This time, the Blood Saber Army lost their ability to fight back.


    This was Fredrinn''s n. He wanted to iste Gregor''s main force and ughter them in his trap formation.


    As long as he was killed, this battle would be a lot easier.


    "Fredrinn Firecrown! If you have the guts, face me like a true fucking man!" Gregor''s furious howls echoed in all directions.


    He was trapped with no room to escape.


    He never thought that he actually fell into the enemy''s schemes.


    Gregor finally realized why Fredrinn was undefeated in battle. He wasn''t just strong. He was also a wise tactician!


    Fredrinn ignored his final attempt at struggle.


    "You might be stronger than Markelle, but he was a more difficult opponent than you," Fredrinn muttered in a mocking voice.


    The veins on Gregor''s face protruded as he red at Fredrinn.

 Chapter 168: 5th Layer Nascent Soul Realm

    "Kill him!" Fredrinnmanded with a cold look.


    As soon as his words fell, Ulric and Bernard lunged at Gregor, brandishing their weapons at thetter with heavy force.


    Sensing their power, Gregor narrowed his eyes into slits.


    He lifted his saber and used every bit of his efforts to parry their weapons, all while defending himself against the sneak attacks of the soldiers that surrounded him.


    Given his current situation, Gregor knew that one mistake would be fatal to him.


    In this extremely focused state, he was quickly consuming his Qi.


    ''This won''t do! I will die at this rate!'' Gregor couldn''t even think of a way to get himself out of the situation.


    The enemies bombarded him with all sorts of attacks that he didn''t have the time to think.


    At this point, he was moving through sheer instincts. His muscles were starting to feel sore and the bacsh from the rapid consumption of his Qi was slowly affecting his body.


    Meanwhile, Johnson Maxville rallied the Blood Saber Army to break through the tight defensive formation. However, the ck me Heavy Cavalry Division''s phnx was like a fortress, unbreakable and firm! No matter how hard they tried to prate their formation, they just couldn''t force their way through.


    ''Dammit! Their armor is too fucking sturdy! Our soldiers can''t even push them back.'' Johnson felt his heart sink.


    Gregor wouldn''t be able to hold on for long, and if he died, the morale of the Blood Saber Army would copse.


    Unable toe up with a solution, he gritted his teeth before he fiercely charged at the phnx.


    "Fuck off!" He bellowed as he swung his weapon.


    The outeryer of the phnx was dismantled under his ferocious charge, but he found himself stuck at the thirdyer of the phnx. Furthermore, multiple power martial practitioners surrounded him, preventing him from moving further.


    One particr expert caught his eye. It was a white-haired woman with an expressionless face. She was holding a pair of swords that looked like the fangs of arge creature.


    After a brief eye contact, Johnson swung his weapon, aiming at the woman who seemed to be the strongest of the bunch.


    "Get out of my way, bitch!" He shouted furiously.


    To his surprise, the woman didn''t choose to evade. She dashed at him, moving like a mirage. Her swords suddenly danced effectively blocking his weapon and even forcing him back by a step.


    "What?!" Johnson was stunned.


    He was also a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse, but he was actually pushed back by a 10thyer Nascent Soup martial practitioner.


    With an indifferent look, Nix executed a ghost-like movement while releasing a series of sword shes.


    ng! ng! ng!


    Johnson parried her swords, but as the battle continued, he realized that her techniques were better than his.


    In a moment of carelessness, he failed to block her sword which prated his chest in one single stab.


    "Argh!" Johnson groaned and was about to counterattack when another sword cut off his dominant arm.


    Blood gushed out like a fountain.


    Johnson staggered as he stared at the woman in disbelief.


    ''Just what kind of monsters are we fighting?'' That was hisst thought before he copsed on the ground.


    Upon his death, the soldiers of the Blood Saber Army were stunned.


    Johnson was the brain of their army and his strength was second only to Gregor.


    Such a powerful man actually died at the hands of a woman.


    Not long after his death, Gregor also followed. He was a powerful martial practitioner with overwhelming strength, but under thebined attacks of Bernard, Ulric, and many others, he soon depleted his Qi and died with numerous des prating his body.


    Gregor was the symbol of strength in the Blood Saber Army and his death caused the copse of this seemingly unstoppable army. Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Two hourster, the Blood Saber Army was wiped out.


    Nate Woodman witnessed Fredrinn''smanding ability and it left him in deep awe. It wasn''t even a day since the enemy entered the ins, but they had already been brought down.


    He stared at Fredrinn who was coldly observing the battlefield. His eyes were unfathomably deep like the abyss.


    Fredrinn sensed Nate''s gaze and turned to look at him. He then smiled meaningfully.


    Nate suddenly felt jumpy when he saw his smile. ''Why is he looking at me like that? Did he discover my identity? That shouldn''t be possible.''


    Nate was certain that he didn''t leave any clues that would reveal his identity. However, he had a strange feeling that Fredrinn seemed to know something.


    ''I must be overthinking it.'' He shook off his thoughts. He had already removed all the evidence that would expose his true identity.


    In this battle, Nate''s army had the most losses. Of his fifty thousand soldiers, more than thirty thousand died, leaving him with only a little over neen thousand left. Most of them were also injured.


    Ricky who was part of the vanguard force tragically died and his corpse wasn''t even intact.


    His death made the others feel a mixture of emotions.


    Fredrinn who heard the news of his death sighed while shaking his head.


    Ricky wasn''t a capable leader. He only became a corpsmander by virtue of his connections and wealth. However, he stuck to his role at the very end and followed Fredrinn''smand withoutint.


    Suddenly¡­


    [You have defeated a powerful army! Your name will be remembered and written in the history books of the kingdom! Rewards: Level Up Card x1 and 5000 Fate Points!]


    Fredrinn immediately used the Level Up Card, promoting his cultivation to the 5thyer of the Nascent Soul realm.


    Unknowingly, he was already halfway through the Nascent Soul realm. He only needed toplete five more missions to reach the peakyer!


    Perhaps he might even advance to the Void Tempering realm by the end of the war, but this was just his wishful thinking.


    The battle with the Blood Saber Army concluded in an underwhelming fashion. Lester and the others never thought that they would win in such an overwhelming manner. It was almost like a miracle.

 Chapter 169: Fredrinn’s Plan to Catch the Spy

    News about the Blood Saber Army''s defeat spread quickly, making Fredrinn a hot topic once again.


    His sessive victories with overwhelming results gave everyone the image of a peerless martial practitioner.


    With this victory, he had already solidified his position as one of the most powerful generals in the Star Wind Kingdom!


    Below the Void Tempering realm, he was invincible!


    ***


    Two days after the victory over the Blood Saber Army, Fredrinn made a surprising decision.


    "General Fredrinn, you shouldn''t be hasty!" The person who spoke was Nate. He expressed his disagreement with Fredrinn''s n.


    The others didn''t say anything and just pondered in silence.


    Fredrinn nned to leave the ins to Lester, while the rest of the troops would march onwards to attack thest key location, the Grand Beast Gorge.


    Fredrinn already expected that this guy would cause him trouble.


    Nate was a spy from the Blue Sky Kingdom so he didn''t want Fredrinn to take control of thest ley location. Once the Star Wind Kingdom upied all key locations, the Blue Sky Kingdom''s troops would have no ce to maneuver.


    "Vice Commander Nate, I have already thought it through. Now is the best time to attack the gorge." Fredrinn responded with a deep look.


    Nate shook his head and sighed as he feigned concern. "General Fredrinn, we just won a major battle. The soldiers are still exhausted and we are also running out of supplies. Besides, you still haven''t fully recovered. It is too risky to march there given the state of our troops."


    "The injured soldiers will be staying here with General Lester and the Swift Wind Troops. As for me¡­ I have recovered for a while. I just pretended to be injured to lure out the spies hidden in our troops." Fredrinn stared coldly at Nate.


    Hearing his words, Nate''s eyes shed for a moment.


    ''Is he suspicious of me?'' He thought.


    "What?! You were just pretending to be injured?" General Lester smiled wryly while shaking his head.


    Ulric who rarely spoke suddenly asked with a look of interest. "Have you identified the spies, sir?"


    Everyone perked their ears.


    Nate unconsciously grabbed the handle of the knife hidden on his right leg. For some reason, he felt that Fredrinn was talking about him.


    After a few seconds of silence, Fredrinn replied while shaking his head. "No."


    Everyone was a bit disappointed by his response.


    Nate also loosened his grip on his knife.


    "Since you are just faking your injuries, I''m no longer worried. Let''s do it." Nate''s acting was superb. No one was even suspicious of him and this was what made him more dangerous.


    Fredrinn couldn''t take him down at the moment since he had no evidence that would prove Nate''s identity as a spy. He had to catch Nate off guard.


    His decision to march towards the Grand Beast Gorge was part of his n to expose Nate.


    As a spy, Nate would definitely send a letter to the people in the gorge to guard against their attack. Fredrinn was certain of this. He also believed that it was the reason why Nate was trying to dy the march. He must have wanted to buy some time to give the people at the gorge enough time to prepare.


    With these thoughts in mind, Fredrinn''s lips curved upwards. "We will depart tonight. Get your troops to prepare!"


    No one objected.


    Fredrinn had already proven his remarkable leadership. They even believed that they could win even if they were up against an army five times their size as long as Fredrinn was there. This was how confident they were about Fredrinn''smanding ability.


    After the meeting was adjourned, everyone left.


    "Nix, I have a task for you." Fredrinn beckoned to her, signaling for her toe closer to him.


    Nix silently obliged. She walked to his side and waited for him to speak.


    "I want you to follow the man who sat there." Fredrinn pointed at the seat where Nate had sat.


    "He is a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse so you must be careful not to let him notice you. Your mission is to intercept the messages that he will send out and bring them to me."


    Nix nodded her head indifferently.


    "You may go." Fredrinn waved his hand.


    Nix left without uttering a word.


    After she left, only Fredrinn remained inside the tent. He dribbled his fingers on the table with a cold smile on his face. "Do you think you can hide from me, Nate? I can''t wait to tear off that mask on your face."


    ***


    Nate''s expression was unsightly as he returned to his tent. Fredrinn''s decision to head to the Grand Beast Gorge was outside his expectations. He thought that the guy would wait for the main camp''smand.


    ''Dammit! I need to alert our people! We can''t allow them to conquer the gorge! It would be over once they take control of that location¡­''


    Nate released his spiritual perception to check the area around his tent.


    After making sure that no one was nearby, he took out a piece of paper and a quill pen from his storage item. He then took his seat and started writing down a letter.


    While he was writing, he also kept his attention around the area. If someone came, he would immediately destroy the letter.


    He didn''t want to be careless since Fredrinn seemed to be suspicious of himtely.


    It took him five minutes to write the letter. He then sealed it and ced it inside a small storage item that looked like a ring.


    It was so tiny that it wouldn''t even fit on a child''s finger.


    Nate released his spiritual perception again. He didn''t know why, but he felt like someone was watching him.


    ''Tsk! Just thinking about Fredrinn makes me feel uneasy.''


    Once he had made sure that no one was spying on him, he bent down and dug the soil beneath his table, slowly revealing a buried ss bottle.


    Inside the ss bottle was a weird-looking insect the size of a ping-pong ball. It looked like a mix between a butterfly and a mantis.


    Nate took out the insect from the bottle and put the tiny ring in its abdomen. Conveniently, the ring adjusted itself to the size of the insect''s abdomen.


    Nate poked a small hole in his tent and released the insect. "Go!"

 Chapter 170: Nix’s Space Techniques

    Nate followed the insect with his spiritual perception. He only retracted his spiritual power after it had flown a distance away from their camp.


    What he didn''t know was that there was another person who had seen this.


    It was Nix.


    She had seen how cautious Nate was acting when he entered his tent. She even felt the spiritual perception that he had released to observe the surroundings. If it weren''t for the space technique that she had mastered, Nate would have discovered her by now.


    She had a high mastery in space techniques. One of the techniques she mastered was a concealing skill called Dimensional Concealment. It could hide her presence and aura. This was what she used to hide from Nate''s spiritual perception.


    During her observation, she saw a weird-looking insecting out of Nate''s tent. What made her suspicious about it was Nate''s spiritual power that followed and concealed the insect''s path, as if he were afraid that someone would see it.


    When Nate retracted his spiritual power, she used a blink skill to catch up to the insect.


    Her figure blurred and disappeared.


    A momentter, Nix had finally caught up to the insect. She didn''t immediately catch it since it might send a distress signal that would be transmitted to Nate.


    She carefully followed the insect and when it had traveled some distance away from the camp, she made a grabbing gesture and locked it inside a separate dimension that she had conjured with a spell. She then removed her tracks and returned to the camp.


    ***


    Fredrinn was about to enter into a meditative position when he sensed the presence of Nix outside his tent.


    Without bothering to say any formalities, she strode inside the tent and showed him the insect trapped inside an invisible cube.


    Fredrinn was impressed by her ability to control space.


    ''That''s probably a space technique.'' He guessed.


    "What''s this?" Fredrinn asked as he observed the insect.


    It was then that he noticed the ring on its abdomen which looked like a storage item.


    Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    "A storage ring?"


    Fredrinn gestured for her to remove the space technique, but she shook her head.


    "That guy might be notified if I release the spell." She muttered in a cold voice.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn nodded in understanding. "You''re right."


    "Can you expand this space technique of yours just enough to cover my tent?"


    Nix nodded. "Yes, but only for three minutes. Any more and I will be forced to cancel the technique."


    "I see. Then make it so that it would cover the both of us."


    He wanted to see the contents of the space ring. If he could find something that could prove Nate''s true identity, he could finally take care of this potential trouble.


    Nate was very careful and cautious. He didn''t even attack him when he pretended to be injured. Having a patient spy like him in their midst made him extremely ufortable.


    At this moment, Nix made a series of hand gestures and released more Qi to expand the dimension, just enough to cover Fredrinn and her.


    Now trapped inside her dimension, Fredrinn found it fascinating, but there was a more important task so he didn''t waste any more time.


    He took the insect and tried to remove the ring from its body. However, he realized that it was stuck in its body like glue. If he forcibly removed it, the insect would die.


    "Tsk! How troublesome." He remarked with a tone of annoyance.


    "I have a way to remove it." Nix suddenly said.


    "You should have said so from the start." Fredrinn''s mouth twitched as he handed the insect back to her.


    Nix casted an ergement skill on the ring, making it as big as a bracelet.


    Freed from the weight of the ring, the insect made buzzing noises as it tried to squirm out of her grasp.


    "Eh? That works?" Fredrinn stared at the bigger ring in surprise.


    "Make it quick. I can''t control this dimension for long." Nix reminded him indifferently.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn no longer dawdled. He sent his Qi into the ring and inspected its contents.


    To his surprise, there was only one item inside the ring. It was a sealed letter.


    Seeing this, his eyes lit up.


    He took out the letter and immediately removed its seal, before reading what was written in it.


    It was a coded message.


    He didn''t understand any of it so he ced it back inside the ring.


    "That cautious son of a¡­"


    Fredrinn frowned and told Nix to remove the dimension.


    "Keep the insect inside the dimension and follow me. We must capture that bastard today!" Fredrinn stormed out of his tent.


    Nix quietly followed after him.


    ***


    Nate was resting in his tent when he sensed someone approaching.


    "Sir, General Fredrinn is asking for your presence. He is waiting for you in the middle of the camp." The messenger reported.


    Hearing this, Nate raised his eyebrows. ''We just had a meeting recently. Why is he suddenly calling me over again? Is it another strategy before we march to the gorge?''


    Numerous thoughts shed in his mind in that instant.


    "Alright. I''ll be there soon." He would only expose his identity if he ignored Fredrinn''s call.


    Feeling slightly annoyed, he stepped out of his tent.


    ''That rude bastard! How could he order me around like his subordinate?''


    He was after all the Vice Commander of the Star Wind Kingdom''s troops stationed at the northern borders. He had never been treated this way so it made him feel ufortable.


    ''I should give him some warningter lest he might think that I''m a pushover.'' His eyes shed with anger the more he thought about it.


    Fifteen minutester, he arrived at the location provided by the messenger.


    When he arrived, he was surprised to see all the corpsmanders and divisionmanders gathered in one ce. Normally, Fredrinn would only ask for the corpsmanders'' presence. For him to gather everyone here, Nate felt that it might be for something serious.


    "You''re finally here, Vice Commander Nate. Please sit down. We have important matters to discuss with everyone." Fredrinn smiled as he invited Nate to sit beside him.


    Hearing this, Nate smiled apologetically at everyone. "I''m sorry for making you guys wait."

 Chapter 171: The Vice Commander is a Spy?!

    Only the corpsmanders had seats, while the divisionmanders had to stand. However, no oneined about this arrangement.


    "Is there a reason why you gathered all themanders here, General Fredrinn?" Nate asked while keeping his eyes on Fredrinn, wondering what this guy was up to.


    He hoped that he could gather more information from him so that he could report it to hisrades.


    Initially, he didn''t n on exposing himself like this since it was too risky, but Fredrinn''s sessive victories changed his mind. If he didn''t do something to stop this young general, the Blue Sky Kingdom would definitely lose this territorial war.


    Fredrinn smiled at Nate before sweeping his gaze towards themanders.


    Sensing his gaze, everyone stood straight like a spear, not daring to move carelessly.


    "Everyone, we only need to capture one more location to secure our advantage in this war. As long as we take control of the Grand Beast Gorge, victory will be within our grasp!"


    "However¡­"


    At this point, Fredrinn''s expression suddenly turned increasingly cold, casting a heavy atmosphere on the group.


    "I discovered something that could potentially get us all killed."


    Fredrinn beckoned to Nix who was standing behind him.


    Seeing this, everyone immediately turned their attention towards her.


    Nix expressionlessly approached him and handed him a ss bottle with a weird-looking insect inside.


    Nate''s eyes widened in horror when he saw the insect. His first reaction was to escape, but he suddenly felt someone pressing on his shoulder.


    When he turned his head, he saw Bernard staring at him with a cold, piercing gaze.


    "What is the meaning of this, General Fredrinn!?" He tried to hide his anxiety as he looked at Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn ignored him and took out the insect from the ss bottle. He then showed the bug to everyone, letting them get a clearer look at it. "Myrades, Nix captured this insect-" Explore more stories with m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Nate was agitated and he immediately shouted to get everyone''s attention.


    "Don''t listen to his nonsense! He is spouting bullshit!"


    Everyone raised their eyebrows, feeling stunned by his sudden outburst.


    "Make him shut up for me," Fredrinn muttered coldly.


    As soon as he gave themand, Nix''s figure blurred and reappeared beside Nate. She then punched thetter''s face, causing a few teeth to fly out.


    Nate couldn''t fight back or evade her punch since Bernard was keeping him from making a move.


    Blood leaked out at the corner of Nate''s lips and the right side of his face swelled up noticeably.


    "General Fredrinn, what is going on?" Lester stood up and stared at Fredrinn in confusion.


    It wasn''t just him, some divisionmanders especially those who followed Nate stared coldly at Fredrinn. If he wouldn''t give a good exnation, they might attack him. After all, Nate was the vicemander of the northern border guards.


    "Naturally, I have a reason for doing this. You see, I found out that our dearest Vice Commander Nate is secretly sending encrypted messages to our enemies!" Fredrinn replied as he took out the letter he got from the ring on the insect''s abdomen.


    "An encrypted message?"


    "No way!"


    Everyone was startled and they couldn''t help but stare at Nate in disbelief.


    "Which one of you guys knows how to trante the words in this letter?" Fredrinn asked as he scanned themanders one by one.


    "Let me do it. I know how to read coded messages. I once deciphered a coded message we got from a spy." Ulric volunteered.


    Fredrinn nodded his head and handed the letter to him.


    "No! I didn''t write that! You guys got it all-" Nate couldn''t finish his words as a nasty punch smashed into his face


    Fredrinn kept his eyes on Ulric. He was prepared to make a move in case thetter would do something to the letter.


    However, his worries were unnecessary since Ulric didn''t do anything suspicious. He took out a pen and a piece of paper and tranted the coded message.


    A momentter, he handed the tranted text to Fredrinn. "Here."


    Fredrinn took the tranted text and read it aloud.


    The more he spoke, the gloomier everyone''s faces had be.


    They didn''t expect that the person they had always respected was actually a spy! They felt betrayed.


    "Vice Commander, is this true?!" A divisionmander who was working under Nate eximed with a ferocious expression. If it weren''t for the others holding him back, he might have already pounced at Nate.


    Nate vehemently denied it. "No! This is a misunderstanding! It wasn''t me!"


    "A misunderstanding you say? Then can you let us inspect your storage device?" Fredrinn smirked coldly. He wouldn''t let this guy worm his way out of this mess.


    Hearing this, Nate''s eyes shook with unease. "H-how¡­ could you ask for something so private?"


    "Grab his storage device and inspect all the items he has," Fredrinn instructed.


    Hearing this, Bernard immediately pinned Nate down, pressing his dagger on thetter''s neck.


    Nix used the opportunity to remove Nate''s storage device. She then handed it to Fredrinn.


    "S-stop!! What are you doing?! I''m the Vice Commander of the Northern Border Guards! How dare you guys treat me like this?!" Nate''s face contorted with fury and anxiety.


    No one listened to him.


    At this moment, everyone was fairly certain that Nate was a spy. Otherwise, he wouldn''t react with such drama.


    Fredrinn handed the storage device to Lester. "Please inspect it, General Lester."


    Lester nodded his head with a heavy look. He then received the storage device and took out all the items inside, slowly revealing them to everyone.


    All sorts of items were piled up and a few things caught everyone''s attention. One was a bundle of papers simr to the one used on the coded letter. There were also other suspicious items like theyout of the royal castle and an identity token that they couldn''t identify.


    Fredrinn stood up and patted Nate''s face.


    "How can you exin those items, Vice Commander Nate?"


    Nate stared at Fredrinn with absolute hatred.


    He then let out a grim chuckle as he muttered.


    "Fredrinn, did you really think that you can win this war simply because you have discovered my identity? You have underestimated the true power of the Blue Sky Kingdom!"


    Suddenly, Nate''s eyes turned red and the veins on his body protruded with an unnatural color.


    "For the glory of the Blue Sky Kingdom!"


    "Hey! Watch out!"

 Chapter 172: Void Breaking Pill

    In that instant, Fredrinn noticed that something was amiss with Nate. Thetter''s body suddenly bulged as if he was about to burst and the Qi within his body fluctuated abnormally like a volcano on the verge of eruption.


    "Watch out! He is using a technique to self-destruct!" Fredrinn cried out in rm.


    The others also sensed the abnormality and quickly retreated.


    Meanwhile, Nix made a series of hand gestures, her eyes serene, seemingly unbothered by the impending disaster.


    "Die with me you foolish Star Wind bastards! I''ll bring you all to hell with me!!" A crazed look appeared on Nate''s face.


    Everyone sensed the unstable Qi that was about to explode within his body. This was a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse self-destructing! If caught in the explosion, they would be severely injured or even die!


    Just one second before Nate exploded, the space around him suddenly twisted and formed a box that contained him.


    Under everyone''s nervous gazes, Nate''s body burst like a squashed watermelon!


    Surprisingly, the dimensional prison that Nix had conjured actually managed to withstand the full impact of Nate''s self-destruction. They didn''t even hear a violent explosion, only a light ''poof'' as if someone had farted.


    Nix''s indifferent face revealed a look of exhaustion.


    Fredrinn immediately came to her side. "Are you alright?"


    Nix nodded her head calmly as she canceled the dimensional prison, causing the bits and pieces of flesh to fall out.


    The smell of burnt flesh drifted into the air, making everyone scrunch their nose in disgust.


    Looking at Nate''s unrecognizable remains, Fredrinn clicked his tongue in annoyance. This would make things a bit troublesome. Luckily, he had many witnesses or he wouldn''t be able to exin himself to the main camp if they ever interrogated him.


    "Who would have thought that the Vice Commander is actually a spy?" Lester sighed while shaking his head, his eyes shed with a mixture of emotion.


    The others were still in a state of shock. No one could have guessed that something like this would happen.


    "Burn his remains," Fredrinn instructed with a heavy look.


    He had a good impression of Nate. He was the one who showed him around the camp when he first arrived at the northern borders. Even though it was just him ying his role as a spy, Fredrinn truly treated him as a friend.


    ''This is the cruelty of war.''


    If it was in the past, he would be repulsed by this scene. However, the ruthless cultivation world slowly tempered his mind and heart, making him numb to the killings.


    Everyone was in a somber mood after that experience.


    The soldiers burned Nate''s remains before they returned to their barracks and prepared for the march towards the Grand Beast Gorge.


    Fredrinn was determined to attack the gorge. He didn''t retract his initialmand and decided to push through with their n. It was risky, considering the state of mind of the soldiers, but it was also a great opportunity to catch the enemies unprepared.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn returned to his tent and looked at the system notifications.


    [You have in a high-ranking spy! Rewards: Level Up Card x1, and 2000 Fate Points!]


    [You have killed a character that would have caused a major catastrophe on the Star Wind Kingdom''s Northern Border Guards! Bonus rewards: Level Up Card x1, 4000 Fate Points, and Void Breaking Pill x1!]


    Fredrinn immediately used the two Level Up Cards before checking his character profile.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Nascent Soul 7th Layer] Level 47


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ??????????


    Space Affinity: ????


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style, Divine Ice Flower Execution


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fate Rating: D(Click to see your future)


    Fate Points: 12675


    The speed of his breakthrough stunned him. Not even half a year had passed since he joined the Northern Border Guards and he was already at thete stages of the Nascent Soul realm!


    ''By the time the yers arrive, I wonder how powerful I would be¡­'' A fleeting thought shed in his mind.


    Before he had transmigrated into this world, when he just started as a yer, he always thought that Nascent Soul martial practitioners were incredibly powerful beings. However¡­


    This war made him realize that even the people at that level were just minor characters in this big, wide world.


    ''I''m only living in one small corner of the continent, but I''m already struggling like this. I wonder what the world beyond looks like¡­''


    Fredrinn shook off his random thoughts. He had strayed too far after two sessive breakthroughs.


    After shaking off his ambitious thoughts, he checked the description of the new item he had received as a reward.


    [Void Breaking Pill]


    - A special pill concocted by an alchemist with high alchemy attainment. Consuming this pill will increase the chances of breaking through the Void Tempering realm by 50%.


    Seeing the description of the pill, Fredrinn was stunned.


    It was simr to the Limit Breaking Pill he bought from the Silversword Auction House some time ago, but the Void Breaking Pill was more than a hundred times more precious.


    Consuming it would practically guarantee an advancement to the Void Tempering realm!


    Fredrinn took out the Void Breaking Pill from his storage space and turned his head towards Nix.


    ''Will Nix advance to the Void Tempering realm if she eats this pill?''


    Nix had just been recently promoted to the 10thyer of the Nascent Soul realm after he used the Servant Upgrade Card on her. He didn''t know if the Void Breaking Pill would work on her given that she had just been promoted.


    After some hesitation, Fredrinn gritted his teeth and beckoned to Nix. "Nix,e here for a moment."


    The girl calmly nced at him. She then stopped what she was doing and walked towards him.


    "Do you recognize this pill?" Fredrinn asked while showing her the Void Breaking Pill.


    Nix stared at the pill in his hand and nodded.


    "Can you break through if you consume this pill?"


    Nix thought for a moment before she replied. "I can, but I will have to spend some time clearing the impure energy from the pill."


    Fredrinn was excited to hear this. "How many days will you need to clear all the impurities?"


    "I''m not sure. It would depend on the quality of the pill. If its quality is good, I would say around seven days." Nix responded.


    "Seven days¡­ that should be enough. Here, take it." Fredrinn tossed the Void Breaking Pill to her.


    It was useless to him since he could just advance his cultivation using the Level Up Cards. Furthermore, no one in his family was at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. He could give it to Bernard, but giving it to Nix was a better choice.

 Chapter 173: Taking a Look at the Future

    Fredrinn gave the Void Breaking Pill to Nix and instructed her to focus on advancing to the Void Tempering realm.


    While she was refining the pill, Fredrinn reorganized the remaining troops.


    He followed the initial n to leave Lester''s Swift Wind Corps and the injured soldiers at the ins, while he and the rest of the troops would march to the Grand Beast Gorge.


    Because of the death of Ricky and Nate, there was a major confusion among the soldiers which increased the reorganization time of the troops by a full two days.


    This ended up dying Fredrinn''s n, but he had no choice. It was necessary to adjust the troops to prevent disorder in the next battle.


    By the time the reorganization waspleted, he was only left with one hundred and ten thousand soldiers. The remaining soldiers would stay with Lester and the Swift Wind Corps to defend Roshire ins while waiting for the reinforcements from the main camp.


    On the third day, Fredrinn decided to view his future before marching to the gorge.


    Until now, his Fate Rating was still ''D''. It hasn''t changed for a long time even though he was already ate stage Nascent Soul martial practitioner.


    He had been avoiding looking at his future since he always ended up frustrated by the oue. When hest viewed his future, it was said that he died after being encircled by the enemies in a war against the Blue Sky Kingdom.


    He was already close to bing a Void Tempering powerhouse so he believed that there should be some changes to his future. Your journey continues at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    (Click to see your future)


    He decisively clicked on the screen.


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Void Tempering 3rd Phase]


    Age of Death: 48


    Personal Data: At the age of 27, he broke through to the Nascent Soul realm and joined the Northern Border Guards under the call of the royal family.


    Upon his debut on the battlefield, he achieved sessive victories, conquering four major locations which resulted in the victory of the Star Wind Kingdom.


    At the age of 28, the king of the Star Wind Kingdom conferred him the special title ''Great General'', making him the youngest to ever receive the title in the kingdom''s history.


    When he turned 33, he advanced to the Void Tempering realm, shocking the entire Star Wind Kingdom. His advancement also rmed the surrounding forces and they all became wary of his potential.


    Jealous of his potential and the growing power of the Firecrown Supreme Household, the Evergreen Household colluded with the crown prince to bring them down. In the battle against the two forces, the Firecrown Supreme Household revealed its enormous strength.


    At the age of 34, Fredrinn led the Firecrown Supreme Household to destroy the Evergreen Supreme Household and the crown prince. The Firecrown Supreme Household won in an overwhelming fashion that it shook the entire kingdom. The royal family also started to be wary of them and their rtionship was strained with the death of the crown prince¡­


    ¡­ At the age of 48, Fredrinn died at the hands of the royal family''s experts.


    Fredrinn frowned in difort after seeing how he would die. He would actually be murdered by the experts of the royal family!


    ''Good! Good! After fighting for the kingdom and shedding my blood for you, those bastards actually sent their experts to assassinate me!'' Fredrinn''s eyes shed with profound rage.


    The feeling of being betrayed weighed heavily in his heart. If he could describe the feeling, it was like someone had repeatedly stabbed his chest.


    Fredrinn''s expression was gloomy when he left his tent.


    Princess Danielle came to meet him to have a chat before the march, but he ignored her and even gave her a cold look.


    Looking at his back, Princess Danielle felt that he was unusually hostile which puzzled her.


    "What''s wrong with that guy?" She muttered, her eyebrows knitted into a frown.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn realized that he had done her wrong. ''She is probably not involved in the assassination that would kill me. Although she is a princess, her standing in the royal family isn''t high.'' He thought to himself.


    However, he still couldn''t bring himself to look at her.


    ''I''ll apologize to her after I conquer the Grand Beast Gorge.''


    With these thoughts in his mind, Fredrinn jumped on his mount and summoned themanders. He then told them to prepare for the march.


    An hourter, he led the troops to advance to the Grand Beast Gorge.


    Lester, Yvanna, and Princess Danielle watched the marching army withplex gazes.


    "I hope they wille back safe!" Yvanna muttered.


    In the recent battles, she realized that her strength wasn''t a big deal. She couldn''t even offer any assistance to Fredrinn and her role in their victories was almost negligible. This made her prideful heart suffer a huge blow.


    Lester patted her shoulder as he said. "You have seen him in battle. With Fredrinn leading them, they would definitely conquer the Grand Beast Gorge. Have faith in them."


    At first, he thought that Fredrinn was just a talented youngster like Yvanna. He never thought that a man as young as him would actually lead them into victories.


    Fredrinn''s peerless martial prowess andmanding ability left an indelible mark in his mind.


    "Hmph! How dare he leave without saying goodbye to me!? I even came here to help him, but he actually ignored me and gave me a cold shoulder! Dammit! That arrogant bastard! I- I¡­still like him." Princess Danielle stomped her feet with an annoyed look.


    Lester and Yvanna pretended like they didn''t hear her words. They also didn''t expect her to be so bold as to announce her feelings in front of them.


    Princess Danielle realized that she had misspoken. She didn''t say anything, but she gave the two a warning look as if telling them not to spread any rumors about what she had said.


    Lester and Yvanna immediately looked away and acted like they didn''t know anything.


    Princess Danielle was pleased by their performance. She then flicked her hair, turned around, and left with proud and elegant steps.

 Chapter 174: Grand Beast Gorge

    The Grand Beast Gorge was quite far from Roshire ins so the march took about nine days before they reached the periphery of the gorge.


    Fredrinn stared at the steep hills and the shallow river in between them. His eyes swept over every spot where the enemies could be possibly hidden.


    With a sharp whistle, he signaled to the two Soaring Red Eyed Eagles,manding them to investigate the gorge. He then gave a hand signal to the troops, telling them to halt their march.


    "Let''s stay here. Tell everyone to wait for my instructions." Fredrinn muttered to Bernard.


    Hearing hismand, thetter nodded before he turned around and left to convey his instructions to the troops.


    Beforeing here, he already had some information on the enemy''smander and troops.


    The enemy troops had over one hundred thousand soldiers, roughly the same number they had. However, the individual strength of their soldiers was higher by a fewyers since they were an armyposed of elite fighters and veteran martial practitioners. They valued quality over quantity. Furthermore, theirmander was also a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse who was said to be close toprehending a full Intent!


    While everyone stood nervously awaiting hismands, Fredrinn continued his observation of the gorge using his spiritual perception.


    After advancing to the 7thyer of the Nascent Soul realm, he had already awakened three of his soul nodules, making his spiritual power more robust and powerful. Normal spirit attacks that affect the mind would no longer work on him.


    ''Going through the river would be suicidal since the enemies might be hiding behind the hills, but if we march to the top of the hill, there might be traps theyid down in advance.''


    Fredrinn thought of the best path they should take from this point on, but he found himself stumped, unable toe up with a feasible solution.


    In the end, he could only shake his head helplessly. He didn''t find anything after using his spiritual perception. This means that the enemies hadid down an array formation that blocked his spiritual power.


    ''They are more prepared than I thought.''


    It was impossible for the enemies to know about their movements since Nate was already dead.


    Fredrinn guessed that the enemies must have already predicted that they would be the next target after Roshire ins was conquered.


    ''Theirmander is a cautious man, not like Gregor who wascent and arrogant. This could be tricky.''


    After less than an hour of aerial observation, the two eagles returned. They descended in front of Fredrinn and rubbed their heads on his body.


    The two eagles emitted cawing sounds as they conveyed what they had observed.


    With his continuous interaction with the two creatures, he could alreadymunicate some simple sentences with them.


    ording to the eagles, the enemy troops were hiding beneath the hills. Furthermore, the eagles also reported that they had spotted some weird clumps of stones scattered all over the nearby hills.


    When Fredrinn heard this, the first thing that came to his mind was ''bomb''.


    Blue Sky Kingdom already had an artillery technology so he wouldn''t be surprised if they had created an item simr to the bombs in his home world.


    Fredrinn felt fortunate that he didn''tmand the troops to march to the hills. Otherwise, they would have fallen into the enemy''s trap by now.


    Just the thought of it made his skin crawl.


    He might be fine since he had the Armor of Eternal Strength, but the soldiers wouldn''t be the same.


    ''How could I use this information to our advantage?'' Fredrinn thought deeply while rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger.


    A whileter, an idea came to his mind.


    "Summon themanders!" He shouted.


    ***


    On the other side of the gorge, an army was hidden beneath the hills. They covered their armor with thick leaves which camouged their presence.


    At this moment, a person whose face was smudged with dirt looked up at the hills and frowned. He then turned his head to look at the person beside him. "Sir, we still haven''t gotten any news from our spy. It''s almost two weeks since we lost contact with him."


    The person he was speaking to was a lean and schrly-looking middle-aged man who looked to be in his mid-forties. His armor was also covered with a mix of dry and fresh leaves.


    "Nate isn''t a careless man. Something must have happened on his side. Let''s be patient and wait for his report." The schrly-looking middle-aged man replied, but he was also uncertain about Nate''s situation.


    This middle-aged man was themander of the Sky ying Army, Amil Gntos, a powerhouse at the half-step of the Void Tempering realm!


    More than ten days ago, they received a letter from their spy that Fredrinn''s army had already shed with Gregor''s troops.


    Since then, they had meticulouslyid down some traps in case Fredrinn''s troops would target them next.


    It has been almost two weeks since theyst received a message from their spy and there was still no news.


    Amil didn''t want to admit it, but he guessed that something had already happened to him. Knowing Fredrinn''s fearsome reputation, it wasn''t impossible for an elite spy to fall under his schemes.


    Although Amil was confident in his army''s strength, he didn''t really want to fight against Fredrinn''s troops. However, he had no choice since they had beenmanded to stay at the Grand Beast Gorge.


    Thinking about the ongoing internal conflict in the Blue Sky Kingdom, Amil could only sigh.


    The main reason why the Blue Sky Kingdom deployed arge number of their troops here was because of the confrontation between the princes who were vying for the throne.


    The ruler of the Blue Sky Kingdom has been bedridden so the situation in the kingdom was chaotic.


    Each prince had their own goals in mind and they all sought to gain recognition from their people so they sent their armies to acquire Roshire Mountain.


    Unfortunately, the mountain was close to the northern borders of the Star Wind Kingdom which led to the war between both sides.


    ''Why do we have to be the ones to suffer for those greedy bastards?'' Amil shook his head his head despondently. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin

 Chapter 175: Three-pronged Attack

    Fredrinn, Bernard, and the rest of the corpsmanders sat around the table with the map of the entire Grand Beast Gorgeid out before them. Meanwhile, the divisionmanders stood behind them, quietly looking over at the map while waiting for Fredrinn to speak.


    After everyone had gathered, Fredrinn stood up, took out a bunch of white go pieces from his storage space, and ced them on the map.


    "Our enemies are hidden in this area. They concealed their presence and used the terrain to camouge themselves."


    He then ced the ck go pieces on the hilltop part of the map. "They set up traps on top of the hills and the moment our soldiers stepped on them, they will trigger the mechanism and cause an explosion even stronger than their artillery''s firepower."


    Gasps of surprise echoed as soon as he uttered those words. No one doubted Fredrinn.


    "Since we can''t climb to the top of the hills, we only have two options." Fredrinn paused and gave everyone time toprehend what he had said.


    "The first option is to march on the shallow river in between the hills, but it would be dangerous since they could haveid out a trap within the river as well. As for the second option, it is for us to go around the hill. It will take more time, but it is the safest choice."


    Everyone nodded in agreement. The best choice for them here was to go around the hills and attack the enemy from behind.


    "However, I have a much better n." Fredrinn let out a smile.


    Everyone was taken aback. Was there still another option for them?


    Looking at their curious gazes, Fredrinn continued.


    "We will divide our troops into three groups. One will go around the left hills, while the other group will go to the right. Thest group will use this path."


    He pointed at the river on the map.


    "The river? Wouldn''t it be too dangerous for us to march on the river, sir?" Ullyses was confused by his n.


    It wasn''t just him, the others were simrly perplexed. However, they didn''t say anything. Fredrinn had all sorts of strategies and all of them worked out well so they believed that there was more to his n.


    Fredrinn nodded. "That''s right. It will be dangerous, but the enemies will be too busy dealing with the two groups to care about the river."


    "I see. Are you nning to use the two groups as a decoy to confuse the enemies? And the third group will be the main offensive force, did I get it right, sir?" Ulric muttered with his arms crossed.


    Fredrinn was the first person from a supreme household that he acknowledged. He was different from those sheltered young talents.


    Fredrinn smiled. "That''s right. This is my n¡­"


    "Listen closely, everyone. I won''t repeat it a second time."


    ***


    Two hourster on the opposite side of the gorge, beneath the hills.


    A soldier wearing camouged armor came to Amil''s side to give his report.


    "Sir, our scouts spotted the enemies! They are moving in two groups! One is moving towards here from the right side of the hills, while the other group is on the left side! They are closing in on us as we speak!"


    Hearing this, Amil''s face changed. For the enemies toe close to them without being informed¡­ It could only mean one thing.


    Nate was discovered!


    Thinking about this, Amil took a deep breath. ''They want to divide us? Just what are they nning? And did they discover the bombs we set up on top of the hills?''


    He had so many questions, but there was no time to waste.


    "Josephus, you go and take fifty thousand soldiers with you to meet the enemies on the right! I will bring the other half to engage with the enemies on the left!" He instructed his deputy.


    "Yes, sir!" His deputy, the Vice Commander of the Sky ying Army, replied.


    Amil''s expression was dark. They had meticulously set up the traps and they even concealed themselves deeply, but the enemies seemed to be aware of where they were hiding. This didn''t make him feel good.


    A momentter, he gathered half of their troops towards the left side of the hill. The abrupt change in the n caught everyone off guard and it made them feel uneasy. This little bit of emotional distress affected their morale.


    Amil frowned when he noticed this.


    However, he didn''t have the time to think since he had already caught sight of the enemy troops up ahead of them.


    "Don''t falter! We are more familiar with the surroundings! Follow behind me!" Amil shouted as he took out hisnce and shield.


    "Yes, sir!"


    While he was leading the charge, he suddenly noticed that the enemy''s number didn''t seem to be a lot. ''Something doesn''t seem right¡­''


    He had a foreboding feeling. He wanted tomand his troops to retreat, but it was already toote. If he were to order them to stop now, the enemies would be able to catch up to them with the momentum of their charge.


    ''Shit!''


    The two sides soon collided. The sound of multiple weapons shing against each other and the furious bellows of the men echoed beneath the left hill.


    ''They are much weaker than I thought.'' Amil thought after the initial sh. He noticed that his men had the upper hand despite the enemy having a better momentum.


    The Sky ying Army quickly managed to stabilize the situation.


    Just as he was about to sigh in relief, Amil suddenly heard amotion on their rear side.


    He turned around and saw another army attacking them,ying carnage on their rear troops.


    Seeing this, Amil''s eyes widened in shock and anxiety. ''So this was their goal from the start! Dammit!''


    He wanted to help the rear side, but a man blocked his path and prevented him from leaving.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"

 Chapter 176: Mission Progress: 100%

    It was a bald middle-aged man with a gnarly scar on the left side of his face.


    Amil sensed an aura simr to his own from this man. ''A half-step Void Tempering powerhouse?''


    His face turned grim the moment he sensed the man''s power.


    As they shed, Amil realized that their power was almost on par. ''Dammit! I can''t help the rear side!''


    While they were fighting, Amil''s troops were slowly being ughtered by Fredrinn and the Mad Bear Corps.


    No one could hold them back and everyone who tried had already turned into corpses.


    The soldiers of the Sky ying Army who were known for their individual prowess were likembs being ruthlessly hunted by a pack of wolves. Their screams echoed, chilling the hearts of theirrades.


    In the midst of this ughter, Fredrinn was leading the pack. The de of his guandao was already drenched in the enemies'' blood. His armor also had sshes of red.


    "That guandao¡­ it''s him! Fredrinn Firecrown!"


    "It''s the ck me General!"


    The soldiers of the Sky ying Army were startled when they discovered his identity.


    Fredrinn''s reputation was like thunder and his fearsome power was already known to all!


    Seeing that they were shaken by his presence, Fredrinn lowered his guandao and shouted.


    "Surrender and we will spare your lives!"


    "Throw away your weapons!"


    "Kneel down and raise your arms!"


    Fredrinn''s troops repeated his words, instilling a wave of hesitation in the enemy''s minds.


    Amil who was fighting with Ulric saw everything unfold. He wanted to stop his soldiers from surrendering, but the bald middle-aged man in front of him didn''t allow him to utter a word.


    When he finally managed to free himself from Ulric, he found out that his soldiers had already kneeled on the ground with their hands above them.


    Seeing this, Ulric sighed and lost the will to fight. He thought that his army could hold their own against Fredrinn''s troops, but it was just wishful thinking. This battle made him realize the gap between the two sides.


    And with that, he threw hisnce and shield, before dropping his knees to the ground.


    That was how this battle concluded.


    On the other side of the gorge, it was a different scene. Both sides fought ferociously and no one seemed to have the upper hand. It was a standstill.


    Brave warriors from both sides fell one after another.


    Soon, the ground was filled with corpses and their blood painted the foot of the main in red.


    Suddenly, a graceful figure descended from the sky, breaking the stalemate.


    She had braided long white hair and a pair of blood-red eyes that gleamed with an ice-cold aura.


    She swung her sword with grace akin to a fairy performing a dance.


    Every time she swung her sword, multiple heads would fly and fountains of blood would follow.


    "What?! Who is that woman?!" Josephus widened his eyes when he sensed the overwhelming power of the white-haired woman.


    He couldn''t sense her cultivation and her sword techniques were out of this world, dreadfully powerful!


    Josephus knew that she was a huge threat to his troops so he immediately turned around and lunged himself to her while brandishing his weapon.


    As if she had eyes on her back, Nix parried his weapon with her sword.


    ng!


    ''Hm?''


    Josephus was filled with disbelief. She actually managed to deflect his sneak attack and she made it look so effortless!


    While he was reeling in shock, Nix had already executed another attack, the pattern of her swords changing erratically.


    Josephus could barely keep up with her speed. It was at that moment that he realized the difference in their power. ''A true Void Tempering powerhouse!''


    A momentter, deep wounds started to appear on his body.


    Josephus couldn''t even touch her armor! Each of his attacks was either deflected or parried.


    He felt a sense of weakness and exhaustion. The continuous movement drained his energy and Qi.


    Fighting her was so exhausting that he was already on the verge of depleting his Qi.


    A moment of carelessness sent him off bnce, allowing Nix tond a fatal blow into his chest that prated through his heart.


    Staring at the beautiful yet indifferent face, Josephus let out a regretful smile.


    ''I''m sorry, my son¡­ Your father might not make it to your birthday¡­''


    That was hisst thought before he died.


    Josephus''s death sent his troops into disarray and confusion, their morale hitting rock bottom.


    When Fredrinn arrived with the Mad Bear Corps, almost half of the enemies had already been killed.


    "Look at her. Tsk. Tsk." Fredrinn clicked his tongue when he saw Nix''s unstoppable presence. She was like a goddess of war.


    Nix had already advanced to the 1st Phase of the Void Tempering realm. Even a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse was nothingpared to her.


    The appearance of Fredrinn''s troops sent a wave of despair to Josephus''s remaining soldiers.


    In just less than an hour, their battle ended tragically. From the initial number of fifty thousand, only five thousand remained.


    "Tie them up! We will bring them back with us to the camp once our people are here!" Fredrinn instructed his men.


    [You have captured thest key location that is crucial in this war! Rewards: 10000 Fate Points, Level Up Card x1, Healing Card x2, Legendary Item Selection Card x1, and Item Upgrade Card!]


    [Mission Progress: 100%]


    [Bonus Rewards: 5000 Fate Points, and Void Breaking Pill x1!]


    ''So there are extra rewards if Iplete the mission progress.'' Fredrinn thought to himself.


    He then used the Level Up Card. Enjoy new adventures from m-v l''e|-NovelBin


    Fredrinn Firecrown [Nascent Soul 8th Layer] [Level 48]


    Spirit Root: High-Grade


    Sword Talent: ??????


    Spear Talent: ????????


    Fire Affinity: ??????????


    Ice Affinity: ??????????


    Space Affinity: ??


    Cultivation Method: Sacred Law of Ice and Fire


    Skills: Seven Scorching Sword Style, Divine Ice Flower Execution


    Affiliation: Firecrown Supreme Household


    Fate Rating: D


    Fate Points: 27675


    After checking his character profile, Fredrinn inspected the other rewards. He got another Void Breaking Pill and a Legendary Item Selection Card. There was also an Item Upgrade Card which he hadn''t received before.


    ''Which one should I use first?''

 Chapter 177: Using the Legendary Item Selection Card

    ''I''ll use this one first.''


    Fredrinn used the Legendary Item Selection Card.


    Blue Heaven Lightning Sword [Legendary]


    - A sword crafted by a renowned ancient cksmith. The sword''s de was bathed in lightning, strengthening it significantly.


    Energy Cannon ster [Legendary]


    - A siege weapon crafted by an evil group of magicians. It was created for the sole purpose of destroying a kingdom!


    me Sword Realm


    - A 6th-tier Array Formation engraved by a Grandmaster-rank Array Formation Maker during the ancient era. It has both defensive and offensive abilities.


    Pocket Dimension [Legendary]


    - A small world created by a powerful being. Can only sustain magical beasts or pets. Creatures within the dimension will gain a boost in their growth and possibly awaken an inherent bloodline.


    Heart of Qi [Legendary]


    - A naturally created mystical stone that can absorb the Qi from its surroundings. Through time, there is a chance that it will give birth to a Qi Spirit and develop thend it is nted in into a blessed Qind.


    Item Upgrade Card [Legendary]


    - Can be used to upgrade Epic-rated items into Legendary-rank.


    ''So that''s what the Item Upgrade Card is for.''


    ''Anyway, which one should I choose?''


    The most useful item for him at the moment would be the Energy Cannon ster, but it required people to operate it and its mechanisms weren''t that easy to learn in a short amount of time.


    After some thought, Fredrinn chose the Heart of Qi.


    He could nt it in front of the Firecrown Supreme Household''s estate and turn the whole estate into a blessed holynd for qi training.


    After making his selection, Fredrinn kept the Heart of Qi inside his storage space. He then took out the Item Upgrade Card.


    [Please select an item to upgrade.]


    ''I wonder if I can use it on the Lithinum Shield¡­''


    The Lithinum Shield was an Epic-rated item. It has been of great use to him, but after his recent battles with half-step Void Tempering powerhouses, the shield was left badly damaged.


    [Do you want to use the Item Upgrade Card on the Lithinum Shield?]


    [Yes] [No]


    ''Eh?!'' Fredrinn was pleasantly surprised. He thought that the Item Upgrade Card on a damaged item. Discover hidden tales at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Without hesitation, he clicked [Yes].


    [The Lithinum Shield has been upgraded!]


    The upgraded Lithinum Shield was automatically sent to his storage space.


    Fredrinn was curious about its new features so he took it out and read its description.


    Reinforced Lithinum Shield [Legendary]


    - Can block attacks from Void Tempering powerhouses.


    - Damage received from Sky Ascending experts will be reduced by 70%.


    - Unique Passive: Indomitable


    [Indomitable]


    - Allies within your 500-meter radius will receive a 50% defense buff.


    ''Holy crap! It can even block the attacks of Sky Ascending experts!'' Fredrinn was thrilled by the new Reinforced Lithinum Shield.


    As long as he had this shield, no one in the surrounding region could injure him! This added anotheryer of protection that made him almost like an unkible cockroach!


    ''With this shield, let''s see how the royal family can kill me!'' Fredrinn''s eyes shed with imperceptible coldness.


    The grim future he had seen was like a dark cloud that hung over him. Now that he had this shield, he was no longer nervous.


    In the next few days, Fredrinn instructed his troops to dismantle the bombs on top of the hills and keep them for future use. They also fortified the Grand Beast Gorge and turned the tworgest hills into outposts.


    Fredrinn''s troops spent another week to secure the area and remove all the enemy scouts.


    Meanwhile, everyone had already gotten word of their victory.


    Fredrinn had once again proven his reliability and skills. This time, even those who had doubts about him due to his age had no choice but to ept the truth.


    He was no longer a mere heir of a supreme household. He was already a true General!


    ***


    Inside the main mansion of the Firecrown Supreme Household''s estate.


    Rnd was apanying his wife at the newly renovated artificialke.


    Margaret''s belly was already bulging and by the looks of it, she was ready to give birth to the child in a few more months.


    "Honey, do you know when our son will return?" Margaret asked as she looked at the distant clouds with a worried gaze.


    Hearing this, Rnd sighed and shook his head.


    "We can''t say for sure."


    His voice was filled with uncertainty.


    They were aware of their son''s exploits in the northern borders, but despite Fredrinn''s sessive victories, they were still worried for his safety.


    While they were overlooking theke with downcast expressions, they suddenly heard a series of urgent footsteps behind them.


    They turned their head and saw Andre and a few others walking towards them with quick strides.


    "Andre, what''s going on?" Rnd asked with his eyebrows knitted closely together.


    Andre and the elders nced at each other before one of them spoke.


    It was the Master-rank Array Formation Maker, Xavier Coldstone, who opened his mouth. "Go ahead and tell the patriarch." He nudged Andre with his elbow.


    Andre nodded his head and took out a letter from his pocket. It has the seal of the northern border army''smander.


    "We got this letter from Commander Galleon. We haven''t checked what''s it all about. We should read it together, Rnd." Andre handed the letter to Rnd, and a hint of anxiety shed in his eyes.


    Hearing this, both Rnd and Margaret felt their chest tightening. Every time they received a letter from the northern borders, they would feel extremely nervous. They were afraid that they would get a piece of bad news.


    Under everyone''s anxious eyes, Rnd took a deep breath and removed the seal. He then opened the letter and read the contents out loud.


    "Greetings, Patriarch Rnd¡­"


    "I would like to share a joyous moment with you! Your good son, General Fredrinn, had once again emerged victorious with his recent battle against the Sky ying Army stationed at the Grand Beast Gorge!"


    As soon as they heard this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    "That kid has already be a distinguished military general." Andre wasforted to hear that Fredrinn was safe. He was also happy with his nephew''s exploits.


    "Good! Good! Good!" Rnd was also thrilled.


    Margaret smiled in relief and she couldn''t help but tear up.


    "We should share this with everyone to ease their worries! Excuse me." Andre excitedly left, eager to show off his nephew''s achievements.


    The elders also dispersed after some small talk with Rnd and Margaret.


    As soon as they left, Rnd held his wife''s hand. "Don''t worry about our son. He will be back soon."


    Margaret nodded and hummed in reply. "Mn."

 Chapter 178: Stopping by at Roshire Plains

    With the northern border guards taking control of four key locations, the war quickly tilted in their favor.


    The Blue Sky Kingdom could no longer deliver supplies to their armies, forcing their troops to temporarily retreat from Roshire Mountain.


    Meanwhile, with the Star Wind Kingdom having the dominant position, they sent arge group of miners to the mountain to excavate the orichalcum ores and bring them back to the kingdom.


    One monthter, Fredrinn Firecrown and his army were on their way to Roshire Mountain to oversee the mining operations.


    "Sir, why is the main camp sending us to the mountain?" Bernard asked with an annoyed look.


    He was only a hair''s breadth away from advancing to the Void Tempering realm. He wanted to stay on the battlefield to make use of the constant life-and-death situations to force his advancement.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "I don''t know, but this is fine too. Our soldiers have been fighting all this time so they deserve to get some rest. Let''s just treat this trip to Roshire Mountain as a vacation."


    Hearing this, Bernard sighed in regret. ''General Fredrinn is right. It looks like I have to wait for another opportunity to advance¡­''


    The group passed Roshire ins on their way to the mountain. Some of theirrades were recuperating here so they decided to stop by.


    As soon as they arrived, they saw General Lester waiting for them together with Yvanna and his deputies. Surprisingly, Princess Danielle was also there.


    Seeing the princess, Fredrinn recalled how he had treated her before their departure.


    "General Fredrinn, it''s good to see you safe and unharmed!" Lester cupped his fists and smiled at him.


    Fredrinn returned the greeting. "I''m d to see you again, General Lester. How have you been while we were away?"


    The two exchanged some words before Lester brought him to see the princess and Yvanna.


    "Fred-"


    "General Fredrinn."


    Yvanna immediately corrected herself.


    Fredrinn was no longer the man he was used to be. He had already be a figure that she had to look up to.


    Looking at his handsome face, Yvanna''s heart throbbed with desire. It was the first time she had felt this kind of emotion towards a man.


    "Why are you acting so distant with me?" Fredrinn smiled at the young elf.


    Before she could respond, Princess Danielle suddenly snorted.


    Fredrinn turned his gaze to her and smiled apologetically. "I''m sorry, Danielle¡­"


    He had no excuses so he could only sincerely apologize to her.


    Princess Danielle''s expression softened when she heard his apology. She crossed her arms and muttered while taking a sidelong nce at him. "You are not allowed to ignore me again."


    "Yes, Your Highness."


    An hourter, the group celebrated their reunion.


    "By the way, what happened to the Grand Beast Gorge? Did the main camp send another army to take over your position?" Princess Danielle asked as she poured wine into Fredrinn''s cup.


    Yvanna and General Lester were also curious to know the situation.


    Fredrinn didn''t respond right away. He brought the cup to his mouth and took a sip of wine.


    "The main camp sent someone else to guard the gorge and they told us to head to Roshire Mountain and oversee the mining of the orichalcum ore."


    Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    "It seems like that is an order from the royal family. They probably want you to supervise the mining operations since you are the most trustworthy person among the northern border guards." Princess Danielle remarked after hearing his response.


    As a member of the royal family, she had a clear understanding of their personality. She was fairly certain that it was her father, the king, who gave this instruction.


    Fredrinn merely smiled at her words. He had some idea that it was the royal family''s decision, but he was still uncertain. The princess''s words confirmed his suspicions.


    "I think I know why." Lester suddenly said.


    Everyone turned their gazes to him, wondering what he was about to say.


    "General Fredrinn has thergest contribution in this war so the royal family probably thought that giving him the ''general'' title was insufficient. This is just my guess, but I think they want to give him something better." Lester rubbed his chin.


    "A better military title? Is there even a better¡­" Yvanna suddenly realized something and it made her eyes widen in shock.


    "Great General... The royal family wants to bestow him the Great General title." Princess Danielle chimed in.


    Lester nodded with a serious look, while Yvanna was still reeling in shock.


    A Great General held more authority than a General. The former could legally gather a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers! Other than this, a Great General could also freely visit the king even without an appointment. Furthermore, they also receive generouspensation annually from the royal family.


    Fredrinn wasn''t surprised. He had seen it in his future so he knew that the king would bestow him with this title.


    "Enough about me. Let''s talk about something else." Fredrinn didn''t want to continue with the topic. He still didn''t know how to face the royal family after what he had seen in his future.


    ***


    The next day, Fredrinn bid everyone farewell and led his army to Roshire Mountain.


    "Why are you following me?" Fredrinn smiled wryly at the princess who had decided to follow him.


    Princess Danielle smiled smugly at him. "Why are you still asking when you already know? Or do you want the others to hear it again?"


    Fredrinn''s face twitched at her words. "Your Highness, please watch your words. The others might gossip behind your back if you say such vague words."


    She wasn''t even the least bit ashamed to disy her affection.


    Fredrinn''s troops were already aware of this so they just pretended like they didn''t see anything.


    One was their general and lord, while the other was the princess of the kingdom.


    "Come on! Stop acting like a kid! Once my father bestows you the Great General title, I will ask him to y the matchmaker to marry you." Princess Danielle teasingly said.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn rolled his eyes. He then urged his mount to move faster.


    With the mischievous princess''s presence, the journey towards the mountain wasn''t boring.

 Chapter 179: The Big Secret Within Mount Roshire

    No idents happened along the way and Fredrinn''s troops safely arrived at the foot of Mount Roshire.


    The miners had yet to arrive so Fredrinn instructed his soldiers to scan the mountain and its periphery in case there were still some remnant soldiers from the Blue Sky Kingdom.


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn excused himself.


    He told the others that he would do his own investigation. He only brought Nyx with him since he had something important to do that would be troublesome if someone would find out.


    "Bring me with you!" Princess Danielle grabbed his arm.


    From the way she looked, it didn''t seem like she had the intention to let him go if he didn''t give her a proper exnation.


    Fredrinn shook his head. "I can''t bring you with me. There might be enemies lurking within the mountain so it will be dangerous. I might not be able to guarantee your safety."


    Hearing this, Princess Danielle frowned. "Then why are you bringing that woman with you?"


    She cast a suspicious nce at him.


    Fredrinn''s mouth twitched.


    ''What a headache!''


    There was some secret within Mount Roshire that must not be known. He didn''t want to bring the princess since it was too risky to expose her to that thing.


    "I''m sure you''ve heard of her power. Nyx can protect herself even if we counter something dangerous." Fredrinn couldn''t afford to make a mistake here.


    The secret in Mount Roshire was too big. With the princess''s bbering mouth, he was certain that she wouldn''t be able to keep the secret for long.


    Princess Danielle snorted, feeling a bit aggrieved. She had never been rejected by a man before, but this was also what she liked about Fredrinn. He treated her like she was just a normal girl. He wasn''t like those people who blindly followed her every word.


    Princess Danielle was aware of Nyx''s existence. She came out of nowhere in the middle of the battlefield. She was a woman of deep mystery.


    ording to her subordinates'' ounts, Nyx''s cultivation was even greater than their own and it was said that she managed to kill a half-step Void Tempering powerhouse on her own. After their victory at the Grand Beast Gorge, the soldiers gave her the nickname ''Poison Lily'' because of her overwhelming strength and indifferent nature.


    Looking at Nyx''s intricately beautiful face, Princess Danielle felt a bit jealous. However, she was still happy that Fredrinn cared for her safety.


    "Fine, I won''t make things difficult for you." Princess Danielle didn''t insist.


    "Thank you, Danielle." Fredrinn smiled gently.


    Hearing him call her by her name, the princess''s lips curved upwards.


    They exchanged a few more words before he bid her farewell and left with Nyx.


    Along the way, he made sure that all their traces were removed to prevent others from following them. He also asked Nyx to actively scan the area since her spiritual perception was more powerful than his own.


    His goal this time was to head to a certain spot in the middle of the mountain. There was a small hole covered by the weeds, making it unnoticeable without careful scrutiny. This hole turned out to be an entrance to a cave that led to the deepest part underneath the mountain.


    Hidden within this cave was an ore far more valuable than orichalcum, the Vadium. Even the magic aquanite they found back in the mining site near the Firecrown Supreme Household''s estate was just an ordinary metalpared to Vadium.


    What made Vadium more valuable than the two metals was the unique properties that made it almost invulnerable to Qi.


    There was just one minor issue¡­


    Only Grandmaster-rank cksmiths could smelt it.


    To Fredrinn, this wasn''t an issue. Although the estate currently didn''t have a cksmith at that level, it was just a matter of time before they could hire one.


    "We are here," Fredrinn recalled the memory from when he was still a yer. Back then, he was too weak to join the fight for Vadium so he didn''t know exactly how much they could find down there.


    "Follow me and remember to remove our traces." Fredrinn reminded Nyx before he walked towards the hole hidden behind the weeds.


    The whole was just big enough for one person to go in, but it slowly widened as they headed deeper.


    With their spiritual power, they managed to navigate their way into the narrow pathway and they soon fell into a cave.


    Fredrinn smoothlynded while avoiding the sharp stones.


    "This is the ce!" He muttered with unconcealed joy.


    He scanned the cave with his spiritual perception and discovered a huge amount of orichalcum ore everywhere. However, they didn''te here for the orichalcum.


    Nyx quietly followed behind him while actively using her spiritual power to scan the depths of the cave.


    After walking for almost an hour, they finally caught sight of a ck ore that emitted a faint purple glow.


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    "It''s real! We finally found it!" Fredrinn excitedly approached the Vadium ore. It was only the size of a basketball, but this thing right here would cost a huge amount of money! Just this much Vadium could buy him a small town on the outskirts of the Star Wind Kingdom!


    "Nyx, help me dig this ore. Our goal here is to dig all of the Vadium ore that we can find."


    Hearing his words, Nyx nodded and immediately went to work.


    With a few casual hand gestures, she cut off the chunk of Vadium ore and handed it to Fredrinn.


    "Let''s head deeper. There should be more the deeper we go." Fredrinn couldn''t wait to collect everything.


    As for therge pieces of orichalcum ore, he ignored them. They were valuable, but not excessively so. Even the magic aquanite they found near the estate was more valuable than orichalcum.


    After another hour, the two had already collected over a thousand kilogram of Vadium ore and there were still more left undiscovered.


    "You should continue collecting the ores. I need to go back to the foot of the mountain. The princess might get suspicious if I''m gone for too long. Use this to store the ores." Fredrinn handed her a storage device.


    "Alright."

 Chapter 180: Winged Lion Army

    Fredrinn stepped out of the cave and went down the mountain.


    Today was the scheduled time to meet with the miners so he had to be there to speak with their superiors.


    By the time he arrived at the foot of the mountain, most of the scouts had already returned.


    Just as he was about to ask for their report, he saw Princess Danielle approaching him.


    The soldiers immediately gave way for her and left to give them some privacy. They were aware of the unusual feelings of the princess towards their general.


    "Fredrinn, did you find anything?" Princess Danielle who was riding her horse asked while looking behind him, searching for a certain figure.


    Fredrinn had already prepared his response.


    "The mountain is safe. There are some stray magical beasts, but they are of no threat to our troops. Still, we need to be careful since they could be tamed beasts sent by the enemies to monitor our movements."


    Hearing this, Princess Danielle nodded, seemingly relieved. "That''s good."


    "By the way, where is that woman?" She looked from left to right, but Nyx was nowhere to be seen.


    Fredrinn''s expression remained calm. "I asked her to continue monitoring the periphery."


    "I see." The princess creased her eyebrows, doubtful of his words.


    "What about the miners? Is there any news from them?" Fredrinn immediately asked to prevent her from asking more.


    Princess Danielle nodded. "Yeah. One of our scouts spotted their entourage a few miles from here. They should be here soon."


    "Good! We should be able to start mining tomorrow. I''ll go speak with the scouts first to know more about the situation. Excuse me."


    "Alright."


    Fredrinn gathered the scouts and asked them to give their report.


    All of then gave a simr report; there was no reported sightings of enemy activity.


    One man reported seeing the miners with their entourage of soldiers. From his report, there were approximately ten thousand miners and about one hundred thousand soldiers.


    ''Whichmander did they send to help me guard over the mountain?'' Fredrinn thought to himself.


    He already received Galleon''s letter about the miners, but he was vague when he mentioned the escorting army.


    ***


    Before the sun has set, Fredrinn finally caught sight of an approaching army.


    The ground trembled, signaling their arrival.


    Fredrinn narrowed his eyes, observing the gs of the iing troops.


    "That g¡­"


    Depicted on their g was the image of an adult lion raising its sharp ws with its head lifted to the sky. It also had a pair of outstretched wings on its back, making it looked majestic and domineering.


    "It''s Erevard! That''s his insignia!" Princess Danielle who was standind beside Fredrinn eximed in shock.


    "Erevard? You mean the crown prince?" Fredrinn frowned, concealing the agitation in his heart.


    Erevard Starwind was the eldest son of the current king and the crown prince of the Star Wind Kingdom! He was said to be a benevolent prince who put the interests of his people above all others.


    "Why does it have to be him of all people?" The princess pouted with annoyed look.


    Looking at her expression, Fredrinn raised an eyebrow and decided probe a little bit. "Why? Do you not like him? He is your eldest brother after all."


    Princess Danielle rolled her eyes. "Erevard is a nice person, but he nags too much. He nags more than my father and motherbined. If he knew that I''m here, it won''t be easy to look for you while he is here observing me."


    Just the thought of it made her clench her fists in exasperation.


    ''A nice person? That guy?'' Fredrinn scoffed in his heart.


    Erevard Starwind had a perfect image in the hearts of the citizens. He was the best candidate to be next king of the kingdom. He has a high cultivation and he was also good in managing businesses.


    However¡­


    From the future he saw, Erevard had a huge contribution on his death. He colluded with the Evergreen Supreme Household to take him down! Erevard even went as far as sending the Void Tempering powerhouses of the royal family just to eliminate him!


    Fredrinn''s eyes shed with a cold gleam, but he concealed it deeply.


    "Whether you like him or not, we need to go and greet him. If nothing goes wrong, His Highness will be the next king of the Star Wind Kingdom." Fredrinn muttered before he hopped on his mount.


    Without waiting for her response, Fredrinn urged his horse to move, guiding it towards the direction of the iing troops.


    He brought Bernard and the othermanders with him to show their respect to the crown prince.


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    Princess Danielle, although annoyed, decided to follow them.


    She knew that she would be discovered soon so she could only reluctantly reveal herself to save herself some trouble.


    "Stop! You are about to approach, His Highness the crown prince!" The leading soldier stopped them from moving closer.


    Bernard and the othermanders who were following Fredrinn frowned in displeasure. They had already disyed their g so the other party should already be aware of their identity.


    "It''s fine." Fredrinn raised his hand before they could say anything.


    Erevard wasn''t his enemy yet so there was no need to provoke him for the time being. shing with him now would only make things moreplicated so he had to prevent his subordinates from souring the rtionship between both sides.


    Fredrinn cupped his fists and stared in a certain direction.


    "Greetings, Your Highness! I am Fredrinn Firecrown, the General of the newly created Mad Bear Army!"


    Fredrinn''s voice drifted into everyone''s ears.


    When they heard his introduction, the soldiers of the Winged Lion Army were surprised.


    They didn''t expect the renowned General Fredrinn to look so young.


    At this moment, a person fully dressed in heavy armor, stepped forward. He grabbed his helmet and removed it, revealing his face to  Fredrinn''s group.


    "As expected of the ck me General! You even sensed where I was even though I concealed my aura. It seems like you were hiding your true strength."


    Erevard smiled at Fredrinn, but he was inwardly shocked at how he had discovered his identity.


    ''How did he sense my presence? Is he also a Void Tempering powerhouse?''


    Fredrinn smiled at the crown prince. "How could I fail to recognize your majestic presence, Your Highness? Even with an armor, you have an aura that stands out from the rest."


    [Void Tempering 2nd Phase]


    [Erevard Starwind] Favorability: 36

 Chapter 181: Mining Begins

    Erevard burst intoughter upon hearing his words. "You tter me, General Fredrinn."


    Just then, he caught sight of the familiar figure standing behind Fredrinn, making his eyes stiffen with surprise. "Danielle?"


    Princess Danielle reluctantly revealed herself.


    "Hello, Erevard." She greeted him halfheartedly.


    Erevard raised her eyebrows. "I thought you were only joking when you told me that you would head to the northern borders."


    Princess Danielleughed dryly, unable to respond.


    Erevard had an exasperated look on his face. "Don''t tell me you''ve been following General Fredrinn ever since you came here¡­"


    "About that¡­ I only joined a few trips."


    Hearing this, Erevard shook his head and rubbed his temples. He then turned his gaze back to Fredrinn and apologetically said. "I''m sorry for the trouble she caused, General Fredrinn. It must have been hard on you."


    If Fredrinn hadn''t seen his future, he would have believed this guy''s bullshit.


    ''What a two-faced piece of shit!''


    Fredrinn maintained his friendly demeanor. He waved his hand and smiled. "It''s no trouble at all. Her Highness was a great help to our battles. Though her contribution wasn''t significant, her presence increased our soldiers'' morale."


    Princess Danielle blushed at his words. She knew that Fredrinn was just speaking nonsense. She had never shown her face to the soldiers during the recent battles so how was it possible for her to increase their morale?


    "I see. That''sforting to hear. Thank you for keeping an eye on her, General Fredrinn. I owe you a great deal for this." Erevard cupped his fists with a grateful look. It could be seen that he truly cared for his sister.


    "I just did what I had to do."


    "Your Highness, let me take you to the tent we had prepared for you. We can continue our conversation there."


    "Alright. Sounds good to me."


    Fredrinn brought the crown prince to the tent that his soldiers had prepared for him. After all, he couldn''t let the prince build his own tent.


    The two chatted for a while, talking about random topics that held no significance.


    "I really enjoyed talking with you, Your Highness, but I must stop our conversation here. You should get some rest for now. I will handle the arrangements of the miners." Fredrinn stood up and excused himself.


    "Mn. In that case, I''ll leave our miners in your care. Come and find me if you want to talk again. We will be meeting more often so we should get to know each other better." Erevard patted Fredrinn''s shoulder.


    "Yes, Your Highness! It will be an honor!"


    "You may go. Just find me if you need anything."


    Fredrinn bowed to him and left.


    ''He doesn''t seem like a bad person so why did he collude with the Evergreen Household to kill me?''


    ''No! This must be part of his act to maintain the pristine image he created.''


    ''Dammit! I almost got fooled by him! I must be cautious the next time I speak with him.''


    Fredrinn realized that Erevard was more meticulous than he had thought.


    Later that evening, Fredrinn summoned the mining team leaders to discuss the mining operations with them.


    "We need to find the spot with the most concentrated amount of orichalcum." One of the head miners suggested.


    His opinion garnered everyone''s support.


    "That''s a good idea! We should start mining in areas with high concentrations of orichalcum ore and send smaller teams to deal with scattered ores."


    Fredrinn was no expert on this so he just quietly listened to their analysis. As long as they wouldn''t touch that specific spot where the Vadium was located, everything was fine.


    The meeting with the minerssted for more than two hours. If it weren''t for the safety of the Vadium ore, he wouldn''t have sat through the entire meeting.


    ''I almost died of boredom.'' Fredrinn decided to have a good sleep that night.


    ***


    The next day, the miners began to work.


    They climbed the mountain with their mining equipment, eager to start their work. The job was easy and they were paid more than twice their usual sry so they were happy to do the tasks. This inadvertently increased their efficiency.


    It didn''t even take them long to find the perfect spot with the highest concentration of orichalcum ore.


    Luckily, the location was far from where the Vadium ore was located so Fredrinn was relieved.


    On that day, he brought Cain to the hidden cave to help Nyx with the excavation of the Vadium ore.


    While he was busy mining some pieces of Vadium ore, he suddenly recalled that he still had one more Void Breaking Pill in his storage space.


    Thinking about this, Fredrin took out the pill and thought deeply.


    ''Hmm¡­ How should I deal with this thing?''


    This pill could help someone advance to the Void Tempering realm so he couldn''t use it on someone he couldn''t trust.


    The first person that came to his mind was Bernard.


    However, an idea suddenly urred to him.


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    ''Can I use this on magical beasts?''


    Fredrinn was in possession of a legendary flute that could summon arge herd of Sword Horned Carnivorous Unicorns and one of them was a 10thyer Nascent Soul magical beast!


    ''Should I try it?'' Fredrinn hesitated.


    If it didn''t work, his Void Breaking Pill would be wasted, but if it worked, he would gain another magical beast at the Void Tempering realm!


    After some internal struggle, Fredrinn took a deep breath and made a decision. "Let''s do it!"


    He took out the Flute of the Beast Whisperer and yed a melody.


    The soothing sound of the flute echoed within the cave, making Nyx and Cain who were busy with mining stop for a moment to listen to the music.


    Meanwhile, a rift appeared in front of Fredrinn and one unicorn after another stepped out of the cave.


    "Hold on! I''m not looking for you guys! Go back to the rift! I only want your boss! Bring him to me!" Fredrinn shouted at the unicorns in displeasure.


    The Sword Horned Carnivorous Unicorns were smart and they were quick to understand his intentions.


    A momentter, a muchrger unicorn came out from the rift.


    Seeing it appear, Fredrinn smiled lightly.


    "Come here. I have something good for you."


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 182: Evolution

    The alpha Sword Horned Carnivorous Unicorn tilted its head in confusion, but it still obediently walked towards Fredrinn.


    "Do you see this?" Fredrinn showed it the Void Breaking Pill.


    "This thing will help you advance to the Void Tempering realm, but I don''t know for sure if it will work on you. Would you like to give it a try?"


    The unicorn approached him and took a sniff at the pill. When it sensed the energy inside the pill, the unicorn felt its nascent soul shaking in excitement.


    Noticing the change in its mood, Fredrinn smiled. "Come here and eat this pill. If you seed, I promise that you and your herd won''t stay inside that dimension for long."


    Hearing this, the unicorn showed a human-like expression as it nodded its head while emitting soft snorting sounds.


    "Good!" Fredrinn tossed the pill into its mouth.


    "Nyx, seal the space around the unicorn. No one must sense its presence during its advancement."


    Nyx who was close by nodded upon hearing his instruction. She then made a series of hand gestures as she wielded the power of space to confine the alpha unicorn.


    Fredrinn watched this unfold with a hint of expectation and nervousness. He was uncertain if this would work and the uncertainty made him a bit worried about the oue.


    At this moment, the alpha unicorn that was confined in a separate space began to refine the energy within the Void Breaking Pill.


    Unlike martial practitioners who needed the aid of cultivation methods to absorb Qi, magical beasts were innately capable of absorbing it. It was as simple as breathing for them.


    "For how long can you release that spell?" Fredrinn turned his gaze to Nyx.


    "Not for long, but the unicorn should be able to advance before that happens. Some magical beasts with superior bloodlines advance fasterpared to martial practitioners. This one is an alpha Sword Horned Carnivorous Unicorn. Its bloodline is superior among the horse species." Nyx exined with a calm face.


    "I see." Fredrinn looked relieved to hear that.


    After more than three hours, the unicorn finally showed signs of advancing.


    It became bigger and more muscr. Furthermore, the four feathered wings on its back now had a touch of gold that gleamed with metallic light.


    On its mouth were sharp rows of teeth with a pair of knife-like fangs. The most striking change it had was the sword-like horns on its head. From one horn, now it had three-ded horns, one in the middle and the remaining two curved on either side of its head.


    Fredrinn immediately used his battle scouter.


    [Void Tempering 1st Phase]


    "Perfect! It worked!" He eximed in joy.


    Nyx removed the confinement spell.


    "It actually evolved into a Barbaric de Pegasus¡­" As a former top yer, Fredrinn had read of information about many magical beasts with superior bloodlines. One of which was the Barbaric de Pegasus.


    It was a special species of winged horse that came into being when a pegasus and a unicorn crossbred. However, they were very rare and it was almost impossible to find them in the wild.


    "Just wait for a while. Once I go back home, I will release you and yourpanions." Fredrinn stroked its muscr body.


    "For now, you should go back to the dimension and wait for my summon."


    The pegasus looked reluctant, but it still followed his instructions.


    As soon as the rift appeared, the pegasus walked in and disappeared along with it.


    ***


    Five days went by since the advancement of the Barbaric de Pegasus.


    Fredrinn and the other two had already mined half of the Vadium ore.


    ''This won''t do! We need more people!'' Fredrinn creased his eyebrows as he thought deeply.


    He couldn''t afford to wait anymore.


    The fired-up miners worked faster than he had anticipated and they were close to reaching the hidden cave.


    If nothing was to be done, they might discover the Vadium ore.


    Fredrinn couldn''t let that happen.


    He wouldn''t be able to escape punishment if he was discovered to be secretly mining the Vadium ore. Even worse, his family might be implicated.


    ''Who should I bring with me to help with the mining of Vadium?''


    He thought about Alice, Olivia, and Freya. They were his close confidants. Although their cultivation was still a bitcking, their loyalty was unquestionable.


    ''I should bring Bernard and the others too. Those fellows have been with me since I came to the northern borders. I can trust them.''


    Bringing the three girls wouldn''t be enough to increase the efficiency so he could only bring Bernard and a few others. Although it was a bit risky, he trusted the bond they shared.


    "You two stay here and continue mining. I will be back soon with some reinforcements." Fredrinn said to Cain and Nyx before he stepped out of the hidden cave.


    He then headed to the foot of the mountain where his troops were stationed.


    Just when he was about to summon his subordinates, he caught sight of the princess walking side by side with her brother, Erevard.


    The two seemed close from the way they interacted.


    Fredrinn quietly walked away, but Princess Danielle immediately spotted him.


    "Fredrinn!" She called out as soon as she saw him.


    Fredrinn clicked his tongue and reluctantly turned his head. "Greetings, Your Highness."


    Princess Danielle left her brother''s side and eagerly walked towards him.


    "What have you been up totely? I rarely saw you in the past few days." She cast a suspicious nce at him. She had a feeling that he was hiding something, but she didn''t voice it out since her brother was nearby.


    Fredrinn smiled as he calmly responded. "What else could I be doing? I regrly inspect the surroundings to ensure the safety of the miners. Although we have repelled the Blue Sky Kingdom, we can''t say for sure that they won''tunch another attack."


    He didn''t even blink when he uttered those words.


    "Danielle, you should stop bothering General Fredrinn." Erevard suddenly said, expressing a tone of disapproval.


    He then smiled apologetically at Fredrinn. "Please forgive my sister for her rudeness, General Fredrinn."


    "It''s fine, Your Highness. I''m not offended at all. Besides, Her Highness is probably just curious about my matters." Fredrinn waved his hand.


    "Thank you for your understanding and thank you for yourmitment to your tasks. Your presence here is very reassuring."


    "I''m just doing my job, Your Highness."

 Chapter 183: Confession

    Fredrinn had to spend some time chatting with the crown prince and the princess. It was already almost noon when he finally managed to extricate himself from their incessant conversation.


    ''Damn those pair of siblings! They really wasted three hours of my time talking about random gossip!'' Fredrinn cursed in his mind.


    With his present cultivation, he no longer had to eat food so he decisively skipped lunch and rejected the crown prince''s offer to eat together.


    Fredrinn gathered his most trusted subordinates and brought them to the hidden cave and instructed them to secretly mine the Vadium ore.


    With the presence of more people, they finally mined all the Vadium ores within the cave in just three days.


    "We''re finally done! Good job, everyone! You guys will be prioritized when our new equipment is made." Fredrinn promised them.


    Hearing this, everyone revealed looks of excitement, except for Cain and Nyx who remained calm.


    "We should remove our traces here before we go back to the surface."


    "Yes, sir!"


    ***


    A few months went by since the mining of orichalcum began.


    Winter hase and the temperature started dropping.


    Snow began to fall and slowly piled up.


    The miners and the soldiers wore their winter clothes to shield themselves from the cold.


    Suddenly, a messenger arrived to deliver his monthly report about the situation on the frontline.


    The person who received the letter was Prince Erevard.


    "Erevard, what did it say?" Princess Danielle impatiently asked.


    She was no longer wearing her armor. She wore a blue Hanfu cloak over her thick long-sleeved wool dress. Wrapped around her neck was a thick fur scarf for some added warmth.


    Erevard, on the other hand, was dressed in a thick tang suit and a ck fur overcoat. He was already a Void Tempering powerhouse so the cold didn''t affect him much.


    Erevard who was reading the letter widened his eyes as he muttered. "W-We¡­ won. The enemy soldiers retreated and returned to the Blue Sky Kingdom. Commander Galleon seeded and even killed the enemymander in battle!"


    "What?!" Princess Danielle snatched the letter from his hands.


    "It''s true¡­" Her eyes shed with joy and disbelief.


    They all thought that the Blue Sky Kingdom would continue the war in the next two years. No one would have expected that Commander Galleon would actually y the enemymander in battle.


    "It looks like we can go home soon." Erevard smiled as he looked at the snow-covered ins underneath the mountain.


    Princess Danielle nodded in agreement.


    "That guy will be ecstatic if he hears this news." She chuckled as she thought about Fredrinn.


    "Erevard, I''ll go look for Fredrinn to tell him the good news." Without waiting for her older brother''s response, she slipped away with nimble movements.


    Looking at her leave so eagerly, Erevard shook his head with a wry smile. "She isn''t even married to Fredrinn yet, but she is already acting like his wife."


    Meanwhile, Fredrinn was drinking his hot coffee when he sensed a familiar auraing towards him.


    He put down his cup and sighed. He didn''t even need to look to know who it was.


    "Your Highness, you can''t go in! General Fredrinn is still resting and he told us not to disturb him unless it''s an emergency." Olivia''s voice echoed from outside his tent.


    "Why sort ofme excuse is that? Yesterday you said that he was sick, and the other day, you told me that he was meditating. Don''t stop me Olivia, I have something important to tell him." The princess''s reply came soon after.


    Fredrinn rubbed his temples when he heard the conversation outside.


    "Let her in." He reluctantly said.


    A momentter, Princess Danielle entered the tent and red at him with her arms crossed.


    "Fredrinn, you even dare to stop me from entering your tent now. You''ve grown bolder." She gnashed her teeth in anger. She came here to deliver a piece of important news, but this guy actually told his subordinates to stop her.


    "How could I do that? You''re just overthinking things." Fredrinn responded with a dryugh.


    "Just you wait! The first thing I''ll do once I return to the capital is tell my father, the king, to send you a marriage proposal."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn''s smile stiffened. He had already rejected her before, but if the king came to visit the estate to propose marriage, could he still reject it? He wouldn''t dare.


    Although the Firecrown Supreme Household had be more powerful, he wasn''t arrogant enough to im that they would be able to contend with the royal family.


    The Starwind Royal Family had reigned supreme in the kingdom for centuries.


    Offending them would only make the Firecrown Supreme Household miserable.


    "Danielle, are you really serious about that?"


    "Marriage isn''t something that you should speak casually."


    The princess covered her ears. "I have already heard that a dozen times from you in thest few months."


    Fredrinn rubbed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed heavily.


    "My future is fraught with danger. Getting involved with me would only make your life miserable. Are you ready to risk your life just to marry me?"


    Princess Danielle was silent for a moment. His words echoed deeply in her heart.


    She could sense the vulnerability in his tone as if he was shouldering a heavy responsibility.


    Princess Danielle balled her hands as she bit her lip. "The moment I came here to join you in battle, I was prepared to risk my life just to stay close to you."


    Her voice was filled with emotion as she uttered those words.


    Fredrinn stared at her in shock. She sensed the deep longing and love in her eyes.


    "At first, I only liked you because you were good-looking, but the more time I spent with you, the deeper I fell for you."


    Fredrinn''s heart trembled when he heard her sincere confession.


    It was the first time he had seen her this serious and it made him waver.


    ''What''s this? Why is my heart beating like this?''


    Fredrinn realized in that instant that he might have already fallen for her.

 Chapter 184: Another Letter

    "Danielle¡­" Fredrinn couldn''t understand his feelings anymore.


    When Princess Danielle saw hisplicated expression, she suddenly smiled.


    "I came here to deliver this letter."


    She handed him the letter she had gotten from Erevard. She noticed the change in his tone when he uttered her name. It wasn''t like the indifferent tone that he always used when speaking to her.


    Fredrinn was unable to utter another word and just absentmindedly took the letter.


    "Fredrinn, think about my words and prepare for it since we will be returning home soon." She added with a teasing smile hanging on her lips.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"


    The mining of the orichalcum ore was far from over. There were still plenty of unmined ores beneath the mountain.


    He estimated that it would probably take them another year or two to mine everything.


    The princess smirked.


    "Read the letter and you''ll know."


    "I only came here to deliver this letter. Remember my words, Fredrinn." She muttered before she turned around and left.


    "Hey, wait!" Fredrinn called out to her, but she had already stepped out of the tent.


    Seeing this, he looked at the letter and read the contents.


    A momentter, he revealed a look of surprise. "Commander Galleon actually seeded¡­"


    Galleon''s feats were outside of his expectations. He never thought that the guy could actually eliminate the Blue Sky Kingdom''smander and even force their main army to retreat.


    ''Wait. This means that the soldiers can finally go home¡­'' Fredrinn thought, finally realizing what the princess was talking about.


    With the retreat of the Blue Sky Kingdom''s army, arge portion of the northern border guards would be sent back to the kingdom.


    Fredrinn thought about his mother who was about to give birth. From the looks of it, he might be able to return home before his mother''s delivery date.


    ***


    Two weeks passed since they received the letter from the frontline.


    Another messenger arrived, but this time it was from the capital. Surprisingly, the recipient of the letter was Fredrinn.


    Fredrinn immediately stepped out of his tent when he was notified about this.


    ''Is it finally time?'' He thought as he headed to the crown prince''s tent where the messenger was being received.


    When he arrived, he saw the crown prince and the princess chatting with a middle-aged man dressed in thick leather armor covered with a fur coat.


    From his attire, Fredrinn could tell that this was no ordinary messenger. Just his cultivation alone was far from ordinary. This means that this man was a royal messenger!


    [Core Formation 1st Layer]


    Fredrinn cupped his fists at the crown prince. "Greetings, Your Highness."


    He then nodded to the princess before turning his gaze to the royal messenger.


    "General Fredrinn, I came here to deliver the Grand Tactician''s letter."


    The messenger bowed to Fredrinn before he handed him a sealed letter.


    ''The Grand Tactician?'' Everyone was taken aback.


    In the Star Wind Kingdom''s military, the Grand Tactician held an important role. Other than the king himself, the Grand Tactician had the authority tomand the kingdom''s army during wartimes.


    Fredrinn opened the sealed letter and read it.


    The first paragraph was just formalities with the Grand Tactician thanking Fredrinn for his meritorious service to the northern border guards and the kingdom, but this wasn''t the main part of the letter¡­


    __


    Genera Fredrinn, your job at the northern border is done. You are free to return to the kingdom with your troops. Give this letter to His Highness to let him know of my decision. I''m sure he will understand.


    Once again, thank you for participating in this war. I assure you that you will be properly rewarded during the awarding ceremony. You can look forward to it.


    __


    "I can go home now¡­" Fredrinn smiled in joy.


    Both the crown prince and the princess who heard his words simrly smiled.


    "I''m d to hear that you can finally reunite with your family, General Fredrinn." Erevard patted his shoulder with a smile on his face.


    Princess Danielle didn''t say anything but her expression was filled with hidden meaning.


    "Your Highness, the Grand Tactician said that I should give it to you." Fredrinn handed the letter to Erevard.


    Erevard took the letter and began to read everything.


    After reading the letter, Erevard stared at Fredrinn and smiled.


    "I understand the Grand Tactician''s instructions. You have my permission to return, General Fredrinn. You are free to return to the kingdom with your troops."


    Hearing this, Fredrinn bowed to him. "Thank you, Your Highness!"


    "You may go. You still need to inform your troops about this, but before you depart, we should celebrate tonight. What do you think?"


    Fredrinn didn''t mind staying for another night so he agreed without hesitation. "Yes, Your Highness. I will follow your instructions."


    "Great! I will inform my troops about this." Erevard grinned.


    Fredrinn chatted briefly with them before he left. He then summoned his divisionmanders and corpsmanders for an urgent meeting.


    Soon, arge group of militarymanders gathered in his tent, their faces looked serious.


    Fredrinn would only gather them all when they were about to be dispatched to another location so they were a bit nervous.


    Seeing the expression on their faces, Fredrinnughed and shook his head, clearly in a good mood.


    "Look at your faces. Rx, everyone. We won''t be going to war this time."


    He deliberately paused before he continued.


    "Just now, a royal messenger came to deliver the Great Tactician''s instructions. Tomorrow, we will be going home¡­"


    Themanders were stunned by his words.


    After a moment of surprise, everyone cheered in joy and excitement.


    "Is it true, sir? Are we really going home tomorrow?" Someone asked, still in disbelief.


    Fredrinn nodded with a smile. "That''s right. Good job, everyone. Our job here is done. We can go home now."


    "That''s great!"


    "I missed my wife''s cooking! I can finally eat her¡­ er I mean, I can finally taste her dishes again¡­"


    Looking at everyone''s excited faces, Fredrinn was filled with emotions.

 Chapter 185: Reunion with Family

    That night, everyone got drunk without exception.


    With no threat to their safety, the soldiers were even allowed to drink to their heart''s content.


    Everyone was in a joyous mood.


    The chatter and theughter of the soldiers could be heard from beneath the mountain.


    The crown prince''s troops and the miners also joined the celebration, making the atmosphere even more cheerful and merry.


    ***


    The next morning, Fredrinn left Mount Roshire with his troops after bidding farewell to the crown prince.


    As for Princess Danielle, she escaped from her brother and left with Fredrinn.


    She pestered him nonstop on the journey, but strangely enough, she didn''t mention anything about marriage.


    This only made Fredrinn feel more unsettled.


    Discover stories with mvl


    Fredrinn knew that she was probably cooking up a n on how to make the king agree with her n to marry him.


    The trip back to the capital took more than a month. Nothing noteworthy happened within that period, but during that month, Fredrinn discovered that he was starting to develop feelings for the princess.


    Upon their arrival at the capital, arge crowd of citizens weed them, pping their hands while cheering for the soldiers.


    This made Fredrinn and the soldiers feel that their efforts were worth it.


    After the parade, the Grand Tactician, an old man who looked to be in his seventies came and gave a long speech.


    "¡­Thank you for your service to the kingdom, brave warriors!"


    At the end of his speech, hemanded the servants to distribute the rewards.


    Each soldier received arge sum of money and some cultivation resources, making them incredibly happy.


    While the rewards were being distributed, the Grand Tactician took the chance to chat with Fredrinn.


    "General Fredrinn, your rewards are too great so you will have to wait for a while to receive them." The old man smiled apologetically.


    "I understand, sir. I''m not in a hurry." Fredrinn chuckled. He then used his battle scouter to inspect the Grand Tactician''s cultivation. He also used his favorability meter function out of habit.


    [Void Tempering 3rd Phase]


    [Romero Castleton] Favorability: 50


    Just as he had expected, the Grand Tactician''s strength was among the best in the entire kingdom. His cultivation even rivaled the family head of the Silversword Supreme Household.


    ''His cultivation is high, but most importantly, this old man also holds great authority in the kingdom''s military.''


    "You are just as the rumors say about you, General Fredrinn." The old man looked quite pleased based on his expression.


    Hearing this, Fredrinn shook his head and feigned embarrassment. "Everyone is just exaggerating things about me. I''m not that awesome, sir."


    "Hahaha! You don''t need to be humble."


    The two chatted for some time and it was already past noon when their conversation ended.


    "Look at me! I didn''t sense the time while I was talking with you. Do you have any ns for lunch? Why don''t we eat together?" The Grand Tactician suggested with a kind smile.


    "That¡­ I''m sorry, sir, but I have already promised to have lunch with someone. Please forgive me." Fredrinn revealed a troubled look.


    "I see. What a pity." The old man shook his head, looking a bit disappointed by his response.


    "There''s nothing we can do about it. Besides, I''m sure that you are in a hurry to meet your family. Since that''s the case, I won''t keep you with me."


    "Thank you for your time, Sir Romero." Fredrinn bowed lightly at the old man.


    "If you need any help from this old man, just visit me at my residence. I''ll do my best to help you."


    "Yes, sir. I''ll keep it in mind." Fredrinn nodded.


    He wasn''t surprised by the old man''s enthusiasm. He probably knew that Fredrinn would receive a high military title so he was establishing connections early.


    Fredrinn didn''t mind this since befriending the Grand Tactician would be of great help to him and the household.


    Fredrinn bid the old man farewell and sent him off.


    After that, he went to look for the princess, but she was nowhere to be found.


    "Did she return to the castle without informing me?" Fredrinn muttered, feeling a slight sense of loss.


    He shook his head and headed to a famous restaurant.


    More than a month ago, he sent a letter to his family, informing them about his return. They agreed to meet in the restaurant.


    He hadn''t seen them for a while, so Fredrinn was excited to see them.


    When he arrived at the restaurant, he saw his uncle, Andre Firecrown, at the entrance looking at the passing people as if searching for someone.


    "Uncle!" Fredrinn called out eagerly, beaming as he increased his pace.


    Andre jolted in surprise when he heard someone calling his name. He turned his head in the direction of the voice and saw Fredrinn walking towards him.


    "Fredrinn!" He eximed.


    "How have you been, Uncle?" Fredrinn hugged his uncle and patted his back.


    "Great! I feel great! It''s good that you''re back!" Andre sounded a bit emotional.


    The two exchanged some words before Andre brought him inside the restaurant. "Everyone is waiting for you. When we heard that you arrived with your troops, we came here early to book a private room."


    Soon, Andre brought him to the topmost floor of the restaurant.


    Fredrinn felt inexplicably nervous as he waited for Andre to open the door.


    "Are you nervous?" Andre chuckled when he saw Fredrinn''s tensed face.


    "A little." Fredrinn forced a smile.


    "Just rx. Everyone has been waiting for your return, especially your parents."


    Andre patted his shoulder.


    "Let''s go in."


    Fredrinn nodded and followed him inside.


    As they stepped inside the private room, Fredrinn saw a group of people chatting inside. Among them were his parents and grandfather. Daphne and his adopted child, Avariel, were also there.


    Everyone turned their gazes to him and eximed.


    "Hello, everyone. I''m back." Fredrinn smiled, feeling emotional at the sight of his family.


    "My son! You''re finally back!" His mother, Margaret rushed to his side, embraced him tightly, and burst into sobs.


    "Yes, Mom. I''m sorry for making you worried." Fredrinn gently rubbed his mother''s back.


    Suddenly, his father, Rnd Firecrown, approached and let out a relieved smile.


    "Great work, son."


    Fredrinn smiled and nodded upon hearing his words.

 Chapter 186: Returning to Red Sun City

    The family had lunch and talked for over three hours without stopping.


    Everyone was curious about Fredrinn''s experience so they asked him what he had been through during his time in the northern borders.


    Fredrinn answered their questions one by one, but he didn''t give them all the information, especially the gruesome details.


    After lunch, Fredrinn quietly left the capital with his family.


    While carrying his adopted daughter, Avariel, in his arms, Fredrinn looked at the scenery through the carriage window.


    He tried to recall the faces of therades who died on the battlefield, but the images in his mind were blurry and distorted as if he was unconsciously trying to forget the unbearable memories.


    "Papa¡­" The little girl, Avariel, stood on hisp and hugged his beck. She then gave him a kiss on the cheek.


    Fredrinn snapped out of his dazed state when he felt her moist little lips on his face.


    He looked at her and gently rubbed her head. "Can you say it again, Avariel? Say, papa."


    The little girl tilted her head and stared at him with her big innocent eyes. "Papapa!"


    "Oh! Good girl! You can speak more fluently now. It looks like you have been practicing well with your grandma and grandpa." Fredrinn smiled, looking incredibly fond of the little girl.


    At this moment, the carriage suddenly stopped, making Fredrinn raise an eyebrow in surprise.


    "What happened?"


    He immediately released his spiritual perception to inspect the surroundings.


    "My lord, an army is blocking our path!" Shouted the coachman, his voice shaking with fear.


    The household''s martial practitioners were on full alert, looking prepared to fight if the need arose.


    "Hold on! I know them!" Fredrinn calmed everyone.


    He then handed Avariel to Daphne. "Please hold her for a while for me."


    "Alright." Daphne nodded her head and took Avariel in her arms.


    After making sure that everyone had rxed, Fredrinn stepped out of the carriage and looked at the army in front of them with a mixture of emotions.


    These people were hisrades in arms.


    Suddenly, a man stepped out of the formation and approached Fredrinn.


    It was Ulysses, the Deputy Corps Commander of the Mad Bear Corps.


    He had a solemn look on his face and his back was straight like a sword.


    When he was only twenty meters away from Fredrinn''s entourage, Ulysses saluted snappily. "Thank you for leading us back home, General! We will wait for your call!"


    As soon as his voice fell, the soldiers echoed his words.


    "Thank you for leading us back home, General! We will wait for your call!"


    Their loud, sonorous voices reverberated like thunder. Even the citizens at the periphery of the capital could hear them.


    Fredrinn''s lips curved upwards. He could feel their loyalty rising even without using his favorability meter function.


    Meanwhile, Bernard and the ck me Heavy Cavalry who were standing on the opposite side of the army, also saluted.


    Inside the carriage, Rnd and the others felt proud when they saw this scene.


    "Our son has grown up," Margaret muttered as she wiped the tears at the corner of her eyes.


    "Mn." Rnd nodded in agreement.


    "How many soldiers are in that army? Are they my nephew''s subordinates? Holy shit!" Andre almost couldn''t believe his eyes. He even rubbed his eyes, thinking that he was dreaming.


    He had never seen an army of that size.


    The fact that all the soldiers were expressing their respect and loyalty towards Fredrinn spoke volumes of his charisma and leadership.


    "I think there''s a hundred thousand of them, probably even more." Remarked Marcus Firecrown, the former patriarch of the Firecrown Supreme Household and Fredrinn''s grandfather.


    "A hundred thousand?! Wouldn''t that make Fredrinn a Great General?" Andre was shocked.


    "Hmm¡­ that''s not impossible." Marcus rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes sparkling with profound wisdom.


    They had already been made aware of Fredrinn''s achievements in the northern borders.


    It was practically publicized by the royal family to make the citizens feel at ease about the situation in Mount Roshire and it proved to be effective.


    The only issue was that there had been more and more visitorsing to the estate. Some sought friendship, while others had ulterior motives.


    In the face of those visitors, the Firecrown Supreme Household weed them with open arms regardless of their intentions.


    As a newly promoted supreme household, they were still weakerpared to the other supreme households in terms of wealth and connections so they took the opportunity to broaden theirwork.


    At this moment, Fredrinn showed a standard salute. "I will be back, myrades!" Your journey continues with mvl


    "For now, everyone should go home and return to their families. I''ll see you again soon!"


    Fredrinn turned around and went back to the carriage.


    As soon as he stepped inside the carriage, the army parted and made a path for them while maintaining their salute.


    The Firecrown Supreme Household''s entourage passed by the path under the heated gazes of the soldiers. Following closely behind them were Bernard and the soldiers of the ck me Heavy Cavalry.


    When they left the estate a few months ago, there were five thousand of them. Now, only a little more than three thousand five hundred remained.


    ***


    A monthter, they finally arrived at Red Sun City where they received another warm wee from the residents.


    Leading the weing party was the city lord and his two children, Samantha, and Lucas. The city lord''s wife, Hannah Sparks, was also there.


    Despite being weary from the trip, Fredrinn''s group stepped out of their carriage to greet the city lord.


    "Greetings, City Lord!" Rnd cupped his fists.


    Fredrinn and the others followed suit.


    Although the Firecrown Supreme Household had already grown strong enough to surpass the city lord''s mansion''s power, they still maintained their respectful attitude.


    The friendship between both families had already solidified after Fredrinn had helped the city lord fully recover and advance to the Void Tempering realm.


    "You''ve be a better man in just a few months, Fredrinn, or should I call you General Fredrinn now?" The city lord, Ludwig Springfield, joked with a teasing smile.


    "I don''t deserve such praise, city lord." Fredrinn shook his head with a wry smile.

 Chapter 187: The Strengthened Defenses of the Firecrown Supreme Household

    After greeting the city lord, Fredrinn turned his gaze to Lucas and Samantha.


    "It''s been a while. How are you two doing?" He smiled at them.


    "It has only been a few months, but you have aplished a lot, Fredrinn." Lucas stared at him with aplicated look.


    He was jealous of Fredrinn''s talent, but he was also happy for his aplishments.


    "Do you want toe with me next time?" Fredrinn joked.


    However, Lucas took it seriously.


    "If therees a time when the kingdom will need more soldiers, I will join your army." He looked incredibly serious when he uttered those words.


    Fredrinn''s exploits in the northern borders seemed to have lit a fire in Lucas'' heart. He wanted to stand with Fredrinn in battle. He wanted to see his glorious moments.


    Fredrinn smiled and patted his shoulder. "Then you must train harder, my friend. When the timees, I will pick you up and bring you to the battlefield."


    Lucas solemnly nodded his head.


    "Look at you guys acting so cool." Samantha scoffed with her arms crossed.


    While they were chatting, the city lord, Ludwig Springfield, invited Rnd to the city lord''s mansion.


    "Why don''t we head to the mansion? You guys can rest there if you want."


    To his friendly invitation, Rnd politely declined. "We will visit you another time, city lord. Everyone is still tired from the long journey so we will head straight home and get some rest."


    "I see. I was thoughtless. In that case, I will go with you. I haven''t visited your estate for some time."


    "I heard that you constructed a man-madeke and even created fake hills near the main mansion. I had wanted to see them for some time."


    Hearing the city lord''s words, Rnd was taken aback. He didn''t expect that Ludwig would shamelessly tag along with them.


    It seemed like there was also something that the city lord wished to discuss with him.


    Thinking about this, Rnd beamed.


    "That would be awesome! Once we arrive, I will have the servants prepare a banquet for you, city lord!"


    "How could I let you do that? There''s no need to trouble you. I just want to visit your estate and take a look at the new features you constructed." Ludwig eagerly responded.


    "Is that so? Hahaha!"


    "By the way, are youing by yourself?" Rnd asked tentatively.


    "Hmm¡­ Let''s see¡­" Ludwig rubbed his chin and thought for a moment.


    "I''ll bring Lucas and Samantha with me. I remember that they once mentioned wanting to see the new soldiers of your estate. What do you think, Rnd?"


    Rnd pondered for a moment.


    The training of the new soldiers was usually kept secret, but the Springfield Household was their ally so there should be no harm in letting them watch.


    As he thought of this, Rnd nodded his head. "It should be fine."


    "Great!"


    ¡­


    Soon, the group headed to the Red me Valley where the Firecrown Supreme Household''s estate was located.


    Their impressive entourage scared the citizens, but when they saw the familiar g of the Firecrown Supreme Household, their fear turned into worship.


    "Look! It''s the g of the Firecrown Supreme Household!"


    "I think those soldiers are from the ck me Heavy Cavalry. I recognize their g from the recent news."


    "Oh my god! I think you''re right! It must be them!"


    The people reverently watched the entourage pass by the paved road, their gazes filled with unconcealed excitement.


    Inside one of the carriages, Lucas clicked his tongue when he saw therge crowd watching them. Continue your adventure with §Þ??


    "You are very famous now."


    Fredrinn smiled and shook his head. "Is that why you wanted to join me in battle?"


    "Well, that''s part of the reason." Lucas scratched his head in embarrassment.


    Fredrinnughed lightly at his response. This guy was too honest, but this was what he liked about Lucas.


    "If you''re serious about that, you can join my soldiers training." He suggested.


    Lucas furrowed his eyebrows and seriously considered his offer. "I will think about it."


    In the past few months, he felt that his cultivation progress had slowed down considerably.


    If nothing was to be done, he might not be able to advance to the Nascent Soul realm for a long time.


    Lucas didn''t want that to happen.


    "You should think it through. If you really n to join my troops, you might have to give up on bing the next city lord." Fredrinn reminded him.


    As his friend, he didn''t want Lucas to make a decision that he would regret.


    Lucas'' eyes shed upon hearing his words.


    Meanwhile, Samantha who was listening to their conversation couldn''t help but frown. ''Is this guy poaching my brother right in front of me?''


    Fredrinn noticed Samantha''s expression and chuckled. "There''s no need to look at me with that face. I''m not forcing your brother here."


    "You are asking him to join your army, then what about me?" Samantha pursed her lips, looking displeased that she had been left out.


    "Who will inherit the city lord''s position if the both of you will join my troops? One of you should stay and take care of the city. I won''t be able to rest easy if someone else would inherit the position." Fredrinn shook his head.


    The Springfield Household had a unique system for handling the city. If someone else would take over the city lord''s position, there might be some negative impact on the future of the city.


    Samantha was surprised. "If I be the next city lord, will you support me?" She asked, curious about how he would respond.


    "Of course! I think you will do better than Lucas at governing the city. You know this guy''s personality. He would only ck off and pass his tasks to his subordinates." Fredrinn chuckled.


    "Hey! I can hear you!" Lucas snorted.


    "That''s true¡­" Samantha nodded in agreement.


    "Not you too, my beloved sister. How could you betray your brother?" Lucas put on a sad look.


    "Piss off!" Samantha red at him.


    Three hourster, the group finally arrived at the Firecrown Supreme Household''s estate.


    Inside a different carriage, Ludwig stared at the domineering walls that surrounded the estate.


    "You really invested a lot in renovating those walls." He remarked.


    Rnd smiled faintly. "We made some money from the mines so I decided to bolster our defenses in case we face another invasion."


    Ludwig smiled wryly at his words. "Who would dare to attack a supreme household?"


    "Who knows?" Rnd chuckled.


    At this moment, Ludwig caught a glimpse of the newly installed array formation.


    After advancing to the Void Tempering realm, his spiritual power had be more sensitive so he was able to sense the slight fluctuations of energy that made up the array formation.


    From his initial estimate, the power of this array formation was even stronger than the ones in the city lord''s mansion.


    ''What a powerful array formation!''


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