Defeated Foe

"You mean Russell might win?" Lady Meryl asked in surprise, looking at Russell, who was being completely outmatched in the arena. "He just bloomed his Battle Qi, while Rowena has been blooming hers for four or five years!"

She knew her second son inherited her beauty, but not her husband's talent for cultivation.

Of course, she also knew her eldest daughter didn't inherit her beauty but did inherit Baron Roman's talent for cultivation.

She bloomed her Battle Qi Seed and cultivated true Battle Qi at the age of thirteen. Now, five years later, her Battle Qi was even stronger.

So she couldn't quite understand the current situation.

"He might win, or he might lose. It depends on whether Rowena can calm down, but it seems like Rowena is getting more and more impatient..." the Baron said.

He then added, "Russell's combat talent is far more outstanding than his cultivation talent. He's steady and makes progress, effectively avoiding his weaknesses. It's like... like a coiled viper, patiently searching for a fatal strike."

"Like your Wuyou Snake King?" Lady Meryl mused.

Wuyou snakes were the most common venomous snakes in the Guangguang River Valley, and also considered a specialty. Their gallbladders, meat, and blood could all be used as auxiliary materials for Magic Potions.

Furthermore, a Phantom Beast, the Wuyou Snake King, had been born among the Wuyou snakes and was contracted by Baron Roman.

The territory granted to Russell, Wuyou Snake Manor, was named after this Wuyou Snake King Phantom Beast – it was discovered in the manor back then.

However, with the reclamation of farmland in Wuyou Snake Manor, sightings of Wuyou snakes were becoming increasingly rare.

"It's very similar indeed," the Baron smiled.

Meanwhile, the battle grew more intense. Rowena's prolonged assault was making her increasingly agitated. Her moves became wide and reckless, disregarding everything except her desire to quickly defeat Russell.

But Russell maintained his unhurried stance, as if he had put on a turtle shell. He blocked when he could, dodged when he couldn't, and never rashly engaged in a direct confrontation with Rowena. However, when he found an opportunity, he would still strike with his sword, throwing Rowena into a flurry.

One hundred rounds passed.

Rowena was already panting, and Russell was not faring any better; his Battle Qi was almost depleted.

It was at this moment that Rowena swung her red longsword, intending to increase her power and crush Russell's resistance in one fell swoop.

But her Battle Qi was a bit lacking, causing a slight mess in her footwork.

A divine light flashed in Russell's eyes. The fatal blow he had been desperately searching for had finally presented itself. He stopped passively defending and, just like the thousands of hours of rigorous practice during the knights' morning drills, thrust his Green Ceramic Sword forward with a standard move.

The opportunity was fleeting, but in that brief moment, the Green Ceramic Sword had broken through Rowena's offensive.

Before Rowena's red longsword could land, it precisely struck her chest.

He didn't hold back.

Russell held the sword with both hands and thrust forward fiercely. The Green Ceramic Sword pierced Rowena's combat uniform and struck the soft armor underneath.

It didn't pierce the soft armor, but the immense force made Rowena feel as if she had been struck by lightning. Her body went limp, her stance completely dissolved, and she fell onto the grass.

He retracted his sword.

He clasped his hands.

Russell forced himself to calm his racing heart and smiled calmly, "Sister, I concede."

"I... lost?" Rowena found it hard to accept that her younger brother, whom she had always bullied, had defeated her.

Picking up the red longsword that had fallen beside her, Rowena prepared to fight again. "I don't believe it, let's go again!"

Cooper walked over and held her back. "Alright, Rowena, it's just a duel between siblings. Go change your clothes quickly; Grandmother will be here soon."

Rowena remained unconvinced but didn't argue further. She just glared at Russell and shouted, "I'll be staying at Fluorite Castle for a few days, Russell. We'll duel again!"

Russell grinned. "I don't really like fighting my defeated opponents."

"You!" Rowena was almost fuming. If Cooper hadn't pulled her away, she might have tried to fight Russell to the death right then and there.

Baron Roman walked up. "Cooper, take Rowena to change."

"Yes, Father-in-law."

After seeing off the unconvinced Rowena, Baron Roman looked at Russell with satisfaction and said, "You performed very well. It seems beneficial to let you adapt to the life of a lord in advance. You're much calmer now than before. Keep up the good work."

"Yes, Father."

Roland, who had been watching from the side, also came over and clapped his hands, smiling at Russell. "Not bad, kid. You've made me itchy to fight too."

Charles squeezed in and quietly gave a thumbs-up. "My lord is mighty!"

"Russell, you're getting better and better!" Dave Kingdingmo also laughed heartily and came over to praise him.

"Thank you, thank you."

A duel between siblings that didn't involve life and death couldn't explain too many things, but winning always made people feel happy.

"Chirp!"

On top of a distant tower, Clay Dragon Ross seemed to notice them and let out an unintelligible cry.

Russell looked up at Lord Ross, always feeling like this Clay Dragon was mocking him.

However, Lord Ross didn't come to cause trouble, and he wouldn't provoke him either. He could simply pretend not to see it. He then politely replied to those who came to flatter him and went back to change his clothes.

After changing, they didn't chat for too long before the castle bells rang.

Grandmother Old Madam Ingrid had arrived.

Escorting the Old Madam were his uncle Rosen's family, Aunt Clara, and his older cousin Royal and younger cousin Roil.

After a lengthy round of welcoming pleasantries.

Everyone crowded around the day's birthday celebrant and entered the castle's grand hall.

"All the Little Ghost Fires are here, this is even more joyous than the New Year's festival," Old Madam Ingrid said, beaming. The sight she most enjoyed seeing was a thriving Fluorite Mushroom Family.

But there was also regret. She scanned the crowd and sighed, "Roby isn't here again? How many years has it been since she last returned?"

Roby was Russell's aunt, married to Golden Baron Davis Kingdingmo.

Baron Roman comforted her, "My sister has always been frail and can't stand the cold. How could she possibly travel through this ice and snow? You know this."

"Since she can't come, you all must visit her more often."

"Don't worry, I will."

Meanwhile, Russell was pulled aside by his uncle, Rosen. The uncle and nephew chatted for a while, mainly discussing the responsibilities of a vassal.

"You can hunt Snow Ghosts now, and Eric has been promoted to Phantom Beast Knight. That's great, I finally have someone to share my burden," Rosen said. He and Baron Roman had similar facial structures, but Rosen's appearance was more ordinary, the kind that would easily blend into a crowd.

"I'm still learning, Uncle," Russell replied.

"Then learn from your uncle. In the future, you'll definitely have to handle all the social interactions for the territory."

"I understand."

"One more thing, Royal has already gestated a Battle Qi Seed. I plan to send him to be a squire. So I wanted to ask if you have any thoughts on taking in squires. If you do, I'd like Royal to be sent to you."

"This..." Russell was surprised, but quickly shook his head. "My Battle Qi cultivation has only just begun, I haven't thought about taking in squires for now."

Rosen wasn't surprised. "Alright, I'll ask someone else later."