The Hunt

Only two days had passed.

The news of Linley's father's death spread throughout Fenlai City.

Countless nobles and factions went to pay their respects. Clyde, Gilmer, and the others would all be there.

Jonathan volunteered to go.

"Lord Wesport, our Dark Church's identity is sensitive here, after all. The people of Wushan Town are mostly ordinary folk. If they point fingers at us, it will only tarnish our reputation."

"But I haven't officially joined yet, so I doubt my visit will draw any attention. I can also take the opportunity to gather some information."

Wesport considered it. "That makes sense. Go there, then. Once you return, we'll leave and head back to the Dark Alliance."

"Yes, sir!"

The next day.

Yale, Reynolds, George, and the others were the first to arrive at the Baruch family residence in Wushan Town. They knew that countless important figures would come to pay their respects after Linley's father died.

Worried that Linley might not know how to handle the guests, they brought plenty of people along to help.

By noon, visitors began arriving one after another.

The usually peaceful Wushan Town was destined for an eventful day. The residents gathered in small groups, talking about the important figures who had come.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. From afar came the dense, rhythmic sound of hoofbeats, louder than even the procession that had passed through that morning.

A troop of knights in gleaming armor thundered toward them, followed by two lavish carriages drawn by teams of four fine horses.

The residents had never seen anything like it. They stared in astonishment.

Even the coachmen looked like powerful warriors to them.

"Who are all these people?" The residents of Wushan Town were stunned and bewildered.

The procession stopped in front of Baruch Mansion. Attendants hurried to see to the carriages and horses.

A loud announcement rang out.

"His Eminence Cardinal Gilmer! His Eminence Cardinal Lampson!"

Now everyone knew who had arrived, but the residents grew even more agitated. They could hardly believe such important figures had come to their little town.

Soon, another large procession arrived, no smaller than the first and even more luxurious.

"His Majesty Clyde, King of the Fenlai Kingdom, has arrived!"

The residents of Wushan Town were startled all over again.

Not only had important figures from the Light Church come, but now the king himself had arrived. It all seemed utterly unbelievable.

Still, they all knew that everything they were seeing had to do with Linley.

The hoofbeats continued without pause.

More visitors arrived one after another. Just hearing their names was enough to tell that they were important figures in the Fenlai Kingdom.

Jonathan had come in a personal capacity, so he seemed insignificant among them. But when Linley heard he was there, his eyes flickered.

When he saw Jonathan, he showed no sign of familiarity.

Everyone took turns stepping forward to bow. Linley knelt to one side, his expression cold as he mechanically repeated his thanks.

"My condolences."

When Jonathan's turn came, he said those words to Linley.

Many people had said the same thing, so his words drew little attention. The only thing that surprised people was Jonathan's presence.

Some began to speculate about their relationship.

Linley gave the customary reply. "Thank you."

This was the first time Jonathan had met his future wife, Delia. She was indeed a striking beauty, with an exceptional air about her.

By dusk, many people had returned to Fenlai City.

Only a handful remained.

They were Delia, Yale and the others, and the two cardinals from the Light Church.

Delia had stayed to say goodbye to Linley. The Yulan Festival, held once every ten thousand years, was fast approaching, and she had to return to the Yulan Empire.

The Yulan Festival was an important holiday across the entire continent, but it was especially significant to the Yulan Empire. The Ryan Clan ranked among the empire's five most powerful clans.

The entire nation celebrated that day, and every direct descendant had to be present.

As for Yale and the others, they had stayed out of brotherly affection, hoping to keep Linley company a little longer.

The cardinals, meanwhile, were waiting for Linley to finish mourning so they could hear his answer.

Jonathan did not go far from Wushan Town. Instead, he remained in hiding.

During those days of waiting, Gilmer and Lampson had little to do. They often explored the area around Wushan Town and sometimes ventured into Wushan Mountain.

On their third day there.

The two entered Wushan Mountain together, bringing only a small part of their knight troop.

"The time has come, Gilmer. You'll pay dearly for the revenge you took on me in Fenlai City."

Wearing black clothes with a layer of light armor beneath, he had Sturdiness and anti-gravity magic inscribed on it. He activated the Magic Array on his armor, rose into the air, and flew toward Wushan Mountain.

There were quite a few of them, and birds and beasts fled in alarm wherever they passed.

Jonathan pinpointed their location at a glance, then rapidly closed in from the air.

When he drew near, he landed on a giant tree. He had used neither magic nor battle qi along the way, and his breath-concealment technique helped mask him. Although Gilmer and Lampson were both Level 9 Great Mages, they would not detect him unless they deliberately sent out their spiritual force to search.

"Shadow Mist!"

A vast cloud of black mist spread out, blanketing an area several miles wide.

"Dark Magic! Everyone, be on your guard! We have an enemy!" Gilmer immediately called out.

Within the black mist, all the Temple Knights stood ready while several White-robed Priests began dispelling it.

But the mist covered too wide an area. They could not clear it all at once.

Jonathan rose into the air and hovered above them.

"Up there!"

A Temple Knight spotted him and immediately shouted. Everyone looked up.

Jonathan gave a cold laugh and said softly, "Gravity Field, twentyfold!"

He unleashed the most powerful Gravity Field he could produce after activating the Stone Orb.

In an instant, crushing twentyfold gravity came crashing down. Gilmer and Lampson were extremely alert; before the Gravity Field landed, they immediately cast Light Guardian.

It was a high-level Level 7 spell with powerful defensive properties.

A pale golden, spherical barrier immediately shielded them, the nearby White-robed Priests, and five or six Temple Knights.

The others were not so fortunate.

Under the twentyfold Gravity Field, everyone was immediately slammed to the ground. Bones cracked throughout their bodies, and cries of agony rang out one after another.

Within moments, their wounds proved too severe. They bled to death where they lay.

Those protected by Light Guardian were safe for the moment, but under such crushing gravity, the spell was on the verge of collapse. It could not hold for long.

Lampson had already launched an attack. He conjured a Holy Spear, a Level 8 light-element attack spell of tremendous power, and sent it hurtling toward Jonathan in the air.

But under the Gravity Field, the Holy Spear's speed and power were greatly suppressed. Though it still reached Jonathan quickly, he dodged it with ease.

Pfft—

Just as Light Guardian was about to shatter, Gilmer immediately cast another one.

With his strength as a Level 9 Great Mage, he could cast Level 7 spells instantly and even release them in succession.

"You think you can hold out with a single light-element defensive spell? Let's see how long you can last!"

Light Guardian was only a Level 7 spell, while the twentyfold Gravity Field was more powerful than an ordinary Level 9 Gravity Spell. It had not crushed the barrier instantly only because Light Guardian was a special kind of spell.

But each casting could last only a dozen seconds or so.