In the Roland Empire, behind the Imperial Capital Magic Academy, with withered yellow leaves carpeting the ground, Lynn sat on a boulder, his expression grave as he gazed in the direction beyond the academy.
"During the years my Clone was gone, the Church of Light did indeed send many more people into the Roland Empire. I thought they were looking for Xiao Yan, but... now it seems that wasn't the case."
"When Xiao Yan disappeared, the Church of Light's intelligence could only have placed him at the level of a fifth- or sixth-level warrior. Even if they took him seriously, that one search four years ago should have been enough. There was no way they would keep it up for so long. Such an obvious truth, and I only realized it now." Lynn felt a little frustrated.
"I was still blinded by my own assumptions. I know my own talent, but the Church of Light doesn't. At most, they would have considered my Clone a genius with the potential to reach the Saint Domain. They would have taken him seriously, but only to a point."
Lynn examined the mistakes he had made.
...Wutan City, a tavern.
Beneath the dim yellow lights, Xiao Yan, looking "tipsy," leaned back against the bar, focused on the tavern patrons' conversations.
The more he listened, the heavier his heart grew.
From what Xiao Yan could tell, even the red-haired brute with the highest cultivation among the patrons in this small tavern was only a fifth-level warrior.
And yet, this group of commoners, none of whom were above the fifth level, were talking about much the same things Lynn had heard at the gathering of Saint Domain descendants four years ago.
It was terrifying. It meant someone was deliberately spreading this information—a provocation aimed at the three great empires.
"Saint Domain magical beasts are highly intelligent. They rarely attack human cities, since there's nothing to gain from it. In fact, it's only happened once every few centuries. Yet in just four years, these commoners alone have heard of as many as seven attacks!"
"Then there are the unusual moves by the Church of Light and the Church of Darkness. Even the commoners know about them, yet the leaders of the empires still haven't reacted!"
"There must be a reason for all this. Oh no... Starfire City, Yao Lao!" As he thought, Xiao Yan suddenly realized something.
The Church of Light and the Church of Darkness were becoming increasingly active within the empire's borders, and both seemed far less afraid of the empire than before. The Church of Light might take advantage of this opportunity to strike at Yao Lao.
At the thought, Xiao Yan charged out of the tavern and flew toward Starfire City as fast as he could.
The old man leaning by the door watched Xiao Yan leave and blinked in confusion.
"...H-he flew away?" The old man shakily pointed at the sky.
"Another one drank too much. Why not say you saw a Saint Domain warrior while you're at it?" The waiter shook his head.
The night sky was as dark as thick ink. Starfire City lay silent, its outline barely visible in the darkness. Scattered lights glimmered faintly, flickering in the night as if they might go out at any moment.
At the very center of Starfire City, where the lights were brightest, stood the Starfire Royal Palace. From the highest tower, King Luo En gazed toward the Dragon Knight Warrior Academy, his expression complicated, seeming both angry and sorrowful.
"Albert, you've hidden for so long, but this day has finally come."
Albert was Yao Lao's real name.
"The Church of Light is getting bolder and bolder. Why hasn't the empire taken action against them?" Luo En wondered.
In one corner of the city, the Dragon Knight Warrior Academy lay shrouded in shadow, immersed in darkness. A gust of wind blew, and rustling came from the grass outside the academy.
At the academy gate, an old man with white hair and beard leaned against the tightly shut iron gates, his head bowed and a crimson longsword in his arms.
This old man was Yao Lao.
"Since you're here, come on out." Yao Lao suddenly opened his eyes and calmly looked toward the grass nearby.
"Rustle... rustle..."
"As expected of a ninth-level warrior who has comprehended the power of the world. Your senses are truly sharp." A hoarse voice came from the grass.
Then, more than a dozen people emerged.
The old man at their head was none other than Starfire City's Cardinal, Dialuo.
"The disgusting stench of hypocritical virtue coming from you Church of Light people is ten, a hundred times worse than the filth in a latrine. It's hard not to notice." Yao Lao's expression remained calm, as if he were merely stating a fact.
"Heh... After all these years, Albert, you still greet people the same way. What a pity that I won't be hearing it again after tonight." Dialuo sneered, his words dripping with mockery.
"Don't worry. With the vile things you've done, you'll hear plenty more greetings like that." Yao Lao remained calm, not a flicker of emotion on his face.
"What's more, my life won't be so easy to take. You old dog alone won't be enough, even with six Special Envoys backing you!" Yao Lao's expression hardened. He drew the crimson longsword from his arms, and a terrifying aura of killing intent surged into the sky, bearing down on Dialuo and the others from the Church of Light.
"Kill!"
Seizing his chance, a flash of killing intent crossed Yao Lao's eyes. He appeared in front of Dialuo as if he had teleported, thrusting his crimson longsword toward the man's throat.
"Die!"
An attack infused with the power of the world was beyond the reaction of an ordinary ninth-level warrior. Just as Dialuo was about to die—
A figure suddenly appeared in front of him, stopping Yao Lao's killing blow with two fingers.
"Bang!"
"It's you, Theodore!!!" Yao Lao recognized the newcomer, his expression changing violently as he ground out the name through clenched teeth.
The man was Theodore, one of the two founders of the former Holy Radiance Federation and a Saint Domain Warrior of the Church of Light!
Theodore blocked Yao Lao's attack with one hand, then flicked his palm and sent him flying a short distance. His expression remained indifferent as he looked at Yao Lao.
"If you'd just stayed quietly in Starfire City and refrained from making trouble, I might have spared you, for Hector's sake."
"Unfortunately, you didn't take that chance!" Theodore said coldly. "So not only will you die, but that boy named Xiao Yan will die with you!"
"Haha... A chance? Theodore, you joined forces with the Church of Light to kill our ancestor Hector, hunted down my Yao Clan, and shattered my dantian. Even a ninth-level life mage couldn't heal it completely, leaving me unable to break through to the Saint Domain. And you say you gave me a chance?" Yao Lao's face twisted with anger.
"What a joke. An absolute joke!"
"Are those your last words?" Theodore watched Yao Lao's frenzied expression, his own face calm and indifferent.
Yao Lao stared with bloodshot eyes at the man before him, the enemy who had destroyed his clan—the man he had once called Uncle.
"Kill!"
There was no point in saying anything more. Yao Lao knew he would most likely die here today.
But even if he died, he would die on his feet!
"Boom!" Yao Lao desperately drove all the Dou Qi in his body into the crimson longsword, compressing it there despite the damage to his meridians and dantian.
Just as Yao Lao was about to charge forward and fight to the death, a hand suddenly appeared and pressed down on his shoulder.
"I made it just in time. Leave the rest to me!"
Before you continue