An audience

On the third day after Linley returned to the imperial capital, An showed him around the entire earl's estate.

The estate covered a vast area, with a front courtyard, a central courtyard, a rear garden, and training grounds. An artificial lake lay in the rear garden, fed by a tributary of the Yulan River outside the city. Its water was crystal clear. A pavilion stood in the middle of the lake, where An usually meditated.

"Was this estate a gift from the emperor?" Linley asked.

An nodded. "Wharton received it when he was made an earl. I expanded it afterward and doubled the size of the training grounds in the rear courtyard." He pointed toward the training grounds. "Wharton and I usually spar there."

As they spoke, Wharton came in from outside.

"Brother, Her Majesty knows you've arrived and wants to see you both," Wharton said. "At the palace this afternoon."

Linley and An exchanged a glance.

"Let's go," An said.

The imperial palace of the O'Brien Empire stood in the eastern part of Chiyan City, occupying more than a hundred times the area of the Baruch earl's estate. With its red walls, yellow roof tiles, and towering halls, it was a magnificent sight. Two rows of soldiers in golden armor stood at the palace gates, every one of them a warrior of at least the sixth level.

Wharton led the way, with Linley and An following behind. They passed through one palace gate after another before finally stopping in front of a side hall.

"Her Majesty is inside," the attendant at the door announced in a shrill voice. "Her Majesty has summoned only Earl Wharton and his two elder brothers. No one else may enter."

An pushed open the door, and the three of them went inside.

The side hall was small and simply furnished. There was a desk, a few chairs, and a map hanging on the wall. It showed the territory of the O'Brien Empire, with the boundaries of the Seven Great Provinces clearly marked.

Joanne, the empress of the O'Brien Empire, sat behind the desk, reading a document. She was in her fifties, with graying hair and a stern face, but her eyes gleamed with shrewdness. As the ruler of the continent's foremost military power, Joanne was no puppet monarch who merely sat on a throne issuing orders. She was an eighth-level warrior herself and had fought on the battlefield in her youth.

"Your Majesty." Wharton dropped to one knee. "I have brought my two elder brothers for an audience."

Linley and An bowed slightly but did not kneel.

Joanne raised her head and swept her gaze over the three brothers. She had met Wharton many times, but this was her first meeting with Linley and An. She studied the two young men. Linley was tall and slender, with a composed bearing, while An was like a gust of wind, impossible to pin down.

"Rise, all of you." Joanne set down the document and leaned back in her chair. "Wharton, both your elder brothers are remarkable men. Linley, a level seven dual-element mage at seventeen, the second-greatest prodigy in the history of the Yulan Continent. An, also a level seven wind element mage at seventeen, ranked alongside Linley. Master sculptors, dragonblood warriors... My, my. This generation of the Baruch Clan truly abounds with talent."

"You flatter us, Your Majesty," Linley said calmly.

Joanne waved a hand. "Linley, I'm curious. How strong are you now? You were a level seven mage ten years ago. Surely you've made considerable progress since then?"

Linley knew the empress was probing him. With a slight smile, he extended his right hand. Azure wind essence gathered in his palm, forming a rapidly spinning wind blade. As thin as a cicada's wing and almost transparent, it radiated an aura that made the heart tremble.

"A level nine mage."

Joanne's eyes lit up. A twenty-seven-year-old Level 9 Great Mage-his talent was even more astonishing than the reports had suggested.

"And you, An?" Joanne turned to him. "I hear you've been living in the O'Brien Empire for seven years. You must have gained something during that time as well?"

An did not answer. He simply took a step forward.

As he took that step, an invisible pressure radiated from his body.

The air in the side hall seemed to freeze. Empress Joanne abruptly stiffened, and the document in her hand fell to the floor. Two level nine guards hidden behind a screen rushed out.

"Saint... saint-level!" the silver-haired mage cried, his voice trembling.

An let the pressure linger for only three breaths before withdrawing it. The oppressive weight in the side hall vanished abruptly. The two level nine guards gasped for breath, their foreheads covered in cold sweat.

"Forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty." An bowed slightly.

Silence filled the side hall.

Empress Joanne stared fixedly at An, her eyes filled with shock. A Saint Warrior-a twenty-seven-year-old Saint Warrior! Such a thing was unprecedented in the history of the Yulan Continent. Moreover, An was also a peak level nine mage who cultivated two elements. "Genius" was no longer enough to describe someone like him. He was a monster!

"Excellent, excellent, excellent." Joanne repeated the word three times, then rose and paced back and forth across the side hall. Her mind raced. The Baruch Clan had already been astonishing enough with Linley alone, and now an even more terrifying An had appeared. I absolutely cannot offend this clan. I must win them over!

"Wharton." Joanne stopped and turned to him. "I know about you and Nina. Kailan has already withdrawn of his own accord. I'll handle Lanmo. I hear Blumer has challenged you?"

Wharton nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty. Blumer challenged me to a duel at the Combat Arena in one month's time."

Joanne looked at Linley and An. "What do you think?"

"I know Wharton's strength very well," Linley said calmly. "As a peak level nine dragonblood warrior, he's virtually invincible among those at his level. Blumer may be formidable, but defeating Wharton won't be so easy."

An added, "Your Majesty, our Baruch Clan doesn't go looking for trouble, but we aren't afraid of it either. If Blumer wants to challenge him, we'll accept."

Joanne nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Then it's settled. One month from now, I'll attend the Combat Arena myself to watch the duel. If you defeat Blumer, I'll give you Nina's hand in marriage."

Wharton was overjoyed. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Joanne waved a hand. "Don't thank me just yet."

After they left the palace, Wharton suggested paying a visit to the Seventh Princess's Residence.

"Nina has always wanted to meet you," Wharton said. "She says her eldest and second-eldest brothers-in-law are the most remarkable geniuses on the Yulan Continent, and she simply has to see you for herself."

Linley smiled and did not refuse.

The Seventh Princess's Residence stood east of the palace. It was an exquisite compound with three successive courtyards. Two osmanthus trees grew by the entrance. Though it was only early spring, tender buds had already appeared on their branches. The residence was small, but elegance permeated every corner.

Wharton was about to enter when a cold voice came from behind him.

"Wharton, what are you doing here?"

The three turned and saw a young man dismount from a fine horse.

"Blumer." Wharton's voice turned cold as well.

Blumer walked up to them, sweeping his gaze over Linley and An. He did not know Linley, but seeing their resemblance to Wharton, he guessed who they were.

"So these are your two elder brothers?" A hint of disdain crept into Blumer's tone. "One's a mage, and the other... I can't see anything special about him."

An smiled without saying a word.

"Blumer, what are you doing here?" Wharton asked.

Blumer sneered. "What? Do I need to report to you when I come to see Princess Nina? You think Her Majesty will marry Nina to you just because your brothers have arrived? Keep dreaming."

Wharton's expression darkened. "Watch your tongue, Blumer."

The corners of Blumer's mouth lifted slightly. "In one month's time, I'll show everyone that dragonblood warriors are nothing special." With that, he turned away, swung into the saddle, and rode off.

Wharton watched Blumer's retreating figure and snorted. "He has no idea how far out of his depth he is."

Linley, however, frowned. He stepped up beside Wharton and said quietly, "Wharton, never underestimate an opponent."

Wharton fell silent for a moment, then said, "I understand, Brother. I'll prepare properly."

The gates of the Seventh Princess's Residence opened, and a young woman in a pale purple gown stepped out. She had dazzling long golden hair, fair skin, and radiant eyes untouched by any impurity. The moment she saw Wharton, a smile spread across her face.

"Big guy!" Nina ran over and linked her arm through Wharton's. "Why didn't you come in? What are you standing around outside for?"

Wharton smiled and gestured toward Linley and An. "Nina, this is my eldest brother, Linley, and this is my second brother, An."

Nina looked at them, her eyes full of curiosity and admiration. She had long heard stories of Linley and An-level seven mages at seventeen, master sculptors, dragonblood warriors. Every one of those distinctions was astonishing in its own right.

"Hello, Brother Linley, Brother An!" Nina said with a sweet smile. "Wharton talks about you all the time. He says you're the most gifted members of the Baruch Clan."

Linley smiled. "You flatter us, Princess Nina."

An nodded in greeting.

Nina welcomed the three into her residence and brewed tea herself. She sat beside Wharton, nestled affectionately against him. Watching them, Linley thought of Alice, the girl who had once broken his heart. But he soon cast those stray thoughts aside. Let the past stay in the past.