The sky above Origin Island is exceptionally clear, stretching for miles. Every now and then, enormous Hunting Hawk soar across the heavens, their wings cutting through the air with sharp, piercing cries. From time to time, the earth-shattering cries of eagles echo through the layers of white clouds. This is the paradise of the Hunting Hawk clan.
Both Two-Winged Pegasus were Fourth-Tier Transcendent, possessing intelligence comparable to that of an ordinary adult. Moreover, they had built-in precise positioning capabilities, allowing them to carry their masters to their destinations without requiring human piloting.
Inside the carriage, the decor was rather simple, but the space was extremely spacious. The group sat around a small round table. The butler Kabo, smiled and took out a wooden jar from the cabinet next to him. After opening the seal, a refreshing herbal fragrance filled the air.
The old count sniffed, then his eyes lit up. "Hmm? This fragrance... it must be Chu Yun tea."
"Young Master Kevin's nose is as sensitive as ever," Kabo chuckled, taking out his tea set and beginning to brew tea.
"Although I don't like drinking tea, my father is much like that boy Logo; he enjoys it, unlike most of us Gendaya People. I don't know who I inherited that from." The old count shook his head helplessly, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his aged eyes.
Logo noticed this and sighed inwardly.
Approaching his second breakthrough to Legendary, coupled with his reunion with his old butler Kabo, the old count's mood became noticeably more sentimental, not much different from that of an ordinary old man. His demeanor showed no trace of the bearing of a Peak Tier Nine Transcendent powerhouse.
Whether it's good or bad, Logo can't say for sure. Breaking through to the Legendary is a life-or-death hurdle for the old count; once he passes it, everything will be fine, and he'll live for a thousand years.
If he fails to break through, he will return to dust and ashes, and will most likely perish on the spot. After all, the old count's Life Essence has become too dormant. Once it is rekindled, he will either break out of his cocoon and become a butterfly in one go, or he will be scattered with the wind.
In this situation, theoretically speaking, an unwavering will to move forward should be the correct state, but sometimes relaxing one's tense nerves is not necessarily a bad thing. A balance between tension and relaxation may be more helpful in breaking through the life-or-death barrier.
"You must have taken after the old lady. She loved drinking, especially strong liquor. All the good wines in our cellar were collected by her. It's a pity they're now in the hands of the White Wolf Kingdom." Kabo sighed, then, perhaps realizing he shouldn't have said those things, quickly changed the subject and continued talking about the tea being brewed.
"Chuyun Tea, this is a tea variety personally cultivated by our old master. He even specially invited a botanical master from the Elf Race. This tea has an enticing fragrance, but after brewing, the aroma becomes more subtle. However, once you taste the tea, the fragrance suddenly bursts forth, reaching straight to your soul. The taste is exquisite..."
As he brewed the Chu Yun tea, the Kabo kept muttering to himself, just like the old count, like an ordinary old man. However, the Kabo's temperament was more like that of an old farmer who had worked in the fields for half his life—simple, down-to-earth, and pure.
The old count, however, was like a veteran who had returned from the battlefield, sheathing his sword, outwardly calm but inwardly seething with turbulent emotions.
Soon, the Chu Yun tea was brewed. Logo picked up a cup, took a sip, and instantly, the aroma of the tea exploded in his mouth, spreading outwards and transforming into a surge of spiritual energy that rushed into his mind, invigorating him.
"Excellent tea!" Logo exclaimed, then looked at Butler Kabo and asked, "Grandpa Kabo, did you grow this tea yourself?"
"That's right. Now, in our entire clan, besides the old man, who else can grow such high-quality Chuyun tea?" Kabo Capo said with a hint of pride.
Logo smiled faintly, chatted with the old man for a few more minutes, and then seemingly casually asked, "Grandpa Kabo, I'd like to ask you a question, if that's alright?"
"Your Excellency, please ask. This old man will answer to the best of my knowledge." Kabo Capel quickly straightened his posture.
Seeing this, Logo chuckled and said, "Why are you so nervous? Relax, I'm not an outsider."
The Kabo simply smiled, his attitude remaining unchanged.
Seeing this, Logo's heart stirred slightly, and he gained a deeper understanding of the old butler. His gaze involuntarily drifted to the old count, who raised an eyebrow smugly, as if to say, "Aren't my people quite good?"
With a slight smile, Logo asked, "I'd like to ask you, what are your thoughts on the New Blood Faction and the Old Blood Faction?"
Kabo Capel immediately said, "I don't care about the New Blood Faction or the Old Blood Faction. I only know that my old master picked me up from a pile of corpses and later gave me the blood of the Gendaya Tribe. So I don't care about the distinction between new blood and ancient blood. As long as Young Master Kevin makes a decision, I will obediently follow behind and serve him faithfully."
Logo nodded slightly. "I know of your loyalty, of course. Perhaps I haven't expressed myself clearly enough. Let me rephrase my question: What are your thoughts on the political stance of the New Blood Faction? We don't need to consider our position; just consider your perspective."
At this point, Kabo Capo understood the true purpose of Logo's question. After thinking for a moment, he said, "To be fair, for us Gray-Eyed Blood Descendants, the New Blood Faction's claim to create a society where all members are completely equal and to eliminate discrimination against Gray-Eyed Blood Descendants is certainly very tempting. After all, nobody wants to be inferior to others for the rest of their life, right?"
Logo narrowed his eyes slightly. "Then... if you had to choose between the New Blood Faction and the Royal Court, which side would you choose?"
Upon hearing this, Kabo trembled violently. After a long silence, he slowly said, "I don't know. If it weren't for the ties between Young Master Kevin and the old master, then..."
"Alright, I understand. You are very honest, which is a good quality." Logo smiled faintly, picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and a serious look appeared in his eyes.
By observing just one aspect, one can understand the whole picture. It's easy to imagine how intense the social conflicts are in the Royal Court right now. If things aren't handled properly, it could very well escalate into a situation of division.
Moreover, the Royal Court has more than just the New Blood and Ancient Blood factions.
Integration Faction vs. Independence Faction, Radical Faction vs. Conservative Faction...
Multiple factions are embroiled in infighting, each with their own interests intertwined with the others, throwing the once-rigorous and simple social structure of the Royal Court into chaos. Not to mention, external threats are escalating...
"What a mess!" Logo rubbed his temples.
In the eastern part of Origin Island, a towering building stands on the earth, reaching a height of over a thousand meters. At its very top is a giant eye that radiates seven colors under the sunlight, a truly magnificent sight.
Stepping down from the carriage, Logo looked up, gazing silently at the very top of the building, "The Eye of Gendaya..."
Indeed, the eye at the very top of that building is one of the Gendaya Tribe's most treasured artifacts, the Eye of Gendaya.
A six-star Legendary quality Demigod, the hall of legacy for the Slaughter Knight, the resting place of every Gendaya People, and the common "mother" of the Gray-Eyed Blood Descendants.
Compared to the formidable reputation of the Scythe of Slaughter, which intimidates all heroes, the Eye of Gendaya is not as well-known in the outside world.
However, within the Royal Court, the Scythe of Scythe of Slaughter can never compare to the Eye of Gendaya.
"With the Eye of Gendaya monitoring all directions, the overall defense level of Origin Island has been raised by at least two levels," the old count remarked.
"When do you plan to officially enter the Sea of Slaughter and begin your journey to breaking through to the Legendary?" Logo asked.
The old count said, "Let's wait until after the big gathering. I don't think I'll be able to go to the Martial Arts Tournament to cheer you on."
"These are minor issues. Once you achieve Legendary, there will be plenty of opportunities to watch Martial Arts Tournament in the future. There's plenty of time."
"Indeed!" The old count laughed heartily, then pointed to a huge stone monument standing next to the kilometer-tall building.
The stone tablet was seven hundred meters tall, its surface shimmering with a smooth, blood-red sheen. It was covered with densely packed tiny characters, which Logo could clearly see as names.
"This is the Heroic Spirit Monument, erected here by the Grand Elder himself a hundred years ago. It records the names of those who sacrificed themselves for the people in the past century. It is to constantly remind our people that the shame must never be forgotten, and that one day we will avenge them!" The old count said, unconsciously clenching his fists. As a firsthand witness to that disaster, his feelings were far more profound than those of the younger generation like Logo and Tiffany.
The old count had witnessed the Royal Court's Royal Court glorious moments, experienced the helplessness and bewilderment of its sudden collapse, and endured the desolation of leading his people across mountains and rivers to settle in a foreign land...
In him, one can see the entire Gendaya Royal Court, a microcosm of more than a hundred years.
"You must break through to the Legendary, otherwise how can you witness me leading the Royal Court to rise again?" Logo walked to the old count's side, turned his head and smiled.
"Now that you mention it, my chances of successfully breaking through have increased by another twenty percent!" The old count composed himself and laughed heartily. "Alright, enough chit-chat, let's hurry up and finish paying our respects at the Heroic Spirit Monument, then head to Silver Peak Island."
"Good!"
Logo naturally had no objections.
Silver Peak Island.
This is the main base of the Silver Peak Clan, located in the north-central part of the island. The ancient building complex stretching to the horizon resembles a giant beast lying on the earth, welcoming visitors from all directions.
After paying their respects at the Heroic Spirit Monument, Logo and his group arrived at Silver Peak Island.
Looking at the endless stream of various vehicles in the sky, Logo and the others gained a more direct understanding of the Silver Peak Clan's influence.
Caesar leaned against the window, "As expected of the Silver Peak Clan, one of the Seven Great Clans, their pomp and circumstance are truly extravagant."
The carriage slowly descended, and Logo and his entourage alighted. Several guards approached, and upon seeing the count's gold insignia worn by the old count, Gain, and Logo, they immediately stood at attention and saluted, "Greetings, Your Excellencies!"
"Hmm, may we go in now?" The old count nodded slightly and asked.
"Please wait a moment while I collect your information. It will be quick." The head guard said, raising his wrist and scanning the count's gold insignia on Logo and the others in turn.
As a symbol of status, the noble badges issued by the Royal Court were all recorded, each with a different shape, representing a different person, making them virtually impossible to counterfeit.
Soon, the head of the guards learned the identities of Logo and the others through the communicator and received instructions from his superiors to personally lead the way.
The head guard bowed slightly and said, "Gentlemen Earls, please follow me. Grand Duke of Silver Peak was delighted to hear of your arrival and is now waiting in the reception room."
"Grand Duke of Silver Peak? We're going directly to see him?" The old count was surprised; normally, that wasn't the procedure.
"That's what we were told. We're quite curious too; perhaps there's something special about your group," the head guard said with a smile.
"Something different about him..." the old count murmured to himself, then looked at Logo beside him and nodded knowingly, understanding the reason. "It seems I'm getting this opportunity thanks to you. It's not easy to meet the Grand Duke of Silver Peak so quickly."
"You're not necessarily benefiting from my influence. Perhaps the Grand Duke is just encouraging you because you're about to break through to the Legendary," Logo with a slight smile.
The old count strode forward. "Hmm... that's possible, but I still think he's after you. This old man knows his place."
Logo didn't say anything more, just smiled and shook his head, then followed behind the head of the guards.
Along the way, the group passed through many checkpoints and finally arrived at an extremely magnificent castle.
This castle is tall and ancient, its architectural style quite different from modern ones, possessing a very strong primitive flavor—rugged, unrestrained, and wild!
"Silver Peak Castle, a four-thousand-year-old ancient building, is very famous. I've always wanted to visit it, but I never had the chance before. This time, I can finally fulfill my wish." Tiffany walked around, looking at her surroundings with shining eyes. She had a special love for this kind of ancient architecture.
It is worth mentioning that the Red Maple Clan, White Ape Clan, and Thorn Clan are all branches of the Silver Peak Clan; otherwise, the relationship between the three clans would not be so close.
Unlike Tiffany's seemingly artistic aesthetic, Caesar's focus was very clear: he only stared at sparkly things, especially glittering, jewel-encrusted objects, which were most likely to entice this rogue dragon. "Tsk, did you see that display? Genuine deep-sea blue pearls, each worth at least 500,000 Ta Pound. There are three of them here together, aren't they afraid someone will steal them?"
Crassus gave Caesar a disdainful look and said irritably, "As long as you don't have designs on it, even if others have the desire, they don't have the guts."
"That makes sense," Caesar said, pursing his lips.
The guard who was leading the way twitched at the corner of his mouth and silently sent a message to his superiors, requesting that Caesar be closely monitored.
After a few minor incidents, the group finally arrived at the reception hall.
On the throne sat a gaunt old man with a hooked nose, deep-set eyes, and a sharp, eagle-like expression.
Upon seeing Logo and the others enter, his gaze first lingered on Gain, then turned to the old count, and finally settled entirely on Logo.
"See? They really came for you."