Chapter 3: Gathering at the Small Town
Late at night, in Linley’s bedroom.
The sound of muscles and bones vibrating continuously emanated from Linley’s body. The skin on his surface rose and fell in waves, sweat seeping out from every pore, yet his face remained utterly calm.
At this moment, Linley was cultivating the “Dragonblood Secret Code.”
The first time Linley had stirred the Dragonblood Warrior bloodline within him, he had directly entered the realm of a sixth-stage warrior. According to the records of the Dragonblood Warrior secret code, at the beginning of cultivation, the Dragonblood Warrior bloodline within the body was very concentrated, making progress extremely rapid.
The further one progressed, the harder it became.
Especially after reaching the ninth stage, breaking through to the Saint Domain would likely take more time than all previous cultivation combined.
“Now that the Radiant Church values me, combined with my identity as a master sculptor, I hold a transcendent status. But my own strength isn’t strong enough. They treat me with courtesy mostly because of my potential. To seek revenge, my own power is insufficient.”
Linley was well aware that his strength was still lacking. After all, he couldn’t just transform into a ‘Dragonblood Warrior’ form to kill people.
Unless absolutely necessary, Linley had no intention of assuming the ‘Dragonblood Warrior’ form. If others discovered he could transform into a Dragonblood Warrior, the consequences would be dangerous. The reputation of Dragonblood Warriors was too prominent.
Once a Dragonblood Warrior stepped into the Saint Domain, they would undoubtedly become a top-tier Saint Domain powerhouse.
“Boss, isn’t this too exhausting?” Bebe lay on the bed, watching Linley cultivate.
Not only Bebe, but Doehring Cowart also appeared nearby. Doehring Cowart understood Linley’s state of mind. His father’s sudden death, coupled with the revelation that his mother hadn’t died in childbirth but had been abducted—these two events had struck Linley simultaneously.
This blow was far heavier than Alice’s change of heart.
Doehring Cowart could sense the boundless hatred and murderous intent deep within Linley’s heart. He knew that if Linley’s inner hatred wasn’t properly channeled and released, he might eventually become a bloodthirsty madman.
“I hope Linley can take his revenge soon. Otherwise, the longer he remains in this state of mind, the more his personality will change.” Doehring Cowart felt a hint of worry.
******
The next morning.
Many servants of the Baruch clan were busily preparing various food materials. Linley, who had been cultivating all night, walked out of his bedroom and watched the bustling servants.
“Linley, some big shots might come today. Are you just going to handle it like this?” Doehring Cowart appeared beside Linley.
Both Linley and Doehring Cowart had guessed that the bigwigs of the Radiant Church and the high-ranking nobles of Fenlai City would soon learn of Linley’s father’s death. Most of them would likely come to pay their respects to Linley’s father. Naturally, Linley would have to receive them.
The food materials Linley had prepared were decent enough. But the chefs were lacking—just two cooks from Wushan Town with passable skills.
“You’re going to have the town’s two chefs entertain those big shots?” Doehring Cowart said with a smile.
“Let them taste our country folk’s dishes; that’s already generous enough.” With that, Linley went to eat breakfast. After finishing, he continued kneeling in the living room to observe mourning. Around seven in the morning, the sound of horse hooves echoed outside the Baruch clan estate.
A luxurious carriage procession stopped at the estate’s gate.
“Third brother!” A familiar voice rang out.
Linley, kneeling in the living room, turned his head toward the gate. He saw Yale, Reynolds, and George rushing in first. After suffering two heavy blows in a short time, Linley’s mood was as dark as could be. But seeing his three brothers, who had grown up with him at the Ernst Institute of Magic, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Yale, George, and Reynolds entered the living room and knelt on the central prayer mats, kowtowing.
“Third brother, I got news of your father’s death last night and immediately fetched the second and fourth brothers. I guessed many nobles would come today, so I brought several top chefs from Fenlai City, rushing over overnight,” Yale said in a low voice.
“Thank you.” Linley could guess how hurried his three brothers had been.
Gathering chefs, preparing the carriage procession—Reynolds and George had probably rushed from the Ernst Institute of Magic to Fenlai City, then set out with Yale late into the night.
“Third brother, don’t be too sad,” George said, gently patting Linley’s shoulder.
Reynolds stood beside Linley. “Linley, no matter what happens, you still have us three brothers. Whatever comes, don’t let it knock you down. Stay strong.”
Linley looked at Reynolds and smiled faintly.
Even the usually mischievous Reynolds could say something like this. Linley felt a warmth in his heart.
After all, no matter what, he still had three good brothers.
“Thank you.” Linley glanced at Yale. “Big brother Yale, I’ll leave the task of entertaining those nobles to you. I have no experience with this.”
Yale nodded. “Don’t worry. I brought plenty of people. The reception will be handled well.”
……
The usually quiet Wushan Town was no longer peaceful that day. The townsfolk gathered in small groups, chatting about the luxurious carriage procession that had just arrived.
“That morning procession had over a hundred horses, and the carriages were incredibly lavish. Those majestic knights… I’ve never seen such a grand procession in my life,” an old man exclaimed, gazing admiringly at the carriages outside the Baruch estate.
The nearby residents nodded in agreement.
In an ordinary town, they rarely had the chance to see such luxurious processions. Just a few days earlier, Linley’s return with a cavalry unit had already sparked endless discussion.
“Do you think Master Linley has become a high-ranking noble out there?” a woman speculated. “Just two days ago, I saw him leading a powerful cavalry unit back.”
Throughout the morning, Wushan Town buzzed with chatter.
But around eleven o’clock, the ground began to tremble. The townsfolk felt the dense, rhythmic sound of horse hooves.
The sound was far more intense than that of Yale’s earlier procession.
Clad in gleaming armor, a powerful cavalry unit galloped at the front. Behind them came two extremely luxurious carriages, each pulled by four strong horses. The drivers were burly warriors.
Behind these two carriages were more wagons loaded with various gifts, followed by a cavalry escort.
The townsfolk of Wushan Town looked up.
The awe-inspiring aura of the Radiant Church’s elite knight order made every resident feel as if a mountain were pressing down on them as the cavalry charged forward. Their hearts trembled, and the sight of the luxurious carriages dazzled their eyes.
“Who are these people?” The townsfolk were both shocked and puzzled.
This procession also stopped at the gate of the Baruch estate.
Inside the estate, people were busy arranging the carriages and horses.
“His Eminence, Cardinal Guillermo! His Eminence, Cardinal Lampson! Arriving—!”
The high-pitched voice rang out from within the Baruch estate, causing the townsfolk outside to stir.
Cardinals!
The Radiant Church’s cardinals were figures of supreme status in the eyes of the commoners of the Holy Alliance. To them, cardinals were like stars in the night sky—dazzling and brilliant, yet unattainable. But today, two cardinals had come to a small place like Wushan Town.
“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”… The sound of horse hooves rang out again. Shortly after the cardinals’ procession entered, another large procession of similar scale arrived. This one was even more extravagant than the cardinals’, with beautiful maids and palace attendants with skin as fair as women.
Golden, opulent carriages.
The majestic knights displayed their superb horsemanship, their synchronized hoofbeats drumming against the hearts of Wushan Town’s residents.
The townsfolk were dumbfounded.
“These… these big shots?” Many residents had never seen such important figures in their lives.
When this procession stopped at the Baruch estate gate, a voice came from inside: “His Majesty, King Clay of the Kingdom of Fenlai! Arriving—!”
“The King!”
The townsfolk exchanged glances.
To the residents of a kingdom, the king was like the brightest sun in the sky, the one who held power over life and death. Yet the king, who should have been in his palace, had come to tiny Wushan Town.
The sound of horse hooves continued.
One procession after another arrived at the Baruch estate gate.
“His Grace, Duke Patterson of the Kingdom of Fenlai! Arriving—!”
“His Lordship, Marquis Jeb of the Kingdom of Fenlai! Arriving—!”
“His Lordship, Count Juno of the Kingdom of Fenlai! Arriving—!”
“Miss Dylia of the Ryan clan of the Yulan Empire! Arriving—!”
“Lord Bernard of the Debs clan of the Kingdom of Fenlai! Arriving—!”
…
The announcements left the townsfolk of Wushan Town completely stunned. Why were so many high-society big shots gathering in this ordinary town today? The residents could guess.
If there was any major event in Wushan Town, it was only Hogg’s death.
But Hogg was just a small-town noble. Would his death bring the king of a kingdom and the cardinals of the Radiant Church? The townsfolk couldn’t help but think back to Linley’s return with a cavalry unit a few days earlier.
“This must all be related to Master Linley.”
Though the ordinary residents didn’t know the details of Linley’s affairs, they could figure it out.
******
In the living room of the Baruch estate, Linley knelt to the side.
Cardinals, the king, dukes, marquises, counts—one noble after another either bowed or sincerely knelt to kowtow. Although Cardinal Guillermo and others only bowed, those who could command such respect were invariably major figures.
Yet today, they bowed to the deceased Hogg.
“Linley, don’t be too sad,” Guillermo said softly beside him.
“Thank you!” Linley slightly bowed in acknowledgment.
“Linley, your father’s death is truly regrettable,” King Clay also offered his condolences.
A moment later.
“Linley, don’t be too sad,” a clear voice said.
Linley looked up. Dressed in simple attire, Dylia was looking at him with concern.
“Thank you,” Linley said softly.
Dylia nodded slightly and was led aside by a servant. One noble after another came to pay respects to Linley’s father. Even Lord Bernard, the patriarch of the Debs clan, came to offer his respects.
“Master Linley, don’t be too sad,” Bernard said politely.
Linley again expressed his thanks with a bow: “Thank you!”
…
“His Grace, Duke Patterson of the Kingdom of Fenlai! Arriving—!” Suddenly, a voice rang out from outside.
Linley frowned slightly.
His father’s death was connected to this Patterson. But Linley knew that his father had changed his appearance to infiltrate the duke’s estate. Patterson probably didn’t know that Linley’s father was the man his subordinates had gravely wounded, leading to his death.
Patterson looked very much like Clay, with the same golden hair and eyes as sharp as a thunderhawk’s. His posture was straight, exuding an aristocratic air.
Patterson entered the living room and bowed respectfully before Hogg’s spirit tablet.
“Master Linley, don’t be too sad,” Patterson said sincerely as he approached Linley.
Linley looked up at Patterson, meeting his friendly, earnest eyes, and replied with the same polite words: “Thank you!” On the surface, there was no difference in how Linley treated Patterson compared to anyone else.
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**Update Delay Notice**
Tomato said today that there would be three chapters to make up for the one from the day before yesterday.
But Tomato really wasn’t in the zone while writing today. The writing itself was unsatisfactory… Tomato can only tell everyone that even if he doesn’t sleep tonight, he will still release three chapters.
However, Tomato can’t guarantee the timing.
This feeling of squeezing out words like toothpaste is truly painful… I’m really sorry… Tomato will keep writing. Don’t wait up too much. By the time you wake up tomorrow morning, the three chapters will definitely be there.
Apologies!