Chapter 50

Chapter 50

“No, what would we even be doing that late?” Pelan paused, letting out a yawn. “I just didn’t sleep well.”

“Oh yeah?” Sipo glanced at Pelan’s heavy dark circles with a mix of doubt and curiosity.

“Yeah…” Pelan rubbed his sore eyes.

“Actually, we didn’t do much,” Lou Guanyue said, clasping his hands together and looking seriously at Pelan before suddenly adding, “My teacher had a gift for me, so we returned to our rooms a bit later.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the expressions of several people—including Isadel—changed. Their eyes slid meaningfully toward Pelan, who was hanging his head listlessly.

“Hmph.” Carlos snorted coldly, took two steps forward with his magic staff, and complained, “No wonder you don’t even have your qualification certificates. You can’t even manage the most basic punctuality expected of adventurers—making the rest of us waste our time waiting for you?”

Sipo shot him a slight frown. “How are they not punctual? It’s exactly the agreed meeting time. Pelan and the others aren’t late.”

Carlos curled his lip. True, they weren’t late—but he *had* waited for them for quite a while.

Isadel clapped her hands, her tone gentle but firm. “Alright, since everyone is here now, let’s set off!”

At the back of the group, Isadel quietly tugged at Pelan’s sleeve, slipping a warm tin into his hand and whispering, “I noticed you hadn’t come downstairs, so I guessed you probably didn’t have time for breakfast. I specifically asked the chef to save a portion for you.”

“Thank you for your concern, Miss Isadel. However, I also prepared breakfast for my teacher.” A breakfast materialized in Lou Guanyue’s hand. He smiled as he offered the steaming wrap to Pelan.

“Two portions? Thank you both.” Pelan asked, pleasantly surprised, holding both warm breakfasts to his chest.

Soon, Pelan discovered a new dilemma.

Didn’t that mean he had to eat both breakfasts at the same time?!

The morning mist had not yet dissipated. Under the huge arch of the Mercenary Guild, many teams preparing to head to Kaiva City were already ready to depart. Dozens of White-winged Horned Horses pawed the ground, the bells on their necks jingling crisply with their movements, breaking the morning calm of the square.

Isadel walked over with a hint of regret. “There aren’t enough White-winged Horned Horses left in Golent Port. Most were rented out by adventurer teams that left days ago. I only managed to borrow three.”

White-winged Horned Horses are the artificially bred descendants of the rare super-tier magical beast, the Pegasus. Although they can’t match the Pegasus’s speed and strength, domesticated White-winged Horned Horses are docile and friendly toward humans. They fly very fast through the air and are highly popular flying mounts.

The Mercenary Guild employs specialized beast tamers who breed Horned Horses for renting out to adventurer teams on missions.

Not all places have Teleportation Magic arrays, and the vast majority of mages haven’t reached the super-tier—unable to use teleportation magic at will.

Therefore, having a magical beast for transportation is particularly convenient.

Of course, there are also adventurers who have formed contracts with magical beasts. Besides the Horned Horses, the square was filled with various other breeds of magical beasts.

A massive Spiritflame Maggot appeared beneath Carlos. Beneath its obsidian-like carapace, orange-red energy surged visibly. This was a high-tier flying magical beast, and its attributes were highly compatible with Carlos’s.

The nearby Horned Horses, sensing the Spiritflame Maggot’s aura and pressure, trembled and shrank back fearfully, all moving away from it.

This was the terrifying oppressive force a high-tier magical beast exerted on lower-tier ones. If not for the Pegasus blood still flowing within the Horned Horses, they might have been scared into incontinence on the spot.

No wonder Carlos was usually so arrogant—he *did* have something to be proud about.

He glanced sideways at Lou Guanyue and the other three, snorting disdainfully. “I have my Spiritflame Maggot, so I won’t compete with you for the Horned Horses.”

Isadel frowned slightly. Her contracted beast couldn’t fly, so she still needed to ride a Horned Horse for travel. Carlos was usually very possessive of his contracted beast and most likely wouldn’t allow others to ride his Spiritflame Maggot.

There were seven of them. Even if two people shared one horse, it still wouldn’t be enough.

Unless Carlos was willing to carry one more person.

Seeing her furrowed brow, Pelan understood she was troubled about the horses. He said after a moment’s thought, “It’s alright. I can follow you by air.”

“No.”

“No.”

Isadel and Lou Guanyue spoke simultaneously.

Isadel resisted the urge to look at Lou Guanyue and said to Pelan, “It’s too dangerous for you to fly out in the open. Not to mention whether your flying speed can keep up with the Horned Horses—if your mana runs out or you encounter a magical beast attack, it would be troublesome.”

Lou Guanyue said with his usual smile, “I have a magical item that allows flight. I can take my teacher with me.”

A flying magical item?!

This was an even rarer magical item than a spatial ring. To think Yue actually had one on him.

Sipo smiled and nodded at Isadel. “Izavel has a flying contracted beast. I can share a ride with him.”

Isadel was momentarily stunned but not overly surprised. She said cheerfully, “Good, then it’s settled! These three Horned Horses will be for Sophia, Malo, and me—one each.”

Carlos’s expression darkened. These people had shattered his hope of sharing a ride with Isadel!

He sneered coldly, his tone full of disdain. “Who knows if some people are just spouting nonsense? Do they really think flying magical items and flying contracted beasts are like Glowing Orchids—that you can just pluck one wherever you go?”

Sipo needled him lightly but pointedly. “With some people’s limited perspective, of course they can’t imagine realms beyond their reach.”

“You!”

Pelan glanced surreptitiously at Lou Guanyue, curious to see what other amazing magical item he would produce.

Suddenly, a series of footsteps sounded from behind.

Looking back, figures in silver-white and gold robes emerged from the morning mist. The sun-wheel emblems on their chests reflected dazzling light in the sun. Leading them was Field, who had lost to Lou Guanyue in the duel yesterday.

Field was dressed today in the white and gold robes of a church member. A faint bruise marked his forehead, and a bandage was wrapped around his left chest. His arrogant blue eyes now churned with resentment and unwillingness—but in the presence of the Archbishop, he was struggling to maintain his composure.

“It’s them.”

Field’s voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly reached the ears of Pelan and the others. He stepped aside, gesturing to the red-robed Archbishop beside him.

The Archbishop slowly lowered his hood, revealing a face with sharp features. His gaze swept over the people present, finally settling on Lou Guanyue.

“Archbishop Karlf.” Isadel was startled. Why would the Archbishop of Hoplar’s northern district appear specifically over a junior’s duel?

“I am Karlf, one of the six Archbishops of the Church of Light.” He gave a slight nod to Isadel, his eyes fixed intently on Lou Guanyue, carrying an air of unquestionable authority. “You are Yue? The swordsman who defeated Field in a duel yesterday—and nearly killed him?”

Karlf?

Such an important figure, appearing here! And asking to see the swordsman named “Yue.”

Sipo gave Pelan a puzzled look. A duel? They went looking for a duel yesterday? Such an interesting thing—and they didn’t invite him!

In contrast, upon hearing Karlf’s name, Lou Guanyue showed neither the expected delight nor panic. He simply gently pulled back Pelan, who had been about to step forward to shield him, and said flatly, “That’s me. What is it?”

Field clenched his fists tightly, his eyes locked onto the spatial ring on Lou Guanyue’s finger. He forced out a slight smile. “I haven’t come to erase my defeat. It’s just that there seems to be some misunderstanding regarding the duel’s wager. That longsword belongs to the Church—not to me personally.”

“Oh?” Lou Guanyue raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “So you mean, Archbishop Karlf is here to help you reclaim that sword?”

“Young man, I can prove that sword is a lost item of the Church—not Field’s property. Please return it to the Church.” Karlf said, his voice low and grave.

"If I refuse?" Lou Guanyue looked at Karlf, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly, showing not a shred of respect.

Karlf narrowed his eyes. "Young man, don't set your sights on what isn't yours. Hand over the demonic sword, and the Church will offer you appropriate compensation."

Karlf raised his hand slightly, and the Knights of Light behind him simultaneously took a step forward, the clanging of their armor ringing out in unison.

Pelan tightly clenched the sleeves of his robe. These people from the Church of Light were going too far, acting so high-handed!

He noticed the fleeting smugness at the corner of Field's mouth and the cautious attitude of the Knights of Light.

That demonic sword was definitely not just a demon lord's personal weapon. It was a pity he hadn't mustered the courage last night and asked Yue to let him examine the sword closely.

The atmosphere around them instantly grew tense, but Isadel took a stand behind Lou Guanyue, her beautiful eyes staring Karlf down.

"Bishop Karlf, this sword is, after all, Yue's spoils of war. You cannot simply take it away."

Isadel was someone the Church was keen to recruit. Karlf's expression softened slightly when he addressed her. "Who said I intended to simply take it? We are not unreasonable."

He gestured, signaling a knight behind him to step forward. "If you are willing to return the demonic sword, the Church is willing to trade you something just as good."

The knight produced three boxes of varying sizes from a dimensional pocket and opened them one by one in front of everyone.

Karlf listed them off. "Dawn Crystal, can ward off a killing strike and generate a protective shield around the user for thirty seconds. Demon-Breaker Blade, a masterwork longsword engraved with magic runes, incredibly sharp, able to easily pierce defensive barriers."

Inside the last box lay over a dozen energy cores.

These were accepted everywhere on the Yakalanst continent, usable for trade.

Lou Guanyue stroked his chin, speaking unhurriedly. "Exchanging the demonic sword for these three items? It's not entirely out of the question..."

Field's face darkened. "What three-for-one? Do you have any idea how valuable any one of these treasures is? Greed will be your downfall!"

Lou Guanyue's slender fingers lightly brushed his dimensional ring, and a longsword exuding a sinister demonic aura appeared in his hand.

He casually twirled it into an elegant flourish, the tip of the sword abruptly pointing towards Karlf.

Under Karlf's suddenly icy gaze, Lou Guanyue smiled. "My apologies, did I scare you? My point is, don't tell me this sword isn't worth more than these trinkets?"

The square fell into a deathly silence.

Karlf remained silent for a long while before finally speaking slowly. "Young man, you are clever, and ambitious. Perhaps you cannot yet comprehend that those who are too clever often come to a bad end."

Lou Guanyue kept his smile in place, offering no response.

Karlf raised his hand, and the three boxes were brought before him.

"Deal."

Lou Guanyue smiled faintly and handed the demonic sword to Karlf.

Field looked like he was about to pass out. He opened his mouth to protest, but under Karlf's stern look, he ultimately remained silent.

Karlf took the sword, giving Lou Guanyue a look that spoke volumes. "Remember, the price of some things far exceeds their inherent worth."

The Church members turned and left. Field shot a venomous glare back before reluctantly departing.

Once the figures of the Knights of Light disappeared from view, Isadel finally allowed herself to exhale deeply. Mindful of her ladylike demeanor, she could only lightly touch her cheek, giving Lou Guanyue a helpless look. "That was too risky of you."

"Risk? He's got a death wish, and he's gotten us all on Archbishop Karlf's bad side! It's over, everything is ruined!" Carlos's face was deathly pale as he glared hatefully at Lou Guanyue.

"It's all your fault! How dare you provoke someone from the Rodney Family? Now look, not only have you offended the Rodney Family, but you've also managed to offend the Church!"

"Rest easy," Lou Guanyue glanced at him dismissively. "They have no time to harbor grudges against a nobody like you."

"You wanna say that again?!" Carlos's face flushed crimson.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Isadel cut in, rubbing her temple. "We've already dawdled long enough. If we don't set off now, we won't reach Kaiwa City before noon. Do you want to travel hungry?"

Carlos snorted, commanding his Spiritflame Worm to launch skyward.

"Let's see what you've got for flying—"

Carlos's words cut off abruptly as he saw Lou Guanyue fling a longsword into the air, leap up, and balance steadily upon it.

"Teacher, let me help you up." He smirked, extending a pale, slender hand towards Pelan.

Pelan's eyes widened instantly. He didn't immediately take Lou Guanyue's hand, instead gently touching the sword hovering in mid-air.

Wasn't this the weapon Yue used in yesterday's duel with Field?

Pelan remembered this 'culprit' that had cut him all too well.

It was actually a magical item capable of flight? That was unbelievable! But such a slender sword... wouldn't he fall off standing on it?

But Yue was standing so steadily. He could do it too!

Pelan gave himself a mental pep talk. Placing his hand in that broad palm, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "What do you call this magical item?"

"It's called 'Sword Flight'."

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Author's Note: Rambling:

Lou Guanyue: Allow me to demonstrate—masterful Sword Flight technique! Teacher, hold on tight and steady yourself!

Pelan: Shaking, shaking, shaking... QAQ Are we really not going to fall? If we fall, we won't die, right?

I, I, I've pushed myself and updated early! And it's not short at all, hmph!