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Month of the Scorching Wind (the eighth month).
If this were Arlin or Altor, the heat would already be unbearable, the very air seeming ready to ignite — but in this bustling, cramped, chaotic city whose architecture seemed drawn from the styles of countless nations across the continent, cool breezes still drifted gently by, like a warm and blossoming March.
This was Severgul, deep in the northwestern reaches of "the Northern Lands" — the "Eastern Exile Lands," surrounded on all sides by towering ancient trees!
Because the prosperous city-states along the
But in reality, "the Northern Lands" stretched from the Shachran Empire's northwestern provinces in the west all the way to the northernmost tip of the endless ocean's estuary — the Ice-Free Port of Mintak — in the east, bordering the Flame Fortress and the
Severgul held a unique position, sitting at the boundary between the Northern Lands' coastal heartland and the vast primeval forests of the Shachran Empire's northeastern territories. Since the Northern Church and the Arcane Council stood opposed to each other, and neither could project their influence deep into this area, it had become a no-man's land. Exiled nobles and criminals from the Shachran Empire gradually gathered here, building the city of Severgul along with numerous estates throughout the valley — collectively known to outsiders as the Eastern Exile Lands.
These unruly and ruthless characters fought trolls and other monsters while developing smuggling trade. Though they had established rough laws on the surface, beneath that veneer lurked danger at every turn. "The law of sword and magic is the law of the Northern Lands!"
Yet because they monopolized the smuggling trade between the Northern Lands and the Shachran Empire, countless merchants and adventurers craving gold still braved the dangers to come here, keeping the place remarkably prosperous. Of course, the vast majority of merchants had recruited capable subordinates or mercenaries; otherwise, they would have been killed and tossed into the forest as feed for wild beasts long ago.
Lucian strolled leisurely through the crossroads of Severgul, his destination the Ancient Pine House ahead — according to the Arcane Council's records, it was one of Severgul's more renowned intelligence organizations.
Dressed in a white shirt, a black double-breasted frock coat, a top hat, and a monocle, Lucian — young, handsome, and lacking any sufficient air of intimidation — appeared to the residents of the Eastern Exile Lands as nothing more than a succulent, fattened piece of meat. Many who passed him cast cold, appraising glances up and down, calculating how they might create an opportunity to kidnap him.
"His clothes scream understated luxury — he must be carrying quite a fortune. Tsk, even if he were a pauper, with that face and that bearing alone, you could train him up and sell him to some noble lady or lord in the Shachran Empire as a secret lover." Two brawny men with obvious barbarian blood exchanged remarks as they brushed past.
"Let's observe a bit longer. Anyone who dares come to the Eastern Exile Lands alone must have some backbone — don't judge by appearances. How many fools have died because they underestimated old people, children, women, or scrawny youths?" Another man replied in a low voice.
These unrepentant, ruthless criminals who had survived to the present had, for the most part, cultivated a cautious character. But once they confirmed their target lacked sufficient strength, they would unleash the most vile, most vicious, most unbridled side of human nature.
Before setting out, Lucian had not only converted all two thousand two hundred pre-paid Arcane Points into arcane potions, spell-casting materials, gold, and a "Mage's Cottage," but had also received a strange potion called the "Blood Purification Potion" from the Will of Elements — compensating for the latent trauma induced by consuming the "Weeping Soul" and elevating his strength from quasi-knight to the level of a full knight. So even without extending his spiritual perception, his ears directly picked up the two men's conversation. He merely smiled and shook his head. "As expected of the Eastern Exile Lands…"
Unfortunately, the Arcane Council's research into potion-based bloodline enhancement went no further than this. The higher one climbed, the greater the role played by one's own willpower, rooted in one's personal knightly creed. If Lucian had received proper potion assistance back in Arlin, there might have been hope of him becoming a Second-level Knight like Duke Vaolet. But with his own self-brewed ancient potions driving the process, becoming a full knight at all was already a testament to how effective the "Blood Purification Potion" had been.
Lucian walked through the streets of Severgul as though he had heard nothing, and soon arrived at the entrance of the "Ancient Pine House," its façade decorated with a painted camellia.
A hulking brute standing by the main gate extended his right arm, blocking Lucian as he made to enter. His rough, coarse voice dripped with mockery: "This is no place for little children."
As he spoke, he flexed the bronzed muscles of his right arm, displaying his strength.
Lucian smiled without a trace of anger: "Then what kind of person is allowed in?"
The brute snorted coldly and pointed at the motto carved above the door, saying nothing.
Beside the camellia, rendered in both Shachran script and the Common Language, were the words: "Money, or Power."
Lucian smiled and nodded: "I understand."
The hulking brute suddenly felt that the young man before him was the person he most admired and most feared in the depths of his heart — as though he were one of the few powerhouses who upheld the Eastern Exile Lands. His back curved like a drawn bow as he smiled obsequiously: "Respected sir, please, come right in, come in — my mouth was unclean just now."
While delivering resounding slaps to his own cheeks, he led Lucian inside the building, his companion watching with bulging eyes.
"Tony, is — is he possessed by a ghost?!" The cool August breeze of Severgul swept past, and his companion couldn't help but shiver. The sudden shift from arrogance to servility was truly bizarre. "Could he — could he be a full mage? But I didn't sense any arcane fluctuations at all!"
After a moment of hesitation, the man hurriedly turned and ran into the Ancient Pine House to notify the person in charge.
Meanwhile, the human traffickers who had been trailing Lucian swallowed hard. If they had rashly moved against him just now, would they have ended up like Tony?
He had "controlled" Tony without any perceptible arcane fluctuations — this was absolutely not something an ordinary mage could accomplish! Even the ancient high-level mages hidden behind the Eastern Exile Lands would presumably find it no easy feat!