Chapter 215


    On the third morning, Elder Connas and his weary band of adventurers arrived at Azure Mountain.


    After six grueling days and nights of relentless pursuit, their spirits were worn thin. The first two


    days were fueled by purpose and direction, but as time went on, their search became chaotic and


    haphazard, and they were flitting about like headless sprites. The most infuriating part was that from


    beginning to end, they hadn''t caught so much as a glimpse of vin.


    It wasn''t until yesterday morning that they considered the possibility that vin hadn''t actually fled


    that night. They had assumed he had escaped, and in their fervor, they had chased phantoms for a


    hundred leagues, leading their hunt in thepletely wrong direction. Meanwhile, vin likely


    watched them leave like they were fools, then casually circled around, arriving at Azure Mountain


    ahead of them.


    The more they thought about it, the more usible it seemed; otherwise, they wouldn''t have lost


    track of vin sopletely.


    Today, on the outskirts of the mining district, they faced the reality when they were met by vin


    himself, who hadn''t fled at all. They had been yed, and quite thoroughly at that. The cunning


    whelp was certainly too sly.


    "Elder Connas, you lot are too slow. Did you run into trouble on the road?" vin greeted them with


    a smile, nked by five hundred guards of the Mallister family.


    Adirich bristled at the sight of vin''s smiling face, fighting the urge to p him right there.


    Elder Connas'' face was stern as he rebuked, "Who permitted you to leave early? What if you had


    encountered danger? How would we exin that to the Commander?"


    "I was longing for home. It won''t happen again."


    "And where is Elder Vandill? Why did youe alone?" Elder Connas asked coldly, not ready to


    give up. As long as vin was within Cloudveil Woods, there was still a chance to strike. Next time,


    he would not let vin seed.


    "There was... an ident. Elder Vandill made the ultimate sacrifice."


    "Damnation! How dare you jest about such matters?" Elder Connas was furious.


    "No jest. You should see for yourself."


    "Your audacity grows. Step aside!"


    With a cold snort, Elder Connas strode past vin, but stopped in his tracks a few stepster. The


    clearing ahead was filled with bodies, covered in white and ck shrouds, easily numbering seven


    or eight hundred. Elder Connas'' mouth hung open in shock.


    Adirich and the others followed, equally stunned by the sight before them.


    vin approached one of the bodies and lifted the white shroud. "This is Elder Vandill."


    Elder Connas quickly moved closer and, upon seeing the body, recognized Vandill immediately.


    Vandill''s face was pale, eyes wide and mouth agape, as if he had died in disbelief. Could it be that


    Vandill, the esteemed Cobalt Strike Elder, was dead?


    vin stood up. "And these others..."


    "What of them?" Adirich demanded, looking at vin.


    "See for yourself."


    Adirich hurriedly uncovered other white shrouds to find the bodies of the Protégés tasked with


    guarding the Azure Mountain mining district. Bodies, nothing but bodies, densely covered the


    ground.


    They were stunned. What on earth had happened?


    Elder Connas closed Vandill''s eyes with a solemn gesture. Bowing his head and gritting his teeth,


    he struggled to contain his emotions. "vin, I demand an exnation!"


    "Two nights ago, a band of mountain brigands stormed Azure Mountain, looting and killing, and


    forced their way into the manor. Elder Vandill led the guardian Protégés in a bloody battle, ultimately


    falling with honor. s, such a pity."


    "Enough!" Elder Connas rose abruptly, barely holding back a curse.


    vin shook his head, feigning regret. "I know it''s hard to ept, but what''s done is done, Elder


    Connas. Mourn with dignity."


    Elder Connas was seething. Brigands? A bloody battle? Was vin mocking them?


    Adirich and the others took a deep breath, a cold realization dawning upon them. Were they all


    dead? Who had done this? Surely, it was vin''s doing. Did he dare to kill a Cobalt Strike Elder?


    Were all the Protégés slew by his hand?


    Such wickedness, such a foul deed.


    vin continued, "I owe a great debt to Elder Vandill. He sent the Mallister family guards away to


    protect the panicked citizens. Otherwise... well..."


    Lucan and the others exchanged knowing nces. Lord vin''s acting was not half bad. He was


    quite convincing!


    Elder Connas clenched his jaw, suppressing his rage. "What brigands? How could the ones around


    Azure Mountain be so bold as to y a Cobalt Strike Elder?"


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    "We''re just as puzzled. There were a thousand of them, reckless in their raiding and arson. Those


    covered with ck shrouds are the brigands'' bodies, about three hundred, I''d say. The rest fled."