Chapter 220


    Deep into the night, the Lord of Golden Scorch, Lawren, made his way to the secretive depths of


    the city to awaken the old Lord, Lanard.


    "Father! I''ve just received wonderful news!" Lawren greeted with a bow, unable to conceal his


    excitement beneath his handsome and schrly demeanor.


    "I''m nearly one with the grave. What news could be so good?" Lanard, his hair as white as frost and


    his face lined with age, slowly emerged from the dim recesses. His gaze was still sharp despite his


    advanced years.


    "The Mallister family... they are returning!"


    "What has happened?"


    "Do you remember vin?"


    "vin?" Lanard pondered, then recognition dawned. "The Mallister''s only son? The one sent to


    Cobalt Strike?"


    "It''s him! He served as a bondservant for eight years, and who knows by what stroke of fortune his


    strength soared so rapidly. Not only was he chosen to partake in The sh of Eight Orders, but he


    also secured a top five ranking in the tournament."


    "Oh?" Lanard expressed his surprise. Making a name for oneself in The sh of Eight Orders was


    no simple feat, and to be among the top five was to be renowned across the Nortnds.


    "Not even Cobalt Strike knows what''s happened to him, but that''s not important now. What matters


    is that the Cobalt Strike Commander has pardoned vin''s servitude, elevating him to a Golden


    Protégé, and has even forgiven Stormcast!"


    Lanard nodded slowly, then something came to mind, and he suddenly looked up, locking eyes with


    Lawren.


    Lawren, unable to contain his excitement, nodded vigorously. "The Mallister family—they''re


    returning!"


    "Good! Very good!" Lanard eximed thrice in approval. "Who of the Mallister family still lives?"


    "Just Zakar and Helna, aside from some others of no consequence."


    "It''s good that some survived." Lanard swung around, striding into the ndestine chamber. He


    made his way to the furthest corner, where he began rummaging around, only to unveil a sheer,


    stone chest of considerable bulk. Roughly three meters in length and a meter wide, the chest bore a


    cloak-and-dagger resemnce to a sarcophagus, shrouded in the room''s deepest, darkest


    recesses.


    "Eight years! It''s been eight years!"


    Lanard slowly opened the stone chest, and insidey a heavy, ancient greatsword, unremarkable in


    its dullness and heft. Aside from showing its age, nothing else about it stood out.


    Lawren followed him in, his heart racing at the sight of the greatsword within the stone chest. After


    eight years, they might finally unlock its secrets.


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    Eight years prior, they had received word that Cobalt Strike might be conspiring with Stormcast in a


    covert operation involving a mysterious relic that could ensure Cobalt Strike''s enduring prosperity.


    Fueled by ambition, Lanard had acted on this information, ambushing a Stormcast''s convoy and


    seizing all the tribute. Yet, after scouring the tribute, all they found was this ancient de, and


    despite their efforts, they could not unveil any of its mysteries.


    Initially, they believed they had been yed for fools, risking so much for a worthless item.


    However, Cobalt Strike''s subsequent fury and punishment of the Mallister family, as well as the


    envement of all Stormcast members to the mines, made Lanard realize there must’ve been


    deeper secrets within the ancient sword.


    For years, he had pondered and strived to no avail. In his view, there were only two ways to unlock


    the secret – interrogate the surviving Mallisters or question Cobalt Strike.


    Thetter was, of course, out of the question, unless they had a death wish. The former was also


    unlikely, as the Mallisters were all held in Azure Mountain, and the Rocke familycked the power to


    extract them from the heavily guarded mines. As years passed, the matter was slowly set aside.


    "To think I might unlock the ancient sword''s secrets in my lifetime," Lanard said, cradling the old


    de with excitement. He was convinced it held a great secret, be it Combat Magic, a legacy, or a


    relic, any of which could usher the Rocke family to glory.


    Lawren, gazing at the ancient sword, was ovee with emotion. "Father, if the secret of the


    ancient sword helps you break through to be an Archmage, our family will be free from Cobalt


    Strike''s influence and establish a firm foothold in thends of the Nortnds. Your life will be


    extended as well."


    Lanard gently caressed the old greatsword. "When do the Mallisters move out of Cloudveil Woods?"


    "I''ve just received word they''ve started their to relocate. They''re expected to leave within seven


    days."


    "There are only three who may know the secret from back then, Zakar, Helna, and vin. Make


    certain you find out promptly, but be discreet—don''t alert Cobalt Strike, and don''t turn this into a


    spectacle. Do you understand?"


    "Father, rest assured, I''ll unearth the secret without anyone being the wiser. Neither the Mallisters


    nor Cobalt Strike will connect it back to the past events."