Seraphina and Alex were each surrounded by their respective family guards for protection.


    Seraphina was d in a white dress as pure as snow, with her ice-blue hair naturally cascading over her shoulders, and her fair skin resembling smooth white jade.


    She was tall and graceful, with stunning beauty, marred only by the perpetual coldness on her beautiful face, as if it were encased in eternal ice.


    At the moment, Alex was fervently attempting to engage Seraphina in conversation, babbling non-stop, trying to connect with the daughter of the lord of Sterburg.


    Unfortunately, Seraphina paid him no heed.


    Alex wasn''t bothered by her attitude; Seraphina''s aloof nature was well-known in Sterburg''s circles.


    It didn''t matter whether you were a wealthy scion or a prodigious talent; she treated everyone with the same indifference.


    Lucas was a prime example, being the noble heir of House Carter and having pursued Seraphina for three years, yet she wouldn''t spare him a word if she chose not to.


    As Alex continued his relentless chatter,


    Seraphina seemed to suddenly notice something, her gaze shifting towards the direction of the Withered Forest.


    Alex paused, following her gaze.


    He could only catch a fleeting glimpse of someone wearing a ck mask, vanishing in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace behind as if it were all just a trick of the eye.


    Confused, Alex looked at Seraphina, only to find her gaze had returned to the blood-colored peak, lost in thought and silent.


    Hesitating, Alex cautiously approached and asked, "Miss Seraphina, was that member of Hidden Stars a friend of yours?"


    Although he only caught a brief glimpse, Alex still noticed the distinct ck mask on the other''s face.


    Such unique masks were exclusively worn by members of Hidden Stars, making them easily recognizable.


    After Alex spoke, he expected Seraphina to ignore him as usual, but to his surprise, she actually responded.


    Before he could rejoice, however, the words that came from Seraphina froze the smile on his face.


    Seraphina said indifferently, "Not a friend, just a coward who took advantage of me and yet doesn''t dare to face me."


    Despite the calmness in Seraphina''s voice, the slight hint of resentment was like a thunderp in Alex''s heart.


    Alex stood stiffly for a long while, processing the information, and then silently turned to leave.


    In his heart, he suddenly felt a bit sad for the rumored heir of House Carter.


    This significant figure from the imperial capital probably didn''t know that someone had secretly encroached on his territory.


    ...


    John hadn''t gone far, and his hearing was excellent.


    Thus, Seraphina''s words reached his ears without missing a beat.


    The corner of John''s mouth twitched involuntarily, knowing that Seraphina''s words were actually meant for him.


    But he couldn''t possibly go to Seraphina now.


    It wasn''t that John was worried about his identity being exposed; after all, if there hadn''t been any mishaps, his identity would already be known, or else the people from House Carter wouldn''t have found him.


    So hiding his identity seemed unnecessary for him now.


    What concerned John the most was the meaningful look Theodore had given him.


    To be honest, even now, recalling that look made John''s skin crawl.


    Being noticed by a transcendent-tier powerhouse was not something to be pleased about.


    Therefore, under Theodore''s watchful eye, John decided it was best to keep his distance from Seraphina, to avoid provoking Theodore''s ire and potentially being reduced to ashes with a mere wave of his hand.


    After all, for a transcendent-tier magus, such an act would be trivial.


    At this moment, John had reached the location of Old Dog and Gold sh.


    Using the "Stealth Spell" taught by the old cripple to mask his presence, he remained unnoticed even at a close distance.


    This Stealth Spell was incredibly effective, rendering him undetectable even to awakeners several levels higher than him, which was quite overpowered.


    Thinking back, John hadn''t had the chance to visit the old cripple in Sterburg due to time constraints during hisst visit.


    He made a mental note to seek him out for a thorough discussion if the opportunity arose after returning this time.


    John didn''t rush to announce his presence. Curious to see when Old Dog and the others would notice him, he stood in an inconspicuous corner.


    As time passed, more people gathered at the foot of the mountain.


    Old Dog and hispanions continued their recovery and conversation.


    Gold sh sighed, "I didn''t expect this mission to be so challenging. The Dusk Sect''s fanatics have also shown up, no wonder the boss had to step in personally. This isn''t going to be simple. Remember to double-check everythingter to ensure no one slips through the."


    Old Dog, replenishing his strength with special food, grumbled in response to Gold sh''sment, "Those cultists are truly devious, utterly unpredictable. If I hadn''t reacted quickly, my head would probably be rolling on the ground by now. We''ll wipe out those dogs sooner orter!"


    As Silver Tear tended to Old Dog''s gruesome back wound, his mention of the cultists seemed to conjure a horrifying image in her mind, causing her to shudder violently.


    This sudden movement made Old Dog grimace in pain, howling, "Ow, ow, ow, Silver Tear, be gentle!"


    Silver Tear snapped back to reality and quickly apologized, "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, my mind wandered."


    Dark Fox was quietly eating, not saying a word, but her gaze became more solemn upon hearing "Dusk Sect," clearly taking the organization seriously.


    John''s eyebrows twitched at the mention of "Dusk Sect."


    In this world, besides regr awakeners, there were those who worshipped dark gods, often causing destruction wherever they went.


    "Dusk Sect" was one of the most infamous cults in the Federal in recent years, known for its brutal methods despite its rtively short existence of just over a decade.


    John remembered something the old cripple had mentioned casually.


    A few years ago, under the leadership of their bishop, "Dusk," the Dusk Sect had attempted a massive sacrificial ritual, nning to offer up an entire city''s poption in a heinous act.


    Fortunately, the Federal''s powerhouses intervened in time, preserving the count of Federal''s 720 cities.


    No wonder Old Dog and Gold sh appeared so grave; they were indeed facing a formidable foe.


    While John was lost in thought, Dark Fox, who had been focusing on her food, suddenly looked up.


    She nced towards John''s location with heightened alertness, instinctively gripping her staff tighter.


    She was about to warn the others when she recognized John, pausing in surprise.


    The others noticed Dark Fox''s reaction and followed her gaze.


    Seeing John, they were all taken aback.


    Old Dog eximed in surprise, "You cheekyd, how did you get here? Weren''t you leveling up outside?"


    The group looked at John in astonishment.


    It took quite some nerve for him to sneak over and join them, especially considering this was a high-level area where any random monster could easily overpower him.


    John smiled and exined, "I was drawn here by themotion. The monsters outside are all worshipping in this direction and didn''t attack me, so I took the opportunity to sneak over."


    Hearing John''s exnation, the others finally understood.


    Only Dark Fox continued to stare intently at John, beads of cold sweat even emerging on her forehead beneath her silver mask.


    Dark Fox was acutely aware of how close John had been to them without their notice, unsure of how long he had been standing there.


    Even if they had been somewhat careless, Dark Fox was certain that if it had been a confrontation of equals, John could easily have taken them all down without them realizing it until it was toote.


    Dark Fox pursed her lips.


    This neer was indeed no simple character!


    From the start, she had sensed that John might not be as ordinary as he appeared.


    Otherwise, Victor wouldn''t have personally invited him to join the elite ranks of Hidden Stars'' Red Gloves.


    Even so, she hadn''t expected the young man''s abilities to have reached such a level.


    If not for her innate strong mental power and keen perception, she might not have detected his presence at all.


    Truly a terrifying individual!


    Noticing Dark Fox''s gaze, John smiled at her without offering any exnation.


    Everyone has their secrets, and even the closest of allies can''t share everything.


    That was John''s practice; under any circumstances, he always kept some cards close to his chest.


    Dark Fox seemed to understand John''s stance.


    After a moment of silence, she ultimately chose not to disclose what she had noticed.


    After all, they were currently on the same side, and John harbored no ill will towards her; there was no need for her to do so.


    Besides, didn''t she have her own secrets to keep...