A month isn't long—just enough time for the mountain wildflowers to bloom and wither once. Nor is it short—more than enough time for a storm to brew in silence. But for Finn, every moment was like sand slipping through his fingers, something to be held onto tightly. With the unseen weight of the Starfall Sect pressing down on him, he had to convert every available resource into tangible strength as quickly as possible. The treasury of one hundred thousand gold coins mentioned by Lady Isolde Vance was the brightest, heaviest weight on his side of the scale.
The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten and the mountain mist had yet to fully dissipate, Finn had everything arranged. A reinforced carriage stood at the gates of Blackwind Keep, its wooden planks studded with new iron strips and its wheels wrapped in thick iron sheets, looking thoroughly sturdy. Valerius Caedo had changed into a dusty set of linen clothes, the collar mended with a patch. He had completely suppressed his aura, becoming as unnoticeable as a stone as he silently held the horse's reins, playing the part of a taciturn driver. Cassian Vex was left in charge of Blackwind Keep's daily defenses and overseeing the intensified training of the men. Most importantly, he was to keep a close watch on the third young master of House Tenebris in the dungeon—ensuring he neither escaped nor died.
With all preparations complete, Finn lifted the curtain, gesturing for Isolde and her young handmaiden, Lilith, to board. The carriage wheels crunched over the gravel of the mountain gate and headed toward Silverwood Prefecture, kicking up a trail of dust.
For the first two days, the atmosphere inside the carriage was frozen solid, so heavy it was hard to breathe. Isolde and Lilith huddled together in a corner, their eyes occasionally darting towards Finn, filled with an unconcealable awe. After all, just a few days ago, this was the man who had turned the shrine into a river of blood, felling several experts with casual ease. They even softened their breathing, terrified of disturbing this god of slaughter.
Finn, however, paid them no mind. He leaned against the carriage wall with his eyes closed, his fingertips twitching occasionally as he felt the ceaseless flow of Douqi within his body after his breakthrough to Mortal Rank 8. It was like a mountain stream, coursing smoothly through his meridians, every part of him brimming with a sense of potent energy.
The wheels turned with a steady rumble. The mountain roads were rough, and the occasional jolt of the carriage seemed to shake away some of their tension. Once they left the Gryphon's Roost Mountains and reached the relatively flat main road, the atmosphere inside finally began to relax.
Perhaps it was because Finn had shown no hint of his murderous aura for two days, remaining quiet except for necessary questions, that Isolde gradually lowered her guard. She secretly observed him, beginning to see him less as a pure "killing demon" and more as an unfathomable partner—one with both strength and reason.
Finn was the first to break the silence. He opened his eyes, his calm gaze falling on Isolde, devoid of emotion and filled only with pragmatic curiosity. "I don't know much about the situation in the Savage Reach, especially the intelligence organizations that operate beneath the surface. Lady Vance is of noble birth; I presume you have a deeper understanding of these matters."
The question was direct, with no beating around the bush. Isolde was momentarily taken aback, but she quickly realized this was an opportunity to build rapport and demonstrate her value. She sat up straighter, smoothed the hem of her dress, and began to speak slowly. "The powers in the Savage Reach are a tangled mess, but only two giants at the very top truly call the shots: one is the Governor's Citadel, directly under the Empire's command and holding military power; the other is the hereditary Duchy of Southmarch, which has incredibly deep roots. These two are the rule-makers of the frontier. No one dares to provoke them lightly."
She paused, took a sip of water from her flask, and continued, "Below them are the hegemonic powers that control the three major prefectures. Silverwood Prefecture, where we are headed, belongs to a region controlled by 'The Trident League'—they are immensely powerful and have many capable experts under them. Besides them, another region is held by 'The Iron Sword Order.' Those men are all clad in heavy armor and wield longswords; their combat strength is formidable. The last major region is the domain of 'The Goldhand Consortium.' It is said they have mountains of gold, and even the Governor's Citadel has to show them some respect. Each of these three organizations has at least two or three Champion-rank experts. It's no exaggeration to call them regional warlords."
"Further down the ladder are factions like the Eighteen Clans of the Gryphon's Roost Mountains, where having a single Champion-rank expert is enough to dominate your own territory."
Her words laid out a clear map in Finn's mind, sketching the power pyramid of the Savage Reach. He now had a better grasp of the landscape and, more importantly, his own position within it—still in the lower-middle tier, with a long way to go.
Beside them, Lilith summoned her courage and asked in a small voice, "Mr. Adler... who did you learn martial arts from? How did you become so powerful?" The fear in her eyes had vanished, replaced by a thick curiosity. Her bright eyes were fixed on Finn as if she were looking at a living legend.
Finn merely glanced at her without a word. This well-timed silence only added to his mystique. Lilith didn't dare press further and meekly shrank back.
Just as the atmosphere in the carriage had begun to lighten, the vehicle slowly came to a halt. The sound of the wheels rolling over the ground ceased, leaving only the whistle of the wind against the canvas cover.
Caedo's gentle, unwavering voice came from outside, as if stating a simple fact. "My Lord, the road ahead is blocked."
The tension in the carriage snapped back instantly. Isolde's face changed in a flash. She carefully lifted a corner of the curtain, and after a single glance, her face turned deathly pale, like paper. Her hands began to tremble.
Not far ahead, a roadblock had been erected across the main road—several thick wooden posts lay horizontally, wrapped in barbed wire. Dozens of warriors armed with sharp blades stood on either side of the road, their expressions stern and their auras strong. The man leading them was none other than the grim-faced old butler from House Tenebris, his eyes as cold as ice. Beside him stood several men in fitted blue attire with the emblem of a trident embroidered on their chests. Their posture was ramrod straight, and their presence felt as heavy as a stone—they were clearly experts. They were all holding a portrait, checking every traveler who passed, not even letting a single carriage go uninspected.
The person in the portrait—her features, her profile—was unmistakably Isolde.
"It's... it's the Trident League..." Isolde's voice trembled with disbelief. "How can this be...? Why are they with people from House Tenebris?"
Lilith was shaking from head to toe, tears welling in her eyes. "My lady, what do we do?" she cried. "Your fiancé... isn't he the direct disciple of one of the Trident League's elders? They should be protecting us, why are they stopping us?"
That sentence struck Finn's mind like a bolt of lightning.
He understood everything in an instant. Isolde's plan had been to return to Silverwood Prefecture, seek refuge with her fiancé, and use the power of the Trident League behind him to protect herself and the treasury. But the scene before them shattered all her hopes.
The very power that was meant to be her sanctuary had now become the enemy blocking her path.
Finn's gaze sharpened, sweeping over the roadblock like a blade. The situation was crystal clear to him. No matter how powerful House Tenebris was, it was still just a noble family. How could they dare to cooperate with a hegemonic power like the Trident League? And to go to such lengths as setting up a checkpoint...
Their goal was definitely not just the hundred thousand gold coins.
Lady Isolde Vance was hiding a much bigger secret—a secret big enough to unite two major powers against her.