Seeing Quick’s fanatical expression, the group found it difficult to understand for a moment. Was the quadrennial Magic Grand Arena actually less popular than a singer's concert?
Xi Xi stood on her tiptoes and curiously poked the poster. To her surprise, the poster actually emitted a melodious prelude, and the image of Xue Ying lightly turned around, her lips parting to sing a short melody.
The voice flowed like a clear spring, causing passersby to stop in their tracks involuntarily.
“Is this... a magic enchantment? Or some kind of memory technology?” Maela examined the poster in astonishment. “Using it for promotional posters... isn't that a bit of a waste?”
“Supposedly, this is a new invention from the Shining Silver City-State. It’s the first time it’s been used on such a large scale for promotion. We thought it was amazing the first time we saw it too!” Quick explained to everyone with a smile.
As they spoke, a group of young people dressed in blue formal wear passed by pushing a small cart, handing out glowing badges to passersby.
The youth leading them enthusiastically pressed a snowflake brooch into Xi Xi’s hand. “Little sister, please come and support Miss Xue Ying!”
As a member of the Dragon Race, Xi Xi was completely unable to resist the temptation of such shiny things. She accepted it immediately and happily pinned it to her chest.
“It seems this songstress has much more influence than we imagined,” Starlight said with a slight nod, looking thoughtful.
For the rest of the way, Quick was frantically recommending Xue Ying’s songs to everyone, acting as if he were her manager.
However, taking advantage of this opportunity, the group finally gained a certain understanding of the singer.
As they chatted, the group soon arrived before a mansion that was magnificent yet understated and steady.
The estate did not use the gilded decorations common in the noble district. Instead, it was built of sturdy grey-white granite, with the walls covered in emerald-green ivy, exuding a sense of heavy history.
The mansion’s gates were made of two heavy slabs of black ironwood, inlaid with the House of Mars crest—two crossed longswords surrounded by a ring of thorn patterns.
“So this is it...”
Starlight looked up at the main building, which was over ten meters tall, noting that every window was equipped with metal shutters that could be closed quickly. He could even vaguely see the lines of magic defense arrays under the eaves.
“Sigh... Alright. Though I’m not very willing, welcome to my home, the mansion of the War God Grand Duke.” Looking at the familiar scenery, Po Kong-Mars let out a small sigh before turning to speak to the others.
Quick was about to step forward and knock, but the heavy black ironwood gates opened automatically. A booming voice rang out from within: “You brat! So you finally decided to come home?!”
A tall, blond, middle-aged man stood in the center of the hall with his back to the group.
Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around, revealing a face that was seventy percent similar to Po Kong’s—only more sharp and angular.
The man had short, neat hair with some frost-white appearing at his temples, but his eagle-sharp eyes remained as bright as torches.
“Father,” Po Kong-Mars said, instinctively straightening his back and speaking respectfully.
“Good, very good!” The man scanned his son from head to toe with a sharp gaze, a hint of an appreciative smile gradually appearing on his chiseled face. “I didn’t expect that after running off for a few years, you would actually make such progress.”
He then turned to the group and elegantly performed a standard noble salute. “Welcome to my humble home. I am Merlo-Mars, Po Kong’s father and the Acting Patriarch of the House of Mars.”
“You all must be exhausted after traveling from so far, but please wait a moment. The kitchen is already preparing a welcome banquet.” Merlo-Mars said, making an inviting gesture. “But before that, my father has something to discuss with you.”
“What? Grandfather is in the Royal Capital?” Po Kong-Mars was startled. “Wait, Dad! You said he wants to see ‘us,’ not just me?”
A meaningful smile curled at the corner of Merlo-Mars’s mouth. “Why do you think I was waiting here? From the moment you stepped through the city gates, the old man already knew.”
“Fine... Why do I feel like this isn't going to be anything good...” Po Kong-Mars scratched his hair and muttered under his breath, but he still obediently led Starlight and the others to the second floor.
Starlight and the others exchanged looks, all seeing an irrepressible anticipation in each other's eyes. The title of Po Kong’s grandfather—the contemporary War God Grand Duke, “Sword Saint Cang Lan”—was legendary across the entire Leon Continent.
During their journey, they had heard too many stories about this legendary figure. These deeds were praised to the point of being nearly mythical, so much so that it made people doubt their authenticity.
But no matter which version of the story it was, Sword Saint Cang Lan’s greatest label was “invincible.” It seemed that as long as he took action, there was nothing in this world that could not be accomplished.
Starlight and the others were naturally very interested in such a powerhouse, and to be able to meet him now was truly fortunate.
Led by Po Kong-Mars, the group walked down a long corridor. Before the heavy wooden door at the very end, the air seemed to grow considerably heavier.
Po Kong-Mars looked at his companions and took a deep breath. Just as he raised his hand to knock—
“Come in, little ones.” A vigorous and powerful voice came through the door, peaceful in tone yet carrying an unquestionable majesty.
Po Kong-Mars gently pushed open the wooden door, and a faint scent of ink greeted them.
Inside the study, a white-haired elderly man stood by the floor-to-ceiling window with his back to the group, the afterglow of the setting sun plating his pine-straight back with a layer of gold. When he slowly turned around, he revealed an ordinary face lined with the furrows of time.
Starlight and the others instantly held their breath. They hadn't expected the legendary “Sword Saint Cang Lan” to be such an ordinary-looking old man.
But soon, Starlight discovered the terrifying part. Even though the War God Grand Duke before them hadn't released a shred of aura, the space in the entire room had fallen into a strange atmosphere.
Completely different from the near-nothingness of Grandmaster Mowei’s presence, the War God Grand Duke seemed to become the center of the world just by standing there.
His silhouette was like an invisible gravitational source, causing even light to warp. Starlight was horrified to find that even the mana within his own body was involuntarily flowing toward the old man.
This overwhelming presence instantly reminded them of the late Gold Flame Dragon King Seranox. It was a similarly suffocating majesty, as if they were facing not a living being, but an eternal and unchanging law.
“Grandfather, you should restrain your aura a bit,” a gentle voice suddenly rang out from a corner of the study, like a clear spring waking everyone from that suffocating pressure. “Look at how you’ve scared these children.”
Starlight and the others turned their heads to look, only then noticing Sui Yun-Mars looking at them with a face full of smiles in another corner of the study.
Under the powerful gravity of Sword Saint Cang Lan, they had actually failed to realize there was someone else in the room.
However, as they looked closer, they saw that Sui Yun-Mars was currently sitting in a wheelchair. His complexion looked very listless, a world of difference from when they had last met.
“Big brother?!” Po Kong-Mars’s pupils shrank as he rushed to the wheelchair. The Sui Yun-Mars before them was a shadow of his former self.
His once-robust frame had thinned considerably, and his handsome face bore a sickly paleness. Even his eyes, which were always full of spirit, had dimmed significantly.
“It’s just that the injuries from last time haven't recovered yet. It’s no big deal,” Sui Yun-Mars shrugged nonchalantly, acting as if he didn't care at all.
But even such a simple movement caused dense beads of sweat to break out on his forehead. Starlight and the others immediately realized something was wrong.
“Still trying to act tough!”
Sword Saint Cang Lan snorted coldly, and the terrifying gravitational field in the room instantly dissipated. The old man strode to a bookcase, took down a crystal bottle, and slammed it down in front of Sui Yun-Mars. “This is today’s portion of medicine. Not a single drop is to be left.”
A strange, dark green liquid churned inside the bottle, with hideous bubbles surfacing from time to time. Sui Yun-Mars’s smiling face immediately collapsed. “Grandfather, this stuff tastes worse than poison... Can we skip it for today?”
...
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