Chapter 4

In the Lunewell family's main hall, the head of the family sat in the seat of honor. Satisfaction shone on Cassian's face as he listened to one flattering remark after another.

He took in every smiling face in the room. After all, he had raised a daughter worth boasting about.

Since Helena rose to prominence and joined the Beastmaster Order, families and factions had come in a steady stream to curry favor with the Lunewells. Their visits had nearly worn down the doorstep.

In recent days, Cassian's ego had swelled. It no longer mattered whether a family stood on equal footing with the Lunewells or held slightly more power. Cassian looked down on them all.

Helena would only grow stronger. When that happened, the Lunewells would rise with her.

An old housekeeper rushed into the hall. "Lord Lunewell, bad news."

Cassian shot him an annoyed look. "Why are you panicking like this? Speak properly. Don't you see we have guests?"

The housekeeper caught his meaning at once and stepped forward to whisper in his ear. "Lord Lunewell, Lord Aeron Stormvale of the Black Zenith Order is causing trouble in the front hall. He has already forced his way inside."

Cassian's expression changed at once. "Gentlemen, something urgent has come up, and I must attend to it at once. Please visit again another time. Someone, escort our guests out through the north gate."

The housekeeper moved immediately and led the guests away.

Soon, only Cassian and a young man in light blue armor remained in the hall. Victor Stokeworth, a distant relative, had spent years wandering outside before recently seeking refuge with the Lunewells. Cassian had kept him close because of his youth and solid foundation.

"Uncle Cassian, what happened?" Victor asked.

"Aeron, Lord Stormvale of the Black Zenith Order, has come here to cause trouble," Cassian said, his tone dark.

"That piece of trash actually came here to make trouble?" Victor let out a cold snort. "I knew he would not let go so easily. Helena is no longer what she once was. She's a future top realmstrider now, and Lord Ironclaw values her highly."

Cassian nodded. "You're right. Aeron saw that Helena is about to soar, so he ran here because he cannot accept it. In the past, our family might have feared him. Now there's no need."

The Lunewells had already cut ties with the Black Zenith Order and aligned themselves with the Beastmaster Order.

So what if Aeron was his order's Young Lord? What could he do? Swallow the Lunewell family whole? At worst, they would report the matter to the Beastmaster Order. There was no way they would ignore it.

"Other than Aeron, who else came with him?" Cassian asked the housekeeper with a frown.

"No one else, Lord Lunewell. He came alone."

"Alone?" Cassian's surprise deepened.

In the past, whenever Aeron traveled, the Black Zenith Order sent at least one elder with him. Yet this time, he had come without a single elder.

Did Aeron really think that, as Lord Stormvale, no one would dare touch him? Without the elders protecting him, he would have died countless times already.

"Uncle Cassian, do you think the Black Zenith Order has already given up on that trash?" Victor asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Given up on Aeron? That seems unlikely…" Cassian frowned.

Victor pressed. "Why unlikely? Think about it. Aeron always had elders with him when he went out, but not this time. What does that tell you? It tells you the Black Zenith Order no longer values him.

"On top of that, Helena publicly announced her withdrawal from the Black Zenith Order. They were humiliated and even offended the Beastmaster Order.

"The higher-ups must be furious, but they can't vent that anger on the Beastmaster Order. Aeron is useless, so they would naturally take it out on him.

"If Aeron hadn't been wronged, why would he come here to make a scene?"

Cassian found the reasoning convincing. From what he knew, Aeron's parents were missing, and the order's Grandmaster had vanished years ago. The order now held together under the Elder Ena and the rest.

If Cassian were in their position, he would have cast out a useless burden with no backing. Keeping such a person would only waste resources.

The housekeeper hurried in to report, "Lord Lunewell, Aeron is here."

"He still dares to force his way in?" Cassian let out a cold snort. "Does he think our family is still what it used to be? A mere piece of trash dares to come here and make trouble."

He strode out of the main hall with Victor.

At that moment, Aeron approached, dragging Thomas by the leg. The latter's chest had collapsed inward, and blood covered his mouth. It was unclear whether he was alive or dead.

Cassian's face darkened at once.

"You did this?" he demanded, glaring at Aeron.

"That's right," Aeron said with a nod.

"You are the Young Lord of the Black Zenith Order, yet you throw your weight around and injure people inside my estate," Cassian said, his voice icy. "Do you really think you can trample over my family? I'll give you one chance to admit your mistake. Get on your knees now, and for my daughter's sake, I may choose not to pursue this."

"And if I don't get on my knees?" Aeron asked.

"If you refuse, I will teach you a lesson in place of your elders," Cassian said.

Cassian moved to act, but Victor stepped forward first. "Uncle Cassian, pieces of trash like him aren't worth dirtying your hands. Let me handle it."

He had only just joined the Lunewells. This was the perfect chance to prove himself.

"Fine," Cassian said. "Teach him a lesson. However he treated my nephew, treat him the same way."

"Understood." Victor grinned. As a Level 2 Spirit Condensation realmstrider, he found it easy to deal with a Level 7 Spirit Refining realmstrider.

"Worthless piece of trash. Today, I'll personally teach you what it means that there is always someone stronger."

He swung at Aeron's face, using only 30% of his strength. He had no intention of killing Aeron outright. He wanted to humiliate him first. After all, how often did a man get the chance to slap the Young Lord of the Black Zenith Order?

Cassian watched with narrowed eyes. In the next instant, Aeron's face would swell from the blow.

A sharp crack rang out. The one who got hit was not Aeron, but Victor.

Before Cassian could react, Victor had already been sent flying. The bones in his face shattered on impact as he crashed to the ground.

Aeron stepped forward and planted his foot on Victor's neck. The spine snapped. Victor's body jerked once, then went limp.

He was dead.

Cassian stared at Aeron in shock. 'How is this possible?! Victor was a Level 2 Spirit Condensation realmstrider, while Aeron is supposed to be only a Level 7 Spirit Refining realmstrider… No, that's wrong!'

Only now did Cassian realize that Aeron had already stepped into the Spirit Condensation Realm. Judging from the strength of his aura, he had reached at least Level 5.

Wasn’t he supposed to be worthless? How had he suddenly advanced to Level 5 of the Spirit Condensation Realm? Had Aeron been pretending to be weak all this time?

"You have some nerve," Cassian shouted, fury rising in his voice. "You dare kill someone in my estate? Do you really think my family is some soft target you can trample as you please?"

His hand curled into a claw as he lunged for Aeron's throat. He intended to cripple Aeron first, then deal with him afterward.

Aeron answered with a straight punch.

Cassian staggered back several yards. The force of the blow shattered every bone in his right hand, and pain contorted his face.

He glared at Aeron through clenched teeth, shock burning in his eyes.

Aeron was not merely a Level 5 Spirit Condensation realmstrider. His physical strength was equally terrifying. Even Cassian, a Level 6 Spirit Condensation realmstrider, could not withstand it.

"Originally, I planned to talk this through with you," Aeron said. "But the moment you saw me, all you people wanted to do was fight. Since you can't have a proper conversation standing up, lie down first. We can talk after that."

Aeron rushed forward.

'So fast!' Cassian's expression changed as he retreated at once.

Aeron closed the distance in an instant and reached for his back.

Grinding his teeth, Cassian spun and unleashed a full-force kick, trying to drive him back.

Aeron did not dodge. He kicked back.

Cassian's right leg broke on the spot. He screamed and collapsed to the ground.

Aeron looked down at him as Cassian clutched his shattered leg and scrambled backward in panic.

"Now, can we talk properly?" Aeron said.