Chapter 477: Enemies Cross Paths
What shocked Leon was how peculiar this place truly was. Back in the vast, decaying library, he had read the diary left behind by Welt, the Sky Rank mage of Astral Academy who wielded the Spellbook of Ages. That diary, penned in Welt’s twilight years, chronicled nearly his entire life. It mentioned how he led Astral Academy’s Planar Legion to the Flameflow Mountains, only to be besieged by hordes of Blazewrath Orcs. Separated from his legion, Welt narrowly escaped and hid in a secret place, exploring until he finally obtained the Spellbook of Ages.
The specifics of how he acquired it weren’t detailed in Welt’s diary; he only hinted it happened somewhere in the Flameflow Mountains.
Although the Spellbook of Ages, coveted by countless mages, was hidden in the Flameflow Mountains, that place was far from safe. It was the stronghold of the Blazewrath Orcs, teeming with formidable warriors. To traverse the Flameflow Mountains in search of relics was tantamount to suicide—Leon still wondered how Welt managed to succeed back then.
The moment Leon saw that map, he knew he had to go to the Flameflow Mountains—whether for the Merlin Family, or for himself...
"It seems only by piecing together this map can we learn the exact location of that ruin. The Watson Family holds the other half. Centuries ago, their ancestral grounds even attacked the Merlin Family over this incomplete map. After centuries of silence, they finally proposed cooperation to explore the ruin together. That’s the real reason for working with the Watsons," Orren Merlin said, his expression darkening. "But that ruin belongs to our Merlin Family. We must never let the Watsons get their hands on it..."
As the newest member of the family council, Leon spent over an hour in the Guardian Tower, conversing with several ancestors before Ryan Merlin led him out. According to Orren Merlin, it was time for Leon to see the true Merlin Family.
The two walked side by side into the depths of the ancestral grounds. After more than half an hour, a Path of Planes appeared before them. As Leon stepped onto it, he could clearly feel its stability—likely carved out by a Sky Rank powerhouse.
His vision blurred for a moment, and when it cleared, he found himself in a vast city. Dense clusters of buildings surrounded him, with many magical towers rising seven stories or higher. Squads of silver-armored guards marched in orderly formation down the streets, without a hint of chaos. Upon arriving, Leon immediately sensed the potent concentration of magical energy here. Meditating in this place would multiply one's efficiency several times over.
Though it still couldn’t compare to his own natural demi-plane, places like this were rare in the Northend World. Only the most powerful factions could afford such sanctuaries for nurturing young geniuses.
"Demonic aura, undead aura..."
Suddenly, Leon sensed two distinct energies and frowned. How could there be demonic and undead auras in a place like this? Driven by curiosity, he cast several Wizard’s Eyes, sending them out to scout. Minutes later, he witnessed a shocking sight: in two different directions, massive rifts had appeared, endlessly spewing out hellish creatures and undead.
The Merlin Mage Legion was locked in battle with the hellish and undead creatures. Though the enemy hordes were vast, the Merlin mages were equally formidable, some even holding the rank of Title Archmage. For a time, the legion slaughtered countless undead and hellspawn, but the monsters pouring from the rifts seemed endless—no matter how many fell, more kept coming.
If this stalemate dragged on, the mage legion was bound to suffer losses...
Boom...
At that moment, Ryan Merlin made his move. Unleashing the full power of an Eighth Level Title Archmage, he conjured an enormous magical hand and grabbed at one of the rifts. Instantly, countless hellish creatures exploded, and that rift began to close. He repeated the process for the other rift, sealing it as well.
After finishing, Ryan Merlin explained to Leon, "The space here is highly unstable. Every so often, creatures from other planes break through. Still, it’s not all bad—it helps temper the legion and sharpen their combat skills."
With Ryan Merlin as his guide, Leon wandered the great city and found it almost indistinguishable from the Northend World—teeming with life. Thanks to Ryan’s introduction, Leon learned that many young scions and troops lived here, and that the great city was one of seven...
Eventually, Leon and Ryan left, returning to the Guardian Tower. Climbing the spiraling stairs to the council hall, they ran into Thorne Merlin...
"Matthew Merlin!"
Thorne Merlin, appearing in the Guardian Tower, was visibly startled upon seeing Leon. His gaze quickly turned icy. Without a doubt, Thorne was the one who hated Leon most in the entire Merlin Family.
All the hopes pinned on Owen Merlin had been destroyed by Leon.
That damned Matthew Merlin had done such a thing and gone unpunished, which only fueled Thorne’s rage. His bloodshot eyes glared at Leon like a viper. He hissed, "You destroyed my son Owen Merlin’s Magic Core and turned him into a cripple. I’ll never forgive you. I can’t touch you now, but just wait—once we reach the Blazeforge Realm, I’ll keep my promise from that day and throw you into the Howling River..."
Leon’s eyes grew cold and he frowned, but said nothing. Instead, he quietly channeled mana into the Arcane Wheel, preparing himself...
"Thorne Merlin, you’re out of line. Do you know who you’re speaking to...?"
Ryan Merlin had naturally returned with Leon. Seeing Thorne, he sensed trouble brewing. He knew exactly what had happened that day, but hadn’t managed to intervene before Owen Merlin was ruined and Thorne and Leon clashed...
This gave him a headache. Thorne Merlin, a Fifth Level Sword Saint, was a pillar even within the ancestral grounds. Having him accompany Leon to the Blazeforge Realm was ideal, but unfortunately, the hatred between the two was hard to resolve. Still, Leon’s status in the Merlin Family had changed—he now stood on equal footing with Ryan, both as members of the family council.
That’s why Ryan Merlin rebuked Thorne so sternly. Thorne’s behavior was truly out of line. The family council represented supreme authority in the Merlin Family, governing everything. As a council member, Leon’s status far surpassed Thorne’s—such disrespect could almost be grounds for conviction...
"Lord Ryan..."
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Ryan Merlin’s sudden rebuke left Thorne Merlin drenched in cold sweat. In his days within the Ancestral Grounds, he’d learned some secrets—he knew this elder wielded considerable influence, even here.
His voice trembled slightly, all from fear...
Still, he couldn’t understand why Lord Ryan was so furious. Just days ago in the Ancestral Grounds, Ryan had actually looked out for him.
After spending some time around Lord Ryan, he’d found the elder to be gentle and easy to get along with, despite his exalted status.
But now, Lord Ryan was actually angry...
It seemed his words to Matthew Merlin had triggered Lord Ryan’s wrath. But it didn’t make sense—who was Lord Ryan, after all? He was nearly at the peak of Title Archmage and held immense power. Why would he care about a young man like Matthew Merlin?
Still, Lord Ryan’s question—"Do you know who you’re speaking to?"—left Thorne Merlin baffled. Who else would he be talking to? Of course, it was Matthew Merlin...
Could it be that the person before him wasn’t actually Matthew Merlin?
How could that be...
No matter what form he took, Thorne would recognize the bastard who ruined his son—even if he turned to ash.
Just as Thorne Merlin was still bewildered, Ryan Merlin’s voice sounded again, this time more solemn: "Thorne Merlin, you may not know, but Matthew has officially joined the Family Council as a councilor. For your ignorance, you won’t be held responsible this time—but you must apologize to Councilor Matthew. Do you hear me...?"
As he said this, Ryan Merlin was quietly amused. He’d clearly sensed that the newly minted councilor beside him, though silent, was channeling mana into his Magic Relic, seemingly ready to act...
Though Leon was discreet, Thorne Merlin, with his Fifth Level Sword Saint strength, hadn’t noticed a thing. But Ryan Merlin, who’d lived for centuries and reached the pinnacle of Eighth Level Title Archmage, couldn’t be fooled by such tricks.
Still...
To make a move in the Ancestral Guardian Spire would truly be unprecedented...
Ryan Merlin knew full well that while others might not dare act in the Guardian Spire, this new councilor just might. Months ago, outside in the Merlin Family, he’d not only caused chaos at the Elder Council but had killed three and crippled another.
Perhaps only Ryan Merlin himself realized that his demand for Thorne to apologize to Leon was actually saving Thorne. If a fight broke out, Thorne’s Fifth Level Sword Saint strength might not be enough...
In fact, Ryan Merlin had already learned from Rion Merlin about the events outside the Ancestral Grounds. Rion, who’d been a Fifth Level Title Archmage for years, had been utterly routed by the new councilor—so what chance did Thorne, newly advanced to Fifth Level Sword Saint, really have?
No exaggeration—Ryan Merlin really was saving Thorne Merlin with this intervention...