Abandonment and a Heart Colder Than Ninth Royal Uncle’s

Ninth Royal Uncle Nolan and Serena, with Dorian Owen and Rowan Bloom in tow, headed southwest. Soon, they came upon a field strewn with snake corpses and countless poisonous insects.

"What kind of place is this for people?" Dorian Owen shuddered in disgust, almost dropping Rowan Bloom into the pile of corpses.

You couldn’t blame Dorian for being so dramatic—the heap of bodies was truly revolting. The Black Riders were merciless, leaving nothing but mangled flesh and blood everywhere, more gruesome than any crime scene.

Nolan simply scooped Serena up by the waist and, with a light leap, carried her over the corpse pile, leading the way forward.

All the obstacles along the way had already been cleared by the Black Riders, and they’d left markers along the route. Nolan and Serena just needed to follow them.

The Black Riders’ strength was undeniable. Dorian watched Nolan with open envy.

Having such a powerful cavalry was enough to make anyone jealous. If he could, Dorian would want one too...

Of course, it was just wishful thinking. Dorian didn’t have the money to support a thirty-thousand-strong force, nor the patience to spend fifteen years training one.

Soon enough, Nolan and Serena spotted a cave entrance. They exchanged a glance and stepped inside without hesitation.

"Another cave? You really love burrowing into holes, don’t you?" Dorian grumbled, swinging Rowan Bloom back and forth.

Rowan Bloom’s face twisted with venomous hatred, his eyes glinting with malice as blood kept trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Is that supposed to intimidate me?" Dorian arched an eyebrow, full of contempt.

Rowan Bloom really didn’t get it—he was already poisoned, his limbs and martial arts destroyed. If Nolan hadn’t ordered that he not be allowed to die so quickly, Rowan would have been dead by now.

A man on the brink of death, and he was still trying to act tough—did he not realize how ridiculous he looked?

Dorian felt no sympathy for someone like that. Once inside the cave, he dragged Rowan Bloom along behind him, like hauling a dead dog.

A trail of blood marked their path, but Rowan, though furious, was powerless to resist—he didn’t even have the strength to kill himself.

The cave was enormous, almost like a small village, with streets and houses lined up side by side. It was clear the Demon Sect had poured a lot of effort into building this refuge—but sadly...

Even this place couldn’t save the Demon Sect.

Nolan and Serena kept going until they reached the Demon Hall at the heart of the cave, finally coming to a stop.

"Master." The Black Riders snapped to attention as Nolan entered, saluting him in unison.

"Mm." Nolan swept his gaze over the hall, nodded in satisfaction.

Inside, the Black Riders had seized control, herding all surviving Demon Sect members into one area.

Those left in the cave were all old, weak, sick, or disabled. Faced with the overwhelming force of the Black Riders, they had no courage to resist. Besides...

Zed was here.

Even for Zed’s sake, none of them dared rebel.

At this moment, Zed carried himself with the air of a true Young Lord. He stood tall before the crowd; when Nolan and Serena entered, a flash of panic crossed his eyes.

He looked up, then saw Dorian dragging Rowan Bloom in. Zed’s pupils widened, but he quickly calmed himself, standing expressionless where he was. Only his tiny fists clenched tight, as if struggling to endure.

Nolan took in Zed’s performance, clearly impressed, and gave him an approving look before heading to the main seat and sitting down as if he owned the place.

"Go on." Dorian dumped Rowan Bloom in the center like garbage.

Rowan Bloom landed face-first, sprawled motionless on the ground. Zed forced himself to look away, reminding himself over and over that he was the Holy Sect’s Young Lord, responsible for the sect’s people. The Holy Sect had only these few survivors left—he couldn’t let his father’s fate doom them all.

"Sect Master Bloom, you have a fine son—smarter than you." Nolan’s praise brought no joy to Rowan Bloom.

He was dying, and the Demon Sect’s main force had been wiped out by Nolan’s Black Riders. No matter how promising Zed was, it made no difference now.

Nolan didn’t care what Rowan Bloom was thinking. He looked down at the crowd and said, "Sect Master Bloom, given the circumstances, shouldn’t we discuss what will happen to these Demon Sect people?"

"Ahhh..." Rowan Bloom writhed on the ground, his face twisted in terror, rage, and despair.

Everyone from the Holy Sect was gathered before Nolan. With a single gesture, he could end their lives.

Those corralled by the Black Riders wept in despair—most were elderly or children. Nolan’s heart was stone, unmoved by their suffering. Serena, for all her ruthlessness, was softer.

Or rather, Serena could be cruel, but not to children. Nolan noticed this, but mercy had no place in the current situation.

Nolan looked past Rowan Bloom to Zed. "If Sect Master Bloom can’t speak for the Demon Sect, then Zed Young Lord, do you have the authority to represent them now?"

Nolan’s words left Zed no room to refuse. Some might call it bullying a child, but it was also giving the Demon Sect a chance.

Negotiation was better than silence, or simply ordering the Demon Sect’s extermination.

Zed stepped forward and nodded forcefully. "I can."

"Very well. Then let’s talk about how to resolve this matter." The Demon Sect schemed against Nolan first; even if he killed every last one of them today, no outsider would blame him.

Zed had always been a clever child. Though not as steady or mature as an adult, he was far more perceptive than his father, able to yield and adapt.

Without a word of defense, Zed walked to the center, dropped to his knees before Nolan with a loud thud, and knocked his head on the ground three times—so hard his forehead bled.

"It’s all my father’s fault. He offended Ninth Royal Uncle. If you wish to kill or punish, I, Zed, will not protest." Taking his father’s guilt upon himself, sacrificing kin for the greater good. Whether sincere or not, Zed’s conduct left no room for reproach.

"Young Lord Zed is truly remarkable for his age—so ruthless, so cold-blooded, even I cannot match him." Nolan’s words sounded like praise, but were laced with irony.

Zed’s words made it clear: all blame lay with the Demon Sect. Whatever Nolan did to Rowan Bloom, Zed and the sect would accept it without thoughts of revenge. Nolan could take Rowan’s life—or anyone’s—whenever he wished.

Of course, this was because Zed understood neither he nor the Demon Sect had the power to retaliate. If they wanted to survive Nolan, they had to let him vent his anger.

There was nothing wrong with this. As Young Master of the Demon Sect, Zed’s choice was the right one: sacrifice one to save the rest. It was a trade worth making.

But Zed was only six years old, and the person he discarded so ruthlessly was his own father!

For someone so young to be so ruthless—it was impossible to like.

Serena sighed, once again struck by how Zed was born cold-hearted. Rowan Bloom wouldn’t live much longer, but Zed’s ability to cast him aside so easily left Serena feeling sorrowful.

If he could abandon his own father so completely, how much feeling could he possibly have for anyone else?

To be so rational at such a young age—truly frightening.