For most people, the little drama between Serena, Ninth Royal Uncle, and the Princess Royal of Lyndaria was just a minor episode, hardly enough to affect the Martial Arts Conference. But for certain individuals, it would change their entire lives.
Fortress Lord Ling was a clever man—he knew exactly what should and shouldn’t be done. Once the Princess Royal of Lyndaria was seated, he acted as though nothing had happened and officially announced the start of the Martial Arts Conference.
The Martial Arts Conference was, as always, a matter of fighting and dueling. The first to compete were disciples from lesser sects—nothing particularly dazzling, though a few promising talents did stand out.
Thanks to the medicine taking effect, Ninth Royal Uncle was no longer sensitive to the lingering floral scent in the air. The red spots on his skin faded, his brows relaxed, and he watched the matches in earnest.
As he watched, Ninth Royal Uncle quietly memorized the names of these fighters, planning to investigate them in secret before deciding whether to recruit them.
The Princess Royal of Lyndaria had no interest in all this fighting and killing; her attention remained fixed on Ninth Royal Uncle. Seeing him perfectly normal, she couldn’t help but frown: wasn’t he supposed to be allergic to floral scents? She’d risked her own reputation to fill the air with fragrance, so why wasn’t he reacting at all?
Unable to hold back, the Princess Royal questioned Prince Damien of Southlyn. He simply raised a finger to his lips in a 'shh' gesture, signaling her to stay calm.
Years ago, Su Wan had used this same trick to target Ninth Royal Uncle; now they were trying it too. Of course, their results couldn’t compare to Su Wan’s, especially since Ninth Royal Uncle now had Serena by his side.
Still, it didn’t matter. The pollen allergy was just a small opening act—the real show was yet to come. Prince Damien of Southlyn wore a wicked, mocking smile and kept casting those ill-intentioned eyes toward Ninth Royal Uncle and Serena.
Most people in the arena focused on the fighters on stage, but a few had minds that wandered far beyond. Fortress Lord Ling was one such person.
At that moment, Fortress Lord Ling was busy plotting how to kill Ninth Royal Uncle. Naturally, he didn’t miss the murderous look Prince Damien of Southlyn gave Ninth Royal Uncle—like sworn enemies who could never coexist.
Another useful fool, Fortress Lord Ling thought with a smile. Just as a match ended in the arena, he was in such a good mood that he praised, 'Good.'
'The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Amazing how these people ended up together.' Serena looked completely relaxed, not caring at all about the glances exchanged between Fortress Lord Ling and Prince Damien of Southlyn.
With Fortress Lord Ling opening the door for him, Prince Damien of Southlyn would find things much easier. Still, one had to wonder—once Fortress Lord Ling realized he’d let a wolf into the house, would he go mad with rage?
He was looking forward to seeing Prince Damien of Southlyn reveal his true colors, and even more to Fortress Lord Ling and Prince Damien turning on each other like dogs fighting. It would be even better if Moonvault Palace Sect joined the chaos.
The Martial Arts Conference continued. On the first day, aside from a few promising talents, no one truly remarkable appeared. But no one was in a rush—by tradition, the most dazzling talents always showed up later.
That night, everyone camped out in temporary tents, eating the food prepared by Skyvault Fortress. It wasn’t fancy, but it was fresh—and on the mountain, a hot meal was enough to satisfy. People kept praising Fortress Lord Ling for his organizational skills.
Prompted by Prince Damien of Southlyn, the Princess Royal of Lyndaria began to deliberately cozy up to Fortress Lord Ling. Fortress Lord Ling, for his part, was actively searching for outside allies. So the two schemers quickly hit it off.
To avoid suspicion, Fortress Lord Ling called over Linden Ling, and the Princess Royal of Lyndaria summoned Prince Damien of Southlyn. The four of them sat together openly, putting on the act of close friends.
'Prince Damien of Southlyn has improved—his scheming is now out in the open.' Thinking of the Princess Royal of Lyndaria’s perfume stunt earlier, Serena couldn’t help but praise him.
They knew full well that Prince Damien of Southlyn and Fortress Lord Ling were up to no good, but couldn’t expose them for lack of proof. It was truly stifling.
'In the face of absolute strength, neither schemes nor open plots matter.' Ninth Royal Uncle had said this to Serena in the Blood-Clad Guards’ prison—this was the second time.
Serena nodded, but Sean Xuan couldn’t help but retort, 'Their strength is hardly any weaker than yours.'
With three factions joining forces, did Ninth Royal Uncle really think himself invincible? Here, no one cared about his regent status.
Ninth Royal Uncle shot Sean Xuan a glare—no explanation needed...
Storm Cloud Bu and Brandon Bu’s tent was a little ways from Ninth Royal Uncle’s. Storm Cloud Bu kept a close eye on Ninth Royal Uncle, waiting quietly for orders, while Brandon Bu, still in his Lance Quinn disguise, watched Serena.
From afar, Serena gave Lance Quinn a gentle smile, then looked away.
With so many people around, it wasn’t safe for them to chat.
'Lance Quinn, Ninth Royal Uncle?' Prince Damien of Southlyn kept glancing at the two, his narrow eyes cold. Fortress Lord Ling noticed Prince Damien’s odd behavior and asked, 'Does something puzzle you, sir?'
'Who exactly is Lance Quinn?' Prince Damien of Southlyn had always been baffled by Lance Quinn’s background. He’d once suspected a connection with Ninth Royal Uncle, but watching their interactions, it seemed Lance Quinn was actually closer to Serena.
'He comes from an ancient sect—one I don’t know much about. All I know is that every few decades, they send disciples out to train in the world. Lance Quinn is one such disciple: discreet, mysterious.' Fortress Lord Ling didn’t know much, but he was certain Lance Quinn’s identity was above board.
Prince Damien of Southlyn had no choice but to let go of his doubts and chat with Fortress Lord Ling about everything under the sun. The topics seemed random, but every word was loaded with hints.
Fortress Lord Ling was clever enough to catch Prince Damien’s meaning and responded with extra warmth. Outwardly, he was all smiles, but inside both men thought: This pawn must be used well—don’t waste his last bit of value.
Greenshine was perfectly well-behaved, keeping just the right distance—not close enough to overhear Fortress Lord Ling and the others, but close enough that when Linden Ling called out, she could step forward to serve.
Because of what Serena said earlier, Linden Ling paid extra attention to his two maids. Seeing Greenshine act with such tact and never embarrass him in public, he was very pleased. As for Ruby Redsleeve...
Watching Ruby Redsleeve quarrel with Lily Li, Linden Ling wished he could throw her down the mountain. Lily Li didn’t bother arguing—not out of fear, but because a noble heiress couldn’t be bothered with a servant. Ruby, of course, was clueless, full of herself and smug.
Linden Ling cared deeply about his reputation. He felt everyone looking at him strangely because of Ruby Redsleeve’s antics; for a moment, he wanted to strangle her then and there.
But he knew he couldn’t do that. He had to treat his long-serving maids well; if he lashed out now, he’d be undermining the excuse Fortress Lord Ling had made for him earlier.
So he endured... Once the Martial Arts Conference was over, he could deal with Ruby Redsleeve.
But after the Martial Arts Conference ended—would he really have a future?
Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountain inside Skyvault Fortress, a group of highly skilled, mysterious fighters charged in like it was unguarded, slaughtering their way into the compound.
The Moonvault Palace Lord shook his head, sipping wine in satisfaction. Ninth Royal Uncle and Serena caught sight of the scene and immediately understood: it was almost certainly that hidden aunt, after the Nine Provinces Map, who hadn’t shown herself in public.
Author’s note to readers: Acai WeChat: acai3g