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Chapter 107: Aldrian’s Private Assassin Group
The old man didn’t want to answer, but suddenly, his mouth moved on its own. He tried to fight it, but pain began to creep into his brain. Finally, he gave up and answered the question.
"My name is Arson Vuran, the head of the Thunderous Shadow Pavilion."
Hearing the old man’s answer, both Aldrian and Sect Master Ryu Hyuk-Jae were shocked by his identity. Aldrian already knew the man’s name because of his Eyes of Heaven, but discovering he was the head of the Thunderous Shadow Pavilion made this capture even more significant!
But something about the situation felt unusual. Why would the head of an assassin group carry out the assassination personally? Did he consider Aldrian and his group a top-priority target? Sect Master Ryu Hyuk-Jae, however, was shocked for a different reason.
"You’re the head of the Thunderous Shadow Pavilion? Why are you so weak?" he remarked. The old man’s mouth twitched in response. He was a specialist in assassination techniques and relied heavily on the element of surprise. Against someone as powerful as the sect master of the Piercing Heaven Sect, he would have no choice but to flee.
The style of his combat, which excelled in direct confrontations, was the perfect counter to an assassin like Arson Vuran, who had already lost the element of surprise. He wasn’t offended by the sect master’s comment—after all, it was the truth—but hearing it still left him exasperated.
"Why did you come here yourself? Did the Golden Swan Commerce pay you to take this job personally?"
Arson Vuran’s eyes widened. Did Aldrian already know who their client was for this mission?
"No, I just wanted to exercise my body. I haven’t taken action in so long, and when I found an interesting target, I thought I could kill a few. While at it, I could learn why the leader of the Golden Swan Commerce wants you dead so badly."
Aldrian wasn’t surprised, but Sect Master Ryu Hyuk-Jae hearing this new information, spoke up.
"The leader of the Golden Swan Commerce wants him dead? Is this also connected to the incident in Dual Horns Peak City?" he asked.
Arson Vuran remained silent.
"Answer his question," Aldrian ordered.
"We don’t know the exact reason," Arson Vuran replied, "but in my opinion, this is definitely related to the incident at Dual Horns Peak. The sequence of events is too coincidental to be mere chance. That’s also why I took on this mission personally—to see if my other theory holds true."
"Your theory?" Sect Master Ryu Hyuk-Jae asked, puzzled, while Aldrian smiled, already understanding what Arson Vuran meant.
"You suspect that the Golden Swan Commerce is in league with the devils, don’t you?"
Arson Vuran was stunned, and Ryu Hyuk-Jae was equally shocked. Bewildered, the old man looked at Aldrian and asked, "How did you know?"
All this time, it had been nothing more than a hunch, with no solid proof. He hadn’t shared his suspicions with anyone except the First Finger.
"How did I know?" Aldrian replied, smiling. "Well, because I know what they’ve done."
"Wait, wait, hold on—are you saying you’ve known all along that the Golden Swan Commerce is in cahoots with the devils?" Ryu Hyuk-Jae asked, his confusion plain on his face.
"What do you think, Sect Master? The source of all the problems in Dual Horns Peak City stems from the city lord’s manor. You must have already heard from the matriarch of the Yu family about the massacre and the devils. You know some of her story, and I’m sure you’ve had your own doubts." Aldrian replied.
Aldrian wasn’t wrong. The matriarch had already told the three great sects the series of events leading up to that tragic night. One suspicious point was the involvement of the Golden Swan Commerce in the escort mission. She had shared what Aldrian had told her.
The real issue, however, was that the Golden Swan Commerce was a giant in the orthodox faction, with its own rules. The three great sects couldn’t just barge into the Golden Swan Commerce or one of their branches without solid justification. Doing so would lead to condemnation from the entire orthodox faction.
Their relationship with the Orthodox faction was never too harmonious to begin with, and the last thing they wanted was to add more trouble during such turbulent times—especially with the prophecy of the Heavenly Direction and all the signs pointing to significant changes across the continent. They needed solid evidence before making any bold moves.
Although they couldn’t make a move, that didn’t mean they weren’t keeping a close eye on the Golden Swan Commerce. Ever since they began their investigation, the movements of the Golden Swan Commerce had indeed appeared suspicious. They were actively looking for any connections to the devils. All they needed was an opening to prosecute this group of merchants.
"We’ve already infiltrated some of their operations to gather evidence, but so far, we’ve found nothing concrete," Ryu Hyuk-Jae admitted. "Their activities are suspicious, but since last year, they seem to have stopped some of their more questionable ventures. Even their profits have dropped because of it. That particular business we flagged as the most likely link to the devils has gone quiet."
Aldrian pondered for a moment. The Golden Swan Commerce’s movements would be more restrained now, especially with their operations in two major territories being placed under scrutiny by the sovereigns. The devils would also likely lay low and avoid rushing their plans. For now, it was enough. At least he could postpone whatever the devils were trying to achieve.
Aldrian looked at Arson Vuran and smiled. This man might be a key factor in uncovering the Golden Swan Commerce’s treason against the continent.
"If we can’t find any evidence, we can use him," Aldrian said, pointing to Arson Vuran. "You share our suspicions, and you have direct connections with them. You can be our eyes and ears in the Atria Empire—and my sword if needed."
Sect Master Ryu Hyuk-Jae nodded in agreement. With the head of the Thunderous Shadow Pavilion under their control, they would have credible eyes and ears not just in the northwestern part of the continent, but even in the northern regions. And with Arson Vuran now bound to Aldrian, it meant the entire Thunderous Shadow Pavilion would follow their leader. Aldrian would effectively have his own personal assassin group.
Arson Vuran could only grit his teeth in frustration. He had no choice now but to follow this young man’s orders—the very man who had originally been his target was now his master. This turn of events was utterly baffling to him. As an assassin, he had never feared death; he had been ready to take his own life if necessary. But now, even the decision over how he would die was no longer his to make.
The pain Arson Vuran experienced when the seal on his soul reacted to his master’s will was truly terrifying. He had never feared physical torture, but the agony of soul torture was on an entirely different level—far more excruciating than any physical pain he had ever known.
"The leader of the Golden Swan Commerce is a calculative man with many connections, he will undoubtedly ask me about my mission. How should I explain my failure to kill you? He’ll surely cut ties with us, thinking we’re incompetent for failing the assassination." Arson Vuran said.
Aldrian paused, considering the situation before giving his instructions.
"Tell him I’m still in the Piercing Heaven Sect. I know you have to update your men on the mission’s progress so they can relay it to the Golden Swan Commerce. With me here, he’ll understand why it’s taking so long."
Aldrian’s eyes narrowed as he continued, "I want you to withhold information about my presence inside the demon territory for as long as possible. I know he’ll become suspicious of your reports eventually, but by then, I’ll already be out of the Demon Territory. As for the Yu family, I’ve already seen a part of your memories, and you’re fortunate you haven’t made a move against them yet. If you had, I would have tortured you until you broke."
Cold sweat rolled down Arson Vuran’s aged face, but he remained silent. The Thunderous Shadow Pavilion had been eager to make a move on the Yu family to complete their mission, but the problem was they couldn’t. The three great sects were taking the matter of the devils and the Yu family very seriously, and their tight surveillance had even almost found their assassins.
He had already sent one of their Fingers to carry out the mission a few months ago, but the grand elders of the three great sects were constantly present in Dual Horns Peak City. To make matters worse, they kept a close watch on the Yu family manor. There had been no opportunity to act without risking exposure.
"You can continue reporting on the Yu family as usual, they’re under heavy surveillance by the three great sects, so there’s no need to rush. As for other matters, I’ll inform you when the time comes. For now, return to where you came from—and remember this: your life is in my hands. You can’t die without my permission, and from now on, you are an extension of my will. Is that clear?" Aldrian said calmly
Arson Vuran could only suppress his displeasure, but he still answered, "Yes, master."
"Good, now go," Aldrian commanded. Arson Vuran disappeared without a trace—or at least, he should have. He had already left many traces behind after all.
Aldrian then turned to Sect Master Ryu Hyuk-Jae, cupping his hands in respect.
"Thank you for your hard work, Sect Master. This encounter has been truly fruitful. I owe you one."
"What? No, no," Ryu Hyuk-Jae waved his hand dismissively.
"I just happened to come across him while passing the time. If you hadn’t arrived, I would’ve had him under torture and killed him already. You’re the one who has him under your control now. With your abilities, you could have subdued him without my help."
His tone was now filled with praise, none of the awkwardness from earlier in the temple lingering in his voice.
"You don’t have to be so modest, Sect Master. I truly acknowledge your efforts," Aldrian said with a smile. "Anyway, I’ll return to my room for now. I need to rest. See you soon." And with that, he instantly teleported to his quarters.
Although he mentioned resting, the truth was that Aldrian wanted to assess all the gains he had accumulated from these recent events!
