NOVPUB
Chapter 136: Good Luck Finding Him
The capital of the Forgeheart Kingdom, Dalahan City, named after the kingdom’s first king, Dalahan Forgeheart, is quite hectic at this time. Many newcomers from outside the kingdom have arrived, using the city as a transit point on their way to Valiard City, or waiting for the sword to be presented to the royal family. Logically they know that Duke Valiard must have reported the sword to the king, which has drawn significant attention to the capital. But the question is when? So, they wait in the capital.
Many famous names, particularly swordsmen, have arrived in the city, and it wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the Ten Great Swordmasters of the continent. There is already some commotion in various parts of Dalahan City.
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A muscular man with an intimidating aura walks through the crowds, who instinctively step aside to make way for him. His red hair, adding to his fierce appearance, makes people avoid him from a distance. His infamous name has already spread across the continent—he is the one who follows the path of the Demonic Sword of Pure Annihilation.
"Oh, if it isn’t the Sword Demon," a voice interrupts his walk. It belongs to a black-haired, middle-aged man.
The Sword Demon glances at him, recognizing the man with two swords at his waist—Bourdin Smith. Ignoring him, the Sword Demon continues walking. Bourdin Smith just shrugs and takes a different path.
Many people witness the brief interaction between two of the Ten Great Swordmasters. But it’s not just the Sword Demon and Bourdin Smith; others have also arrived in the city.
In one of the city’s largest taverns, a beautiful woman in a tight black robe that accentuates her curves sits quietly, gazing at her drink. Her striking, mature face attracts the attention of many men, but they know better than to approach her.
She appears lost in thought, absently playing with her drink. "The appearance of this sword could attract that mysterious swordsman, right?"
As a swordmaster herself, the news of a middle divine-grade sword excites her. Of course, she wants to see the sword and, if possible, claim it. But more than that, she hopes to see the mysterious swordsman who caused chaos in the Ivory Empire.
She was curious about the kind of person capable of creating a technique so destructive yet equally profound. It was as if she had witnessed a living sword in action. After Balin, the mysterious swordsman’s last known trace was in the Ivory Empire’s capital, Evergreen City. There were signs of a battle there, but she couldn’t uncover anything further because the Evergreen Imperial family had seemingly covered up his trail.
Many speculated that the mysterious swordmaster was an elf of the Ivory Empire, but this theory was often debunked. After all, the elves had never produced a renowned swordmaster in all of history. Their natural affinity for bows made swords a secondary weapon for them.
She shared that belief. The technique displayed in Balin was too destructive to have come from elves, whose nature was more harmonious. After losing the trail in Evergreen City, the mysterious swordmaster had remained inactive, making no further moves.
Still, she found it hard to believe if the appearance of a middle divine-grade sword wouldn’t attract that person. No matter how elusive they were, they would surely be drawn here to obtain such a rare weapon.
As she mused over these thoughts, a sudden commotion erupted outside the tavern. She looked toward the entrance, where a handsome, blonde-haired man in knight’s attire stepped inside. His holy aura seemed to soothe everyone in the tavern, and many gasped at his presence. It was a rare sight to encounter even one of the Ten Great Swordmasters, and now there were two in the same tavern.
"Arthur, is the Heavenly Direction Church also interested in the sword?" she asked.
"Elena?" Arthur glanced at her for a moment. "Rather than the church, it’s my personal interest in the sword. Coincidentally, the church also has an interest in this artifact, so they’ve permitted me to come here. Though the church may not be particularly interested on the sword itself, this is a middle divine-grade artifact we’re talking about—it’s bound to attract attention from the higher-ups." Arthur replied, taking a vacant seat beside her.
Arthur ordered his drink, and only after it was served did Elena speak.
"Tell me, Arthur. When I was searching for traces of that mysterious swordsman two years ago in Evergreen City, I received some information. They said that the Heavenly Direction Church sent an envoy to Evergreen City at the same time there was a sudden disturbance across the swords of the continent. I wonder—what was the church doing there?"
Arthur paused, his drink halfway to his lips, and glanced at her for a moment. "Why do you ask?" he replied before taking a sip. He clearly remembered that day—the day he met that ’monster,’ who had since established a strong connection with the Heavenly Direction Church.
After their duel, Arthur spent much time in introspection. He still vividly remembered the feeling of near death when that man’s devastating slash came at him—an experience he hadn’t faced in a long time. That battle had driven him to intensify his training, and thanks to that slash, he understood some of his weaknesses and sought to improve himself further.
Elena observed Arthur carefully, looking for any hint in his gestures or expressions, hoping to glean something more.
"I’m curious about the person who can create such a technique," she said. "If possible, I’d like to learn a thing or two from them."
Arthur thought for a moment. "You’ll need to prepare yourself if you ever meet him. I’m afraid you’ll be shocked to death when you try to learn from him." He looked down at his drink. "By the way, where is he right now? Last I heard, he was journeying to the west, but there’s been no news since then. With the appearance of a middle divine-grade sword, he must show up, right?"
There was a brief silence before Arthur finally spoke again.
"It was only a coincidence that the Heavenly Direction Church was visiting Evergreen City at that time. As for who created that slash technique, I still don’t know. But based on my observations over the last two years, it seems that person is no longer in the Ivory Empire. Maybe you should look for him outside the empire."
Elena glanced at Arthur again for a moment before taking a sip of her drink. "Forget it. I think that person will come to this kingdom for the sword. Events like this don’t happen every million years."
"Yeah, you might be right," Arthur agreed, drinking again.
"By the way, don’t you find it strange that we haven’t heard anything from the Sword Saint either?" Elena asked.
"Isn’t that normal? We sometimes go years without hearing from one another, so what did you expect?" Arthur replied.
"You’re right. Maybe it’s just my intuition," Elena said thoughtfully. "But ever since the Sword Saint visited Balin and felt the power of that sword intent, it seemed like he was looking into that person. Wouldn’t it make more sense if he left some traces during his search? The fact that there’s been no news about him since then, and no trail to follow, makes me suspect that he may have already found that person. And after that? Who knows—maybe he fought him and they are fatally injured?"
Arthur pondering for a moment. "What if they met each other and fought? Who would be stronger?" Remembering his battle with Xin Haotian long ago. At the time, Xin Haotian had become famous for his mastery of light laws and the illumination sword. Arthur had to admit, Xin Haotian was the strongest swordsman he’d ever faced—until Aldrian came along.
Aldrian was younger and had a lower cultivation level, but he humbled Arthur in a way no one else had. These two men seemed like Heaven’s chosen ones, geniuses of their generation. Yet when Arthur compared himself to them, he felt a sudden wave of frustration.
"Maybe, maybe not," Arthur replied, standing up. "Anyway, I think it’s time for me to go. This place is already packed, and I need somewhere quieter. Good luck finding him." He left a few low-energy stones on the table before walking away.
Elena looked at Arthur’s back, there were gleams in her eyes. "So he knows that person, and that person is a man," she thought. n𝚘𝚟𝚙u𝚋.co𝚖
Not long after, she also left the tavern, blending into the bustling streets of Dalahan City.
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At the city’s teleportation station, an entourage emerged from the teleportation portal. The moment they stepped out, people instinctively parted to make way for them. Their striking red hair and piercing red eyes were like beacons, instantly recognizable even before one noticed the symbols on their noble attire.
"Master Aldrey, we’ve already secured an inn for us to stay. We can head there without any issues," one of the men in the group said.
There was no doubt—this was the Flamecrest family, and leading the entourage was none other than Aldrey Flamecrest, the successor of the family!
