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Chapter 209: Returning Home on a Snowy Night
🕑 Added 2024-09-18 05:44:14 +0000 UTCThe tunnel dug at the foot of Sawtooth Mountain had been taken over by some rats as their nest, providing them shelter for the winter beneath the snow.
The summit of Sawtooth Mountain, covered in snow, no longer revealed its jagged edges.
As Rhett continued southward, his expression remained calm. Suddenly, he heard a hoarse cry from the sky, accompanied by a chilling aura. A cold smile slowly formed at the corners of his mouth.
"The white-headed eagle... it's here..."
Under the brilliance of the stars, a massive eagle with interwoven black and white feathers sped through the air. Its chest to its claws were pure black, while the rest of its body was covered in white feathers. Its eyes were a strange gray, and its crimson beak occasionally flicked out a serpent-like tongue.
As it flew leisurely, it burped and spat out a piece of a hardened beast bone.
Then, its sharp eyes spotted the human on the ground, and it let out a fierce screech, diving down!
The terrifying aura it exuded made Fireclaw tremble uncontrollably. Whether in terms of bloodline or power, it was utterly dominated by this sixth-level white-headed eagle!
Its fiery red body instinctively moved closer to Rhett.
"Chirp! Chirp!"
Fireclaw kept crying out, and Rhett could feel its fear.
"Don't be afraid. Soon, this will be your meal!" Rhett chuckled softly. With one hand holding Dick and the other grasping his staff, his gaze toward the white-headed eagle was filled with cold indifference.
Earth Armor!
Rhett concentrated his spiritual energy, and a brilliant yellow glow enveloped his body. It resembled armor made of holy light, but beneath that glow was an incredibly solid armor of earth elements. The dense earth elements radiated outward.
Earth Tremor!
As the white-headed eagle approached, Rhett cast a control spell.
The air shimmered with faint distorted light, and the chaotic gravity disoriented the eagle. Its snake-like tongue flicked out repeatedly as it wobbled in the air, struggling to maintain its momentum.
"Hiss... Chirp!"
With a strange screech, the white-headed eagle's throat bulged, and a grayish-white liquid sprayed from the sky!
The white-headed eagle's venom, once inside the body, was particularly insidious, constantly gnawing away at life force like an incurable disease.
This sight made Rhett recall the fierce battle he had with a similar white-headed eagle right after retiring from the canyon defense line!
Caution filled Rhett's eyes!
Boulder Spell!
Rumbling sounds echoed as a massive boulder, several dozen meters wide, appeared in the sky. The surrounding space seemed to buckle under its weight, creating a suffocating pressure.
This boulder was far harder than ordinary rocks. Rhett was confident that if the white-headed eagle failed to dodge in time, it would be crushed into a pulp!
Unfortunately, the descent of the boulder had always been criticized for its slow speed, making it one of the slowest spells in the earth element arsenal.
In actual combat, it was more useful for blocking movement and altering the terrain.
The sixth-level white-headed eagle, not lacking in intelligence, showed a hint of wariness in its eyes. With a twist of its wings, it dodged the oppressive boulder. However, the venom it spat was completely blocked by the massive rock.
Seeing the boulder below, the eagle's eyes rolled, and it cleverly pressed itself against the back of the boulder, hoping to use it as a shield while closing in on its prey!
Rhett, who had been pondering how to restrict the eagle's movement, was momentarily surprised. Did the creature just offer itself on a silver platter?
Shaking his head slightly, he mused that mid-level magical beasts still couldn't match human intelligence.
Of course, it was also possible that this white-headed eagle had no idea what the "Mystery of Dispersal" was!
Rhett's mind turned cold, and he activated the Mystery of Dispersal. In his perception, the earth elements ahead began to warp.
As soon as the white-headed eagle's claws touched the boulder, it hoped for a swift drop. However, the odd sensation caused it to pause!
The seemingly solid boulder felt like... quicksand?
Its claws sank in instinctively, and a sense of danger welled up within it!
In the next instant, the quicksand vanished.
The boulder returned to its previous hardness!
A deep unease filled the white-headed eagle's heart, and panic flashed in its eyes as it frantically flapped its wings and struggled to pull its claws free.
But then, the sky lit up with a dazzling yellow glow!
The dense earth elements gathered around, forming a cluster of spikes that rained down like a torrential storm.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh...
It was like a barrage of arrows, all aimed at the white-headed eagle's position.
The eagle's pupils reflected the brilliant light, and a wave of despair washed over it. Just as it managed to free its claws, it found itself unable to escape the oncoming spikes.
The razor-sharp spikes pierced the eagle's flesh, driving deep into its bones and organs.
Its abundant life force suffered a catastrophic blow, rapidly draining away.
"Hiss... Chirp!"
Painful cries echoed through the night sky.
Endless blood and black-and-white feathers fell, adding a layer of gore and eeriness to the dark forest.
Soon, under the assault of the eighth-level spell Spike Rain, the sixth-level white-headed eagle lost its life.
It didn't even leave a chance for Dick to deliver the final blow.
Rhett, feeling a twinge of disdain toward the white-headed eagle, stepped forward, pulling out a sharp tool to extract the magic crystal and a specific organ from its body. Its flesh, tainted by prolonged exposure to toxins, carried an overwhelming poison. Unlike other magical beasts, even Rhett would suffer greatly if he consumed it.
Fireclaw also stepped forward, shaking its head in disgust. Sensing the potent toxins in the flesh, it dared not consume it carelessly.
Half-asleep, Dick groggily opened his eyes.
Although Rhett had tried to be as gentle as possible, avoiding large movements, the noise of the battle had still roused him.
Dick, with his large eyes—so reminiscent of Tucker's—glanced around at the snowy ground and the gruesome scene of the white-headed eagle's remains mixed with feathers and blood. He let out a big yawn, then promptly closed his eyes and went back to sleep, utterly unfazed.
Rhett chuckled softly.
"Heh, why does Dick remind me more and more of Tucker? So brave at such a young age."
Yes, it's a good thing... a very good thing...
After tidying up the battlefield, Rhett knew there was no longer any reason to stay.
Under the snowy night wind, Rhett left the White Rat branch that very night.
By the time he returned to his territory, a week had passed.
The return journey had been much less urgent than his departure.
No one knew that during his absence, Rhett had eliminated a significant threat to Dark Eagle City!
By the time Rhett returned to the territory, all the snow had already melted away.
When he arrived at the estate, the sky was still dark, the stars still twinkling, and the lights in the castle were still on.
Inside the grand hall on the first floor of Dark Rock Castle, the fireplace was already burning with Fireweave Ore, filling the room with warmth.
The guards at the gate were pleasantly surprised to welcome their lord's return. Even the patrolling guards in the estate paused to salute Rhett solemnly.
He walked into the castle.
The change in temperature and light made Dick giggle happily.
In a slightly garbled and childish voice, he called out, "Grandpa... Grandpa..."
Rhett laughed, "Hehe, little Dick, we're home. You'll soon see your parents."
Normally, the servants would also be resting at night, but during Rhett's absence, someone was always on duty in the hall in case he returned unexpectedly and needed assistance.
At this moment, two maids who had been dozing off at the table were startled awake by the child's voice. When they saw the lord and Dick entering, their sleepiness quickly faded. They adjusted their hair and straightened their clothes, trying to look more presentable.
"Welcome home, my lord! Good evening!" they greeted in unison.
Understanding, Rhett replied, "Debbie, Janessa, prepare a bottle of blueberry juice, two pieces of cheese, and a steak for me. Bring them to the fifth-floor hall, then you can go rest."
"Yes, my lord."
The two maids hurried off to the kitchen. One was a kitchen maid, the other a cleaning maid, enough to fulfill Rhett's request without needing to wake Maru the cook.
Rhett first headed to Tucker's room.
Vanessa took her son from Rhett's arms, her gaze somewhat resentful as she said, "Father, you said you'd be back in half an hour when you took Dick. But it's been a week..."
Rhett smiled awkwardly. He had indeed left abruptly, and it was only after getting to the Alchemy Tower that he asked Henk to pass on the message.
"I'll be more careful in the future. This time, I took Dick to the White Rat branch—it was like his first trip."
"You went to the White Rat branch again, Father? What happened there?" Tucker grinned.
Rhett raised an eyebrow and said thoughtfully, "Hmm... nothing much. You'll find out someday."
With that, he left.
This rather contradictory statement left Vanessa and Tucker exchanging confused glances, unsure of what to make of it.
However, their attention was soon drawn back to the laughing Dick, and they began to play with their little son.
Rhett returned to his room, running through the revised plan he had devised based on the most recent simulation.
After a moment, he let out a light breath.
His mental energy extended, lighting the lamp on his desk.
He began to write more of Coiling Dragon. Where had he left off last time?
Ah, yes—just before entering the Hell Plane. The release date was drawing nearer, so it was time to add more content.
The next morning, Rhett woke from his meditation.
Before leaving his room, he placed the unfinished manuscript of Coiling Dragon back on the shelf, straightened his clothes in front of the mirror, and then stepped out.
As soon as he reached the fifth-floor hall, he saw Sveta, dressed in his tailcoat, with his eyes lighting up as Rhett approached. He quickly stepped forward and said apologetically, "Good morning, my lord. I regret not being here personally to welcome you back last night."
"There's no need for that, Sveta. Since you're here, give me a brief update on the territory's situation over the past week."
Rhett took a seat on the long bench near the fireplace.
Sveta stood up straight, energized. "My lord, something significant has indeed happened!"
Rhett’s interest was piqued. Feigning curiosity, he asked, "What is it? Tell me quickly!"
"It's about the knight you favor most, Lawrence. Three days ago, he broke through to become a second-level knight. Everyone says his talent is once in a thousand years," Sveta said, his tone carrying a hint of admiration, genuine happiness radiating from him.
After a pause, as if realizing something, he quickly added, "But of course, my lord, your talent is once in ten thousand years!"
"Hmm, you're right." Rhett nodded, taking a sip of the wine that had been brought up the previous night. "Lawrence’s talent is indeed exceptional and worth cultivating."
"Indeed, my lord," Sveta echoed, nodding in agreement and making a mental note to elevate Lawrence’s importance in his mind.
At the family breakfast.
Having heard of his father's return, Telles arrived early with Mina to share a reunion meal.
Rhett casually speared a chicken meatball and glanced at Tucker. "Lawrence has already reached the second level of knighthood. That's good news."
Telles exclaimed in surprise, "What? Lawrence broke through again?"
Mina, like Telles, was equally astonished. They had been at the Alchemy Tower, which restricted access to outsiders, making them relatively cut off from the news.
Reilai, elegantly chewing on a steak, swallowed before speaking, "That's quite impressive. He’s on track to become the strongest after Father."
"Hehe, I believe you won't fall behind him," Rhett said with a smile, his gaze warm as he looked at Reilai.
"Thanks for the kind words, Father. I hope so," Reilai replied, raising an eyebrow with a hint of confidence.
"And Tucker," Rhett turned to his eldest son and said calmly, "I hope you won’t be discouraged by this."
"Huh? I’m not discouraged at all," Tucker responded, his tone carefree.
Rhett’s eyelid twitched. "What I mean is... you should take this as motivation and work even harder in your training."
Tucker suddenly froze, finally realizing the subtle meaning behind his father’s words. He nodded heavily, "I understand, Father. It’s just that my talent is rather average, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t catch up..."
He glanced at Dick, who was nestled in Vanessa’s arms, and sighed unconsciously, "I just hope Dick’s talent surpasses mine."
Although Rhett wanted to say that he would find a way to obtain a bloodline potion for him in the future, he hesitated and instead said, "Well, for now, focus on giving your best effort. Opportunities favor those who are prepared."
Tucker, slightly disheartened, replied, "Understood, I’ll do my best..." He then resumed devouring his breakfast with renewed vigor.
Rhett shot his eldest son a sidelong glance, noticing how quickly his dejection faded, replaced by an eager consumption of the meal before him.
He couldn’t help but smile to himself.
On the open ground three kilometers south of the training grounds.
Lawrence could feel the connection forming between him and the white-eyed rat pup, Vicky. A look of amazement crossed his eyes as he sensed the mysterious power of the newly formed circular phantom.
Suppressing his joy, he solemnly bowed to the two men before him. "Thank you, Lord Rhett. Thank you, Young Master Tucker."
"It was nothing," Rhett said with a smile.
"Haha, Lawrence, you’re too polite! Let’s spar sometime and see who’s stronger!" Tucker laughed heartily, stroking the feathers of the creature beside him, Mog.
"I wouldn’t dare. Young Master Tucker is surely stronger!" Lawrence replied humbly, bowing his head.
"You don’t know that until we fight, do you?" Tucker shook his head, his competitive spirit ignited. Rubbing his hands together, he looked as though he might challenge Lawrence to a duel right then and there.
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