Chapter 1038 - 861: Visitors from All Sides (Part 2)

"You are Duke?" The leading member of the Sea Race halted a few steps away from Duke, his tone was one of confirmation, not questioning.

His voice was deeper than Serafina’s, carrying an inherent arrogance: "I’m Neptune, Serafina’s cousin. I heard you are the only wizard she actively contacted on land. I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while, but you always remained elusive. I came specifically to see you upon hearing you emerged."

As he spoke, his gaze unabashedly measured Duke up and down, clearly showing he had some understanding of the person before him, Level 3 Middle Stage, hailing from Black Sail, excelling in the assessment on the Central Islands, having some connection to Serafina’s awakening in the ocean abyss.

His eyes then showed a faint, undisguised dissatisfaction.

"I don’t know what means you used to enchant Serafina. She has just awakened and isn’t familiar with matters on land, so deceiving her feelings is rather normal. Yet the Sea Race has never been close to wizards, Serafina belongs to the esteemed royal family, she is beyond your reach." He slightly raised his chin, casually resting his right hand on the sword’s hilt at his waist, "You’d better know your place and keep away from her. Also, best not meet me on the Path of Divine Revelation, else I won’t be courteous."

Duke looked at him, not angry.

He could see, Neptune’s warning wasn’t out of malice, but protection for Serafina, believing his cousin was tricked by some slick-tongued wizard.

However, he clearly did not understand how Serafina had been asleep for thousands of years in Beauty Berry, nor how Duke awoke her, and even more, he was unaware of Serafina’s deeper secrets.

In this royal cousin’s eyes, his cousin was just a newly awakened, needing protection young girl, while Duke was an outsider seizing the opportunity.

Duke didn’t explain, nor was there a need for explanation.

He simply nodded slightly, responding calmly, "Serafina is my friend, I respect her and also respect the Sea Race."

Neptune stared at him for a few breaths, seemingly judging whether his words were perfunctory or sincere.

Then he snorted coldly, released the sword’s hilt, and turned around, striding toward the Sixth District.

Three demigod-level guards followed closely, a short-haired female Sea Race glanced at Duke sideways as she passed by, her gaze was devoid of hostility, only a faint assessment, as if reevaluating what was special about this wizard whom the princess actively contacted.

Days later, the population density of the Central Islands reached an unprecedented peak.

The silver-blue glow of the teleportation hall persisted almost nonstop from dawn till dusk, young elite wizards from various continents converged onto this archipelago floating above the Endless Sea.

To accommodate, the Six-Ring Tower temporarily opened three additional teleportation arrays, yet each still had long queues.

The dormitories in Zone 7 were already filled, newcomers had to be assigned to temporary accommodations in Zone 5 and Zone 9.

The cafes and taverns on Silver Wing Plaza were packed to capacity, filled with young faces donning various magic robes, the air was infused with naturally emitted energy fluctuations, intertwining and colliding, forming a faint halo visible to the naked eye above the plaza.

Duke and Vera, Leon, Edmond, Adrian exited a familiar restaurant.

This restaurant located on the east side of Silver Wing Plaza was their frequent gathering place during their studies on the Central Islands, the owner was a retired Level 1 Mage, recognized these young people who were once students, always reserving the quiet innermost spot for them.

Today’s intelligence exchange lasted quite a while, Edmond shared the latest updates on the bloodline clans from the Golden Continent collected by White Cliff Academy, and Adrian supplemented news from the Visenfels Clan’s intelligence network on the Scavi Continent.

Duke pushed open the door, lowering his head talking to Vera, glimpsing ahead blocked by someone.

Lifting his head, he saw a not unfamiliar face.

Audric Bloodgold stood a few steps away on the plaza’s stone slabs, his dark red magic robe edged with gold shimmered like congealed blood under the silver-blue sky.

He appeared taller than a few years ago, broader-shouldered, the aristocratic arrogance often curling at the corners of his mouth replaced by something more profound.

Audric’s pupils remained the unique vertical pupils of the Golden Dragon Bloodline, reflecting a pale gold glow in the light, at the moment intensely fixed on Duke.

Behind him stood five or six persons, closest to him was a young man taller by half a head, bearing a resemblance in features, but of a more sinister demeanor, arms crossed over the chest, a trace of a mocking smile on his lips.

Behind them were four bloodline knights clad in dark red heavy armor, each bearing the Bloodgold Clan’s Dragon Claw Badge engraved on their chest plates, their aura consistently pressed at Level 3 Peak.

These were not ordinary guards but demigod-level escorts specifically arranged for the Path of Divine Revelation.

"Duke." Audric’s voice was deeper than years before, like a beast suppressing a roar, "Finally made it to find you, heard you’ve been in seclusion for months, I thought you’d hide till the Path of Divine Revelation ended.

I remember the account from years ago on the Central Islands where you ganged up on me alone. This time at the Elderlands, I’ll make sure you repay it all back.

Especially you, Duke."

As he spoke, battle intent ran unabashedly through his pale golden vertical pupils, the innate pressure of the Golden Dragon Bloodline spreading from his body, several low-tier students emerging from the cafe retreated several steps under its weight, hurriedly escaping to the other side of the plaza.

Duke hadn’t yet spoken, when the sinister man beside Audric suddenly emitted a very light chuckle.

Though the laugh was not loud, its penetration was strong, every person present heard it clearly.

"Audric, is this the mudblood you’re talking about from the West Coast?" Valentine Bloodgold lowered his arms, walked forward slowly, surveying Duke from head to toe with a scrutinizing gaze, then turned to Audric with undisguised mockery on his lips, "A commoner’s wizard from the West Coast, without a bloodline, and you nearly lost half your life to him. Seems collateral is collateral, no matter how early the Golden Dragon Bloodline awakens, the poor quality inherent in your branch can’t be changed."

Audric suddenly turned to Valentine, the pale golden glow in his vertical pupils sharply intensified, the dragon might around him materializing and pressing towards his cousin.

Valentine merely squinted slightly, unmoving, keeping his arms crossed with that chilly smile.

Air between them seemed momentarily evacuated, dragon might clashing silently against dragon might, thin fissures appeared on the stone slab ground under subtle trembles.

Duke and Vera exchanged a glance, moments later, a brief intelligence was simultaneously transmitted to Duke, Leon, Edmond, Adrian, and Morris’s badges.

Valentine Bloodgold, demigod-level, Golden Dragon Bloodline Awakener, direct heir of Bloodgold Clan’s principal lineage.

Belonged to the Bloodgold Clan’s top talents of this generation with Audric but belonged to different factions.

Audric was of collateral descent, barely squeezing into the core circle by relying on the strength and timing of his bloodline awakening.

Valentine was the pure-bred direct line, groomed as next clan head since childhood.

Their brotherly facade masked intense competition, especially in clan succession rights, they had long been at daggers drawn.

Duke shifted his gaze from Vera’s badge, once more observing the tense pair of cousins.

Valentine’s mockery outwardly targeted Audric’s failure, yet fundamentally served to further humiliate the West Coast as a whole, raising his position by stepping on it.