An unexpected and powerful gust of wind suddenly swept through the ceremony site.
It appeared so abruptly that it caught Elrik and Lysandra off guard, striking their arrogant and prideful faces with such force that their cheeks reddened and their eyes watered, making them resemble bullied children.
The wind wasn't nearly as intense for the others present at the ceremony site as it was for Elrik and Lysandra.
Everyone there, including Valerius, who had been standing with an air of confidence and pride due to his recent verbal triumphs over Elrik and Lysandra, merely had their hair tousled by the wind while they squinted against the debris it brought
"Why me?"
Lysandra and Elrik wondered the same thing. Why were they the only ones targeted so harshly by the wind while the people around them merely felt its gentle touch? To them, it felt like the wind was intentionally bullying them as if it was guided by someone who didn't like them!
When the gust finally subsided, the people gathered at the ceremony site opened their eyes fully, taking in their surroundings.
To their astonishment, near the grand ancestral tree that stood prominently at the center of the site, an old man has now appeared.
The old man was dressed plainly in a rough white cotton robe and had a head full of unkempt long white hair.
Most noticeably, not only did he sport a majestic mustache, but he also had a voluminous white beard that flowed down to his chest.
Lastly, deep wrinkles marked his face, and his posture was slightly hunched.
This old man seemed below average in appearance, but if one were to look closely at him, one would realize that his eyes shone so brightly that they made the light of a thousand stars seem dim in comparison, and it would become abundantly clear to them that he was no ordinary individual and shouldn't be underestimated because of his age or his slightly deformed body that couldn't straighten up due to old age.
Upon the sudden appearance of the old man next to the tree, a murmur spread through the crowd.
"Huh? Was there an old man standing there before?"
"Nah-uh."
"Then, when did he get there?"
"He must've come with the wind."
No one in the crowd had seen him arrive; they assumed he must have appeared when the gust
"Who are you?" someone from the crowd shouted, not bothering to hide their curiosity.
Actually, except for Valerius and the person high up in the sky sitting on a cloud, the old man's identity was a complete mystery to everyone present at the ceremony site as they hadn't seen him before nor had they ever heard about him.
They didn't know who he was. But he had appeared in one of the most sacred sites of Serph. So they were curious about him.
"I am the guardian of this ceremony site," replied the old man in a voice that, despite his appearance, was strong and unwavering, reaching the ears of everyone present at the ceremony site.
"I've never seen or heard of you before. You can't be someone special. How can someone as old as you, with one foot in the grave, hold such an important position? Are the taxpayer's money being emblazoned?" sneered a young man with a sharp, angular face, raven black hair, and small, beady eyes that gleamed with arrogance.
The crowd recognized him as Benjamin.
He belonged to a renowned wizard family called the Dickens.
Over the years, the House of Dickens had grown so influential that some started referring to them as the sixth major family of Serph's wizard community. So it could be understood why he dared to taunt an old man who had clearly shown his capability as a wizard so openly.
As for why he did that, it was pretty easy to understand.
Benjamin's parents had him in their old age when all of their previous children had gotten married and started their own families. He was adored immensely by his parents as they had him in their old age. And because of the age difference, his siblings and their spouses treated him less like a brother and more like their own child.
So, he grew up spoiled, and his personality became twisted after he made mistakes and bullied people but didn't get punished.
As his entire family was reluctant to punish him for his misdeeds, he became a bastard who would get a kick out of abusing his status and bullying the weak.
It was so bad that whenever he would see a pushover, regardless of their age, he would feel an irresistible itch to bully them either verbally or physically.
That was exactly what he was doing right now
When Valerius heard the rude remark, he snickered internally, 'Idiot, of course, you wouldn't realize him as he is wearing a human skin mask to hide his identity. He is old man Thousand Faces. The greatest master of disguise in Serphendale and Serph's no.1 spy. Even the heads of the great wizard family wouldn't dare speak ill of him behind his back, yet you humiliated him in his face. Are you so eager to die?
Valerius was certain Benjamin hadn't heard of the phrase, "Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young."
Because if he had, he wouldn't have been so outright offensive just to get a kick and gain a few fleeting laughs from the crowd.
'The youngest son of the Dickens is clearly a dork with no control over his twisted impulses.'
'This also confirms my earlier suspicion that the personality of the people of Serphendale is similar to what was written about them in the novel. I can use this to my advantage. Since I know what they're like, I should be able to steer any interactions with them in my favor.'
Valerius recited a prayer for the foolish brat in his mind.
After all, if the old man felt offended and decided to attack him, nothing would be able to save Benjamin.
However, before the old man could respond to Benjamin's taunt in any way, another voice rang out from behind the crowd, countering the young man's claim.
"You're wrong. It's not that he isn't special. You're simply ignorant."
Benjamin visibly stiffened when he heard the voice.
The rest of the crowd, on the other hand, turned their heads to the source of the voice, trying to identify its owner. However, all they could see was a figure leaning against a tree, his face obscured by the shadow cast by the objects in his surroundings.
They couldn't tell who he was.
But how could Benjamin not recognize the voice of his greatest nemesis and also his worst nightmare?
Just from his voice alone, he was able to tell it was Aric Redwood.
Benjamin usually would've retaliated against anyone who dared to mock him. However, he held back this time because the person in question was Aric.
Aric was stronger than Benjamin and was the eldest young master of a family far more powerful than his own.
If Benjamin dared get physical with him, then just like what had happened the previous four times, he would get the beating of his life and be forced by his family to apologize to Aric!
Such was the authority of the eldest young master of the Redwood that he could even make the Dickens force their most spoiled child to apologize to the very person who had beaten him up!
In fact, Benjamin's family wouldn't back him against anyone from the five great families as they didn't want to get on their bad side.
Although they pampered him to death as he was the youngest member of their family, they had explicitly warned him not to offend anyone from the five major families, for they wouldn't help him if he did, and the consequences would be his to bear alone.
Thus, the young man, known for his short temper, didn't react aggressively to Aric's taunt.
But he wasn't willing to stay silent after being humiliated either.
He restrained his anger and asked, "Enlighten me then, Master Aric, why do you think I'm wrong and ignorant?"
Aric Redwood stepped out from the shade of the tree, revealing himself fully to the gathered crowd.
He was a young man with fiery red shoulder-length hair and phoenix eyes that were similar in color to blood.
"So handsome!"
The moment he emerged, a collective gasp echoed among the crowd, especially from the young ladies gathered at the ceremony site.
His towering height, square face, chiseled features, and sharply defined jawline left them blushing and stealing glances at him.
"Who is this handsome young stud?" the women questioned in unison.
A man from the crowd whispered to the ladies, "He is the eldest young master of the Redwood family! Ladies, please refrain from making any rude remarks about him; he is quite religious."
Aric was wearing a dark robe, and on his attire, the intricately embroidered insignia of the Redwood family was clearly displayed. His identity was apparent to those who knew what symbols represented which family.
"So he is Aric Redwood. The rumors about him weren't wrong. He is righteous and cunning as he dared to speak freely against Benjamin when he was bullying the elder, knowing that with his standing in the wizard community and the backing of the Redwood family, he doesn't have to worry about Benjamin's retaliation," muttered a young man in the crowd.
If Valerius had caught a glimpse of him, he would've felt excited as he was precisely the person he was looking for.
But his eyes were on the red-haired man.
A glance at him, and Valerius's eyes widened in recognition.
'He is The Eccentric!' he screamed in his mind.
He felt excited as he was seeing the second male lead of the Great Conquer novel in Flesh and Blood.
Looking around, the crowd was abuzz at the sight of Aric Redwood. He was a full-fledged wizard, and the ceremony held no meaning for him. So why was he here? Maybe he was here to recruit the person with the most impressive performance in the ceremony for his family?!
Val thought that although it was surprising, it wasn't completely unexpected. The Eccentric was the disciple of Old Man Thousand Faces. So it wasn't far-fetched to see him in a place where his master was.
Aric glanced at Benjamin and said, "Since you've asked, I don't mind enlightening you.
"To become the guardian of this sacred place, one needs to meet two conditions.
"Firstly, they must be a high-ranked wizard. Secondly, they have to have made significant accomplishments for Serph. Just the fact that my master is the guardian of this place means he has done a great deal for our kingdom and is stronger than 90% of the wizards in Serphendale.
"Daring to insult him, even if my master killed you on the spot, he wouldn't be in the wrong!"
The crowd gasped in shock at the revelation of him being the old man's student.
Someone who could become the master of the heir to the Redwood family must be equal in status to the head of the five great families.
Suddenly, the way they looked at the old man changed to one of respect.
Benjamin's face paled after hearing the truth, and he hurried to apologize to the old man, "Elder, I'm sorry for my disrespectful words. Please forgive me."
"Apology accepted."
The old man was kind-hearted. If he could avoid bloodshed, he would. Although Benjamin made fun of him and with his strength, he could murder Benjamin and get away with it scot-free, he forgave him. He didn't want to set a bad example for the future generation.
On top of that, he also advised him, "Remember to correct your attitude. Not everyone is like me. They won't forgive you for making fun of them."
"I-I understand."
Benjamin was promising to improve his behavior, but he had no intention of following through with his promise.
He was just putting up a facade to please the old man.
Later on, he would get back to his old ways.
Aric sighed in his heart, 'My dear master is too kind. A person like Benjamin doesn't deserve his kindness.'
He knew Benjamin was rotten inside out.
He couldn't be reasoned with.
Against him, only beatings worked.
His master probably didn't know that, so he let him go.
But Aric promised that if Benjamin took unfair advantage of his master's kindness, he would show him hell the next time he caught him bullying someone or doing something sneaky!
While Aric was lost in thoughts, Lysandra approached him and with an elegant smile on her face, said, "Young master, what brings you here?"
Her expressive eyes showed that she was interested in him.
Her suitors thought Aric had lucked out, but Valerius found him pitiful.
The reason for that was quite simple. Gaining the attention of someone like the youngest princess of the Everglade family, who had quite the reputation for being aggressive in her pursuits, even going as far as to force the target of her interest into servitude, wasn't something to be celebrated, especially for someone of Aric's background.
Aric Redwood hailed from a deeply rooted conservative family, one that adhered staunchly to their religious beliefs.
The particular religion that the Redwoods devoutly followed was named Ahshun.
Ahshun was also one of the many names of the Merciful and Bevelonant God of Creation, the eternal force that breathed life into the world.
Thousands of years ago, the world was submerged in chaos. That era was called the Dark Ages.
During the Dark Ages, women were treated as mere objects.
It was only with the appearance of the first messenger of Ahshun that things got better for the women of the land of Serphendale.
Under his influence and teachings, men started treating women with respect, and terms such as mother, daughter, sister, and so on came into being.
For a man following this religion, no matter how rich and influential he was, he was only allowed to get intimate with his wife and vice versa. Whoring was forbidden for both genders.
Just like any other Ahshunite, Aric Redwood was a man who respected women.
His respect for the female gender was so deep that when he was 18 the princess of the Fox Clan notorious for being the most beautiful being throughout Heaven and Earth, consumed by her infatuation for Aric, snuck into his room and gave him an open invitation to do with her whatever he pleased by boldly stripping naked in front of him, hoping he would reciprocate her feelings after seeing her pristine body and unmatched beauty in full detail.
But Aric, instead of acting as many men might, did not stare or ogle at her provocatively. Instead, he averted his gaze from her divine visage, looking anywhere but her.
On top of that, with compassion and concern, he advised the beautiful princess who was smitten with him to have some self-respect and remain chaste for a man who would actually love her.
His words and demeanor had a profound impact on her. So much so that the maiden, deeply embarrassed by her impulsive act, immediately corrected her ways.
She accepted the teachings of Ahshun, and became an Ahshunite!
Later on, she got what she wished for. She got married to her first love. But that was a story for another time.
It was mentioned in the novel. Thus, Valerius knew about it.
Because of the same reason, he also knew that while Aric's respect for women was unquestionable, there was one type of woman he absolutely abhored.
It was a slut!
Lysandra was only asking to be humiliated by striking up a conversation with Aric.
Aric held no respect for her as he knew she was perpetually in heat and sleeping with dozens of men like a bitch with no morals.
He believed that her husbands were undoubtedly the greatest cucks under the heavens.
They were honestly also the most unfortunate.
There would have a lot to worry about when she gets pregnant.
For instance, they would never be certain of the father of the child in her womb since she was intimate with her entire harem of men all at the same time.
Whether it was her first husband or one of the other men in her harem that impregnated her, they wouldn't ever truly know.
As a result, they would have to live with the unsettling possibility of nurturing and loving a child who might not be biologically theirs!
The Everglade family might have a method to resolve this, but Aric had never shown any interest in them, as their methods and practices were at odds with his personal beliefs and the sacred teachings of his God and they disgusted him.
Thus, just as he dismissed everything concerning the Everglade family, he also disregarded their princess.
He didn't even acknowledge her presence!
Lysandra of the Everglade was awaiting a reply, but Aric didn't give her one, indicating he had no intention of engaging in a conversation with her.
Her face, which had previously been reddened by the gusty wind that the old man's movement had caused, deepened to a shade resembling the vibrant red of a baboon's posterior as she was made to feel humiliated by the old man's one and only student.
"You! How dare you ignore me?" The princess's voice cut through the air like a sharp blade, her tone dripping with indignation. She took a step closer to Aric, her eyes blazing with fury.
First, it had been Valerius who had shown her cold indifference, and now Aric, another prominent figure, had turned a blind eye to her presence.
The audacity of these men was unfathomable to her.
She was the princess of the Everglade family, a figure of admiration and respect in the wizard community.
Such blatant disregard was not something she was accustomed to, and certainly not something she was going to tolerate.
"Quiten down!"
Just as it looked like she was going to raise her voice further and unleash another torrent of words on Aric, a deafening sound, akin to a dragon's roar, reverberated throughout the ceremony site, silencing her.
The voice had come from the old man.
He could tolerate himself being humiliated, but he couldn't tolerate his student being disrespected, that too by a licentious woman, so he intervened, uttering only two words with all the strength he could muster.
As he uttered the two words, it felt like thunder had struck, striking fear into every heart.
His voice was not just loud; it carried with it an overpowering aura that made everyone, including the haughty princess, shudder in their boots.
The very clouds in the sky were dispelled by the sheer force of his shout!
The princess closed shut her mouth.
The bustling crowd also fell silent, their conversations ceasing instantly.
The murmurs and whispers that had filled the air moments ago were replaced by an eerie quiet in the blink of an eye, and countless terrified eyes were now on the old man, awaiting his next words.
'Subduing a crowd with a single shout. As expected of Old man Kendrick,' Valerius thought.
After regaining his composure, the old man scanned the gathered crowd with a gaze that felt like it could penetrate souls before opening his mouth to speak.
"I did not come here to witness petty squabbles." he said, "I came here to host this year's spirit veins awakening ceremony. Won't you let me do my thing?"
"We don't dare!"
No one uttered a word of complaint.