In the distance, Eddie heard the faint sound of voices. He couldn't afford to linger, so he ordered the Minotaur Shadow to carry the severed demon's arm and quickly slipped into the shadows.
The Minotaur Shadow, holding the frost-covered demon arm, followed him with heavy thuds.
Just as he was about to disappear into the darkness, Eddie glanced back at the still unconscious figure of the woman he knew as the mysterious thief. Suddenly, a white figure flashed across the sky, arriving at the scene faster than lightning.
This woman, dressed in imperial attire with a light veil covering her face, had a beauty that the veil could hardly conceal. Her eyes, bright and intelligent, fluttered beneath long lashes, full of life and charm.
She gasped upon seeing the thief lying motionless, "What happened here? She's just exhausted, no serious harm done." The voices and footsteps in the dark grew closer.
The elegantly dressed woman frowned slightly, extended her slender arm from her sleeve, and summoned a golden grimoire. A butterfly-winged sprite emerged from the grimoire and merged with her, forming giant butterfly wings behind her.
Gently lifting the unconscious thief, she spread her wings and soared up into the sky, departing from the chaos like a descending celestial being.
After she left, Eddie, who had been hiding his presence in the dark, slowly revealed himself. As the footsteps approached, he quickly retreated in the opposite direction, vanishing into the darkness with agility and stealth.
Moments after Eddie left, a middle-aged man with the presence of a golden lion arrived at the scene. He was met with the sight of the collapsed and burning main building of the lively forest, and he roared in frustration. The battlefield was in disarray - a deep, terrifying gash split the ground, burning remnants of hellfire dotted the area, and bodies lay charred or dismembered. No one had survived the carnage, not even the formidable guard captain, who had drawn his last breath.
The fierce lion-like man was seething with rage, unable to contain his fury as he roared towards the sky, "This is outrageous!"
Several warriors arrived one after another, their legs going weak at the sight of the devastation. "What are you waiting for? Look for survivors, gather any useful clues. I need to know who did this, and I need to know now!"
The lion-like man, known as the Master of the Golden Blade, drew his thick-backed golden sword and hacked furiously at the ground, further destroying the already ravaged terrain.
"A situation here, Master!" A man dressed like a thief pointed out something suspicious near the guard captain's body.
"Evil Fire? Six Kings?" The lion-like man, upon inspecting the guard captain's dying message written in blood on the stone, recognized the faint words 'Evil Fire, Six Kings'. His face paled with shock, then filled with an uncontrollable rage. "Whoever it is, we must settle this score!"
"Here's a clear space marked by a grimoire's protective circle, probably left by a surviving grimoire contract holder," another subordinate reported.
"Find them, offer a hefty reward. We'll spare no expense at the Lively Forest to uncover the truth. I won't tolerate any devil's followers roaming freely in our nation, nor those damned scoundrels using our people for blood sacrifices!"
The Master of the Golden Blade, almost bursting with fury, roared relentlessly.
Meanwhile, at Eddie's house...
Mother Grace, holding little Wenli and accompanied by a few servants, arrived in a state of panic, knocking on Eddie's door.
Without minding Eddie still in his robe, she urgently handed Wenli over to him. "Eddie, there's chaos in White Stone City. It might be the Black-Mountain bandits invading. Uncle Nan just went out and said the west part of the city is ablaze. You must take Wenli and leave quickly!"
Wenli, who had been crying, refused to leave her mother but ran into Eddie's arms when she saw him, sobbing, "Mommy hit me, Eddie! I didn't do anything wrong. It hurts so much!"
"Shh, Wenli, it's okay," Eddie comforted her.
Seeing Mother Grace's expression, Eddie understood the misunderstanding.
She must have thought that White Stone City was under attack and, wanting to ensure her daughter's safety, came to him to entrust Wenli to his care before the bandits could reach them.
What a selfless woman, Mother Grace was! She hadn't considered her own safety, focusing only on her son and daughter's well-being.
Eddie's heart surged with warmth, a wave of emotions almost choking him.
He took a deep breath to steady himself, gently patting little Wenli's back while assuring Mother Grace, "Don't worry, Mother Grace. Even if bandits really attacked, I'd protect you and Wenli. Trust me, it's not bandits.
The chaos outside was just a brawl among the warriors of Lively Forest. I saw from the rooftop.
Apart from a significant fire, the situation seems under control."
"Really? It's not bandits?" Mother Grace's face showed a mix of relief and lingering doubt.
"Absolutely not," Eddie confidently affirmed. "The Black Mountain bandits are actually the private soldiers of the White Stone City lord. They wouldn't dare attack the city."
Hearing Eddie's words, Mother Grace's expression relaxed considerably. She let out a sigh of relief, patting her chest to calm her still racing heart.
The servants and attendants behind her also sighed in relief, grateful for their spared lives.
In the Great Xia Kingdom, with its rugged landscape, bandits were rampant, making their strongholds in remote areas and preying on nearby villages.
Due to weak governance and local corruption, some local lords and leaders even colluded with these outlaws.
Great Xia's bandits were infamous for their brutality, often assaulting small towns and unleashing violence and terror.
In case of a city's capture, they would engage in days of looting and revelry, with women often bearing the brunt of their atrocities.
Understanding the grave danger, women from prominent families always kept a cyanide-like pill – the Chastity Martyr Pill – for dire circumstances.
This pill was a last resort to maintain honor and avoid falling into bandits' hands.
Inside Mother Grace's small pouch was such a pill. Eddie, sensing her fear, quickly reassured her that there was no bandit threat.
After Eddie's repeated assurances, Mother Grace finally relaxed. She spent the night in Eddie's room, holding the now-asleep Wenli.
It wasn't until Uncle Nan repeatedly confirmed the absence of a bandit threat, and dawn approached, that Mother Grace returned to her room to rest. However, the shock had left its mark on her.
In the following days, she remained restless and jittery, the fear of a potential bandit attack casting a shadow over her.
Eddie could see the psychological impact it had on Mother Grace, even though she never spoke of it.
Eddie noticed Mother Grace's face had slimmed, a silent concern etching itself in his mind.
The next day, Uncle Nan returned with exhilarating news that uplifted everyone's spirits.
"Madam, Young Master," he announced with a beaming smile, "The Black Mountain bandits have been wiped out overnight. Someone powerful must have struck them down. Their entire stronghold is gone."
This news worked like a charm, instantly erasing the worries from Mother Grace's heart.
Her radiant smile, a familiar sight in the household, returned.
The White Stone City lord was seething with anger at the news, but he was helpless to voice his grievances or seek revenge against the unknown assailant.
Had Yue Bing, Eddie's sister who was away practicing summoning techniques, been at home, she would have noticed a significant change in Eddie's Thorn Flower. It had evolved into a Silver Level 'Ghastly Face Thorn Flower,' thanks to its recent feast on the Black Mountain bandits.
Eddie felt a twinge of regret — if only there had been higher-level warriors among the bandits, his Thorn Flower might have reached the Gold Level.
After devouring nearly a hundred souls, it was tantalizingly close to this major milestone.
As life began settling back into its familiar rhythm and Eddie continued his disciplined training, an unexpected visit from Mother Grace three days later brought a new wave of excitement.
Clutching a letter, her face beamed with happiness. "Eddie, Sophia sent us a letter!" she exclaimed. "I was worried about the Lively Forest incident affecting the mail, but here it is!"
Her smile, however, quickly faded as she read the letter. A look of concern creased her forehead, replacing her earlier joy.
"What's wrong? Is something up with Sophia?" Eddie asked, suddenly alarmed. He gently placed little Wenli, who was cuddling in his arms, on the ground. "Mother Grace, should I go and bring Sophia back?"
The worry on Mother Grace's face deepened, hinting at the gravity of the situation described in Sophia's letter. Eddie stood, ready to take any necessary action, his resolve to protect his family unwavering.