"Me? Just an unremarkable nobody," Alan replied with a shake of his head.
He had already distanced himself from House Roan, not wanting any further entanglements with them.
Victor scoffed, "Dare to act but not admit it? You spineless wretch!"
Alan shrugged. "Fine, I'm Alan-Roan. Ask around in the Northern District, and you'll find out."
Victor was taken aback. "You're from House Roan?"
House Roan was known to have produced an exceptional talent—someone named William, if he recalled correctly. Even those outside of Snowguard City had heard of him.
Alan didn't bother to answer, instead casting a glance at the black canvas bag hanging from Janes' waist. He hooked it up with his foot and naturally claimed it as his spoils, tucking it into his coat.
During battles with rival families, looting the battlefield was common practice. In a place where storage rings were costly, black canvas bags often held valuables, being durable, spacious, and inconspicuous.
Seeing Alan take Janes' bag, Victor's face darkened. "Alan, hand over the bag. That's House Blackwood's property!"
Alan glared at Victor. "Your property? Come and take it if you dare! Otherwise, don't force my hand."
His keen senses told him there was something valuable inside the bag. Now that it was in his possession, he had no intention of giving it up.
"You!" Victor's face twisted with anger, but knowing his men couldn't best Alan, he grudgingly dragged Janes' body away and left with the other bandits.
Watching them leave, Alan knew this place would soon be full of trouble. Without hesitation, he drove the carriage away under cover of night.
Not long after he left, a new set of galloping hooves sounded. A tall man with gold rings on each of his ten fingers dismounted, scrutinizing the fallen spellbeast's body.
"Three strikes on the neck in the same spot, resulting in decapitation. This one's swordsmanship is impressive."
"Mana, physique—both exceptional. No tier-iron mage could pull this off; he's definitely tier-bronze."
"You say he looked young, claimed to be from House Roan in the Northern District… Sounds likely, but he's probably not Alan. More likely, it's William."
Victor and the others surrounding the man looked at each other in surprise. "William? The prodigy who caused a phenomenon during his breakthrough?"
"Indeed," the tall man replied solemnly. "There's no other young tier-bronze mage in Snowguard City."
They all nodded, but then Victor anxiously asked, "What should we do next?"
"No matter who he is, attacking a core member of House Blackwood is unforgivable. Kill on sight!"
"And that Snow Lotus is invaluable and extremely rare. We can't let him take it," the tall man said coldly. "I'll go after him and take his life, along with the Snow Lotus and his head. You report this to Chief Jack!"
…
Meanwhile, Alan sat in the carriage, smiling as he felt the weight of the black canvas bag in his coat. He had already checked its contents—a Snow Lotus, just as he had sensed earlier!
Snow Lotus was an extremely rare and valuable magical herb, typically growing on cliffs and blooming once every few decades. Containing potent magical elements, it was highly sought after for mage training and potion-making. It could easily fetch over a thousand gold coins!
Such a find at the beginning of his journey pleased Alan. Though he had offended House Blackwood, they couldn't do much once he left their territory.
Beside him, Isabella was already captivated by the Snow Lotus's fragrance. As a naturally gifted potion maker, she understood its rarity and value, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Rare herbs like this would allow her to concoct better potions and support her brother's training.
With both of them in high spirits, they continued on their way until morning. Tired from a sleepless night, Alan and Isabella were relieved to see the silhouette of a small town ahead.
Alan sighed with relief; even if House Blackwood was a notorious bandit group, they wouldn't dare act recklessly within town limits.
"These days have been tiring. Let's take a break once we reach town, and I'll take you around," Alan said, feeling guilty for the hardship his sister had endured on the road.
Isabella beamed at the thought of exploring town together. But suddenly, a cold voice rang out from behind them.
"Going for a stroll? Only if you're lucky."
A tall, thin man appeared in front of their carriage, blocking their path. Alan frowned, studying the man, who had a snake-like gaze and fingers adorned with rings that formed a kind of knuckle-duster. His arms were so muscular they were thicker than his thighs, marking him as a formidable fist fighter.
With one look, Alan felt the overwhelming aura emanating from him. This man was at the half-step tier-gold level—a full two tiers higher than Alan.
Clearly hostile, the man glared at Alan with a murderous intent.
"House Blackwood?" Alan muttered, noting the emblem on the man's chest, his expression growing more serious.
"Hand over the item. It doesn't belong to you," the man sneered, gazing down at Alan. As a mage with one foot in tier-gold, he was confident he could overpower a tier-bronze mage and even challenge those at tier-gold.
Though he could see Alan had potential, the gap in power between them was insurmountable.
Alan subtly shielded Isabella, who immediately retreated into the carriage, peeking out with concern through a crack in the curtains. "Be careful, Brother," she whispered, "he doesn't look easy to handle."
Alan nodded, then looked at the man with a calm expression. "If I hand over the item, will you let us go?"
"Of course!" the man replied with a smug smile.
In reality, he hadn't attacked directly for fear of damaging the Snow Lotus. The delicate herb's effectiveness would be compromised if harmed, and he intended to use it for his advancement to tier-gold.
Satisfied with his assurance, Alan seemed to relax. He reached into his coat and pulled out the black canvas bag, edging closer as he spoke, "I was reckless before. House Blackwood's reputation precedes it. You must be the esteemed steward?"
"I've heard that House Blackwood is famous for the master's spear and the steward's fists!"
"It's said the steward's fists, in particular, are legendary—capable of crushing countless mages."
The steward puffed up with pride, chuckling. "Quite the flatterer, aren't you? Hand over the item, and I might just let you off."
But before he could finish, Alan tossed the bag to him. As the steward eagerly reached out, a cold glint flashed before him—a sword strike, swift and unrelenting, whistling through the air.
He could have dodged the attack easily, but the Snow Lotus was in the line of fire. Evading would risk damaging it.
"Petrify!"
The steward abandoned the idea of dodging. Summoning thick earth elements to his arms, he coated his already muscular limbs in a layer of stone, then moved to grab Alan's sword mid-strike.
Although Alan's sudden attack was swift, the steward, being a half-step tier-gold mage, reacted in time, catching the sword in his stone-covered hand and holding it in place, immobilizing it completely.
"As a swordsman without his sword, what can you do against me?"