chapter 4 One is to visit relatives and the other is to commit murder.

The setting sun dipped westward, casting a resplendent glow across the sky. Greene Town was abuzz with unrest, and the lively discussions in the streets and alleys surged wave after wave. In four hours. The townsfolk witnessed the collapse of a once-prosperous clan. Beyond shock, they felt exhilarated. The Quinn family had overshadowed Greene Town, deeply loathed by many. Their elimination was like the dispersal of dark clouds. Those well-informed. Headed towards the Moonlight Tavern with awe in their hearts. The issuer of the Red Dragon's secret decree must be someone at the pinnacle of the Red Dragon Martial Dynasty. The order to eliminate the Quinn family might signal a reshuffling of power among Greene Town's various factions. Outside the Moonlight Tavern, the hustle and bustle filled the air, yet inside, it was as quiet as a graveyard. The patrons stood rooted to the spot, as if they were in a dream. Without stepping outside, they knew what had happened. Blood-red smoke signals obscured the entire county. The young man who stood up for Jack Farnham sat steadily within, his single statement powerfully suppressing Sungarde County and annihilating the Quinn family. "Young hero..." The tavern owner regained his senses and hurriedly looked around, but Liam Calvin was nowhere to be seen. Sitting at the table, Jack was silent for a long time before slowly saying, "He has left." "Mr. Jack, do you know who that young hero was?" The tavern owner looked lost in thought. "Don't ask, and don't mention it." "Remember, we must keep this matter absolutely confidential," Jack said seriously. Liam had not revealed his identity and used the Red Dragon secret order to suppress the Quinn family; how could they dare to speculate? "I understand." The tavern owner smiled bitterly, then looked towards Noah in the corner. Liam's departure was not because Noah deserved death, but rather out of disdain to act. "This can't be happening!" Noah, disheveled, lay prostrate on the ground, his face filled with fear. The Quinn family, with its immense power, how could it possibly collapse within just a couple of hours? Who had he provoked, after all? "Throw this dog out!" The tavern owner sneered. "No... please no!" Noah screamed in terror. With the fall of the Quinn family, he had lost all his support. The common folk outside the tavern could possibly skin him alive. "You reap what you sow, you cannot live!" The tavern owner and a few patrons dragged Noah out like a dead dog. Very soon. Noah was swallowed up by the surging crowd outside, his screams echoing. As for Jack, he had already left with Chloe. He appeared expressionless, but his withered palm was trembling slightly. "Grandpa, who was that big brother, really?" Chloe noticed the old man's emotional turmoil, tilted her head, and asked in a crisp voice. Jack patted Chloe's head and said with a smile, "Chloe, he is like the proud sun in the sky..." The battle to crown the king of the North, he had experienced it. Although he had not seen the true face of the North King, he had witnessed his grace from afar. Liam's order and the Red Dragon's secret command dominated the county; how could he not understand. The North King he had dreamt of following was right before his eyes. That man with world-shaking talent, renowned across the world, the North King! However, before he could react. The North King had already left with a flick of his sleeve, leaving him feeling a profound sense of loss. "Is that big brother that amazing?" Chloe, half-understanding, said, "I wonder if that big brother is from Greene Town." This casual remark made Jack shudder. The origin of the North King was top secret. After pacifying the North, the North King appeared in Greene Town, perhaps he was from this town! If so. He still had the opportunity to pay homage to North King. "There are three great martial families in Greene Town, I wonder from which family does North King descend?" Jack's heart was surging with emotions. The mysterious North King, returning to his homeland, this city will probably not remain calm. Several streets away. Liam, clad in a white robe, was striding forward. "Six years..." Liam murmured softly. When expelled from the Sungarde Sect, he lacked the courage to face his parents. After joining the border guards, with military orders at hand, he had no time to return to Greene Town. Six years of separation had accumulated too much longing. "My dear brother." "You would never have thought that I, Liam, would rise again." A cold light flickered in Liam's eyes as past memories surfaced in his mind. Six years ago, he joined the Sungarde Sect and was found to have an extremely high Divine Bloodline, hailed as the first genius of the Sungarde Sect. Back then, with a beautiful companion and basking in the limelight, he was full of pride and ambition. Little did he know. Danger was approaching. His brother-in-arms from the Sungarde Sect, ‘Benjamin Layton’, poisoned his Divine Bloodline with a cup of poisoned wine, ruining his future! Liam, in deep anguish, sought justice from the Sungarde Sect. But what he received was a ruthless expulsion. The so-called fairness and justice, in the eyes of a Great Sect like Sungarde Sect, were insignificant. Liam's Divine Bloodline disappeared. The Sungarde Sect would not deal with Benjamin for a now useless person. Benjamin's Divine Bloodline, though not as prominent as Liam's, was still considered genius among his peers. After Liam was crippled, Benjamin received focused cultivation. Liam paused, gazing at the city outskirts. Night fell, the bright moon soared high, and the earth was vast and desolate. The Sungarde Sect, one of the Red Dragon Martial Dynasty's Great Sects. Sungarde County was named after this sect, as it was located within the territory, just a hundred miles from Greene Town. "This return is for two reasons, one to visit relatives, and the other to seek vengeance." Liam pursed his lips, “After meeting my parents, I will head to the Sungarde Sect!" Dressed in military garb, he was the North King who stood guard in the North, shedding his blood for the people of the Red Dragon. He was also a man returning from battle, ready to settle his personal vendetta. Everything stemmed from his heart, without any regrets towards heaven and earth. In the Sungarde Sect, there was not only Benjamin but also an old love who once vowed eternal allegiance. "Six years have passed, how are you?" Thinking this, a smile appeared on Liam's lips. Whoosh! A gust of wind swept through the street, and James, like a ghost, appeared behind Liam. "King." "You need not personally take action to settle old scores." "Just issue a royal decree, and the thirty thousand North King Army will flatten Sungarde for you." James felt indignant about Liam's past experiences. Liam was crowned a king, ruling over 152 counties in the northern part of the Red Dragon Martial Dynasty as the North King, including Sungarde County. All forces within the county, even those of humble origins, were subjects under the North King. As a Great Sect, the Sungarde Sect also had to respect the North King, unable to withstand the iron cavalry of the North King Army. The use of the Red Dragon's secret order against the Quinn family was seen by others as excessive. But little did they know, if the North King Army approached, the entire the Red Dragon Martial Dynasty would be in turmoil. "Some things must be done personally to have meaning." Liam had regained his composure, "The swords of the North King Army should be united against external enemies, thirsting for their blood, not for avenging me." "Understood." James nodded. Liam, not only outstanding in warfare but also widely renowned, had the demeanor of a king. On the battlefield, he would venture three thousand miles into enemy territory to save a common soldier. After being ennobled, he refused to bully others with his power, even returning to his homeland alone. Such a character won the hearts of the 300,000 North King Army, making these brave and fierce generals vow to follow him to death. "However..." James hesitated, considering his words. "Speak your mind!" Liam's brows furrowed slightly. "I've heard that the Calvin family has been having a tough time these years." "Your father, to enable your return to the Sungarde Sect, didn’t hesitate to spend all his wealth to befriend the elders of the Sect." "But he was mocked in return and severely injured half a month ago." "Recently, people saw disciples of the Sungarde Sect going to the Calvin Mansion, probably to cause trouble." After James finished, he appeared nervous. He knew well the place of the Calvin family in Liam's heart, having followed Liam in many battles. He dared not think of the turmoil this news would cause. Liam's figure stiffened, as if a sparrow had fallen to the ground, silencing all creatures around. The swirling leaves around him were shattered into dust. The air temperature dropped suddenly, and the howling wind, like knives, made the surrounding crowd scream and scatter. Over six years, he had corresponded with his parents through letters. After being expelled from the Sungarde Sect, Liam deeply understood the risks of standing out. His rise in the North, with remarkable military achievements, made him a thorn in the side of enemy countries. Therefore, in his letters home, he rarely mentioned his own situation, fearing that any leak would endanger the Calvin family. His father, too, was cautious, never daring to ask too much, for fear of touching Liam's wounds. This tacit understanding continued until Liam was ennobled. Yet his father had paid so much in secret. This was a father's love for his son. "Not content with bullying me!" "They even dare to bully my father!" Liam's face twisted with fury, and his figure vanished from the streets.