The bluegrass clan was situated to the west of the Fist clan at a distance of thirteen miles. The region between them was mostly rocky, but there was just one straight road that connected both the clans.However, this road was rarely ever used by the people as the relation between the bluegrass clan and the Fist clan wasn’t that good.The bluegrass clan was built on open lands. To their north, there were wet grass lands after which, the Seven Stellar mountain range started.The massive mountains were pretty clearly visible from there, though this view was not there in the Fist clan as the Blind mountain blocked off their northern view.There was a hundred feet divide between the bluegrass clan and the other lands, which was filled with water, and hungry crocodiles were roaming these waters, always looking for prey.Warren and Rayson arrived there on foot.Rayson was impressed that Warren could keep up with him even with peglegs. Then again, the peglegs already had cracks in them.“Low

Dahlia never raised her voice in front of her dad before, but now, she shouted without a second thought, “Father, in order to save Big Brother’s life, how can you marry off Third Brother? That makes no sense.”“He thought your third brother was poisoned, too,” Durk said, still smiling. “I came here with the intent to cure Gunnar, too. But he seems fine. Still, a promise is a promise.”“Screw that promise!” Dahlia shouted and looked at Gunnar. “Why aren't you saying anything? Don’t you have a mouth? Or do you not get what’s happening right now? You’re being sold away like a tool, Gunnar!”“If the promise is broken, then your clan will have to face the consequences,” Durk said.“What consequences?” Dahlia angrily asked.“1000 gold, and I also get to take three technique books from your clan’s library of my choosing,” Durk said in a loud voice on purpose so that the other people could hear him, too.Dahlia’s eyes widened. “What a thief you are! It’s obvious that you’re after Grand Trio t

The next morning.Rayson opened his eyes and found himself sleeping on the stone stage.He looked to his left, but Gunnar wasn’t there.Rayson’s heart sank into his stomach.“H-He didn’t escape, did he?” Rayson asked the guards, but they shook their heads, saying they didn’t see him leave through the eastern border.Rayson then rushed to the village center to see if Gunnar was there, and to his relief, Gunnar was with his sister.“Did my words get through to his head last night?” Rayson wondered. He didn’t bother them and went to his home.“If you want to run away again, I won’t stop you,” Dahlia was speaking to Gunnar in a low voice. “If you need my help, I will give it.”“Why? You don’t think this marriage is good for me?” Gunnar asked her. “Elder Rayson thinks that I can’t get a better marriage than this.”“He will say his farts smell nice, too. Will you believe him?” Dahlia hissed at him.“N-No.”“Hmph, you’re not a kid. You’ve seen what our own clan member tried to do to us,” Dah

In the evening of the same day.In the physician's house.Lexar was able to sit up and talk now.He tried to get up, but his leg muscles were hurting, so he had to sit back.Even sitting was discomforting, but he was able to bear it somehow.Dahlia explained everything to him. “That damned bastard, Wesley, managed to escape. If I find him in the future, I’ll make him drink bluegrass poison!”Lexar looked at his arms. His veins still had a shade of blue.“Elder Cobbo said it’ll take a month for all the lingering poison to leave your body,” Dahlia told him. “So, don’t even think of going back to your sect anytime soon. He also said you should eat fruits and vegetables but avoid meat for at least one week. Otherwise, your body pains won’t go away until you fully heal, he said.”“Mm…” Lexar exhaled audibly. “I haven’t felt this weak ever before. To think I can’t even stand, let alone take a walk outside… Poisons really are dangerous. I’ve seen people die because of bluegrass poison before

“Dory… You mean to tell me you failed to safely bring the Perennial Power herb?” a man named Gog sitting on a big rock under a lone banyan tree was coldly glaring at the leader of the group who failed his mission. “Why couldn’t you just disguise yourself and buy it through the auction?”“I wanted to save the 60 gold, Chief,” the leader Dory replied with his head tilted down and one knee touching the ground. “I was alert, but I didn’t expect an attack to come from more than a mile and half away. And it came silently, too.”“I don’t want to hear excuses,” Gog blurted, putting immense pressure on Dory with his energy, enough to make him feel as if his bones were cracking. “The Perennial Power herb is necessary for us to be productive. Otherwise, we’ll continue to depend on imports from other clans. We’ve always wanted to get our hands on the perennial power herb, but only the Erba clan has them. The one found at the Seven Stellar mountain range may be a defective, mutated version of it,