2026-06-21 21:37:13
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POV: ArthurThe air in the main hall of the Residence was thick enough to choke on. When the Old Marquis finally erupted, the sound was like a thunderclap in a confined space. It wasn't just a display of anger; it was a manifestation of absolute, suffocating authority. Huang Zhuo, the captain of the Investigative Bureau, had his face drained of all color, his skin turning a sickly, ghostly white. Beside him, Liu Si—the Governor—and Fiona also displayed visible tremors, their composure shattering under the weight of the Old Marquis's glare.I sat to the side, leaning back slightly, my arms crossed. I had witnessed many of my brother’s rages over the years, and I had foolishly assumed that today would be no different—a simple dismissal, a wave of the hand, and a return to the quiet, mundane life we led within these walls. I was wrong. The Old Marquis was not looking for a dismissal; he was looking for blood, or at the very least, a total humiliation of those who dared to question the fa
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Once Caelum understood the true nature of this arrangement, he couldn't help but feel a complex mix of amusement and frustration. Master Julian had gone to extraordinary lengths to secure his calligraphy practice sheets. Yet, the use of "Cloud Pine" paper—a material so luxurious it was traditionally reserved for the highest noble clans—for a simple calligraphy lesson struck Caelum as undeniably, even absurdly, extravagant.As he observed the students sitting perfectly upright before their sand trays in the study hall, Caelum realized they likely shared this sentiment. He suspected that after noting the sheer opulence of the paper, most of them were silently labeling the display as "wasteful." It was clear that the majority remained skeptical of this newcomer, their enigmatic new instructor.Instead of launching into a long, rambling lecture filled with the dry, classical jargon that the other masters had favored the day before, Caelum remained composed. He poured water into the inkst
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Caelum, however, unhurriedly made his way to the living room, where he had breakfast with Leo and Beatrice. The three of them chatted idly. It was mostly the spirited girl Beatrice who was chirping away. Since she didn't need to wander outside today, she had run early to the Jiaxing Garden to discuss with Sylvia and Xie Tingyun about having a sparring session.Caelum raised an eyebrow. "You're going to spar with them?"Beatrice raised her chin and blinked her eyes. "Brother-in-law, my cultivation has broken through! I am already in the eighth stage." In fact, she had already broken through when she and Celeste had returned to the mountain tribe. It was said that the old woman of the mountain was very gratified upon learning this and had praised her for quite a while. Even when Celeste was establishing a pact with the mountain tribe, the mountain woman had actively made concessions, calling it a gift of thanks for the girl's breakthrough. Beatrice was naturally overjoyed, but she had n
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It had been half an hour since Caelum had slipped through the shadows of the city and returned to his private Residential Villa. From a distance, he could see the silhouette of Butterfly, his personal maid, pacing anxiously near the entrance. Sitting beside her, Beatrice—the Third Sister—was busy playing on the stone steps, her feet brushing against the cool tiles as she tried to distract the worried maid. "I told you, Brother-in-law will be back soon," Beatrice muttered, her voice light and teasing. "He’s just out for a stroll. You worry too much."Butterfly, however, was not easily consoled. Her memory was etched with the time Beatrice had disappeared for hours during a literary gathering, leaving everyone in a panic. "I don’t believe you," she retorted, staring into the darkness of the street."Ah, you never trust me," Beatrice complained, tilting her head. Suddenly, her face lit up, a radiant smile spreading across her round cheeks as she caught sight of Caelum walking toward them.
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Chapter 153: A Common EnemyHad he lost his mind? Naturally, Caelum was as sane as ever, but he found a grim satisfaction in playing the part of a madman. "So," Caelum drawled, his voice laced with mocking disappointment, "does the legendary Blade Madman, Lance, intend to go back on his word and leave a debt of honor unpaid?"Lance opened his mouth, his face a mask of internal conflict, before offering a dry, bitter laugh. "Master, you have truly set before me a task that leads directly to the abyss. To burn the summer grain stores of even one military town is an act of defiance that ensures a swift and gruesome death. The wrath of the Marquess’s estate and the entire region would descend upon us like a mountain. Even if I were to sacrifice my own life, how would you, a man of such intellect, possibly escape the consequences?"Caelum watched him, his expression as serene as a still lake. "Are you afraid?""This isn't about fear, it's about common sense—""Admitting that your courage h
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Two hours had passed since the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving the world cloaked in an impenetrable, moonless darkness. Tucked away in a decaying residence approximately five miles west of the Hundred Herbs Pharmacy, Caelum stood before a tarnished, cold bronze mirror, intently studying the stranger who stared back at him. The man in the reflection was a complete, chilling departure from the fragile, scholarly son-in-law that the Valerius family had grown accustomed to. The soft, unassuming features of his original face were gone. In their place stood a man of striking, sharp-edged handsomeness—crystalline eyes framed by thick, arched brows that radiated authority, a regal, prominent nose, and cheekbones that hinted at a dangerous, hidden power. Every inch of his countenance had been meticulously sculpted by Julian, the master of disguise who now stood in the shadows of the room, his eyes brimming with professional pride."It is acceptable," Caelum noted, his voice smooth, cold,
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