The Last Dragon Heir

The Madman in the Valley of the Mist

The fog grew thicker, dozens of bounty hunters stood in a semicircle, blocking all exits from the valley. Their leader stepped forward, swinging his sword over his shoulder.

"Where are you running to this time, brat?"

Kaelan gritted his teeth, his body already exhausted. His wounds hadn't been treated, fighting three people almost killed him, now there were fifteen of them.

"Hand over your head, at least your death can make us rich."

Their laughter filled the valley, Kaelan clenched his fists.

"If you want my head, I'll take it myself."

"Hahaha!" Their leader laughed out loud. "This brat still dares to bluff. Finish him off."

Five men immediately advanced, their swords gleaming in the afternoon sun. Kaelan took a step back but the hoarse voice was heard again.

"So noisy."

Everyone turned to the old man in rags, still sitting on the rock holding his jug of wine. He didn't even look at the hunters.

"Hey, Grandpa." The hunter leader pointed at the old man. "If you don't want to die, stay out of it."

The old man yawned. "I don't want to interfere either. But you're interrupting my drinking time."

One of the hunters snorted. "Crazy old man." He walked over to the old man.

"Go!"

Without lifting his head, the old man simply snapped his fingers.

Ting!

A small gust of wind blew the next second...

Thud!

The hunter's body was thrown tens of meters before hitting the cliff. He didn't move anymore, dead. The entire valley suddenly fell silent. Kaelan's eyes widened.

"What..."

The hunter leader was shocked. "He's... a cultivator!"

The old man took another sip of his wine.

"I told you, you guys are noisy."

The hunter leader's face turned grim. "We're going."

"Boss! The reward?"

"Shut up!"

The man swallowed hard, he could feel the old man in front of him was far more terrifying than anyone he had ever met.

The dozen hunters slowly backed away but the old man spoke again.

"Did I say you could leave?"

Everyone stopped. "Because you disturbed my sleep, leave one hand."

The hunters' expressions turned pale, their leader gritted his teeth.

"Don't overdo it, Old Man! We come from…"

His sentence was cut off because the old man suddenly disappeared.

Sret!

Kaelan didn't even have time to see his movement. A moment later the old man was standing right in front of the hunter leader.

"Too late."

Two fingers tapped the man's chest lightly.

Knock!

Nothing happened, the old man turned around and sat back down while drinking his wine.

The hunter leader laughed.

"Hahaha! It was just a bluff!"

But the laughter stopped.

Tak! Tak! Tak!

His entire body was covered in fine cracks.

"What..." He didn't have time to finish his sentence.

Crash!

His body shattered into pieces of flesh and blood.

"Aaaah!"

The remaining hunters screamed in fear.

"Run!"

"Help!"

They ran helter-skelter out of the valley. No one dared to look back. In a matter of breaths, the valley fell silent again, Kaelan still standing frozen. His heart was beating fast, the old man had killed two cultivators with just a tap of his finger. The old man glanced at Kaelan.

"What did you see?"

Kaelan swallowed. "Sir… Who exactly are you?"

The old man chuckled. "People call me crazy. I've already forgotten my own name."

He took another sip of his wine.

"Then? Why did you help me?"

The old man stared at Kaelan for a long time, his previously lazy gaze suddenly turning sharp.

"I'm not helping you, I just don't like those people." He raised his jug of wine. "Besides… If you die now, who will open the tomb?"

Kaelan froze. "The tomb?"

The old man immediately shut his mouth.

"Oops… I think I said too much."

Kaelan's heart beat faster.

How did the old man know about the map Garrick gave him? He hadn't even taken it out since leaving the forest, the old man laughed again.

"Alright, kid. If you want to live, follow me." He stood up and walked into the fog without looking back.

Kaelan doubted Garrick had ever told him not to trust anyone. However, if he remained in this place, other hunters would surely come.

Kaelan took a deep breath and finally decided to follow the mysterious old man. Without realizing it, this decision would change the course of his entire life.

The fog in the Grey Valley grew thicker. Kaelan walked a few steps behind the old man without saying a word. The old man's back looked fragile, even his steps were a little unsteady. Every now and then he would lift his wine jug and take a sip as if the world had no problems whatsoever. It was hard to believe that the man who had just killed a cultivator with just one touch now looked like a lost beggar.

"Why did you stop?" The old man's voice broke the silence.

Kaelan only then realized his steps had slowed.

"I..." He stared warily at the old man's back. "Why did you help me?"

The old man chuckled. "I already told you, I wasn't helping you, I was just bored."

That answer confused Kaelan even more. Since leaving the Drakon Clan, he had met too many people who were hiding something. Leon hid his hatred behind a smile. His father hid his feelings behind a cold face.

Garrick had hidden his identity for years, and now this old man was even more unpredictable.

They continued walking until they arrived at a cliff.

Below there lay a ravine so deep that the bottom was invisible, white mist covered the entire valley.

The old man sat on a rock.

"Hungry?"

Kaelan nodded slowly.

The old man threw a roasted rabbit that had been beside him for who knows how long.

"Catch it."

Kaelan hurriedly caught it, his stomach growled. He had barely eaten for two days, but just as he was about to bite into the meat, he stopped.

Garrick had said.

"Don't trust anyone."

Seeing the hesitation, the old man snorted.

"If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't need to poison your food, just a snap of my fingers would be enough."

Kaelan fell silent, those words did sound arrogant. But after witnessing the incident in the valley earlier, he knew the old man wasn't bragging, and finally, Kaelan started eating. The old man just looked up at the sky.

"Is it delicious?"

Kaelan nodded. "Thank you."

"Hm… that's my pet rabbit."

Kaelan almost choked. "What?" The old man laughed out loud.

"Hahaha! Your face is so funny."

Only a moment later did he shake his head.

"I was joking."

Kaelan took a deep breath. For some reason, the longer he was with the old man, the more he felt like he was dealing with someone insane.

But behind his strange behavior was an extraordinary pressure that was difficult to explain.