The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 390: The Caritas City That Draws Attention

The woman looked behind her toward the man. Although her beautifully mature face could captivate any man, the man before her gazed at her with deep reverence. This woman was a powerful cultivator, capable of withstanding an army under the second prince and facing two cultivators of the same level. She was the symbol of their spirit and a guiding light. She was Baroness Charoline Weilmar.

"What is it?" she asked.

"We have reestablished a connection with the teleportation station inside Caritas, and we’ve received news that Caritas has already been liberated from the second prince’s forces."

Baroness Weilmar slightly widened her eyes.

"Liberated? By whom?"

"That is the question, milady. We do not know the true identity of the one who liberated the city, but it is said to be the work of a single person. He even killed Marquess Parus and his son and nearly annihilated all of the second prince’s forces there," the man said. Then, as if recalling something, he added,

"Oh, and he also issued a warning to all factions in the empire. He declared that whoever tries to take Caritas from him will face the consequences."

She narrowed her eyes. If the liberator’s identity was unknown, she couldn’t be sure whether he was an ally or not. However, hearing his arrogant warning opened an opportunity for her. Perhaps she could establish a good relationship with this person first—he might even be able to help ease some of her burdens.

For her, the fact that this person had taken over Caritas was good news. She could already imagine that the second prince’s forces would have to focus on reclaiming Caritas before they could launch an attack on this city. If they attempted an assault here without securing Caritas, they would be forced to fight without peace of mind, always wary of an attack from behind.

Another crucial factor was that, with their connection to Caritas restored, this city could finally breathe for a while. Now, they could receive food and other essential supplies from Caritas. With the second prince’s forces driven out of Caritas, she could already envision Caritas regaining its vitality in no time, relieving some of the burden on Weilmar City.

"I will visit Caritas for a while. I believe the second prince will not attack this city while Caritas remains under that person’s control. There is no way his forces would risk launching an assault here while Caritas, right behind them, is held by someone else," she said.

The man nodded.

"I will prepare for your departure, milady," he said with a slight bow before excusing himself.

Once he was gone, Baroness Weilmar turned her gaze back to the second prince’s soldiers, who still blockaded Weilmar City. She sighed, relieved that there was finally some good news amidst their dire situation. Her shoulders felt lighter, knowing that the city’s denizens could finally breathe and would not have to starve—at least in the short term.

Although this was good news, she still doubted it would last forever. The second prince would undoubtedly want to reclaim Caritas, no matter the cost. If he decided to mobilize a large force, she doubted that person could hold Caritas alone.

But she did not dwell on it for now. At the very least, she would take advantage of the situation while the two cities remained connected.

She could establish a good relationship with this person and work together to support each other. Although Caritas was a city under her barony, and another unknown party had stepped in, she did not consider reclaiming it. Her priority was to gain an ally to help repel the second prince’s forces. If that person wished to remain in Caritas, so be it.

If things went south here, she could evacuate the people to Caritas, and vice versa.

With that thought, she stepped down from the top of the city walls and prepared for her journey to Caritas.

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At another location, an old man with a walking stick moved through the bustling town, blending in with the townspeople. He appeared no different from an ordinary mortal, his presence devoid of any cultivation aura.

Slowly, he walked toward a food stall and took a seat at a table where a middle-aged man was already sitting.

After settling in, the old man looked at the middle-aged man and asked in a low voice,

"How is it?"

"The security is quite tight, but we have a good chance of passing through without much trouble. I noticed some gaps in their defenses. We can continue our journey to Caritas tonight," the middle-aged man answered.

"Good."

"To think that Master would just barge into the Atria Empire and involve himself in this civil war... He truly doesn’t care about anything. After making such an announcement, I doubt the second prince will take this insult lightly. He will likely launch a massive attack on Caritas," the middle-aged man said.

"That’s why we must reach Caritas before the second prince’s forces arrive. We can help him repel the attack," the old man replied.

The two men were, in fact, Arson Vuran and the First Finger in disguise. They had arrived in this town yesterday, along with others from the Thunderous Shadow Pavilion. This town was the closest civilized place to Caritas, though it was still a considerable distance away. Since traveling through the teleportation station was impossible, they had taken the only option available—making the journey on foot.

It had taken them three days to travel from their hideout to this town, and they estimated that they would need another two days to reach Caritas.

Arson then tapped the table a few times. To an ordinary observer, it was nothing more than the casual tapping of an old man’s fingers, something meaningless and unremarkable.

However, this tapping was actually a coded signal used by the Thunderous Shadow Pavilion. Those who recognized it understood its meaning instantly. Unbeknownst to most, dozens of assassins from the Thunderous Shadow Pavilion were already scattered throughout the area. They heard the taps but continued going about their activities as if nothing had happened.

The message was clear: they would move again tonight.

After tapping the table, Arson stood up and walked away from the First Finger. No one in the town realized that the leader of one of the most feared assassin groups in the Atria Empire or even the entire continent was right among them.

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At Caritas, the city had become much livelier. Since news spread of its liberation from the second prince’s forces, many people had flocked in. The economy was beginning to recover, unhindered by excessive restrictions, as the new ruler had imposed only one rule: do not disturb the security and order of the city.

The people trusted that the new ruler would uphold his word—especially after seeing the consequences for those who had ignored his warning. After the city’s liberation, some individuals had failed to take Aldrian’s words seriously, causing trouble and preying on the weak. They believed that with the second prince’s forces gone, they could act freely without the new ruler knowing, assuming he couldn’t possibly oversee everything by himself.

Unfortunately for them, they were gravely mistaken. The entire city had already become Aldrian’s domain, and if he so wished, he could know everything that happened within it.

When those criminals began extorting the people and enforcing their own rules without any regard for him, Aldrian rewarded them with swords falling from the sky. They had no time to regret their choices just as he had warned before their heads were pierced by blades that suddenly descended from above.

All Aldrian had to do was sit inside the mansion, focus on his targets, open a spatial crack in the sky above them, and throw ordinary swords through it. With this method, he could punish those who disrespected his warning without ever having to step outside.

Since that day, rumors spread that the new ruler of the city knew everything that happened within its walls. As more people arrived, there were always some who tried to take advantage of the situation. Just like the criminals before them, they foolishly ignored the warnings, and the result? Their corpses were left lying in the streets with swords embedded in their heads.

With repeated incidents like this, the people became certain: the new ruler could see everything within the city. His story was passed on to every newcomer as a warning—if they didn’t want to die a foolish death, they must not break his rules.

Most had never seen the new ruler’s face, yet they already revered him and placed their faith in his authority.

At this moment, the so-called ruler was seated across from a woman at a table in the mansion’s garden. However, the woman was not Sylphia. Instead, she had striking white hair and a beauty reminiscent of a falling snow—captivating yet cold.

As for Sylphia, she could be seen in the distance, strolling through the vast garden, her fingers grazing the flowers as if she were communicating with them.

Aldrian smiled at the sight before turning his gaze back to Baek Jimin.

"It’s rare for just the two of us to sit together like this. When was the last time we spoke alone? Ah, yes—back in the Doria Empire. Anyway, how have you been?" he asked with a smile.