The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 421: Arrived

Duke Schmidt did not understand how two figures had managed to appear behind their lines without anyone noticing! Based on what he had just felt from the sword’s slash, he could easily tell that the attacker’s strength had already reached the peak Emperor stage—strong enough to split the flying fortress in half!

Rumble!

The flying fortress crashed to the ground, followed by a tremor and a rumbling sound that echoed for kilometers. Thick dust rose from the debris, obscuring the sight of many troops from the second prince’s faction. Their formation already fell into chaos as soldiers scattered in an attempt to evade the falling wreckage.

Yet, despite all of this, Duke Schmidt did not seem to pay it any mind.

He focused his gaze on one of the figures wielding a sword. The man wore a black robe and a mask that covered his entire face except for his eyes. Beside him stood an old man whom Duke Schmidt did not recognize.

Feeling threatened and unsure of the stranger’s origins, Duke Schmidt shouted to the Emperor and King stage experts in his group.

"Retreat!"

Hearing the duke’s command, they snapped out of their shock and immediately flew toward him, including Adel. The members of the Rosalind family did not pursue them, instead turning to approach their lord.

Baron Rosalind rushed to his daughter, offering her a healing pill to treat any wounds and restore her strength.

After taking the pill, Elena felt much better. She then turned toward the two mysterious figures. Though shocked by their sudden appearance, she could not mistake that power, aura, and energy. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

"It’s him!" she thought.

Although he wore a mask and a robe to conceal his features, how could she possibly mistake him? Who else could it be if not Aldrian? But who was the person beside him?

"Who are you?! State your identity! How dare you interfere in the second prince’s faction’s affairs!" Duke Schmidt shouted.

He was unfamiliar with Aldrian, so he demanded an answer. Deep down, tension coiled in his chest, and fear gnawed at him. This figure’s strength was beyond anything he had expected, yet he needed to know the identity of the one who had suddenly intruded upon their battle.

Their losses were devastating—the flying fortress was gone, and rows of cannons lay in ruins on the ground. At the very least, he wanted to know who was responsible for this disaster.

Forcing himself to appear strong, he put on a front of bravado. But he knew the truth. If a battle broke out, he would inevitably lose. How could he possibly stand against someone capable of unleashing such a technique?

He prepared to take out his escape talisman, but then he noticed the figure looking in his direction. His body tensed as he tried to reach for the talisman hidden beneath his arm armor.

Aldrian, seeing his intent, paid it no mind. He could try to escape, but as the strongest among the enemy forces, the man had already become his primary target. Moreover, Old Man York had informed him earlier that this man, Eugene Schmidt was the patriarch of the Schmidt family, a family with a longstanding hostile relationship with the Rosalind family.

The Schmidt family was also the main suspect behind the poison incident that had forced Old Man York to resign and leave his family.

Duke Schmidt was already within his domain, which now stretched 40 kilometers. He created this domain earlier upon his arrival. Thanks to Old Man York’s navigation and his continuous teleportation, he had reached this place in less than 20 minutes.

Aldrian then trapped Duke Schmidt within his spatial lock, freezing him instantly. Not only the duke but all the Emperor and King stage cultivators behind him were also ensnared. Within the power of Aldrian’s domain, they had little to no chance of escape unless they could overcome its overwhelming force.

Duke Schmidt was horrified. He couldn’t move his body—not even his lips. His hand that so close to the escape talisman, strained to reach it, but no matter how much he struggled, it was impossible.

His heart turned cold when, suddenly the masked figure appeared right in front of him—as if he had teleported.

He finally saw the clear blue eyes beneath the mask. In that instant, he recalled the defining features of the new city lord of Caritas, one of them being his striking blue eyes, as clear as the surface of pristine water.

At last, he realized who the man behind the mask was! How could he have not recognized him sooner? The one who had effortlessly destroyed a flying fortress with his sword, just as the news described, how could he have missed it?

If he had figured it out earlier, he would have used his escape talisman immediately instead of lingering here and foolishly demanding his identity.

Now, all he could do was curse his own stupidity and regret his hesitation. He could only watch as Aldrian placed a hand on his forehead, delving into his memories.

No one dared to interfere. The troops from the second prince’s faction had already retreated toward their camp—or more accurately, they were fleeing. None of them stopped, as if their only intent was to escape the battlefield entirely.

After more than a minute, Aldrian finished his search and tapped the duke’s cheek a few times.

"You’re truly an evil bastard. Birds of a feather flock together—no wonder you’re part of the second prince’s faction."

What Aldrian uncovered in the duke’s memories was a past filled with countless atrocities he had committed under the guise of nobility. From underground dealings to harming, killing, kidnapping, and raping, there was no crime he wouldn’t commit, no matter the scale, as long as it served his purpose.

His cruelty was truly remarkable and the only reward he deserved was death.

Surprisingly, the duke also did not know the details of the so-called "Plague" plan that targeted him. It seemed that only a very limited number of people knew exactly what the plan entailed.

Aldrian looked at Old Man York and made him move closer. The old man, floating due to Aldrian’s energy and will, slowly approached. Once the old man was beside him, he asked,

"What do you want to do with this guy? Personally, I’d like to kill him right now. He’s really getting on my nerves."

Old Man York was momentarily stunned but then let out a sigh.

"Truthfully, I have already made peace with my situation and buried my desire for revenge, as it was beyond my ability. But since the patriarch of the Schmidt family is now in young master’s grasp, I will simply follow your decision. That alone is enough to fulfill my wish."

Aldrian nodded with a smile.

"Good."

Without even glancing at Duke Schmidt, Aldrian waved his left hand, now cloaked in sword will. At first, nothing seemed to change. Aldrian simply turned his head toward Elena and the people standing beside her below. From the looks of it, the man beside her was likely her father, Baron Rosalind.

"For the survivors, consider yourselves lucky. You may leave after this," Aldrian said.

He then descended to the ground alongside Old Man York. The old man was momentarily confused by what Aldrian had done, as the captured enemies still remained suspended in midair. But then, he noticed droplets of blood falling.

A split second later, headless bodies crashed to the ground, followed by several severed heads. They belonged to Duke Schmidt, the other Emperor stage cultivators, and eight King stage cultivators.

Once Aldrian released his spatial lock, the decapitated bodies instantly fell. The only thing keeping their heads and bodies intact had been the lock itself. They hadn’t even realized they were already dead until that moment, a testament to the sharpness and precision of Aldrian’s slash.

He had deliberately spared four King stage cultivators to spread the tale. Wasting no time, the survivors fled at full speed the moment they were freed.

Baron Rosalind and Elena, followed by a few others, walked toward Aldrian. When they reached him, the baron extended a handshake. Elena had already told him that this masked figure was indeed Aldrian, recognizing him by his energy and aura.

"Welcome to Rosalind City, young master. Thank you for helping us," Baron Rosalind said.

"I just came to fulfill Miss Elena’s invitation and lend a small hand. With Baron Rosalind’s strength, I believe you all could have survived this attack," Aldrian replied, shaking the baron’s hand.

"You’re too humble, young master. How can you call this ’lending a small hand’ when you—" Baron Rosalind glanced at the massive destruction caused by Aldrian’s slash before continuing, "—caused all of that? You have truly helped us this time."

"No, I’m serious. You all could have survived this attack because you have a divine-grade sword. With Baron Rosalind’s strength, it would have been enough to hold the ground for some time," Aldrian replied.

Baron Rosalind sighed. "Well, maybe I or the Rosalind family could have held out for a while, but the denizens of the city would have suffered. Many would have lost their lives if we didn’t get out of this situation soon." He glanced at his sword before continuing, "Besides, this sword is my last resort. I can only draw it if our family is in a truly dire situation."

He then looked back at Aldrian. "Anyway, let’s move to a more appropriate and private place for conversation. We will serve you to the best of our ability." With that, the baron gestured toward the city, signaling, after you.