Cultivators at the Wizarding Academy

Chapter 123 Underground Stronghold

The Illusionist's Ring is a magical item used for disguise.

Simply press the energy-storing magic stone in the groove to activate it.

With shifting light and shadow on his face, Lesser transformed from a young man into a middle-aged one. He thought he had easily fooled the common people, but little did he know he was attracting far more dangerous gazes.

The Hundred Flowers Swordsman, Tinyham, leaned against a lamppost by the roadside, holding the Kingdom Weekly (Extra Edition) he had just bought from the little girl.

He paid with a silver dollar but didn't ask for change. The reason wasn't generosity, but rather that he had limited belongings to carry when traveling and had to be frugal. If using gold coins weren't so conspicuous and likely to leave a lasting impression, he might not have even carried the silver dollar with him.

Wandering aimlessly through the streets, following the flow of people, Tinyham silently pondered his next move, even contemplating escaping the capital and fleeing far away. However, none of his plans had come to fruition. To slink away in disgrace would be to betray all the years of forbearance he had endured.

Tinyham repeatedly read the bright red names on the newspaper, concluding that the situation in the capital was bound to change, and decided to stay and observe.

The streets were filled with shouts and curses, as the pent-up resentment of the people finally found an outlet. The atrocities committed by the corrupt aristocracy were too numerous to recount, and could not be fully described even after three days and three nights.

Tinyham suddenly realized that his experience was far from the worst.

Compared to the chaos and evil of the fallen aristocracy, the Florence Abbey is essentially dedicated to the salvation of more people, and there is no reason why the major lawful organizations cannot tolerate it.

But even so, so what?

He never doubted the principles he held dear.

For more than thirty years, they have worked day and night, solely to correct the Florence Monastery's wrong direction.

"I just want to give them a choice! Why should anyone be forced to sacrifice and give unless it's entirely voluntary?"

"Everyone is born free and has the right to determine their own destiny..."

"No one can comfortably take the sacrifices of others to fill their own inner emptiness... Self-righteous moral blackmail is also a form of distortion and evil..."

Tiniham silently prayed, his eyes regaining their sharpness and determination.

He secretly mingled with the crowd, ready to offer the angry people any support he could.

The guards of the Belland family mansion were arrogant and thought that the surrounding crowd was just a bunch of noisy sheep, as they had in the past. Just as they were about to establish their authority and quiet them down, the hidden powerful figures made their move.

In an instant, the swordsmen's battle aura surged, and the spells secretly released by the spellcasters displayed a dazzling array of colors.

Seeing that the lead guards had suffered heavy casualties, the remaining guards realized that the situation was hopeless and fled in all directions.

From then on, the Belland family's residence fell.

Tiniham stood at a distance outside the mansion, not joining the crowd to smash and loot. Lost in thought, he suddenly made a new discovery. Not far away, a suspicious young man in fine clothes stood with a ferocious and angry expression, muttering obscene curses under his breath.

The Illusionist's Ring creates the appearance of a middle-aged man by distorting light, but it cannot fool the caster's mental perception.

This person seems extremely suspicious!

Tinyham silently marked Lesser with his mental energy and chased him all the way to the entrance of the inner city sewers.

Bending down to pick up the foxtail grass by the roadside, it gathers the light.

Walking along the steps that were higher than the water, the sound of the flowing sewage around me drowned out my footsteps.

The capital's extensive drainage system was comparable to a complex maze.

Although the living environment is harsh, it is still a shelter from the wind and rain, which is much better than being in the open.

Rumors circulate that tens of thousands of homeless people have settled in the sewers. Most are runaway demi-human slaves, gamblers with nowhere to go due to debts, but there are also missing persons and even people who have awakened dark bloodlines.

The rulers of the capital city adopted a laissez-faire attitude towards this. After all, the sewer system needed maintenance. Hiring homeless people as cleaners was the least costly and most suitable option.

Any light in the darkness is blindingly bright.

Tiniham sensed the prying gaze; it was a demi-human of the rat race, possessing a human face, rat ears, a tail, and other animalistic features.

Their race is at the very bottom of the demi-human hierarchy, and they are mostly miners or slaves.

They are widely considered the lowest of the low. Who would have thought that they once had a glorious period?

Long before the Dark Ages, the rat race were active at the grassroots level of armies in various countries.

Although few elite-level or higher powerhouses are born, they still hold a certain degree of influence by virtue of their reproductive advantage of having an average of more than five offspring per litter and relying on their larger numbers.

However, the world is not won by sheer numbers; the will of the strong is what truly matters.

The excessive number of rat-like demi-humans instinctively requires more resources, inevitably leading to conflict with pure-blooded humans.

After several fierce battles, the rat race was ultimately defeated and never recovered.

The nations jointly issued a statement prohibiting the rat race from owning land, shops, or other commercial real estate, and from engaging in politics or business.

From that point on, the rat-like demi-humans were relegated to the lowest rung of the human world. Despite possessing exceptional reproductive and survival abilities, their numbers never increased…

Seemingly realizing that Tiniham was not to be trifled with, the rat-like demi-humans did not hesitate to burrow back into the cave behind them, their footsteps quickly fading into the distance, apparently to inform others.

Tiniham's expression darkened, hesitating whether to give chase and eliminate the threat. Considering he was the outsider, he ultimately suppressed his murderous intent.

He casually tossed aside the glowing foxtail grass in his hand, and with each step, his figure gradually became transparent. He had some experience with stealth. Through sparring and exchanging ideas with powerful individuals of various professions, he had mastered certain techniques. Concealing one's form was the most basic. In addition, one must pay attention to scents, sounds, footprints, and other clues…

The largest stronghold of the Belland family was located beneath the inner city. The narrow, descending staircase, barely wide enough for one person to pass, was shrouded in darkness.

Located more than 100 meters underground, a place known only to the true core personnel, it is a truly secret base.

Due to a series of recent heavy blows, Viscount Beant of Belland died, and his heir, Lesser, naturally succeeded him as viscount. The first order given to his many subordinates was to completely withdraw from the capital and return to their own territories.

Wait for the right opportunity to make a comeback.

Before leaving, take as much valuables as possible and dispose of sensitive evidence.

Real estate such as shops and land cannot be taken away; they can only be sold at a low price as soon as possible, or left vacant or abandoned temporarily.

Lesser frowned, his steps were heavy, and a sense of desolation, as if his former glory had faded, welled up in his heart.

"We will come back someday."

"Temporary gains and losses are insignificant..."

There was a family that endured humiliation for thousands of years before finally crushing its rivals.

Lesser believed that with the methods and dark wisdom of the Belland family, it wouldn't take long.

Having operated in the capital for over a century, generations have accumulated enough wealth. Given enough time to calm down and convert those resources into power, the Belland family's overall strength will rise to a new level, allowing them to once again rival the Blue Rose family.

(End of this chapter)