Following Arjun's words, Kael focused his gaze on the crowd ahead.
Both Kael and Arjun moved swiftly, bolstered by wind magic, and reached the commotion in an instant. The area was already bustling with people.
"Brother, what's going on here? Why the crowd?" Arjun clapped a bystander on the shoulder and asked.
The man turned, eyeing Arjun curiously. **"You are…?"**
"Ah, I'm from the Thunderstorm Mage Clan. This is my first time venturing out for training…" Arjun launched into his usual spiel. Now that the real Thunderstorm clansman was dead, his act was flawless.
Hearing he was from the Thunderstorm Clan, the bystander immediately straightened with respect and bowed slightly—after all, the clan was one of the continent's renowned mage families.
"So, brother, what's the situation here?" Arjun quickly warmed up to the man, who replied, **"You haven't heard? They've discovered rare herbs up ahead! Several experts are already fighting over them!"**
"Rare herbs?" Arjun's eyes gleamed again. The Water Dragon's secret realm was teeming with treasures, but for rare herbs to provoke such fierce competition—they had to be extraordinary!
Kael understood perfectly. If this realm was indeed a world created by the Water Dragon in his lifetime, it likely housed three-thousand-year-old rarities—ingredients that could prove immensely useful.
Since advancing to level eight, Kael had unlocked more potion formulas in The Book of Immortality, allowing him to brew even more potent elixirs…
Exchanging a glance, Kael and Arjun silently agreed. They subtly maneuvered toward the denser part of the crowd.
"They're really fighting over it!"
As they approached, they noticed the number of people had sharply dwindled. Several corpses littered the ground, and most onlookers kept their distance, not daring to get closer.
At the center of the conflict stood multiple experts—all above level eight!
"Damn vermin! You dare steal the Frostbloom Orchid** I discovered? You've got a death wish!"** One of them snarled, clad in tattered robes. Though battered from the fight, his eyes burned with ferocity—far from the dignified demeanor of a typical mage.
Frostbloom Orchid!
Kael caught their words, his interest piqued. The Frostbloom Orchid was an exceedingly rare Grandmaster-tier alchemical ingredient—absolutely on par with the Heartthread Herb he'd encountered in the ancient ruins!
Its uses were vast, but most crucially, it could brew a potion called **"Frostspring Elixir,"** a dream treasure for water-attribute mages that significantly enhanced their power.
Kael's eyes flickered. While precious, the orchid was useless to him—he wasn't a water mage. What truly intrigued him was something else: where Frostbloom Orchids grew, luck might yield a symbiotic herb—Ancient Moss!
Ancient Moss was even rarer than the orchid. As far as Kael knew, this Grandmaster-tier herb had almost never appeared on the continent. He'd certainly never heard of it.
Its value lay in brewing the **"Elixir of Life"—a potion with a simple yet staggering effect: extending lifespan!** Yes, it could prolong life and, at critical moments, even reverse death itself. Its rarity was beyond comparison!
Even Kael felt a stir of excitement. If this place actually has Ancient Moss…
It would be priceless—literally a second life!
Kael studied the ragged mage carefully. The man had clearly secured the Frostbloom Orchid, but Ancient Moss, its symbiotic counterpart, looked nearly identical. There was a chance he'd unknowingly taken both!
Outwardly calm, Kael had already made up his mind. Whether Ancient Moss is here or not, securing that orchid comes first.
But now, two figures had flanked the ragged mage, blocking his escape.
The two figures scrutinized the ragged mage, their gazes sharp. One of them sneered coldly, **"Bill! I advise you to hand over the Frostbloom Orchid—or you won't leave here alive today!"**
"That's right. Drop the orchid, and I'll let you walk away—no further trouble," added the other, a female mage clad in black robes. Her looks were merely above average, but what stood out was the sinister aura clinging to her, exuding mystery. Her voice, hoarse and grating, sent chills down the spine.
"Pfah! You're both hypocrites—especially you, Seraphina**! You backstabbing viper!"** Bill, the ragged mage, spat venomously.
Seraphina—the black-robed woman—responded with a bone-chilling laugh. **"You're digging your own grave! Don't blame me when my 'darlings' tear you to shreds!"**
As she spoke, she chanted a string of guttural, dissonant incantations. Despite their chaotic cadence, the spell formed swiftly. A macabre magic circle materialized on the ground, and from it emerged six terrifying creatures.
They were ebony-clad knights, faceless and silent, their greatswords glinting with a cold, soul-piercing light. Mounted on golden-horned beasts—also shrouded in darkness—they emitted eerie, intermittent cries. A thick black mist coiled around their forms, amplifying their dread.
"Dark Knights… She's a Dark Puppeteer**!"** Kael frowned, recognizing the threat.
Dark Puppeteers were a rare branch of mages who specialized in dark magic, particularly the art of puppetry—summoning dark entities and enslaving them as mindless thralls. Mastering this craft was notoriously difficult, but its power was immense.
Naturally, not just anyone could become a Dark Puppeteer. They were exceedingly scarce—and universally feared.
"Impossible! How can you summon six dark puppets?!" Bill's eyes bulged in disbelief.
"Damn it, all six of Seraphina's puppets are Dark Knights**—each as strong as a peak-level eight expert!"** Arjun cursed under his breath, his face twisting in shock.
That's right—the six knightly thralls Seraphina had summoned were all equivalent to peak-level eight powerhouses. Six of them meant six top-tier fighters!
Now Kael understood why the female mage Seraphina had been so brazen. With this kind of backup, she had every reason to be.
Six Dark Knights meant she could dominate most level-eight opponents in the Water Dragon's secret realm—unless, of course, she ran into a level-nine or higher expert.
The moment the knights appeared, everyone's expressions darkened. Both Bill and the other mage were only at the early-stage of level eight—no match for even a single knight in one-on-one combat.
"Heheh~ I offered you mercy, but you refused. Now, you'll make a fine meal for my 'darlings'!" Seraphina cackled, her voice dripping with malice. **"And you nosy onlookers—you're all dying too!"**
Summoning six knights had drained her significantly, but since she'd gone this far, she might as well kill everyone and loot their corpses.
In an instant, Kael and Arjun were dragged into the chaos.
Three of the knights charged toward the bystanders—including Kael's group—while the other three lunged at Bill and the other mage near the Frostbloom Orchid...
"Son of a—can't a man spectate in peace?! Fine, let's do this!" Arjun roared, his face a mix of indignation and fury. With their escape routes cut off by the knights' pincer movement, he had no choice but to fight.
Kael's eyes narrowed. Seraphina was undoubtedly the strongest level-eight opponent he'd ever encountered. But even if her puppets were formidable, rolling over and dying wasn't his style.
Besides, his mind was still fixated on that Grandmaster-tier herb—the Ancient Moss!