King of Equal Precedence

Night. It was the dead of night.

Count Leon's manor was far more luxurious than Kaiaolen's mansion, but it exuded a greasy, nouveau riche vibe.

The exterior walls of the building were even inlaid with gemstones, and the interior was brilliantly illuminated.

The paths within the manor were paved with deep red velvet carpets, flanked by neatly trimmed bushes, extending all the way to the main hall.

The main hall was so magnificent that it bordered on tacky.

A massive crystal chandelier hung from the domed ceiling, its refracted light dazzling the eyes. The walls were covered with portraits of Count Leon, depicting him in luxurious, jewel-encrusted garments, his flabby face bunched up in a hypocritical smile.

Perhaps Count Leon's image was more in line with what a lord should look like.

At this moment in the hall, Count Leon was slumped in his seat, playing with a wine glass in his hand.

He looked like a piece of fat soaked in grease. His round belly stretched his gold-embroidered robes, his double chin folded over itself, and his small eyes were filled with calculating gleams.

Beside him stood a female warrior clad in silver armor. The armor outlined her taut figure without a hint of frailty. The shoulder guards were carved with eagles spreading their wings, and she held a broadsword gleaming with a cold light, its blade engraved with dense defensive runes.

She had neat platinum blonde short hair and eyes as sharp as an eagle's. The badge on her waist proved her identity: Count Leon's personal bodyguard, a seventh-tier battle aura master, Leah.

"My Lord Count, Count Kaiaolen has sent another messenger, saying that the disguised monsters from the royal capital have begun to infiltrate the surrounding territories, and he urges you to cooperate as soon as possible."

Leah's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

"He also said the situation is grave and that we must stop the forces of the surrounding lords from taking action."

Count Leon sneered and casually tossed his wine glass onto the table.

"Evidence? It's nothing but an excuse from that old coot Kaiaolen!"

He waved his hand, and a maid nearby immediately picked up some grapes from the table and popped two into his mouth. The juice from the fruit trickled down the corner of his mouth, and he nonchalantly wiped it away with his sleeve.

"What does the chaos in the royal capital have to do with my Valoran? Kaiaolen wants to use the monsters as an excuse to expand his power. Does he take me for a fool?"

"But I have seen the messenger sent by Kaiaolen, and judging from his expression, he didn't seem to be lying," Leah frowned.

"Moreover, there have been more and more missing person cases in Valoran recently, which is too suspicious..."

"Suspicious my foot!" Count Leon interrupted her, his tone impatient.

"They're just some vagrants and thieves; they deserve it if they die! Kaiaolen wants to drag me into his muddy waters, but there's no way!"

"If something really happens, I'll just wait until he and the royal capital mutually destroy each other, and then I'll reap the spoils. When that time comes, won't I be the one calling the shots in the entire Hill Empire? Hahahaha!"

He laughed, his face full of grease, his small eyes narrowing into slits.

"I'm not that stupid to let Valoran's military strength be wasted for his ambition."

"That makes perfect sense, Count Leon."

A lazy voice suddenly echoed in the hall, like a ghost appearing out of thin air.

Count Leon and Leah were both startled and abruptly turned their heads to look.

In the empty space in the center of the hall, a ripple appeared in the air, and Ye Chuan's figure slowly emerged. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and a faint, mocking smile hung on the corners of his lips.

"Who's there?!" Leah instantly gripped her broadsword tightly. Battle aura surged within her body, enveloping her in silver light as she stared vigilantly at Ye Chuan.

"Who are you? How dare you trespass into the Count's manor!"

Count Leon was also so frightened that he sprang up from his seat, his fat jiggling, and shouted with false bravado:

"Assassins!"

"Don't be in such a rush to call for help," Ye Chuan took two leisurely steps forward, his gaze sweeping over Count Leon's greasy face.

"I'm just here to say hello to the Count. After all, you sent people to spy on me, so I should at least return the favor, right?"

"Spy? I don't even know you!" Count Leon's eyes flickered, and he subconsciously took a step back, hiding behind Leah.

Leah's eyes grew even sharper. She could clearly sense that there were no magical fluctuations coming from Ye Chuan, yet he was able to appear out of thin air in the heavily guarded main hall of the manor. There was only one possibility.

"A spatial mage?" She gripped her longsword tightly, her battle aura condensing into a silver sword aura.

"No matter who you are, since you dared to trespass into the Count's manor, don't even think about leaving alive!"

Before her voice had even faded, Leah kicked off the ground forcefully, shooting toward Ye Chuan like an arrow. The broadsword carried a fierce gust of wind as it slashed toward his neck.

A seventh-tier battle aura master, if exerting her full strength, could easily shatter mountains and rivers. Wherever the sword aura passed, the air was torn apart, emitting an ear-piercing shriek.

Although she couldn't go all out inside the manor, she felt it would be a breeze to take down a mage who wasn't skilled in close combat.

The smile on Ye Chuan's lips remained unchanged; he didn't even turn sideways to dodge.

Just as the longsword was about to hit him, he raised his hand and pressed down lightly. A pale golden spiritual energy instantly formed an invisible barrier.

With a loud clang, the broadsword struck fiercely against the barrier, and the sword aura dissipated instantly!

Leah only felt a tremendous force transmit from the blade, shocking her so much that the webbing between her thumb and forefinger split open. The longsword nearly slipped from her grasp, and she was deflected backward by three steps before barely steadying herself.

"Both being at the seventh tier, your strength is far inferior to the little dragonkin's... Did you force your breakthrough?" Ye Chuan's tone was flat, as if he were evaluating something insignificant.

Leah's face turned pale, her eyes filled with disbelief. Her strike was actually blocked so easily by the opponent, and she didn't even break his defense?

This man's strength was not the least bit weaker than hers!

Count Leon was so terrified that his legs gave way, and he slumped back into his seat, his small eyes full of horror.

He had originally thought that Leah was the strongest combatant in Valoran, capable of dealing with any crisis, but he never expected her to fall to a disadvantage the moment they clashed!

Ye Chuan slowly walked up to Count Leon and looked down at him, a mocking smile curving the corners of his mouth.

"My Lord Count, you just said that Kaiaolen wants to rebel. How clever. After all, attributing everything detrimental to yourself to someone else's ambition means you don't have to face the real danger, right?"

Count Leon trembled all over, unable to utter a single word. He could only stare fixedly at Ye Chuan, his eyes brimming with fear.

But he quickly blurted out, "Are you Kaiaolen's man?!"

"Doesn't Milar only have one seventh-tier powerhouse? Who are you?!"

"Me? Just a passing... hmm, no, I am the future Prince of Equal Rank of the Hill Empire, Xixi Chinayega!"

"Chinayega..."

What on earth is a Prince of Equal Rank?!

"Don't you dare be disrespectful to the Count!" Leah, standing to the side, extended her hand. The runes on her weapon flashed as she coldly warned Ye Chuan.

"Since you are Count Kaiaolen's man, do you dare to duel me outside?!"

If she could exert her full power, Leah didn't believe she would lose to a mage.

Ye Chuan turned his head back. "Oh?"