"No need to thank ," Max said, waving off Rose’s gratitude as though swatting away an insect. His tone was light but his words carried weight. "The Mountain Gods Valley and the Thunder Monarch Hall are birds of a feather. They deserve what’s coming to them. Eliminating a two-star mber of the Mountain Gods Valley will only be a good thing for my Great Ruler Empire."
Gayle blinked, as though taken aback by Max’s casual admission of killing a prominent mber of one of the seven overlord forces, but quickly composed himself and cleared his throat. "I wonder... where are you planning to go next, Brother Max?" he asked, cautiously respectful, a trace of curiosity edging his voice.
Max shook his head slowly, his expression thoughtful yet distant as he looked off into the deeper shadows of the trees. "I don’t have a fixed place to go," he replied calmly. "I ca to the Hundred Battles Region to gain experience—and perhaps find a few opportunities worth grabbing."
Gayle seed to hesitate, his gaze shifting toward Rose, who gave him a small, encouraging nod. A series of conflicting emotions flitted across his face—gratitude, caution, and finally, a resolute determination. He drew in a slow breath, as though steeling himself for what he was about to reveal.
"Max," Gayle began, his voice low, glancing around as if to ensure no one else was listening in the forest. "I... I have an incomplete map of the cetery of a Divine Rank expert from ten thousand years ago. I wonder if you’d be interested in searching for that cetery together." His words ca out in a rush, as though once he started, he could no longer hold them back.
Originally, Gayle might have preferred to keep such a secret close to his chest, but Max had saved both his and Rose’s lives—a debt that weighed heavily on the Absolute Sword Palace disciple’s conscience.
Moreover, Gayle knew that the path to such a place would be fraught with peril. Having soone as monstrously strong as Max along could well be the difference between success and becoming a forgotten corpse in an ancient tomb.
"An incomplete map?" Max repeated slowly, his voice curious yet cautious, his sharp gaze studying Gayle’s face for any hint of deception. "Is there any other map? Or is yours the only one?"
As he spoke, Max’s mind churned. Kar had told him nothing about maps. If there were fragnts of maps circulating, then it suggested a larger secret—perhaps an inheritance far more valuable than any single rumor about star stones. And he knew better than anyone that trying to locate such a place with only an incomplete map would be close to impossible.
Gayle nodded, his features still pale from the poison, but his eyes sharp with clarity and purpose as he spoke. "There are four copies of the map in total," he explained, his voice low, as if afraid the whispering wind in the trees might carry his words away to unwelco ears. "They appeared at an auction held by the Obsidian Order. The participants at that auction were so 2-star mbers and a few 3-star mbers—naly my Absolute Sword Palace, Eternal Sun Guild, Mountain Gods Valley, and Void Soul Tower."
He paused briefly, as though letting the weight of those nas settle into the air. "Brian, that bastard from the Mountain Gods Valley, sohow learned that I was the one holding one of the incomplete maps. That’s why he tried to kill —to take my copy for himself."
Hearing the nas of the forces spilling from Gayle’s lips, Max felt a spark of cold understanding flicker through his mind, his brows arching slightly in reaction.
Each na was heavy with the weight of power and influence. Every single one of them—Absolute Sword Palace, Void Soul Tower, Eternal Sun Guild, Mountain Gods Valley—belonged to the sa echelon as the Great Ruler Empire.
Together, they were known as the Seven Overlord Forces of the Middle Domain. Alongside them stood the Thunder Monarch Hall and the Bright Buddha Palace, completing the circle of imnse power that shaped the destiny of nations.
And now, for the sake of Lord Ko’s rumored treasures, four of those seven overlord forces were involved, their sights locked on the sa legendary goal. Five, Max corrected himself inwardly, if he included his own presence from the Great Ruler Empire. A small, cold smile touched his lips. The scale of this endeavor had suddenly grown exponentially.
Gayle continued speaking, unaware of the cold calculations running through Max’s mind. "According to the map," he said, his voice carrying a note of both anxiety and excitent, "the cetery of Lord Ko lies near Misty City. In a week’s ti, the mbers of the four forces who hold the incomplete maps will gather in Misty City. When everyone is assembled, they’ll set out together to search for the cetery."
Max’s eyes glinted like cold steel as he listened, his expression thoughtful, yet edged with quiet intensity. A secret tomb of a Divine Rank expert, the involvent of the most powerful forces, and the potential presence of star stones—the stakes were nothing less than monuntal.
The breeze shifted, carrying the scent of damp earth and crushed leaves, and Max let out a faint exhale, already deciding that Misty City would be his next destination. Whatever lay hidden in Lord Ko’s cetery, Max intended to claim it for himself.
"Okay, count in, let’s go to Misty City now!" Max declared with a bright, eager smile flashing across his face. His eyes glimred with the spark of challenge and anticipation.
The chance to find Lord Ko’s secret cave—and potentially the star stones—was dangling right in front of him, and he wasn’t the kind of man to let an opportunity slip through his fingers.
The Misty City wasn’t far, still within the borders of the Celestial Wind Region, and could be reached in about three days if they traveled at a good pace. Max’s mind raced with plans and strategies as he resolved not to waste another mont.
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