Chapter 449
The moment Seth finished speaking, the expressions of the experts shifted. All eyes turned to Leander. Even Halia and Khaedor exchanged cautious looks.
Until now, none of them had taken Seth and the Baker brothers seriously. With their strength, they barely qualified for the International Combat Units list, and only at the lower-middle tiers.
Even if the three joined forces, their strength was nothing in a situation filled with so many powerful figures.
However, that would change if Leander sided with them.
Everyone had witnessed Leander’s display earlier. He’d turned the sky into a sea of flames, breaking the Dragonbound Array, and killing the black dragon with a single strike.
If Leander stood with Seth’s group, he would become a massive threat to everyone here.
Aside from Khaedor and Halia, who had aces up their sleeves, none of the Transcendent Realm powerhouses could confidently claim they could defeat Leander.
Leander paused and tilted his head slightly at Seth.
Since he was from Astria, everyone assumed he would agree. To their surprise, Leander shook his head.
“I won’t help you p>
His tone was calm. “Relics belong to those capable and powerful enough to keep them. It doesn’t matter what country or land they appear in; only the strong have the right to claim them p>
“If the Shadow Division truly wanted to secure this relic, you shouldn’t have sent three mediocre high-grade Transcendents. You should’ve sent real powerhouses.” “The situation you’re in is strictly a Shadow Division problem. I’m not a member of the Shadow Division, and I’m not interested in this relic. Whoever gets their hands on it has nothing to do with me p>
After he said his piece, he walked past the three without sparing them a backward glance.
Seth and the Baker brothers were stunned as they never expected Leander to give them such a response. Meanwhile, the other experts all let out quiet sighs of relief.
As Leander walked away with Clara, Keith suddenly yelled at him angrily, “Jeff, you’re an Astrian! What about your country? Don’t you care about defending your country p>
Leander didn’t stop.
“Defending my country? Of course, I will. I would fight to the death if my country’s at stake. But what does seizing a relic have to do with defending Astria p>
“Also, patriotism isn’t something you shout about. It’s something you prove with action p>
Keith’s words instantly died in his throat.
“Hmph.” Khaedor’s tone was mocking as he sneered. “Seth, someone at Jeff’s level has no reason to listen to shrimps like you p>
“It’s funny how you think he’d fight on for the Shadow Division of yours. Your naivety is truly embarrassing to witness p>
Seth and the Baker brothers turned pale, their hearts sinking.
The relic was about to appear soon. Yet, they were still at a disadvantage. It didn’t help that there wouldn’t be any reinforcements coming. When the fighting began, they would be crushed without mercy.
After Leander and Clara left, silence fell over the valley. The Transcendent Realm experts stood motionless, waiting for the relic to appear.
The stillness felt eerie after the charged conversation earlier.
Still, Seth and the Baker brothers exchanged glances, quietly gathering their innate vitality to its limit. They were prepared to fight for the relic the moment it surfaced— even if it cost their lives.
This was their duty as one of Astria’s Shadow Division.
Clara followed Leander as they left Aorinth Peaks, not daring to make a peep. Although Leander wasn’t even in his 20s, he carried himself as if he were far older than that.
His thoughts seemed unfathomable even to her, and she had been alive for nearly a century. Yet, she still couldn’t get a good read on him, or any read on him, really.
As they continued their journey, she finally mustered her courage and spoke up. “Sovereign Ashcroft, there’s something I believe would interest you p>
Leander continued strolling leisurely as he shot her a look.
Clara hesitated before continuing, “You took the Dragon Core… if I’m not mistaken, you want it for your cultivation, don’t you p>
Leander didn’t answer; he simply nodded.
“In that case, I think you shouldn’t overlook one more thing hidden in that valley p>
“Oh?” Leander stopped walking, interest flickering in his eyes.
Clara recalled the scene from her last visit to the Aorinth Peaks. “When I came here years ago, I encountered the black dragon as well.
“Back then, the springs were crystal clear, and I could see the black dragon resting at the bottom… as if guarding something p>
“I couldn’t really tell what it was, but it seemed to be a herb shaped like a dragon— or perhaps a serpent p>
“The black dragon who helped me that year seemed extremely protective of that herb. I still don’t know what it is, but I thought the information might be useful to
you p>
She said it out of gratitude-Leander had saved the Dual Meridian Sect and wiped out the Shadowrealm Sect that had been plaguing them.
“A herb that grows underwater… with the outline of a dragon p>
Leander repeated slowly as his tone became one of excitement toward the end.
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier p>
Clara looked apologetic as she answered, “I only just remembered p>
She hadn’t even finished speaking before a blast of wind shot past her. A streak of blue light surged back to Aorinth Peaks.
She was still blinking dumbly at the empty air when she heard Leander’s voice echo from afar, saying, “You’ve led me to the Dragon Gate. The deal between me and the Dual Meridian Sect ends here p>
“Leave Aorinth Peaks immediately. Do not linger p>
The blue light flashed once as it vanished deep into the hills before she could even understand what was going on.
Inside the valley, a sudden rumble erupted from the spring after 10 minutes of dead silence.
The once-calm surface started bubbling furiously as though someone had decided to toss in a strip of magnesium in it.
Steam began to fill the valley, hot air billowing against everyone’s faces. Yet, none of the Transcendent Realm experts moved a muscle as they continued staring at the spring hungrily.
They could feel the relic before it appeared. It possessed an indescribably powerful spiritual energy that seemed seconds away from bursting through the surface.
Sure enough, a massive column of water dozens of meters tall shot into the sky with a thunderous roar.
Then, that was when they saw it-a dazzling golden light piercing through the mist as it nestled within the water pillar. They could see the
Xague outline of a dragon ora serpent through the liquid
The International Combat Units rankers immediately sprang into action.
“The relic has appeared! Move p>
These usually elusive powerhouses surged forward like a tidal wave, racing to seize
the prize.
Seth and the Baker brothers stomped the ground and launched themselves forward as well.
Only Halia and Khaedor remained calm. With their power, they were absolutely confident they could kill whoever seized the treasure and take it for themselves.
The robbing and the deaths were just another day for them. It didn’t matter how the others struggled because in the end, they were all prey.
A streak of blue pierced through the air just as the Transcendent Realm experts neared the water column and were about to dive in.
A massive azure hand descended from the sky, smashing the towering water column back into the spring.
Gasps of astonishment and frustration exploded across the valley.
Just then, a cold, emotionless voice sounded behind them, saying, “I’m not singling anyone out. So, listen carefully The relic in that spring belongs to me. If anyone steps even one foot closer… You die p>