After unraveling the earthen shield of the commander of the Ronal Knight Order, the hair-thin sword qi continued unabated, its sharp edge piercing through the commander and the knights behind him.
With a single strike, the Ronal Knight Order was completely wiped out.
This was the scene that greeted the Count's eldest son as he stepped out of the villa.
Amidst the blood-soaked ground stood an incredibly beautiful woman, the longsword in her hand still dripping with blood. All around her lay the fallen knights.
Luna Callis.
The First Seat of the Grand Duke Candidates of House Callis.
The moment the Count's eldest son saw Luna, he spun on his heel and fled.
His own strength was barely at the Fourth Circle, whereas Luna had been invincible at the Sixth Circle for a very long time.
Furthermore, the commander of the Ronal Knight Order lying dead at Luna's feet only served as further proof of her terrifying power.
But he had only just turned around when a sharp surge of magic power locked onto his back. The mere aura radiating from it made the Count's eldest son feel as though his body were being pierced ten thousand times over.
“Clang!”
Just as the Count's eldest son thought he was about to die under Luna's blade, a figure appeared and blocked Luna's sword.
“Father!”
The Count's eldest son turned around and found Count Ronal struggling to withstand the edge of Luna's blade.
Count Ronal's appearance was more rugged than the commander's, and his entire body was encased in a suit of bright silver armor.
He held a man-sized shield in his left hand and a broadsword in his right.
As the sword clashed with the massive shield, the violent shockwaves of magic power crushed the white jade floor inside.
Decorative vases shattered one by one, the paintings on the walls disintegrated into shreds of paper, and even several massive load-bearing pillars groaned under the immense strain, cracks spiderwebbing across their surfaces as stone fragments showered down.
“Lady Luna, we can talk,” Count Ronal said.
Although Count Ronal had blocked Luna's attack with his shield, he still felt as if sharp blades were scraping against his face.
As for the Count's eldest son behind him, he could only curl up and cower behind Count Ronal.
The guards who had followed the Count's eldest son out earlier had already been killed by the aftershocks of magic power during the previous storm of sword qi.
“Although I do not know how exactly my Ronal Count's estate has offended House Callis, we are willing to make any compensation.”
“If Lady Luna only speaks the word, we are willing to offer everything.”
From the moment Luna set foot on their grounds, everyone in the Ronal Count's estate understood one thing: they had to adamantly insist they knew absolutely nothing about Laciel's actions.
Even if they were somehow able to defeat Luna, they still had to maintain this lie.
After all, even if they could defeat Luna, a Sixth Circle Transcendent, could they possibly defeat the Demigod Grand Duke Callis?
“The destruction of House Ronal is the only solution,” Luna replied.
A family's cultivation knowledge was just like territorial sovereignty—it was absolutely inviolable.
Any individual or faction that attempted to steal cultivation knowledge would be rooted out and destroyed.
In fact, this was not unique to House Callis; most nobles operated the same way.
Luna's voice was flat, but to Count Ronal's ears, it felt as though he had been plunged into an ice cellar.
Sharp sword magic power surged continuously. Count Ronal was forced backward, his legs and shield carving three deep trenches into the ground.
However, compared to the commander of the Ronal Knight Order, Count Ronal was still somewhat stronger.
Though he was similarly suppressed by Luna's onslaught, he at least managed to hold his ground.
Suddenly, Count Ronal felt the weight on his shield lighten. Luna's attacks had stopped.
But Count Ronal did not rejoice. He knew she would not simply flee; she was merely finding another way to kill him.
Count Ronal released his mental energy, attempting to locate Luna.
Yet Luna had already merged with the surrounding wind. No matter how hard Count Ronal searched, he found nothing.
It was as if Luna had vanished into thin air, completely disappearing from his mental perception.
Count Ronal's muscles tensed, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
Wary of a surprise attack from behind, he spun around, but no matter which direction he faced, there was no sign of Luna.
Only his son sat slumped on the ground in sheer terror. It truly seemed as though Luna had left.
“Argh!”
Count Ronal bellowed. Earthy-yellow magic power erupted from his body as massive magic shields materialized one after another, enveloping both himself and the Count's eldest son.
Since he did not know which direction Luna would strike from, he would turtle up. No matter where the attack came from, his defenses would cover it.
Right at the instant Count Ronal's magic shields formed, a sharp surge of magic power materialized, striking from his right side and thrusting upward toward his armpit.
The timing was impeccable. Count Ronal had just unleashed a wave of magic power, and he had not yet been able to gather his breath for a fresh surge.
“Bang!”
A crisp shattering sound rang out. Count Ronal's defenses proved completely useless against this strike.
The earthy-yellow magic shields were easily shattered. Although Count Ronal dodged desperately the moment he realized what was happening, his right arm was still severed cleanly.
In the next instant, Luna appeared right before Count Ronal. Raising her sharp sword, she unleashed a torrent of sharp magic power and slashed downward with immense force.
“Time to die.”
“Clang!”
But just as Luna was about to land the killing blow, her attack was blocked once again.
A lance appeared, parrying Luna's descending blade.
The one wielding the lance was a slightly hunched elderly man—the former Count of the Ronal Count's estate.
The old Count, Edward Ronal.
“Lady Luna, they have already received their due punishment. The knight order of my Ronal Count's estate has also been completely annihilated by your hand. After this, the destruction of the Ronal Count's estate is a foregone conclusion.”
“How about we let this matter rest here?”
In truth, the old Count had been extremely opposed to the plan concocted by Count Ronal and the Count's eldest son.
Having lived through the era of the Ronal Count's estate's peak glory, he knew very well that their current standing had been forged through blood and steel.
Even if the Ronal Count's estate was currently in decline, as long as the Ronal bloodline survived, there would come a day when the estate could rise again.
Furthermore, the old Count felt that compared to being wiped out by House Callis, being hunted by other counts' estates actually offered a much higher chance of preserving their bloodline.
But given the circumstances at the time, Count Ronal and the Count's eldest son had been obstinate, leaving him with no choice.
Had he still been in his prime, he would have directly executed Count Ronal and the Count's eldest son. At worst, he could have simply fathered more children.
But now, he was in the twilight of his life and no longer had the time to groom a new heir.
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