“It’s this Northland itself.” He glanced around. “They say there have been strange phenomena here for days, that the spiritual energy sustaining this place has run out. That’s probably true, or else we wouldn’t have been able to get in at all. Still, this place was, after all, under the jurisdiction of… of Elder Harrison back then.”

He said the words “Elder Harrison” quickly and vaguely, but was still elbowed by the person beside him.

“He perished along with the Immortal Capital, and you still have to bring him up in front of the city lord?!” Taking advantage of the distant, misty water’s edge, they snuck a glance at Logan Barrett, their voices barely above a whisper.

“……”

Logan Barrett thought, here we go again—those same pale faces, all tacitly aware.

Did that Elder Harrison have some secret with me—no, with the original owner of this body? Why are they looking at me like that?

Logan Barrett really wanted that subordinate to keep talking, so he could figure out the truth.

But, constrained by his status, he could only let it go.

He wasn’t the original master who had been imprisoned here, so he couldn’t react otherwise. He could only listen to that unfamiliar name, remaining silent and unmoved.

The subordinate glanced at him again. “A-anyway, even though that one’s long gone, there might still be some traps he left behind in this cursed place. If we get caught, it won’t end well.”

“True.”

“So, City Lord, let’s hurry up and get out of here!”

Their tone was anxious and earnest, almost pleading.

Their city lord also found this very reasonable and could have nodded in agreement.

But at this moment, the city lord had a more pressing problem.

How, without damaging his fearsome reputation, could he get someone to help him down from this tree branch?

Logan Barrett glanced at the deep pool below, then at the shore.

His subordinates were looking at him eagerly, waiting for an order.

He thought for a moment, then raised his hand. With a slightly bent forefinger, he pointed among the group on the shore, picking out one who looked relatively pleasing.

“You, come here.” His voice was still calm and even.

The chosen one flinched, freezing in place, confused.

“Me?”

“Mm.”

“City Lord, did I… did I say something wrong? I didn’t even speak just now.”

Logan Barrett: “……”

Coward.

“Come here.” He repeated softly, lowering his hand.

As he moved, those invisible chains clinked and rattled again.

The chosen subordinate dared not ask further, braced himself, and stepped onto the still water, crossing a hundred feet in a single stride. In a flash, he was in front of the withered tree.

“City Lord.”

He had just set foot on the tree when a thunderous crash rang out!

Countless invisible sword auras swept in from all directions, carrying the icy chill of Northland’s snowbound expanse.

The hand he reached toward Logan Barrett instantly turned into a spray of blood, and his whole body was hurled back to the shore.

In an instant, the frigid pool’s great formation erupted, waves surging to the sky.

Logan Barrett only felt a biting sword intent sweep toward him, and he instinctively closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he saw a golden royal lotus, large enough to envelop the entire Northgate, blooming thunderously beneath his feet.

Amid the dazzling snow and golden afterimage, he saw a phantom figure resting a giant sword at its side.

That person was very tall, with three black mourning nails driven into the cartilage of his right ear, exuding a fierce, murderous aura, yet his face was as handsome as carved jade. He was like a heavenly wind from the sea, carrying the scent of cold iron.

Within that illusory heavenly wind, he turned to look at Logan Barrett, and at the spot where his neck met his jaw, a golden seal flickered in and out of sight.

It was the character “免”.

Everyone knew that Elder Harrison Owen Fletcher was granted the character “免” by the heavens.

“免” means pardon, absolution—the erasure of all sins.

Author’s note:

I’m back again! Logan Barrett is the bottom, don’t ship the wrong way~

Chapter 2: The Coffin

Outside Northland.

The instant the golden royal lotus exploded, disciples from all the immortal sects were caught off guard. The invisible pressure swept out like a tidal wave, blasting everyone a hundred feet away.

Those who were closer had their swords and magical artifacts shattered to pieces, rendered useless on the spot.

“Cough, cough… Sect Leader.” A young disciple struggled out of the snow. Clutching his chest, he tried to use his sword to stand, only to find he was left with just a hilt.

“Sect Leader, my sword…”

For some disciples of the immortal sects, their sword is dearer than life—especially for the sword cultivators of the Feng family.

This young disciple was a member of the Feng family.

“Toss it. We’ll reforge it when we return.” Gavin Porter didn’t look at him, her gaze still fixed a hundred feet away, her elegant brows tightly furrowed.

As the sect leader, she naturally wasn’t as disheveled as the young disciple, rolling on the ground. Instead, she stood tall, gripping her long sword before her, blocking most of the pressure.

She stood straight, but blood seeped from between her fingers, staining the sword’s pattern.

The young disciple saw the blood and was startled.

He was new to the sect and knew little. This was the first time he’d seen the sect leader bleed. “Sect Leader, what was that golden shadow? How could it be so powerful?”

“It should be the natal royal lotus,” Gavin Porter said softly.

“Natal royal lotus?!”

The young disciples were all shocked and suspicious.

Legend had it that the natal royal lotus was unique to Elder Harrison. Because he wielded both punishment and pardon—death in one hand, life in the other—he had two great signature moves:

One summoned all souls to perish; the other brought all things to life.

The natal royal lotus was the former.