Two days had passed since the dramatic turn of events at the engagement ceremony, yet the entire Golden Bamboo City still buzzed with talk of the golden goose incident.
The lavish celebration, intended to unite the Mintleaf and Silver Stokes families, had ended in scandal and disappointment. The streets were filled with whispers and speculations, dividing the populace into two camps: those who blamed Lana for her perceived bad fate and those who pitied Spurgeon for missing out on a beauty.
“Did you hear? Poor Spurgeon, losing such a bride,” one merchant murmured to his neighbour.
“Yes, but imagine the disgrace for the Mintleaf family,” the neighbour replied, shaking her head. “All that wealth, wasted on a ruined ceremony.”
Amidst the gossip and pity, the fact remained that the two families had spent a fortune on the engagement ceremony, only for it to be spoiled by the theft of the golden goose. The revered pet, belonging to the powerful Celestial Sun Fire Sect, had vanished, leaving a trail of confusion and suspicion.
Silver Sword, the esteemed Brerell Hill, had personally handled the initial inquiry to the wizard association members in the city. Despite their efforts, no concrete leads emerged. Disappointed and disillusioned, Silver Sword had left for his sect.
“I never thought anyone would dare to steal from the Celestial Sun Fire Sect,” he confided to his trusted aid as they departed. “I will definitely find the culprit one day.”
Your journey continues at freewebnovel
As days passed the blame shifted onto the Poison Clan. Rumours spread like wildfire, fuelled by the discovery that several rare and powerful poisons had been used during the heist.
Meanwhile, Kent, the mastermind behind the theft, busied himself in training for the Arena group fight. His plan had worked perfectly, shifting suspicion away from himself and onto the Poison Clan.
In the last two days Kent also spent a lot of time on the beast abode peak and searched several books to know the dragon and dwarf dragons. But there is very little information available about dragons.
_
Lana had shut herself in her room for days, her mind consumed by the mystery of the stolen golden goose. The once lively and radiant young woman now sat in silence, her gaze fixated on the small aurora glass. It replayed scenes from her engagement ceremony, over and over, and she fully focused on watching those scenes.
Her eyes darted between the small button in her hand and the clothing of every guest displayed in the aurora glass. She had already watched the scene ten times, scrutinizing each frame with painstaking detail, but to no avail. Disappointment gnawed at her, but she refused to give up. She was determined to find the person to whom the button belonged.
Lana’s parents tried to speak with her as they though Lana went into depression because of the incident at ritual ground.
But Lana ignored their pleas, her attention fixed on the aurora glass. Marrying Spurgeon was the farthest thing from her mind now. Her sole focus was on solving the mystery that took her chastity.
Outside Lana’s room, whispers and rumours filled the Mintleaf family estate. Servants exchanged worried glances, and the atmosphere was thick with tension.
Meanwhile the patriarch of the Mintleaf family who had secret business dealings with poison clan, contacted the matriarch of the poison clan and inquired about the golden goose matter.
But the matriarch slammed him with facts which proved the innocence of the poison clan. The patriarch failed to refute the matriarch’s words and helplessly disconnected the communication.
The thief of golden goose remained a mystery for everyone.
_
Among the Northern snow mountains, the majestic Ice Castle stood, though half in ruins on one side, a testament to the recent turmoil it had endured. Snowflakes drifted down gently, and the cold wind howled through the shattered halls.
At the castle’s peak, a raven landed, its dark form stark against the icy backdrop. In its beak, it carried a letter sealed with the distinctive octopus insignia of the Wizard Association.
A young disciple, wrapped in thick furs to ward off the biting cold, approached the raven. She carefully took the letter and, recognizing the seal, her eyes widened with urgency. Clutching the letter tightly, she hurried through the castle’s winding corridors, her breath visible in the frigid air.
“Big Sister! The Wizard Association sent a letter!” she called out as she reached the entrance to a closed ice room, her voice echoing through the silent halls.
Inside, Eila, the new leader of the Ice Castle Sect, was deep in training. She stood in the center of the room, her wand glowing with a soft blue light as she practiced her spells, the air around her shimmering with frost.
The weight of leadership had fallen heavily on her shoulders since the sudden deaths of her mother, Freya, the matriarch, and the elders. Now, she bore the responsibility of guiding the sect and avenging her family’s loss.
Eila paused, lowering her wand and turning to face the disciple. “A letter?” she asked, her voice calm but carrying the authority of her position.
The disciple handed over the cloth letter, bowing respectfully. “Yes, Big Sister. It bears the seal of the Wizard Association.”
Eila took the letter, her heart beating a little faster. The death matter of Ice Castle elders and matriarch didn’t reveal it to outsiders. The pet of Freya is stopping any official passing the snow mountain and witness the broken Ice Castle.
Eila unfurled the cloth and read the contents carefully. It was an invitation to the upcoming inheritance ground awakening. Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she absorbed the details.
“As one of the top four sects of the Blue Planet, we have been allotted ten spots,” she read aloud. “This is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.”
The disciple watched Eila anxiously. “What should we do, Big Sister? There is no elder to accompany us now.”
Eila rolled up the letter and set it aside, her mind already working through the implications. “We will prepare. This inheritance ground awakening could be the key to strengthening our sect and securing our future. We need to choose our ten most capable members.
_
*Bonus chapter for reaching the power stones target. Thank you…