Count Caesar

Mo Fei gazed thoughtfully at the corpse of the mirage beast. For a magical creature like this to reach the seventh tier, given the current state of magical beast hunting on the continent, was no easy feat. It must have much to do with the unique environment of the Misty Mountains.

Neither the location nor the expanse of the Misty Mountains was suitable for high-tier magical beasts to thrive. Here, the mirage beast rarely encountered natural enemies. The thick mists rising at night further favored its survival, and likewise reduced the chances of running into human adventurers. All these factors combined allowed this particular beast to grow to the seventh tier.

Mo Fei removed the beast’s magic core and sharp horn, stowing them in his pouch, intending to someday have a staff crafted from them.

The group pressed on.

“Captain, there are signs of human activity up ahead,” reported a member of the mercenary company, approaching Simon.

Mo Fei and Simon followed the mercenary to the indicated spot. There, they saw that the dense undergrowth ahead had been cleared, forming a crude path, with branches on either side bearing fresh cuts from swords or knives. Judging by how recent the marks were, this trail had been made only in the last few days. It was likely the work of the count and his party. However, this was not far from where the mirage beast had appeared; it was uncertain whether the count and the others were still safe.

Following the trail for about ten miles, they finally discovered the count and his companions at the foot of a cliff.

At that moment, the count was resting against a rock, looking utterly bedraggled. His once elegant, luxurious clothes were now in tatters from days of travel through the wilderness, and his face was crisscrossed with cuts and scratches. Of the original dozen or so in his group, only two guards remained at his side.

“Who are you?” One of the guards, on alert, drew his sword and asked nervously upon spotting Mo Fei and the others.

The harrowing days in the Misty Mountains had left the count’s party jumpy and suspicious. The sudden appearance of a group dressed as mercenaries naturally put them on guard.

“We’re from the Gale Mercenary Company, sent by Lady Caesar to search for Count Caesar,” Simon quickly explained, noticing their heightened vigilance.

Hearing that they had been dispatched by his wife, Count Caesar hurried over, his eyes filled with excitement as he questioned them, “Did Anna truly send you to find me?”

“Yes. Several mercenary companies had already accepted Lady Caesar’s commission, but they all gave up after encountering a seventh-tier mirage beast. We only entered the Misty Mountains today ourselves, and unexpectedly found you so soon, Count,” Simon explained.

“No wonder. A seventh-tier mirage beast is beyond the capabilities of most companies. My own team suffered heavy losses after running into it. If not for the guards’ desperate protection, the three of us would not have escaped, though in our panic we became hopelessly lost here. But now, with your help, we should be able to find our way out,” Count Caesar said to Mo Fei and the others.

With dusk approaching, the group retraced their route, hoping to exit the mountains before dark.

As they neared the pond where the mirage beast had dwelled, Count Caesar’s face suddenly changed.

“Be careful! The mirage beast is nearby. Let’s take a detour before it notices us!” Count Caesar urgently warned.

Simon and Mo Fei exchanged a smile. “You needn’t worry, Count. The mirage beast was slain by Mr. Mo Fei on our way here!”

“What? You killed the mirage beast?” Count Caesar stared at Mo Fei in astonishment. He had not expected that Mo Fei, who looked barely in his twenties, could defeat a seventh-tier magical beast.

“Please don’t believe Captain Simon’s flattery, Count. I could never defeat such a creature alone—without the help of the Gale Mercenary Company, I would have stood no chance,” Mo Fei replied modestly.

“We were all trapped in the mirage beast’s illusion. If Mr. Mo Fei hadn’t broken it, we would all have perished. Besides, if the beast hadn’t been wounded by him beforehand, even combined we might not have stood a chance,” Simon added, unwilling to let Mo Fei’s humility go unnoticed. He was well aware of Count Caesar’s influence in the imperial capital; Mo Fei’s future success there would benefit from the support of such powerful figures. This was an opportunity not to be missed.

“I thought you must have been lucky enough to avoid the beast’s territory, but you actually slew it. I have underestimated the strength of the world’s heroes,” Count Caesar said, visibly impressed.

Count Caesar, now in his forties, was already a formidable Sword Sect master. He prided himself on his talent, but even he could not defeat that mirage beast. That this young man before him could do so spoke volumes of his extraordinary potential and limitless prospects. Naturally, he now wished to befriend Mo Fei.

“With such strength at your age, Mr. Mo Fei, may I ask who your master is?” Count Caesar inquired curiously.

“I was an orphan raised in the deep mountains by an old man who taught me everything I know about martial cultivation. Only recently did I leave the mountains for the first time and come to the Dragonrock Empire, where I’m now studying at the Imperial Academy,” Mo Fei replied, understanding Simon’s intentions and answering frankly.

Mo Fei had his reasons for sharing this with Count Caesar. First, he anticipated trouble in the capital, and the backing of a powerful figure would smooth his path. Second, as he intended to purchase a tract of land, Count Caesar’s recommendation would aid him greatly.

Following the markers they had made on their way in, the group finally emerged from the Misty Mountains before nightfall. Mo Fei looked back at the mist-shrouded range, which now, in his eyes, carried the air of an immortal’s sacred land.

This place was remote, naturally protected, and if fortified with a cultivator’s defensive array, could become a safe and hidden retreat. Given its isolation, acquiring it as a fief should not be too difficult.

Mo Fei, now out of the Misty Mountains, had already resolved to purchase this land. Once he returned to the capital and gathered enough gold, he would seek to buy it through either Count Caesar or Princess Vivian on behalf of the Dragonrock Empire. Then, Cain could bring his people here to live.

On a clearing outside the mountains, the group set up camp to rest for the night, planning to return to the capital the next day.

A fire crackled on the open ground before the camp. Mo Fei sat with the others, eating some unidentifiable roasted meat. At that moment, Count Caesar approached him, wine bottle in hand.

“Young Mo Fei, so accomplished at such an early age—your future knows no bounds. What are your plans for the days ahead?” Count Caesar asked, his tone heavy with intent to recruit.

“I haven’t decided on anything specific yet. I suppose I’ll stay at the Imperial Academy for a while after returning to the capital, and afterwards, perhaps, set out to explore the continent. Since I’m unfamiliar with the city, if I run into any difficulties, I hope I can rely on your assistance, Count,” Mo Fei replied with a smile.

“There’s no need for such formality. I’m always eager to befriend promising young talents like yourself. Besides, if not for you, I’d still be trapped in those mountains! If you ever need help, come to me—I do have some connections in the capital,” Count Caesar said, patting his chest and gladly accepting the request.

“Then, I thank you in advance, Count,” Mo Fei said, bowing respectfully.

“No need to call me ‘Count’—it sounds too distant. If you don’t mind, just call me ‘big brother,’” Count Caesar proposed cheerfully.

“How could I mind? It would be my honor. From now on, I shall call you ‘big brother,’” Mo Fei replied, seizing the opportunity. Having a powerful elder brother in the capital would only aid his plans.

Moreover, from what he had observed during their journey, Count Caesar was open-hearted, upright, and a man worth befriending.

“Haha! Excellent! Everyone, today I am especially happy to have become sworn brothers with Mo Fei. Tonight, we will not rest until we are drunk!” Count Caesar declared, raising his bottle high and draining it in one go.

…

At dawn the next day, Mo Fei was awakened by birdsong. Recalling the events of the night before, he could only shake his head. First, his new ‘big brother’ insisted on drinking with him, and then the members of the Gale Mercenary Company, eager to express their gratitude and congratulations, plied him with drink until even he, a cultivator, passed out completely.

Outside the tent, the mercenaries were already packing up. As Mo Fei emerged, they greeted him one after another.

Not far away, Count Caesar and Simon, seeing Mo Fei awake, called everyone together, and the group prepared to depart.

Mounting their Windrider Beasts, they rode swiftly toward the capital, the morning sun at their backs!