Chapter 14: Half of the guardians have arrived.

“These guys are like puppets, completely devoid of any will of their own…”

As Dongfang Jiang manipulated his longsword to knock down a figure that looked like an assassin charging at him, he simultaneously used the shaft of his spear to beat back the rushing house servants.

The moment the two opposing sides saw Dongfang Jiang enter the mansion, they both turned to attack him.

After taking them all down with his weapons, he looked at the unconscious bodies and muttered.

“Indeed that’s the case. Hey there, young sir, could you help me drive off the people who invaded the villa?”

A gentle tap landed on Dongfang Jiang’s shoulder.

He turned around to see a golden-haired young woman in a fitted dress offering him an apologetic smile.

Her golden hair cascaded to her waist, and the gold and jade trinkets on her clothes hinted at her noble status.

As she apologized to Dongfang Jiang, she gave a slight bow, inadvertently presenting her fair chest before him.

“Sure, but you have to do me a favor in return. I dropped something in the lake—after this, you’ll need to help me find it.”

“Hmm… That’s quite a request?”

The young woman blinked playfully.

Dongfang Jiang nodded.

“Sigh, fine. I, Yisela, accept this deal.”

“So what happened inside the mansion, Miss Yisela?”

“As you can see, the Valen Ring representing the Blazing Sun has appeared. They attacked my family. They wanted to control us, but the controller’s intel was a little off… This young lady wasn’t controlled by him.”

“Understood… I happen to need that Valen Ring. Let’s work together.”

Dongfang Jiang made the spear and longsword orbit around him, looked at Yisela, and gave her a smile.

“Ah, I, representing the Badan Family, hereby cooperate with you.”

“Good.”

Yisela extended her hand to Dongfang Jiang.

He reached out and took it.

Her hand was incredibly soft—compared to Pandana’s rough hands, it was indeed a different sensation.

“Oh my, are you comparing me to someone else?”

“Ahaha… By the way, how did you get over here?”

Dongfang Jiang asked Yisela.

Hearing this, she studied him, put a finger to her lips, and chuckled.

A gentle yellow light enveloped them.

Dongfang Jiang felt something off about this energy, but he couldn’t pinpoint what.

“Through illusion magic, of course, young sir. Don’t let my looks fool you—I’m a famous illusionist throughout the kingdom.”

Yisela wasn’t lying.

If she were talking to a local, they’d immediately recognize her as the young lady of the Badan Family.

Of course, Dongfang Jiang was an exception.

“Where are we going?”

“To my father. As long as we rescue him before that happens, everything can still be salvaged.”

With Yisela’s cover, Dongfang Jiang avoided many fights and reached the center of the mansion—the Badan Family Hall.

The battle there was already nearing its end.

Before a middle-aged man lay several groaning youths, all pinned down by emotionless house servants.

The only one on the enemy side still showing expression was a silver-haired young man yawning in boredom.

On the index finger of his right hand was a ring inlaid with a large golden gem.

“Oh my, looks like we’re in the cleanup phase, Lord Badan. Now, except for little Yisela, everyone else is in our hands. Aren’t you about ready to give up?”

Yisela’s father looked up at the silver-haired young man, his expression unchanged.

“Heh… Doesn’t seem like the wielder of the Valen Ring is all that impressive, unable to even control an old geezer like me.”

“Oh my, what a thing to say. Do I seem like such an impolite person?”

Though the silver-haired young man said this, he aimed his ring at the youth at his feet.

With a mere release of energy, the boy turned into a mindless zombie.

“Oh my, the future heir of the Badan Family is now ruined… What a pity. Don’t you think so, Duke Yigenaxiu?”

Dongfang Jiang felt Yisela beside him tremble slightly.

He gently patted her back and sensed her grip on his hand tighten.

Just as the silver-haired young man was about to continue “executing” Yisela’s other family members, Dongfang Jiang knew this wasn’t the time to wait.

He ruffled Yisela’s hair.

“Leave this to me. I’ll be right back.”

Just as Duke Yigenaxiu closed his eyes awaiting the end, two different energies surged from the hall’s entrance—a dark green Swamp Energy and a deep blue Glacier Energy—both hurtling toward the silver-haired young man.

Caught off guard by Dongfang Jiang’s ambush, the silver-haired youth flew several meters before the ring’s energy let him land softly.

He wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and twisted his face into a grin.

“Hmm? Looks like little Yisela has brought us some amusement. Kill this guy.”

At his command, the controlled horde charged at Dongfang Jiang.

Calmly, he dodged their first wave and launched a relentless assault on the silver-haired youth with his longsword.

“Fast swords… By the technique, it’s from the Fengyu Family.”

The silver-haired youth laughed heartily, dodging Dongfang Jiang’s attacks with ease while directing his puppets to swarm him.

In the midst of battle, Dongfang Jiang had already figured out how the youth controlled his puppets.

He turned the floor beneath them into a swamp, swallowing all the puppets.

“Oh, nice move. Facing brainless puppets, you handled it simply like that.”

“It’s not over yet.”

After neutralizing all the puppets, Dongfang Jiang yanked out the energy the silver-haired youth had injected into them.

The Earth Ring blazed with a dazzling light—not the swamp’s dark green or the glacier’s deep blue, but a pure brownish hue.

“Now, Harmonize.”

The power of the Earth locked onto the silver-haired youth.

Feeling the ground pulling him down, he fell flat on his face.

“?!”

The youth’s composed expression wavered.

He tried several times but couldn’t break free from Dongfang Jiang’s control.

Dongfang Jiang had completely shattered his composure.

Controlling others was his specialty, and for the first time, he was the one being controlled.

Struggling to get up, he saw Yisela emerge from the shadows and approach him.

Meanwhile, the hostages beside him gradually turned to sand and merged into the swamp.

Apparently, at some point, everyone on the scene had fallen under Yisela’s illusion.

Under Dongfang Jiang’s cover, Yisela had rescued her family from the enemy’s hands.

Yisela walked as if on solid ground.

A yellow ring had appeared on the ring finger of her right hand.

Seeing this, the silver-haired youth realized where he had lost.

He glared at Dongfang Jiang and Yisela, flashing a venomous smile.

“You win this time, Yisela. But this isn’t over. I’ll take everything from the Badan Family.”

The silver-haired youth’s body dissolved into a cloud of dust, scattering in the wind.

Sensing that the youth and the Valen Ring’s presence had vanished from the area, Dongfang Jiang stopped his actions.

Once he canceled the gravity control, everyone present—except Duke Yigenaxiu—breathed a sigh of relief.

Then came the System’s voice in Dongfang Jiang’s ear.

[The Desert Ring has found its owner. Host’s lifespan increased by three years.]

[Number of Guardians has reached three. Authority ‘Control’ unlocked.]