Dongfang Jiang leaned in to look at the parchment.
It bore a rough map of the continent, marking the general locations of the seven kingdoms.
“The origin of the seven kingdoms begins with the story of King Valen.”
Ignatius’s finger traced across the map, his voice low and slow.
“After King Valen unified the continent, he did not declare himself emperor. Instead, he divided the land into seven regions and entrusted them to his six guardians and his adopted son. He himself went into seclusion somewhere with his children and never appeared again.”
“I see…”
Dongfang Jiang thought of the Earth Ring on his hand and the six Gaia Rings, and a vague guess formed in his mind.
“Correct. After King Valen died, his six guardians and adopted son each established their own kingdoms, which became the prototypes of the seven kingdoms we have today.”
“Over the centuries, the kingdoms merged and split. Some changed names, others changed rulers, but the bloodline source never changed.”
Ignatius’s finger stopped at a spot slightly east of the center of the map, where “Kingdom of Aiselin” was marked.
“The Kingdom of Aiselin was founded by King Valen’s Sun Guardian. That’s why the Sun Ring holds such an attraction for our Badan family—our ancestors were the descendants of that Sun Guardian.”
The candle flame in the office flickered, casting wavering shadows on the wall.
“What about the Dust Kingdom?” Dongfang Jiang asked.
“Established by the Cloud Guardian.”
Ignatius’s finger moved to the northeast part of the map, where there were vast mountain ranges and basins.
“The Dust Kingdom is located on a high plateau, mountainous and foggy. Cloud energy is most abundant there. Qin Ye is from the Dust Kingdom. The fact that she became a general at such a young age is almost certainly tied to that Valen Ring.”
“Cloud Ring? That ring on her hand is a Valen Ring?”
Pandana’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Definitely not.”
Ignatius shook his head.
“But for her to have that kind of strength at twenty-seven, it’s at least an S-Rank or above ring.”
Dongfang Jiang recalled the details of the fight—indeed, the ring’s burst of energy had even been able to match Kaxiu.
“What about the other kingdoms?”
Yisela was also interested in this topic.
She knew the legends of the seven kingdoms but had never connected the history to the current situation.
“The Rainstorm Guardian established the Frost Whisper Kingdom in the Northern Border, a land of ice and snow. The Gale Guardian established the Gale Kingdom in the west, a nomadic steppe. The Mist Guardian established the Mist Kingdom in the south, a mysterious realm hidden in dense forests. The Thunder Guardian established the Thunder Kingdom in the east, a mountainous territory.”
Ignatius drew a circle on the map with his finger, enclosing all seven kingdoms.
“As for the legendary adopted son, he established the neutral Holy City at the very center of the continent—a sacred site revered by all kingdoms. Throughout the wars between the kingdoms, the Holy City never participated and never took sides.”
“What about King Valen’s direct descendants? Did they establish a kingdom?”
Dongfang Jiang asked a question Yisela had never considered.
“No.”
Ignatius was silent for a moment.
“Legend says that after King Valen went into seclusion with his children, no one ever saw them again. Some say they died, some say they went to another world, and others say they’ve been watching the continent’s situation from the shadows, waiting for the right time to reappear.”
Another world.
When Dongfang Jiang heard those four words, his heart skipped a beat.
He looked down at the Earth Ring on his right index finger.
The dark brown gemstone glowed softly in the candlelight, as if responding to his gaze.
“You mean King Valen’s descendants might still be alive?”
“It’s only a legend. After hundreds of years, no one knows the truth.”
Ignatius waved his hand and brought the conversation back.
“But that’s not the main point. Dongfang, why do you think Kaxiu attacked our Badan family first?”
“You said it earlier—the Badan family is descended from the Sun Guardian. If the other side wants to collect the Valen Rings, or eliminate King Valen’s bloodline, attacking the weakest first is the most logical choice.”
Dongfang Jiang stated his judgment.
“Exactly.”
Ignatius laughed bitterly and shook his head in self‑mockery.
“Among the six dukes, my Badan family is indeed the weakest on the surface. The Leicester family has the mine veins, the Morton family has the trade routes, the Caster family has the army, the Weinster family has the intelligence network, and the Aldrich family has the Magic Academy. Me? I only have some old texts and secrets passed down from my ancestors.”
“Secrets?”
“The Badan family has been passed down for centuries. Although we’ve never produced any extraordinary figures, each generation’s Family Head recorded the major events of that era. Over hundreds of years, the secrets we know are greater than those of any other family.”
Ignatius stood up, walked to the bookshelf, and took down a thick tome from the top shelf.
Its cover was black leather, the corners worn, revealing the yellowed pages inside.
“The whereabouts of the Valen Rings, the secrets of the seven kingdoms, the grudges and ties among the great nobles—all of it is recorded in here.”
“So Kaxiu attacked you not only because you’re weak, but also because you know too much?”
Pandana suddenly understood.
“Yes. If someone could control the Badan family, they would hold the core secrets of the Kingdom of Aiselin. Then they could take down anyone they wanted, one by one.”
Ignatius put the tome back in its place and turned to face the three young people before him.
“During Kaxiu’s first attack, if Yisela hadn’t used Illusion Magic in time to hide herself, and if you hadn’t happened to infiltrate the Noble District, the Badan family would have been erased from the Kingdom of Aiselin long ago.”
The office fell silent.
The candle burned quietly on the windowsill, occasionally letting out a faint crackling sound.
Dongfang Jiang looked at Duke Ignatius.
The old man, who had ruled the Kingdom of Aiselin for decades, now showed no pretense on his face—only the relief and lingering fear of having survived a catastrophe.
“That’s why I agreed to let Yisela follow you.”
Ignatius’s voice was so low that only those in the office could hear.
“This mess of the Badan family—if she stays here, it will only waste her talent. Following you, someone who can defeat a Valen Ring, that’s worthy of her talent.”
“Father…”
Yisela’s eyes reddened slightly, but she quickly turned her head away so no one would see her lose composure.
“I’m speaking the truth.”
Ignatius walked up to his daughter and patted her shoulder.
“You are the best Illusionist the Badan family has produced in centuries. Your stage should not be confined to this declining family. Go out and see the world, Yisela. See the descendants of the other guardians. See where the remaining six Valen Rings have scattered.”
“What about you?”
“Me? I’m an old man. I’ll stay here and guard our ancestral legacy. When you’ve had enough adventure out there and want to come back for a visit, I’ll be waiting right here.”
Yisela could no longer hold back and threw herself into her father’s arms.
Ignatius gently patted her back, his gaze crossing over her shoulder to land on Dongfang Jiang.
“Mister Dongfang.”
“Yes.”
“I’m entrusting Yisela to you. If you let her suffer any grievance, this old man will come after you even if it costs me my life.”
Dongfang Jiang straightened up and nodded solemnly.
“Rest assured. Yisela is my Guardian and also my companion. I won’t let her suffer.”