Age of Adepts

News of Alice’s advancement to Fourth Grade spread throughout the Northern Lands almost immediately!

The ordinary civilians did not know the real politics between the witches. Naturally, they celebrated joyously, cheering and rejoicing about the growing power of the Northern Lands.

However, the witch branches were all stunned and shocked!

The Fate Witches’ position had been precarious, with multiple internal and external crises despite having restored their legacy. That was because the Battle of Fate had extended far beyond the selection of the Witch of Fate.

However, this pronounced blessing of Fate had instantly cleared away all the dark clouds hanging above the Fate branch.

Alice had not only raised herself to Fourth Grade. She had somehow managed to benefit all the Fate Witches and apprentices, allowing everyone to bask in this unexpected benefit.

From this moment on, the Fate branch could finally be considered to have come to power. They were now firmly established as an organization blessed by fate!

The witch branches might have complicated feelings about this, but they still had to maintain their image of unity and friendship. As such, the celebratory parties sent by the witch branches to the Tower of Fate was never-ending. There were so many of them that they practically caused congestion on the road to Dragonblight.

For a moment, the name of the Fate branch was incredibly well-known. They had become the most popular witch branch amongst the Northern Witches!

…………

The Crimson Wing. The Crimson Clan’s headquarters in Ailovis.

It was a massive city with a population of over a hundred thousand. A looming adept tower in the center of the city represented the Crimson Clan’s uncontested authority in this region.

At the very least, the Crimson Clan had grown into a massive titan in Ailovis and the surrounding regions. It was expanding and growing with a liveliness that no other adept clan possessed.

Emelia was nervously and busily dealing with the clan matters coming from all over in the large hall in the tower’s seventh level.

The Crimson Clan was no longer the tiny force of the past, with its meager, rural territories. Ever since a famous Fourth Grade adept appeared within the clan, the number of adepts in the Crimson Clan, as well as the size of its territory, had been increasing without pause.

According to a non-exhaustive census, the Crimson Clan now controlled three human kingdoms, over one hundred and twenty-seven territories, one hundred and nine resource sites, two hundred and fifteen human cities, and countless villages, mansions, and castles.

Naturally, the work and effort required to manage such an extensive pool of resources fully were tremendous.

Typically, these worldly matters were left to Gargamel. However, recently, the clan had been preparing for the clan leader’s grand wedding ceremony. That left Emelia with no choice but to leave her meditation room and help her father deal with the crushing amount of work.

Several Crimson adepts stood in front of the full wooden table, taking turns giving their reports to Emelia. Some of them were old men with white hair, while others were strong men with impressive muscles, or skinny, sinister individuals. Of course, there were also young and pretty women among them as well.

“—at Maple Forest were raided. The party leader, Adept Beth, has served the clan for twenty-seven years. There were also seven adept apprentices in the party. When they made camp near Maple Forest, they were attacked by an unknown creature, causing three apprentices to die.

“They made camp with two other merchant groups. However, nothing happened to the other two merchant groups. Only Beth and her party were knocked unconscious. Investigations after the incident reveal that the three apprentices died of exhausted Spirits. Adept Beth was not in any danger of death, but her Spirit was in a weakened state.”

“Exhausted Spirit?” Emelia couldn’t help but frown. “Such an attack is very rare. Did you find out what the party lost in the attack?”

“It has already been investigated. Adept Beth lost the storage bag she always keeps with her. The bag contained the basic resources that the nearby resource sites were supposed to turn over.”

“Was there anything of note among them?”

“Yes! This batch of resources included three hundred grams of Stoneheart herb.”

“Stoneheart herbs?” Emelia’s expression turned dark. “Can we determine who the attacker was? Is it the work of those underground creatures, or has some foreign adept entered our territory?”

“We have already tried communicating with Jameli of the Underground Alliance. They express that this is all a misunderstanding and that they will deal with the matter internally!”

“People from our clan have died, and they dare call it a misunderstanding? Those damned underground worms. Serves them right to rot in that dark rock tomb of theirs. No, this matter will not end like this. Tell Jameli that if he doesn’t hand over the culprit, the Crimson Clan will immediately declare war against the Underground Alliance. Billis has already returned to the clan anyway. Have him make a trip underground!”

The other Crimson adepts lowered their heads at the mention of Bug Adept Billis. Their faces flushed white with terror.

Billis’ terror and savagery were incomparable. Even clan adepts feared him and trembled at the mention of his name, let alone adepts in enemy factions.

It couldn’t be helped. Billis seemed to have exhausted his personal potential over these years and had stopped improving ever since he reached advanced Second Grade. He couldn’t take a single step forward.

This situation was obviously unacceptable to the proud and arrogant Billis. Hoping to find some items or spells that could change or improve his bloodline in these dangerous places, he began to fervently go out on explorations of ancient ruins or participating in ventures to other worlds.

Unfortunately, even though he did find many unusual treasures, there wasn’t a single thing that could change his or the Queen Bug’s fates!

Thus, when he heard that Greem had returned to the clan, he immediately returned without any hesitation and had repeatedly requested an audience. Sadly, most of Greem’s attention was caught up in recovering and creating Shadow Demon. He did not have any time at all to deal with this subordinate of his.

Over the past few days, Billis had become increasingly impatient. Even his insect army had become more savage and cruel than usual.

Many tragic incidents of wandering travelers being devoured alive by insects had occurred near Anguilla Valley, where Billis resided. If the Crimson Clan weren’t the absolute authority of the region and had suppressed all these incidents, the civilians and merchant groups would probably already be rioting.

When Emelia mentioned Billis, all of her subordinates lowered their heads, fearful that they might be sent to him as a messenger.

As Emelia’s gaze wandered over the adepts to choose a suitable messenger, the hall’s wooden door was pushed open. A pretty, middle-aged noble lady walked in with a smile on her face.

Anyone who could walk in and out of this place freely was no stranger.

The adepts hurriedly bowed and paid their respects to Lady Eva.

Eva ignored the few of them and rushed excitedly to Emelia’s side.

“Emmy, good news, good news…guess what news I’ve brought you this time?”

Emelia frowned and complained as she looked at Eva with her excited, flushed expression. “Mother, I’m dealing with clan matters right now! Why’d you just barge in like this?”

Eva might be a veteran that had been present at the founding of the Crimson Clan, but her background determined her personality. She did not like being bound by the conventions and etiquette of human adepts. Consequently, she hardly ever interfered in clan matters or participated in clan wars. She only remained in the clan headquarters, managing an adept academy.

Medusa Dana and Manticore Charon were in a similar position as her. They were both non-humans that had joined the Crimson Clan and were in an inferior position compared to the proper human adepts.

Moreover, it was more difficult for non-humans to advance compared to adepts.

As such, as more and more Second and Third Grade adepts appeared in the clan, the three of them had gradually stepped out of the core management. They could only serve as instructors or managers at places such as adept academies while enjoying the benefits of the clan.

“Emmy, you can’t blame me. It is incredibly good news!” Eva was a little embarrassed after being reprimanded by her daughter, but it couldn’t stop her gleeful joy.

“So, mother, what exactly is it that’s made you so happy?” Emelia asked helplessly with a bitter smile.

She understood her mother well. If she just let her mother go on talking, she wouldn’t get to the heart of an issue, even if she gave her the entire day. Thus, Emelia immediately asked about it.

“She advanced…she advanced. Lady Alice advanced!”

The Crimson adepts couldn’t help but freeze for a moment when they heard the words coming out of Eva’s mouth. They could hardly believe their ears.

Alice advanced? Lady Alice seemed to have been a Third Grade adept, to begin with. Could Lady Eva be talking about advancement to Fourth Grade?

The adepts looked at each other, surprise and joy on their faces. They couldn’t help but look towards Emelia at the same time.

“Go…Amel, you are in charge of information. Go and verify this news. I need to know the truth of this news immediately!” Emelia roared in a hurry.

The pretty female adept acknowledged the order and rushed out of the hall.

Just a moment later, the verification arrived. Witch Alice had advanced to Fourth Grade!

Even Emelia couldn’t sit still now.

She paced about the hall excitedly, mumbling as she did so.

“Sister has already advanced to Fourth Grade…I must go and congratulate her…immediately. Speaking of which, what kind of gifts are most appropriate?

“Kingwell, go to Warehouse Seven and retrieve that pair of elven earrings that were just put in there. Alice should like its design.

“Corinna, take out all the resources turned over by the resource sites this year and come with me to the Tower of Fate.

“Mother, call father and have him come back. I am heading out to the Northern Lands now!”

The entire Crimson Clan bustled with activity amidst the slight chaos and the happy surprise.