Chapter 168: Return to Rightful Owner

Rayan felt a tinge of sorrow in his heart, not for Duncan's condition today, but because he felt that his year-long effort and the full fury of his hatred were for such an insignificant character, who could vanish at any moment—truly not worth it.

He had hoped that Duncan would become powerful after obtaining the Twilight Blade, anticipated a fierce battle fought with life at stake, and wished to use his own strength to gradually destroy Duncan's arrogance and venom—

But now? What he saw was just a wretch who trembled at the sight of everyone. Where could he vent his resentment?!

He sighed deeply, unsheathed the Crow Sword, and concentrated Apprentice Hero-level Battle Qi at the broad hilt. Despite his disappointment in reality, he was still determined to kill Duncan.

Duncan immediately cried out, "Your Excellency, what are you doing? I'm just a servant who tends flowers!"

He wailed like a frightened child while cowering backward, clumsily knocking over some newly planted flowers and shrubs until his back hit the wall and he could go no further.

Only then did Rayan notice that Duncan no longer had even the most basic Seventh Tier protective Battle Qi. From his physical condition, it seemed that his Battle Qi had dispersed a long time ago; now, he was nothing but a disabled man, likely the reason he had fallen to the status of a gardening servant. If Duncan's Seventh Tier Battle Qi had been shattered by someone else, then that meant—

Rayan's heart sank, and he demanded sharply, "Where is the Twilight Blade?"

Duncan's gaunt body shuddered. He widened his cloudy eyes, ignoring the glaring light, and studied Rayan's face carefully. A second later, his bandaged face paled, and his whole body began to tremble.

"It's you, you..."

The more Duncan stammered, the stronger Rayan's fury grew. He stepped forward, kicked Duncan's knee, forcing him to kneel, and with the Crow Sword, he struck at Duncan's fingers with a surge of orange Apprentice Hero Battle Qi.

The Crow Sword, with overwhelming force, severed Duncan's entire arm, and the blood and powdered remains of the limb spilled onto Duncan, causing him to scream loudly as he writhed on the floor like a wild snake, tears of agony mixing with blood streaming down his twisted face.

"Please, spare me, I'm nothing now, no threat to anyone, I just tend to flowers for the Phoenix Lady—"

Rayan was unmoved by his pleas, stepping on his throat and demanding, "Answer me, where is the Twilight Blade!"

Duncan's chest heaved as he gasped for air, and he managed to speak after several attempts, "Twilight... Blade... has... returned to its rightful owner."

Rayan felt like his lungs were about to burst. "It seems you don't realize who I am—"

He flipped the Crow Sword onto the back of Duncan's remaining hand, twisted it forcefully, and Duncan's whole arm twisted like a vine, the bones inside shattering. Duncan screamed and fainted.

Rayan kicked him in the chest to wake him up. "Speak, where did my Twilight Blade go? If you play any tricks on me again, I'll cut you piece by piece."

Duncan's breath was feeble; he had lost both arms but still didn't want to give up on surviving. "Twilight Blade... was taken by someone who claims to be its master..."

Taken... Rayan felt dizzy, as if struck by lightning. He shook slightly, his voice trembling, "Say that again?"

Duncan's teeth chattered, his eyes wild with extreme fear, he recalled, "It was my third day back at the Firebird family after I took the Twilight Blade. A figure appeared in my room, told me the Twilight Blade belonged to him, and demanded its return. I said whoever seized it owns it, then he attacked, and my Battle Qi completely collapsed, I could only watch as he took the Twilight Blade..."

Rayan felt a void in his heart—so the Twilight Blade was no longer with Duncan—no, this could just be Duncan's scheme! Rayan's anger surged again, drawing the blood-soaked Crow Sword from Duncan's severed limb, and pressing it to his trembling neck, "Describe that man!"

Duncan quivered, "Majestic and tall, speaks softly and slowly, not very old..."

"Appearance?!"

"I, I, didn't see clearly, he was hidden in the darkness. I only know he had wings behind him..."

"Wings?"

Rayan paused, and the image of 'a man who can transform into a bird' surfaced in his mind. He then asked Duncan, "Is it a magical man who can transform into a bird?"

"No, no!" Duncan shook his head quickly, "Not magic, just wings sprouting from his back, like those of the God Race men as described by the Holy Light Sisterhood, only his wings change in the dark to black, and in sunlight, they become pure and immaculate—"

"The more you speak, the more ridiculous it sounds." Rayan raised the Crow Sword high, "I'll give you one last chance, tell me where the Crow Sword is!"

"I'm telling the truth!" Duncan yelled as if he were going mad, "He said that since you failed to protect the Twilight Blade, it should be reclaimed by its true master. He also said, 'they all were wrong.'"

That last statement hit Rayan like an unexpected punch to the chest, forcing him to involuntarily step back, his grip on the Crow Sword weakening, and it clanged to the ground.

Evan, when he died, had also said, "We were all wrong."

Years later, Rayan still didn't understand the meaning of that last message. Now, the same words from another dying man's mouth—

Rayan had to believe that Duncan was not lying or delusional. There truly was a man with wings, the prime suspect in Evan's murder and the one who had taken the Twilight Blade. Rayan vaguely felt that this man would be the nemesis of his lifetime, aware of Rayan's existence and observing him from the shadows, yet Rayan had only just realized the existence of such an adversary.

However, some doubts still lingered in Rayan's mind. If that man could easily kill Evan, why didn't he take the Twilight Blade right then? Perhaps he didn't know the power of the Twilight Blade at that time? Or did he intend the Twilight Blade to aid Rayan? Would an adversary really do such a thing? After the theft of the Twilight Blade, this adversary had quickly found Duncan, turning him into a disabled person—would an adversary really do such a thing?

And that phrase, "they all were wrong," who exactly did he mean was wrong? Evan? What exactly was wrong?

Rayan's mind was in turmoil, feeling like a wildfire about to extinguish, everything before him seemed hazy. He instinctively bent down, picked up the Crow Sword, and positioned it again at Duncan's neck, "Where can I find the person who took the Twilight Blade?"

Although Duncan said that the person claimed to be the master of the Twilight Blade, in Rayan's heart, it was still stolen.

"I don't know..." Duncan's voice was barely audible.

"What else did he say?" Rayan demanded, increasing the pressure on his grip.

Blood immediately oozed from Duncan's neck, "He said... he said he'd leave you a gift—"

"A gift?"

Rayan's eyebrows nearly flipped upside down, "What gift?"

Duncan's lips trembled, his mouth opening and closing for a long time before he finally spoke, "That gift is... me."

Rayan paused for a moment, then quickly understood the man's intent. Not only had he taken the Twilight Blade, but he had also cruelly deprived Rayan of the pleasure of revenge, leaving behind a useless Duncan as a stark provocation and mockery.

Rayan felt the dying wildfire in his heart flare up instantly. A cold smile appeared on his handsome face, "Very well. I accept this gift."

Duncan cried out in shock, his broken body trying to back away, but there was nowhere to retreat—

Rayan shouted loudly, and the Crow Sword whistled through the air, directly decapitating Duncan.

As the head rolled away, Duncan's body continued to convulse, filthy blood gushing from the severed neck, and soon, the headless corpse collapsed softly to the ground, motionless.

Rayan looked at Duncan's body, feeling neither joy nor pleasure. Although the act of revenge was concluded, the pursuit of the Twilight Blade was far from over.

Despite the scant information obtained from Duncan's mouth, unable to discern where exactly the Twilight Blade might be, there was still a trace to follow. Since that man had wings like those of the God Race, Rayan decided to start with the Holy Light—

Someday, he would face his destined adversary, and even if that adversary was truly of the God Race, nothing would stop him from seeking the truth of his own origins.

—He would kill every person, god, or demon that stood in his way.

Stepping out of Duncan's small wooden cabin, Rayan knocked over the stove inside, allowing the faint flames to spread across the dry straw-covered floor, letting the fire slowly expand.

He could have just walked away, leaving the Firebird family and Stonerock City, but after some thought, he felt it was better to stay in the city. After all, this was the place where the Twilight Blade was taken by that mysterious person; perhaps that person might return. Even if not, there were the Holy Light envoy and the Holy Light artifact task given to him by Martha, which were indirectly related to the God Race. Following the Holy Light , perhaps he could uncover some clues about that person. Besides, there was also Lady Spring Rain here.