Above The Sky
Chapter 980 - 980 93 All Good Things!

980: Chapter 93 All Good Things!

(Extra for Alliance Leader Qingyang w) 980: Chapter 93 All Good Things!

(Extra for Alliance Leader Qingyang w) Returning to Harrison Port was a plan Ian had decided on long ago.

Whether it was advancing cooperation with Viscount Grant, negotiating large trade orders with foreign merchant guilds, or discussion of various smuggling operations in the future, these were matters that required Ian to personally conduct the talks.

Naturally, some tactless individual might ask: Why doesn’t Viscount Grant come to Dawnshimmer Domain instead?

Ian isn’t foolish.

Viscount Grant is his former superior and past lord; logically speaking, it’s his duty to visit the other.

Not to mention, Viscount Grant is the owner of the port and currently the leader of the White Folks family.

Why would an elder and a landowner visit a younger partner?

It wouldn’t make sense.

Moreover, there’s another crucial matter.

Viscount Grant’s child is about to be born.

The reason Viscount Grant had been relatively quiet with no major moves recently was because he had been anticipating the birth of his child—now that the situation has stabilized, he even penned a letter to Ian, expressing hope that Ian would become the child’s nominal mentor.

Clearly, the Viscount doesn’t actually expect Ian to have the time to teach his child.

Even if he did, such an arrangement would be at least six or seven years away, perhaps even ten.

However, the title of mentor is merely symbolic, similar to being bestowed the role of godfather.

Furthermore, Viscount Grant greatly favors Ian’s future potential.

He even addressed Ian as “Master” in his letter.

Thinking about it, in six or seven years, Ian is sure to be the Iron Master—securing this connection now ensures that the Viscount’s child would someday become the disciple of the youngest Alchemy Master in the Empire.

An investment like this is bound to pay off!

Besides, there’s still much to be done in the South Sea Great Labyrinth—not just matters involving Shasha and the dragon egg, but also Hua’an and Frost Butterfly.

According to a complaint Hua’an recently wrote, Frost Butterfly had now become the queen of the Hot Water Fairies, busily clearing out and managing the labyrinth’s internal circulation pipelines—and apparently enjoying every bit of it.

When Ian heard this, he found it a bit odd—helping clean and maintain the labyrinth’s circulation system seemed like a great deed!

It made Ian want to give Frost Butterfly a big hug for being such a wonderful, obedient child!

But the continuation of Hua’an’s message suddenly made Ian’s vision go dark: “Now, Frost Butterfly has started appointing fairy knights, granting individual sections of the pipeline as territories, and is expanding her influence!”

Well then, so this was the Fairy Queen now?

Just splitting the land and establishing dominion, right?

But really, just as the Labyrinth Master was essentially the administrator (responsible even for cleaning toilets), the Fairy Queen was essentially the “labyrinth pipeline manager.”

According to Hua’an’s words, Frost Butterfly was simply delegating pipeline cleaning and routine maintenance tasks, and in the process appointing other fairies awakened to wisdom as knights.

Using this title, she managed to organize the usually independent fairies into a joyful and cooperative workforce.

It was quite an intelligent move, no doubt benefiting from the wisdom imparted by Ian’s camp.

Hua’an’s complaints primarily stemmed from Frost Butterfly not including her, claiming Hua’an was “too powerful” to join in, even unfit for the role of Supreme Emperor.

The process of organizing the Fairy Den was simultaneously hilarious and headache-inducing.

Who knows what mischief they might come up with next?

But overall, as Green Tide often said:

——It’s all good news!

And so, as Ian set off toward the site of all these “good news.”

Harrison Port, Viscount’s Mansion.

Viscount Grant was currently sharing drinks with Elder Pude in the study.

“He’s already on his way.”

Elder Pude raised a cup of Canaan Moore’s fruit wine and drained it in one gulp.

The rich amber liquid released a strong and mellow fragrance, filling the study with a cozy warmth.

Setting his cup down, the elder, whose nose was now slightly reddened, sighed deeply: “To be honest, it feels like a dream.

In just one year, the family has revived entirely?

I never dared to dream of such a thing.”

“That’s because you haven’t read enough idle~ novels~”

Viscount Grant, apparently well into his cups, was evidently quite drunk—though as a Sublimator, he could resist intoxication, he chose to indulge, allowing himself to feel drunk even without consuming alcohol.

Now was undoubtedly an occasion for some celebratory drinking.

With all the good news piling up, Viscount Grant was naturally in high spirits: “Those knight novels~ They don’t even need a year!

Just three months, and the family could reestablish itself entirely!”

“Our Ian… Could he possibly be less capable than the characters in those novels?

He’s far beyond them, absolutely capable!”

“You need to sober up a bit.”

Elder Pude shook his head and said: “Don’t confuse fiction with reality.

I merely sighed at how the mountain that once loomed over the family has now entirely vanished… While Ian’s actions were undoubtedly pivotal, I suspect it’s also a sign that the higher-ups have shifted their focus away from this matter.”

“Indeed.”

Viscount Grant’s expression returned to normal as he turned his gaze to a map against the study wall, directly facing the location of the Imperial Capital.

“Just in the last few years, I received documents from the Imperial Nobility Office—a rare occurrence… Although they were merely routine rating feedback, it’s been decades since either my father or myself received anything, even as trivial as these representations of ‘Imperial attention.'”

“The status of the South Ridge is gradually being normalized.

Behind this shift are surely Marquis Barton’s efforts, but likely also proof that the figure at the top is readying for decisive change.”

The conversation had now reached a point where it was difficult to elaborate further.

Neither Elder Pude nor Viscount Grant were willing to directly criticize the Former Emperor or speak poorly of the current Emperor, the Guardian… Both had, after all, suffered during the Dark Moon upheavals and previous political shifts within the Empire and were disinclined to comment rashly.

Still, with the Chehalorvo family’s reputation restored, the Silver Peak Family regaining footing, the Grant Family re-entering the Imperial Capital’s spotlight, and his child soon to be born, the Viscount had no desire to linger on these somewhat somber topics.

Such a shame.

The Viscount couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh deeply: “So much good news…

Yet few people to share it with.”

Beneath his joy lay a hint of melancholy, though it was something he kept hidden from public view, choosing instead to drink his feelings away: “Ah, Patrick, you fool.”

To say that Viscount Grant felt no lingering resentment over Patrick’s death would be unrealistic.

But considering Patrick himself harbored complex, somewhat reconciled emotions toward Yisen Gard, Grant couldn’t very well take it upon himself to execute vengeance on a nephew he might have wanted to protect.

The foolishness of the old generation—let it die with the old generation.

What Viscount Grant didn’t realize was that Ian knew far more about Patrick’s circumstances than he did.

“Speaking of which.”

Setting down his wine glass, the now-sobered Viscount turned to Elder Pude: “I hear Ian has the ability to independently develop armor suits in the Imperial Capital?

In his letter, he even mentioned he might attempt repairs on my Aether Armament…”

“That’s correct.”

Pude stroked his beard and reflected on the reports sent from the Imperial Capital.

He couldn’t help but nod in admiration: “They say the Ellen Family contributed significantly, along with investments from the Second Prince and Marquis Barton, yielding these results—but Ian has undeniably showcased remarkable talent.”

“Look at the youngsters these days, compared to you!”

The Viscount raised his glass and joked: “I handed over my Aether Armament for repairs years ago—it took over a decade just to fix the transmission system and outer armor!

That boy?

A few months, and he’s already building new suits of armor!”

“What nonsense!”

Elder Pude widened his eyes as he raised his own glass for a hearty toast, finishing the wine in one gulp before laughing: “Don’t forget, he was taught by me!

You, with your family’s hereditary secret techniques, still couldn’t figure it out—had to rely on us Silver Peak folk instead!”

“Haha.”

The slightly rebuffed Viscount didn’t mind at all and instead continued pouring wine for himself and Elder Pude: “It’s all good news regardless!”

…

The news of Ian’s return wasn’t limited to Elder Pude and Viscount Grant.

Bishop Huai Guang received word at the earliest opportunity.

“The Glorious Sword and Redemption Light are currently on assignments, while Yingguang and Red Blade remain in training on the Holy Mountain.

The combination usually observing Ian won’t be mobilized for a while, yet he’s returning to Harrison Port on his own.”

The elderly bishop, seated in his office, stared thoughtfully at the report displayed on a crystal plate: “This could be a sign… Regardless, we’ve done everything possible on behalf of Embrace Light.”

He turned his gaze to a nearby stack of documents, his brows furrowing slightly: “Elan’s training is progressing exceptionally well.

His meditation abilities far surpass predictions—perhaps due to Ian’s influence, or perhaps an inherent talent he possessed all along?”

“For both brothers to exhibit such extraordinary aptitude—maybe, in some sense, they represent a kind of ‘Gemini’…”

Bishop Huai Guang fell silent for a moment, but ultimately shook his head: “This isn’t something I can decide.”

With that thought, a white glow flared in his eyes: “We will await Embrace Light’s judgment on these developments.”

…

Be it Ian’s relatives, the White Folks, or residents of Harrison Port who still remembered the young appraiser, many had caught wind through various channels of the news: the young prodigy, now a lord, was returning to visit his former local superior and his old hometown.

Some were excited, others delighted—hardly anyone harbored worry.

Ian?

That boy had always been obedient and likable as a child; now, grown-up, he was brilliant, dependable, and had helped solve numerous issues for them…

Now he was returning to his motherland with gifts in hand for everyone.

Who would feel uneasy about such a thing?

No reasonable Imperial citizen would, at least.

But foreigners were another matter entirely.

“This is the perfect opportunity to assassinate the Lord of Dawnshimmer Domain!”

At a site near Harrison Port, inside the dark confines of an oyster breeding factory, people were plotting.

The dimly lit, narrow room held figures steeped in shadow, speaking in cold, chilling tones: “The True Dragon remains in the territory, and he’s accompanied only by a single Second Energy Level protector… This is the ideal moment!”

However, contrary to what many might assume, those speaking were not the flame-fueled marauders of Fiery Flame Land, but individuals with accents from Canaan Moore.

And it wasn’t just that—the group had a peculiar similarity in aura.

That was their affiliation ‘with dragons.’

As it turned out, this was a gathering of ‘Dragon Worship Cult’ members!