Founder Of The Greatest Noble Family
Chapter 65:Breaking through

Chapter 65: 65:Breaking through

Vandemir Empire...

The moment Loreno returned, he wasted no time. With a merchant’s drive and pride burning in his chest, he began distributing the wine samples across noble districts, offering them as tokens of goodwill and opportunity.

Unfortunately, being a merchant of low standing in the eyes of high-ranking nobles meant doors remained closed. Most didn’t even bother uncorking the bottles and some mocked the provincial barrel juice and shooed him away with smug sneers.

Loreno, though humiliated, kept his smile sharp and his head low. He took mental notes of every noble house that turned him away. "One day," he promised himself, "they’ll line up and pay tenfold for a sip."

Still, his connections weren’t entirely useless. A merchant friend who worked with the wine cellars of Earl Valtor Dravien, a well-known connoisseur and retired warrior, whispered a word on Loreno’s behalf.

Earl Dravien, curious and ever on the hunt for something that could stir his dulled taste buds, agreed to taste.

In the grand hall of his estate, beneath glimmering chandeliers and surrounded by vintage bottles older than some kingdoms, the Earl poured a glass of Apus Wine. He swirled it gently, letting the bouquet bloom.

He brought it to his lips.

A single sip.

A pause.

Then, a smile.

He smacked his lips cheerfully and set the glass down. "Haha... finally! Something that doesn’t taste like wet bark or sour wind."

Loreno straightened, heart pounding.

"This wine," the Earl continued, holding up the glass, "has depth. A strange... sweetness that doesn’t dull the senses. It has structure, balance. This... this might even pass as a spiritual wine."

For people like them, except spiritual wines, normal wines rarely had an effect.However one cant drink the spiritual wines all away.

He searched for something like this but all he found were bitter hard things leaving pungent after taste.

He looked at Loreno.

"I want a hundred barrels. Price is not a problem but if you raise the cost, raise the quality too. Understood?"

Loreno bowed low, hiding the wide grin stretching across his face. "Of course, Lord Dravien. We aim to please."

He walked out of the estate with light feet and soaring ambition. With this endorsement, the gates of high society would creak open.

---

Back in Apus Village...

A large, enclosed courtyard behind the estate had been converted into a temporary training ground. Today, it buzzed with tension.

One hundred people stood in neat lines, young men, ex-hunters, retired guards, even a few women. All had one thing in common: they were desperate for techniques.

Roan stood before them, wearing a dark cloak trimmed in silver. He held a rolled parchment in one hand.

His voice carried across the open field.

"All of you were selected because of your potential. But before we hand over any technique or training, there’s a condition."

He raised the orb.

"You must sign a mana contract. This binds your soul not to reveal anything about this operation, even if tortured or bribed. But understand this—our Lord is no tyrant."

He let that sink in before continuing.

"Those who choose to serve will receive the same treatment and pay as a baron’s knight. If you die on duty, your family will be compensated. You’re allowed to marry, raise families, and live freely but what you learn here must remain secret. Always."

Murmurs passed through the crowd. Some people looked uncertain. Roan’s gaze swept over them.

"If you’re unsure, step back now. There’s no shame in it. Better that than betrayal later."

A long silence followed.

Then, three people stepped back. One of them, an older man, bowed slightly and said, "I don’t think I’m cut out for secrecy and shadow work. Thank you for the chance."

Roan nodded, showing no anger. "Very well. You may leave."

He turned to the others.

"For the rest of you,step forward and sign."

One by one, sixty people approached the small platform, each placing their hand on the orb and murmuring their names as the mana signature took hold. The orb glowed with each acceptance.

Roan watched with satisfaction.

"Sixty," he murmured to himself. "I expected twenty at best."

With this group, the seed of Roland’s secret network was planted. With proper training, they would become the hidden eyes and silent blades scattered across the Kingdom of Jin.

"Now," Roan called, "collect your techniques. Test them. Let us know if they fit your affinity. From this moment onward—you are the shadows of Apus."

And thus, in a corner of the kingdom few cared about, a silent army began to rise.

....

In the secluded chamber carved deep beneath the estate, the silence was absolute. Soft candlelight flickered against stone walls, and an aura of stillness enveloped everything like a sacred shrine untouched by the world. Roland stood shirtless in the center, surrounded by precious items: elixirs, healing potions, talismans, and several elemental crystals humming with quiet power.

Before beginning he took a look at the scroll and his expressions were distorted.

"It’s sacrificial rituals."

Most of them contain rituals to sacrifice and summon demons from hell.Out of that one was 3-Star technique of bone shield and bone attacks.

Keeping this,he decided to burn the others later.

He exhaled slowly, steadying his breath. His eyes gleamed with resolve.

"The time has come," he murmured. "Receive the rewards."

The moment the words passed through his thoughts, a storm surged within him.

A vast stream of Qi erupted in his dantian like a geyser unleashed after centuries of pressure. The pure, golden Qi poured into his sea of energy, rapidly flooding it. The tranquil waters of his Qi origin roared and churned, as if ancient dragons stirred beneath the surface.

One-tenth.

Two-tenths.

Three-tenths...

The pressure intensified with each breath, as if a celestial hammer was striking the very walls of his being. His body trembled uncontrollably, veins bulging, skin flushed crimson from the energy bursting through him.

The Qi Sea within his body no longer resembled a simple pool; rather it deepened, widened, and condensed. The spiritual energy compressed into thick, molten streams of liquid Qi, glowing faintly like liquefied sunlight.

Then, it began.

An ethereal bell tolled in his consciousness an illusory chime that echoed from the depths of his soul.

The transformation spread.

His bones creaked, cracked, and realigned, becoming denser, sturdier, and more resonant with the Qi flowing through them. It felt as though molten metal was being poured into a mold—his skeleton reforged into something far stronger than flesh.

His muscles twisted and expanded, not like bulked mass, but like cords of divine silk flexible, resilient, and powerful. Every strand of sinew was refined under the Qi’s pressure, radiant warmth coursing through his blood like a river of light.