Chapter 45: Only Then can Senior Brother Chen’s Passing Soul Rest Peacefully and Happily
Moments later, in the grand hall of Lothgar Jarl's mansion, Lordi Payne—freshly scrubbed and still jittery—was summoned by the steward. Stepping inside, he froze. There sat Jarl Drainwood, his robes pristine and his demeanor as suave as ever, cradling the Soul-Beckoning Banner in his hand.
"Young Friend Payne," Drainwood greeted, his voice dripping with sorrow as he gently set the banner on a nearby ebony table. A heavy sigh escaped him. "I'm so sorry. That Human-Faced Spider was a savage beast. I arrived too late—your Senior Brother Chen Haunt fell to its jaws. I fought tooth and nail, nearly losing my life, just to snatch his relic back from its clutches."
"!!!"
Hell fucking yeah!
Lordi Payne's heart did a little jig of joy.
Man-Faced Spider, you're a damn hero!
He wrestled his grin down, forcing his face into mournful sorrow before stepping forward. "Jarl, mi-lord, don't blame yourself, please," he said, his voice thick with fake sympathy. "No one wanted this tragedy. The dead are gone—please, take care of yourself."
Still, a niggle of doubt lingered. Lordi Payne probed cautiously, "J-Jarl... what about the others? Do you know where my other senior brothers and sisters are?"
Drainwood's face crumpled further, his expression full of regret. "Alas, when I got there, I saw Young Friend Chen Haunt devoured by that demon monster. I searched high and low afterward, but..." He shook his head. "Nothing. I can only hope they made it out alive."
Lordi Payne's stomach sank. Holy Sect above, please, let them be the spider's meal, he thought darkly. While their deaths meant no sect punishment for him, those vipers would still come for revenge, evidence or not. That was a big headache waiting to happen. Should he sneak out later, camp by the city gates, and finish them off himself if they tried to flee back?
As Lordi Payne mulled over his options, Jarl Drainwood let out a wistful sigh. "Anyway, you were a team. Now you're the only one left, so Young Friend Chen's relic falls to you. This is the Summon Soul Banner—a top-tier, high-grade Dao Artifact Weapon among all Qi Refinement Stage cultivators. It even shines brightly among all the Dao Weapons recorded in the outer sect's Pavilion of Myriad Arts. Keep it. It'll guard your path and honor your squad's memory."