Chapter 80: A larger Stage
Chapter 80: A larger Stage
The moment Rhain’s words fell, the comical demeanor that Fenwick usually wore vanished.
His small, squinting eyes revealed a sharp, calculating gleam.
"Supreme Elder Rhain," Fenwick spoke, his voice dropping to a low, serious register. "The Ashvele family is not a stray dog from the Outer Frontier. They are a towering behemoth. To even discuss their internal secrets is to invite a calamity upon oneself if they even got a whiff of our meeting..."
"They won’t."
Rhain cut him off mid-sentence, "You can be assured that your name will never be mentioned anywhere."
Rhain let the words pass over the merchant, watching the subtle shifts in Fenwick’s posture.
He knew how to play these buisness types.
In his past life, he had dealt with many of them.
They operated purely on profit and risk assessment.
"And in exchange..." Rhain continued with a smirk, "...I will owe you a favor."
Fenwick’s eyes lit up brilliantly.
These were the exact words his ears were waiting to hear.
"Supreme Elder is generous. This humble one will hold you to that promise," Fenwick said, looking satisfied. He leaned forward slightly, resting his thick hands on his knees.
"The Ashvele family is formidable in the Mirravele City. In total, their foundation is supported by three Core Formation Realm experts."
"Go on!" Rhain listened with deep intrest.
"Hayden, the man you killed in the plaza yesterday..." Fenwick looked nervous just mentioning the event, "...was actually by all accounts, the weakest of the three. He was only at the second level of the Core Formation Realm."
Rhain’s face didn’t ripple, but internally, his mind was calculating rapidly.
He had been forced to unleash all of his trump card, just to kill the weakest of the three.
If there are two more stronger than him, in that case, the upcoming threat was far greater than he had imagined.
"Aside from him," Fenwick held up two fingers, "there is Kynlee, he is a highly dangerous man at the fourth level of Core Formation Realm. He handles the day-to-day operations and the clan’s external enforcement. And then... there is the Head of the Ashvele Clan, Brycen. He is at the Sixth Level."
Fenwick’s small eyes glinted cunningly.
"However, there is a crucial information that works entirely in your favor right now. Word on the streets is that he has been in deep seclusion for over a month now, attempting to break through to the Seventh Level."
"In his absence, the entire weight of the family’s decisions rests solely upon the shoulders of Kynlee."
"Hayden’s soul jade will have shattered the moment you killed him. The Ashvele family already knows he is dead. But think about it from Knylee’s perspective, Supreme Elder."
"Hayden was a Level 2 Core Formation expert, yet he was wiped out in a remote town here. Knylee is dangerous, but he is also very careful. There are exceptionally high chances that he won’t dare to blindly march into Greymist Town alone, without knowing exactly what cards you possess, and risk his own life."
Rhain’s dark grey irises flickered slightly.
This was a great opportunity.
’How long do we have?" He asked.
"It is hard to say with absolute certainty," Fenwick answered thoughtfully. "It can be a few days to a few months."
Rhain leaned back slightly against the wall.
He couldn’t rely much on this data.
"Alright. That covers the Ashvele Clan, but what about the Mirravele City?" Rhain said, shifting the topic. "Tell me about its power structure."
Fenwick shifted in his chair, his expression showing that he was reminiscing about the great city.
Mirravele City is very different compared to the Greymist Town, Supreme Elder. It is easily a hundred times larger than Greymist Town. The Ashvele Clan is powerful, but they do not rule the city. They are merely one of the Three Great Pillars that maintain the fragile equilibrium..."
Rhain listened as Fenwick began to dissect the city’s factions with obsessive care.
"At the absolute pinnacle is the City Lord’s Pavilion. City Lord is rumored to be at the seventh level of Core Formation Realm."
"However, as long as the city’s tax flow and overall stability are not threatened, the City Lord’s Pavilion remains entirely neutral and ignores the struggles of the clans below."
"Directly beneath the City Lord are the Three Great Clans. The Ashvele family is one of them. The other two are the Solari Clan and the Silvercrest Clan. These three behemoths hate each other to the bone. They are constantly clashing for each other’s territories."
"If the Ashvele family were to mobilize their entire force to attack Greymist Town, it would leave their estates in Mirravele City incredibly vulnerable. The Vane and Sterling clans would not hesitate to stab them in the back."
Fenwick lowered his hand and looked at Rhain with deep meaning.
"And finally, there are the Neutral powers—the Mirravele Alchemy Association and the Mirravele Auction House. They hold no armies, but their wealth and connections are so vast that even the Three Great Clans do not dare to easily offend them."
Rhain listened to the explanation quietly, his mind rapidly processing the intricate web of powers.
If Mirravele City was truly locked in such a fragile balance...
Then he only needed to be the stone that shatters the entire lake.
"You have been a great help, Mr. Fenwick," Rhain said with a tone of genuine approval. "I will not forget my promise."
Fenwick Luo stood up and bowed so deeply his head nearly touched his knees.
"It is this humble one’s good fortune to serve you, Supreme Elder," Fenwick said in an exaggeratedly gracious manner.
Rhain thought for a moment before speaking.
"Mr. Fenwick, I have made my decision. I am going to Mirravele City."
Fenwick’s composure didn’t crack. He had expected it already.
"If Supreme Elder is truly going to Mirravele City," Fenwick sincerely replied, "then please allow this humble merchant to make your path a fraction less troublesome."
He reached into the inner fold of his silk robe and produced a small object—a jade token, roughly the size of a grown man’s thumb, carved into the shape of a coiled fox.
"In the eastern quarter of Mirravele City, there is a teahouse called the Gilded Sparrow. It sits at the mouth of the Lantern Bridge Canal, number fourteen. You cannot miss it—it has a copper sparrow perched above the entrance with a lantern in its beak."
Fenwick’s eyes revealed a touch of longing as he continued.
"Ask for a man named Declan Rowe. He is the owner. He is... an old associate of mine from many years ago. We built our fortunes together before our paths diverged. He remained in Mirravele City while I came to the Outer Frontier to establish my trade routes."
Fenwick gently placed the jade fox token into Rhain’s open palm.
"Show him this token, Supreme Elder. The moment Declan sees it, he will understand that you carry my trust. Accommodation, local intelligence, whatever you require, Declan will arrange it without question."
Rhain stared at the token resting on his palm.
"I appreciate this," Rhain replied, casually slipping the token into his robe.
"Mr. Fenwick."
Rhain stood from his bed.
"Y-yes, Supreme Elder?"
"If there ever comes a day where you need my help, you come to me, and I will help you unconditionally."
Fenwick’s small eyes widened slightly.
Then a short laugh slipped out from him.
"I... I am eternally grateful, Supreme Elder."
Fenwick bowed once more.
With the crucial intelligence delivered, the fat merchant tactfully excused himself.
After a while, Harmon and Seris returned back in the room.
"Rhain," Harmon spoke first, closing the door behind them. "Did Fenwick give you what you needed?"
"Yes, I have got all the information I need." Rhain replied calmly.
He gestured for them to take a seat, though neither of them moved, too tense to relax.
Rhain didn’t beat around the bush, and directly relayed the intelligence Fenwick had provided.
As Harmon listened, the face became increasingly solemn.
"What do you plan to do now?"
In the end, Harmon sighed heavily, and asked in a grave tone.
Rhain’s dark grey eyes sharpened like unsheathed blades, "I am leaving for Mirravele City."