Chapter 736: Almond Region
Max’s lips curled into a confident smile, a spark of mischief flickering in his eyes. "I got the lightning essence stones," he said, his tone brimming with triumph. "And I also left a little gift for the Thunder Monarch Hall. I believe they’ll like it." He finished with a sly smirk, clearly savoring the chaos he’d sown back in the collapsing cavern.
Arlen’s brows rose in curiosity, and he tilted his head, his voice cautious but eager. "So, what are your plans now?"
Max fell silent for a moment, his eyes lowering in thought as he weighed his next steps carefully. Then he straightened. "Of course, we’ll go to the Hunter Association as planned," he said, his voice firm. "But I also want to start looking for some clues about the Star Stone."
Arlen’s brows furrowed as he listened to Max’s words, his expression turning pensive as he slowly exhaled. "Star Stone," he repeated, his voice heavy with caution and the weight of old stories. "It’s very difficult to find one, Max. And you should know—every time a Star Stone has appeared in the Middle Domain, a slaughter has followed. Powerful factions, rogue experts, secret organizations... all of them will come crawling out of the shadows for it, and the blood that gets spilled can drown entire cities."
He paused for a moment, eyes shifting as though peering into distant memories, then continued, "Though... you could try asking the Obsidian Order about the Star Stone. They might have some information on it."
At the mention of that name, Max’s eyes grew distant, his mind spinning as he murmured, "Obsidian Order..." The words tasted familiar on his tongue, stirring recollections from the old Saintess’s diary he’d pored over so many times.
Even though the Obsidian Order wasn’t counted among the seven overlord forces that ruled the Middle Domain, they were one of the most enigmatic powers hidden beneath the surface of its politics and warfare.
According to the Saintess’s meticulous notes, if there was any piece of knowledge one sought in the Middle Domain—whether it was the location of a rare herb, the secrets of an ancient ruin, or clues about a mythical object like the Star Stone—all roads eventually led to the Obsidian Order.
They operated like shadows among shadows, veiled in secrecy yet woven deeply into the fabric of the continent’s daily life. It was said that the Obsidian Order was the invisible hand behind the clever arrangement and maintenance of the Black Cubes scattered across the many regions of the Middle Domain, ensuring safe travel and controlled commerce for experts.
The diary also spoke of how the Obsidian Order, despite being shrouded in mystery, was the force that kept the markets and trade flowing in the Middle Domain, maintaining delicate balances that allowed business and diplomacy to flourish even amid endless rivalries.
They were the silent brokers, the record-keepers of history, and the merchants of secrets, holding fragments of knowledge about nearly everything under the sun.
And even though they did not publicly hold the title of an overlord force, the Old Saintess had written with absolute conviction that the strength and influence of the Obsidian Order were by no means any less than the seven great powers who laid claim to that lofty title.