Chapter 1821
More guests arrived at the great hall. Andrew and Zachary, unobtrusive, found a quiet corner to observe. Those arriving later were seated according to rank and status, the powerful and renowned occupying the front rows on either side of the hall, while lesser figures stood at the back. This unspoken hierarchy was common in the martial world; a clear display of rank and standing.
Zachary pointed toward a stocky, round-bellied man who appeared to be heavily pregnant. “Captain, that’s Riker Lamar, leader of the Hidden Dragons.”
Andrew looked over. Riker sat squarely in his seat, short and broad, with an oddly oversized head that gave him a cartoonish appearance. Despite this comical look, his slightly narrowed eyes occasionally flashed with sharp intensity, revealing him to be a ruthless expert in internal martial arts.
Zachary pointed to another guest and grinned. “And over there, Captain… see that delicate-looking pretty boy? That handsome guy isn't simple at all! He’s Rowan Maddock, the young president of Onyx Serpents, also known as the Vicious Serpent. Though I don’t know why this pretty boy has such a feminine name…"
Andrew shot him a look. “Did you forget to clean your eyes this morning? That so-called ‘pretty boy’ is a woman in disguise. A feminine name is perfectly normal for a woman, isn't it?”
Zachary blinked. “Wait, what? Rowan’s a woman? She’s cross-dressing? How can you tell?”
Andrew smirked. “Years ago, I treated her for something… so I’ve known for a while. She enjoys playing dress-up to keep people guessing. Classic bait-and-switch.”
Zachary snorted. “So, Captain, you’ve… touched her? I heard she was born with a winter's essence: skin cold as snow, untouched by blemish. People say her whole body is icy cold, even internally. Sleeping next to her is supposedly like resting on cool marble, guaranteeing the best sleep of your life.”
He added, “And if you, well, went further, they say you could draw out her feminine energy to boost your masculine energy and skyrocket your cultivation.”
Andrew gave him a deadpan stare. “I’ve never heard of that nonsense. All that dual-cultivation stuff isn't that simple, regardless of what fantasy novels you read. Where are you getting these ridiculous ideas?”
Zachary scratched his head and grinned foolishly. “Everyone around Goldridge knows about it! I’ve been here a few times, and all the martial artists covet Rowan! She has that androgynous look, making it hard to tell if she's male or female, and her innate winter's essence makes her seem like the perfect partner for cultivating power.”
Andrew shook his head, gazing from the back toward the first row at the white-robed Rowan, fan in hand, smiling dashingly. Anyone who wasn't blind could tell she was cross-dressing. She possessed an aloof beauty, reminiscent of Chantelle in some ways. However, Chantelle's naturally frigid temperament kept people at a distance, while Rowan possessed an ethereal charm that created the illusion of admiration from afar, but not intimate approach.
Sitting beside Rowan was an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face. Zachary introduced him as Gabriel Ackermann, leader of the Crimson Alliance, nicknamed “Lightning Sword.”
Most of the expected guests had arrived, and the great hall was growing noisy. Even so, the core figure, Jerome, had yet to appear.
Zachary muttered, “Strange, could Mr. Thornton have been delayed?”