The more Duke Gamliel looked at Vaan, the more pleased he felt with the latter. Such a talented individual had flocked under his banner.

How could Duke Gamliel not feel gratified?

"I heard you wished to sell your Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill for long-term cultivation resources. I am willing to buy your pill for twenty thousand high-rank mana stones. Do you agree?" Duke Gamliel asked.

When everyone in the herbal garden heard Duke Gamliel's offer, they immediately exclaimed with shock.

Twenty thousand high-rank mana stones were the equivalent of two million low-rank mana stones, but they couldn't be compared in the same breath at all!

After all, high-rank mana stones contained higher purity of mana and were more appealing to a Witch Doctor or Shaman's cultivation. As such, as long as the right buyer was found, one could easily exchange twenty thousand high-rank mana stones for far more than two million low-rank mana stones.

Turning twenty thousand high-rank mana stones into three million low-rank mana stones wasn't out of the realm of possibilities.

What kind of concept was three million low-rank mana stones?

It was more than enough to support a small household's living expenses in the imperial capital for their entire lifetime, let alone a single warrior!

More importantly, even though Rank 4 Body Reformation Pills were extremely precious with great demand but no supply, he had never been sold for more than one and a half million low-rank mana stones at an auction house.

As such, as long as Vaan was lucky enough to buy another Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill from the auction house, it would be as if Vaan had never exchanged his Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill and still profited enough to purchase another one.

Duke Gamliel's generosity was very evident; everyone could easily tell Duke Gamliel favored Vaan.

"I agree, Your Grace," Vaan accepted with a smile, adding, "How could I have the heart and courage to bargain with Your Grace is already so generous?"

"Then it's a deal," Duke Gamliel acknowledged calmly, feeling satisfied with Vaan's answer. The latter knew his place and wasn't greedy.

To Duke Gamliel, a Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill was precious but not something he had to acquire at all costs. After all, he still has three such pills in his collection.

Meanwhile, although Vaan would have loved to tour Duke Gamliel's treasury, the latter wasn't situated in the imperial capital. Also, Duke Gamliel's status was on a whole different level from that of the Evron family.

Duke Gamliel wouldn't just let anyone enter his treasury.

Furthermore, if Vaan had attempted to negotiate more benefits from Duke Gamliel, all his previous efforts to earn the latter's trust would have gone up in smokes. After all, he was giving others the impression that he wanted to flock under Duke Gamliel's banner.

How could someone who wanted to be in Duke Gamliel's good grace dare to re-negotiate an already generous offer?

More importantly, Vaan had already finished analyzing the Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill. Even if he couldn't recreate it immediately, he had already learned about the ingredients required and was simulating the pill's creation in his mind.

It was only a matter of time before he figured out how to reproduce the Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill en masse. The only reason he had yet to figure it out immediately was due to one vital piece of information that was still missing.

As such, Vaan was more than willing to trade one Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill if it was all it took to destabilize the Great Ratholos Empire.

…

Duke Gamliel was very decisive.

After receiving Vaan's agreement, Duke Gamliel immediately summoned two wooden chests from his storage ring, each containing ten thousand high-rank mana stones.

But seeing Vaan stare at them at a loss for words, seemingly uncertain how he would carry them, Duke Gamliel quickly swapped them out for a nameless gold bank card holding the equivalent amount with the Gold Trust Union, the number one financial group in the empire.

Due to the inconvenience of carrying large amounts of mana stones and the lack of spatial storage-type magic tools, nameless bank cards were the mainstream choice for carrying large amounts of wealth.

This type of bank card did not require identity checks to withdraw from the Gold Trust Union; it was practically another form of high-value note money.

"I'm guessing Young Master Vanderlin would like to go and train at the Black Mountain until the Ten-Year Glory Evaluation begins now that you have acquired both the wealth and status required to train there?" Duke Gamliel asked.

Duke Gamliel did not even need to ask whose faction Vaan would participate in the grand competition under. The answer was obvious to him.

After all, Duke Zaahir had pinned his hopes on Vaan winning the championship in the Rising Dragon Division. However, Vaan had sold the Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill to Duke Gamliel, which was the equivalent of giving up the chance to win the championship and betraying Duke Zaahir's trust.

As such, even if Vaan participated in the grand competition under Duke Zaahir's affiliation, he would not earn back the latter's goodwill. And if Vaan didn't participate under Duke Gamliel's affiliation, then he wouldn't just be offending one duke but two – something a normal and sane person wouldn't do.

Thus, Duke Gamliel didn't have the slightest doubt about which affiliation Vaan would participate under.

"Mm, I still have Duke Zaahir's three-day training pass, Your Grace," Vaan nodded.

Duke Gamliel quickly burst into laughter before patting Vaan on the shoulders and wishing him good luck during his training. After Duke Gamliel arranged an escort to take Vaan to the Black Mountain, he finally went to receive Duke Zohar jovially.

lightsΝοvεl ƈοm

…

Meanwhile, Duke Zohar felt displeased with Duke Gamliel for making him wait in the meeting hall. Over time, this feeling grew.

However, Duke Zohar quickly became startled when he noticed Duke Gamliel's happy expression disappeared upon his arrival, replaced with a slight coldness in his gaze.

This sudden change in attitude alarmed Duke Zohar as he realized what Duke Gamliel suspected.

"Third Brother, this is a misunderstanding. Last night's attack on the Evron family has nothing to do with me," Duke Zohar quickly explained himself.

"Oh?" Duke Gamliel uttered nonchalantly, but his gaze became colder.

"And why would Second Brother think I suspect you were the one behind last night's attack on the Evron family?"

"How do you want me to reply to such a question?"lightsnovel

Duke Zohar felt ridiculous when he received such a rhetorical question from Duke Gamliel.

If Duke Gamliel had not looked at him with such coldness in his eyes because he suspected him behind last night's attack on the Evron family, then what else could have been the reason for such a change of attitude?

Duke Zohar had no idea Vaan was the cause behind Duke Gamliel's change of attitude.

If Vaan had never said anything to Duke Gamliel, the latter would not have shown such coldness toward Duke Zohar. But even if Duke Gamliel doubted Vaan's loyalty, he could do nothing to stop the seed of doubt Vaan planted in his heart.

As such, even if Duke Gamliel later found out Duke Zohar was innocent in last night's matter, it was still impossible for them to continue working together.

How could Duke Gamliel continue working with someone he could not trust?

Moreover, Duke Zohar currently posed the greatest threat to his chances for the throne. On the other hand, Duke Zaahir's threat was almost negligible. As such, he should be helping Duke Zaahir instead.

If Duke Gamliel continued to work with Duke Zohar, he would only be helping the latter sit on the throne.

"How you want to reply is up to you," Duke Gamliel cooly stated before saying, "However, whoever schemed last night's attack, I believe Second Brother knows best! Why else would you suddenly come to see me?"

"But since you came to see me, that is also good! I wanted to tell you something – our cooperation ends today!" Duke Gamliel stated resolutely.

Duke Zohar opened his mouth to speak but eventually held back his words. He saw no reason to prove his innocence.

Since the latter was already determined to blame him, why bother wasting his efforts in vain?

"Hmph!"

Duke Zohar flicked his wrist before angrily storming out of Duke Gamliel's manor without sparing another word on the hopeless fool.

No matter what, Duke Zohar was still a proud lord.

Why did he need to lower himself to someone beneath him—

just to clear his name?

That would only make him look weaker!

Furthermore, they had already succeeded in eliminating their greatest threat, Duke Zaahir. Their Fourth Brother had been suppressed so badly for so long that he had fallen into poverty. It would take a long time for Duke Zaahir to recover.

As such, there truly was no further need to continue their cooperation.

If there was one thing Duke Zohar was disgruntled about, it was the fact that their alliance ended before he could deal Duke Gamliel a critical blow!

'This is also fine. It would be a little boring if I defeated my Third Brother too easily,' Duke Zohar thought to himself.

Whether it was wealth, status, or power, he held the advantage in all three categories. He just needed to maintain these advantages until Emperor Varan retired from the throne.

'When Eldest Brother decides to step down, he will surely give the throne to me!'

…

As Vaan flew on the back of a wyvern to reach the Black Mountain, news of his deeds reached Duke Zaahir's ears via a long-distance voice-transmission magic tool by one of his supporters, Lord Moyse of the seventh-ranking Sroel family.

When Duke Zaahir first heard Vaan visited the Evron family, an affiliate of Duke Gamliel's faction, with the intention of selling the Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill, he did not fly into a rage; he only felt utterly disappointed.

After all, Vaan earned the Rank 4 Body Reformation Pill and did not receive it as a gift. Secondly, even if Vaan wanted to join Duke Gamliel's faction, he couldn't do anything to change it.

It was an understandable choice.

However, when Duke Zaahir later heard the Evron family's treasury was robbed clean, all traces of his disappointment disappeared, replaced by a strange, peculiar expression.

Others might not know if he was behind the robbery or not, but Duke Zaahir definitely knew it wasn't him. He was so far away from the imperial capital. Even receiving the latest news from there was delayed, so how could he take such lightning-swift actions?

When Duke Zaahir further heard from Lord Moyse that Duke Zohar went to Duke Gamliel's manor—only to leave with a dark look, he finally couldn't hold it in and burst into laughter.

If even Duke Zohar didn't have anything to do with the robbery, then it definitely had something to do with Vaan!

"My Lord, how can you laugh at such a grave matter? Young Master Vanderlin's betrayal is too great of a blow. We have no hope of restoring the western region's prosperity and ending the people's suffering now," Lord Moyse said with a somber look through the voice transmission.

"Hahaha…!" Duke Zaahir laughed even louder as great joy filled his entire being.

After years of suppression, Duke Zaahir finally felt a mountain of weight lifted off his shoulders. He could vaguely guess Vaan's plan and foresee the upcoming storm it would bring.

If his Second Brother and Third Brother turned against each other, they would not care about him; he would have room to breathe and redevelop the western region. Perhaps one of them would even help in order to deal with the other.

Duke Zaahir wiped the tears that formed on the corners of his eyes before replying, "You do not have to doubt Young Master Vanderlin's loyalty, Sir Moyse. He is absolutely one of our people!"

"However, Young Master Vanderlin is playing a very dangerous game! You must not openly support him, as it may ruin his plans and endanger his life! Protecting him in the dark and playing along on the surface is the best support we can offer!"

"I will be arriving in two day's time with more people. Wait for me," Duke Zaahir instructed with renewed vigor.

Lord Moyse felt emotional after sensing the vigor in Duke Zaahir's tone.

"I hear and obey, my Lord."