Chapter 1273 Vacation
Ross and his group entered Hidden River Fortress amidst a sea of confusion.
The streets were packed with people. Some watched in fear, others in curiosity, and many simply stood frozen, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Hidden River Fortress was home to more than five million people. Brandon and his men had only removed King Ji Canghai and his loyal forces.
The vast majority of the fortress’s inhabitants were ordinary citizens who had nothing to do with the king’s rule. They were innocents.
People who had spent years living beneath the tyranny of a single man.
"What happened to King Ji Canghai?!"
"Where are all his soldiers?"
"Who are these people?"
"Did the fortress change owners?"
The questions spread through the crowd like wildfire. Unfortunately, nobody had any answers.
The citizens could only watch as Ross’s enormous entourage moved through the streets toward the central castle. Then someone noticed something strange.
"Wait..."
"I can’t sense any spiritual essence from them."
The speaker narrowed his eyes.
"They’re mortals!"
𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
His words immediately caused a stir.
"What?"
"Impossible!"
"There are so many of them!" Many cultivators hidden among the crowd began observing Ross’s family more carefully. Sure enough, most of them could not sense any cultivation fluctuations.
To cultivators who had spent their entire lives believing strength ruled everything, mortals were little different from livestock. Some looked away in disappointment. Others became greedy.
Among them was a rogue cultivator whose gaze landed on the women accompanying Ross. His eyes immediately filled with lust. The women in Ross’s group were simply too beautiful.
Whether it was Trinity, Jade, Mary, Althea, Gwen, or the others, each possessed a beauty capable of toppling kingdoms.
Combined with their elegant clothing and noble bearing, they appeared like immortal fairies walking among mortals. The rogue cultivator swallowed. A wicked grin spread across his face.
"I want those women."
Without hesitation, he shot into the air. The crowd gasped. He moved directly toward Trinity Quinn, already imagining all sorts of depraved acts he intended to commit after capturing her.
Unfortunately for him, stealing a woman belonging to Ross Oakley was more difficult than surviving on nothing but tree bark for the rest of one’s life. Before the man could even extend his hand...
Poof.
Brandon appeared in front of him. The cultivator froze. His eyes widened. Then he vanished. Completely vanished. No explosion. No scream. No blood. No corpse. One moment he existed.
The next moment he did not. The entire crowd fell silent. Many rubbed their eyes, wondering if they had imagined what had happened. Nobody knew where the rogue cultivator had gone.
Only Brandon knew the truth. The unfortunate fool had been devoured entirely in an instant. Brandon had moved so quickly and cleanly that not a single person present saw what actually happened.
To everyone else, the cultivator had simply ceased to exist. Brandon calmly returned to his position behind Ross as though nothing unusual had occurred. Ross never even slowed his pace.
The disappearance of one insignificant cultivator was not worth his attention.
With his wives, children, servants, and followers accompanying him, he continued marching toward the massive castle at the center of Hidden River Fortress.
Meanwhile, the crowd watched in stunned silence. No one dared to make another move.
"These people are not simple!"
Someone finally voiced the obvious conclusion. The crowd quickly agreed.
After witnessing an entire fortress lose its ruler in a matter of minutes and seeing a cultivator vanish without a trace, no one dared to block Ross’s path again.
Ross and his entourage continued forward unhindered until they reached the central castle. Unlike the citizens outside, the castle itself was filled with people waiting anxiously for their arrival.
There were servants, maids, cooks, gardeners, guards, and countless slaves who had spent years serving the previous ruler. Standing among them were dozens of beautiful women dressed in luxurious robes.
Their beauty and attire made their identities obvious. They had once belonged to King Ji Canghai’s harem.
Now they stood together nervously, wondering what kind of man had just taken over the fortress. Everyone was filled with questions.
Who was this man? Where had he come from? What had happened to King Ji Canghai? Fortunately for them, Ross quickly addressed the matter himself.
He stepped into the grand hall with a relaxed smile on his face.
"Hello, everyone."
His voice immediately captured everyone’s attention.
"My name is Ross Oakley, and as of today, I will be the new owner of this fortress." A ripple spread through the crowd. Some looked fearful. Others looked relieved. Many simply looked confused.
Ross paid little attention to their reactions. Behind him stood his wives, children, servants, and followers, making the hall seem even more crowded.
"I’ve brought my family and my people with me," Ross continued casually. "Now then, why don’t I smell any food being prepared?" He sniffed the air dramatically.
"I’m hungry, and I’ve been looking forward to tasting the food of this castle."
For a moment, the hall fell silent. Many of the servants exchanged bewildered glances.
The previous ruler had seemingly vanished from existence, a new master had appeared out of nowhere, and the first thing he was concerned about was dinner. Still, nobody dared question him.
The head servants immediately bowed.
"At once, Lord Ross!" The castle instantly sprang into action. Servants rushed through corridors. Cooks hurried into the kitchens. Maids prepared dining halls.
Within minutes, the entire castle was working at full speed. Ross, meanwhile, settled into the former king’s seat as though he had owned the place for years.
His wives and children quickly made themselves comfortable as well. An hour later, the preparations were complete. Long tables filled with food stretched across the grand dining hall.
Roasted beasts, fresh fruits, exotic vegetables, soups, pastries, and countless delicacies were served one after another. A lavish feast soon began. Ross and his group thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Laughter echoed throughout the hall as his children eagerly sampled new dishes while his wives chatted among themselves.
To an outsider, it looked less like the aftermath of a hostile takeover and more like a family gathering.
Meanwhile, the rest of Hidden River Fortress remained in a state of shock. Citizens gathered in homes, taverns, markets, and streets, discussing the events of the day.
Nobody knew exactly what had happened. They only knew that King Ji Canghai and his men had disappeared. A mysterious man named Ross Oakley had arrived.
And by nightfall, he was already feasting inside the castle as its new master. Many people were still struggling to process the change. Some hoped their lives would improve. Others feared the worst.
After all, from their perspective, one tyrant had fallen. Whether the man who replaced him would be any different remained to be seen.