289: Chapter 289 Heading to Aksai City! Black Prison Thunder Dragon Breathing Technique!

The next day, dawn broke.

Just as the sky began to show a hint of white, Gino City's west gate was already open.

Rowan rode a tall black warhorse, leading his team directly out of the city, preparing to head to Aksai City.

Vanessa, Melissa, and other female officials sat in the carriages of the convoy behind.

Among them were also some carefully selected noble young ladies who had not yet bloomed but had fallen on hard times.

The scenery along the way was peaceful and vast, with a few early birds occasionally flying overhead.

By dusk.

The sky was ablaze with a splendid sunset glow.

Rowan reined in his horse and looked into the distance.

The outline of a majestic city gradually emerged under the setting sun.

Aksai City had arrived.

As the capital of Will Province, Aksai City's scale was far beyond comparison with Gino City.

The lowest point of its city walls was over twenty meters, built from massive bluestones, and after hundreds of years of weathering, they still stood tall and imposing.

There was an arrow tower every few steps on the city walls, and the figures of patrolling soldiers could vaguely be seen behind the battlements.

At this time, the city gates were wide open.

The entrance to the city was filled with welcoming crowds.

Niss, ever since learning of Rowan's approximate arrival time, had prepared this welcoming ceremony.

She had clearly taken great care in her appearance today.

She wore a luxurious, cinched-waist gown, its collar adorned with a delicate circle of silver embroidery.

A light-colored belt cinched her waist, perfectly outlining her slender figure and elegant curves.

Her face was meticulously made up, and she appeared noble and charming under the lingering glow of the sunset.

Behind her stood the various levels of nobles and local officials of Aksai City.

These people all knew that Duke Witton was dead, and the one who was about to arrive was Count Golden Flame, who had slain Duke Witton...

Therefore, each of them wore an extremely respectful expression.

Rowan looked at the scene, smiled, and then spurred his horse forward.

Niss took a few steps forward, looked at Rowan on horseback, curtsied slightly, her eyes flowing as she softly said:

"Welcome, my Lord, to Aksai City."

Rowan looked at the surrounding display and smiled:

"Let's go, let's enter the city first."

The procession slowly entered the city gate.

The accompanying personnel peered out through the carriage curtains, unable to help but let out low gasps of admiration.

Aksai City's streets were nearly twice as wide as Gino City's, paved with neat bluestone slabs.

Despite experiencing some turmoil, the city was still bustling with people and full of life.

Inside the carriage, Vanessa pressed her face against the window, her gaze sweeping over the towering spired towers and intricately carved stone archways on both sides, she couldn't help but murmur softly:

"This is... a true ducal city, with a legacy of nearly a thousand years."

Her voice was intertwined with awe and an indescribable tremor.

The Bryce Family was only a Marquis family in the Western Region and had never owned a city of this caliber.

And now...

Thinking of this, Vanessa couldn't help but look at the man on the tall horse in front.

His rise was far beyond her imagination, and she couldn't help but feel fortunate that she hadn't chosen wrongly back then.

She knew that her family was now quite ostracized in the southern noble circles and was not doing well.

The group passed through several main streets and soon arrived at the Duke Weiduns Estate, located in the city center.

At its very center was an extremely tall castle.

Around it, various auxiliary buildings were scattered in an orderly fashion.

It possessed both the solemn grandeur of a noble residence and the exquisite elegance of a garden.

Niss had already prepared everything, leaving Rowan no worries.

She personally led Rowan through several corridors to a study deep within the estate, pushed open the door, and stepped aside to let Rowan enter first.

Rowan didn't stand on ceremony, directly entering the study, his gaze quickly sweeping around.

The study's decor was simple yet elegant; bookshelves against the walls were neatly stacked with various books and scrolls, and a large desk sat by the window.

Niss followed him in, then gently closed the door.

Only the two of them remained in the study.

Rowan turned around and looked at Niss.

Twilight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow upon her, adding a captivating Charm to her already delicate face.

He observed her with interest, a hint of admiration in his gaze.

Niss, with downcast eyes, walked to the desk, took out a beast-skin scroll tied with gold thread from a secret compartment, and presented it respectfully to Rowan with both hands, her voice melodious:

"My Lord, this is what you specifically asked for earlier, the 'Black Prison Thunder Dragon Breathing Technique'!"

Seeing this, Rowan chuckled and reached out to take the Duke Witton's Family's Perfect-grade Breathing Method.

His fingertips gently brushed the yellowed surface of the beast skin, feeling the faint, profound energy fluctuations emanating from within.

It was as if a sleeping thunder dragon lay dormant within the scroll, ready to awaken at any moment.

He nodded in satisfaction, took the scroll, then gently lifted Niss's chin with his hand, making her raise her head and meet his gaze:

"Well done."

Niss understood the meaning in his eyes, and the flush on her cheeks deepened, yet she didn't shy away in the slightest.

She lowered her head slightly, gently took Rowan's hand, and led him out of the study.

The two arrived at the central castle entrance, entered, and walked up the stairs.

Maids and servants encountered along the way quickly moved aside with lowered heads, not daring to look much.

Niss finally stopped before a pair of carved oak double doors on the top floor.

She pushed open the door and stepped aside.

Rowan walked in, his gaze sweeping across the room; this was the master bedroom on the castle's top floor.

Directly in front was a full-length French window.

In the center of the room was a large bed.

The entire room's style appeared to have been redecorated, similar to the decor in his Golden Flame Castle.

Rowan looked at Niss with some surprise.

He hadn't expected her to remember his preferred decorating style after only visiting his master bedroom once.

He walked straight to the French window and pulled the curtains completely open.

Immediately, the entire twilight scene of Aksai City came into full view.

The densely packed rooftops shimmered with a golden glow in the sunset.

Foot traffic on the crisscrossing streets gradually thinned, and lights began to illuminate homes one after another.

The distant city walls outlined a majestic silhouette in the twilight, beyond which lay endless fields and gradually blurring mountain shadows.

This mighty city, with over a million inhabitants, now lay quietly at his feet.

Niss walked to his side, standing shoulder to shoulder, gazing at the scenery outside the window, and softly began:

"Aksai City is the center of Will Province and the largest city in the eastern part of the Northern Region."

"The permanent population in the city exceeds one million, and with itinerant merchants and residents from surrounding villages and towns, the actual population is even greater."

"Within the city, there are independent Mage Guilds, Adventurer Guilds, Mercenary Guilds..."

"The area within the city walls is divided into the inner city and outer city; the inner city is the residential area for nobles and officials, while the outer city is a gathering place for commoners and merchants."

"The entire city's water supply relies on three underground channels, which can sustain consumption for more than half a year even under siege conditions..."

Rowan listened quietly, but his gaze slowly retracted from the city view outside the window, settling on Niss's profile, which now appeared exceptionally soft and beautiful.

She was earnestly introducing the city, her lips opening and closing, her voice soft and pleasant.

He looked at her profile, then suddenly reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her directly into his embrace.

Niss's words came to an abrupt halt.

She looked up, meeting Rowan's gaze.

In his majestic and handsome amber eyes, there was an undisguised meaning.

Her heart began to beat faster.

A moment later, she lowered her head and untied the sash at her waist.

The long dress slid down her smooth shoulders, gently pooling at her feet.

Twilight streamed in from the French window, bathing her exposed skin in a warm, golden glow.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Rowan, her gaze filled with submission, anticipation...

Rowan didn't speak, he merely bent down, lifted her into his arms, and walked towards the large bed in the room...

Rapid breathing began to rise...

The twilight outside the window deepened.

Who knows how long passed.

The clouds dispersed, and the rain ceased.

The soft moans gradually faded.

Rowan leaned against the headboard, looking at the woman deeply asleep beside him, a hint of surprise in his heart.

This time, her emotional energy was much more abundant than he had imagined.

He looked at the panel in his mind.

[Charm Lv3 Proficiency +16]

[Drain Lv4 Proficiency +36]

[Obtained Free Attribute Points: 128]

...