After searching the entire earthen pit, the burly knight stood up and shook his head helplessly. “Captain, the person who took the body is an expert. He didn’t leave a single clue behind—not even a scent. He covered it all up with the smell of volatile tree leaves.”

The middle-aged knight’s face was gloomy, but he didn’t lose his composure. He nodded and said, “Hmm, I didn’t expect such a big mess to come from our oversight. I suspect this is related to the undead creature that the Inquisitor targeted with the Holy Sound Exorcism just now. The fact that this person took the corpse can only mean he belongs to the undead or dark faction. That narrows it down.”

“Hmm, Captain, this person probably hasn’t gone far. We should be able to find him!” The burly knight’s expression turned serious as he looked toward the woods behind them. “What’s behind this forest?”

A knight immediately replied, “Sir, behind us is the Murray River. Not far ahead is a rather bustling dock town, where many passing ships stop for supplies.”

“Let’s go, we’ll head there at once!” The middle-aged knight mounted his horse without hesitation and led the way.

Chapter 4: Homecoming

Cyprus Port—this is the largest port and the third largest city in the entire Kingdom of Nicosia. It sits at the tip of the Labrador Peninsula, known as the Cape of the Nether Sea, facing east toward the pale blue sea—the Nether Sea—which separates the Azure Continent from the Vast Continent. Nicknamed the Pearl of the Nether Sea, its superior geographical location and excellent natural environment have made its industry and commerce exceptionally prosperous. The Murray River, which runs west to east across the western part of the Azure Continent, skirts the southern edge of Cyprus City before flowing into the Nether Sea, making Cyprus an excellent port with both sea and river access. It is also the capital of the Homer region, which has long been the fief of one of Nicosia’s most renowned families—the House of Philip. The Philip family has controlled this region for two centuries, and due to frequent intermarriage with the royal family, most current members of the Philip family have royal blood.

Watching the merchant ships drift downstream and gradually dock, the color of the river water slowly shifted from cool and clear to a deeper blue. The reed beds stretching for dozens of miles along the shore swayed gently in the wind, exuding a subtle tenderness. Here, close to the sea, the tides and gravity caused heavier seawater to flow back into the river mouth, giving the river water a faintly salty tang. As the cool breeze swept by, a few beautiful seagulls could be seen riding the fresh sea wind from the depths of the Nether Sea, heading inland. Their crisp, melodious calls signaled to both returning travelers and newcomers alike: the beautiful and bustling Cyprus had arrived.

Young Man awkwardly shifted his body away from the owners of several disgusted glances. The faint, sour smell of sweat on him, though barely noticeable, was still enough to offend his sensitive fellow travelers. The clothes he wore hadn’t been changed in days—not for lack of trying, but because he had nothing else to wear. First, there hadn’t been time to disembark and buy new clothes during the journey downstream; second, a vague sense of unease had lingered in his heart, making him feel that staying on the boat was the safest option.

This was an utterly ordinary single-masted passenger and cargo vessel. The front half was typically used for transporting goods and daily necessities, while the rear could be adapted as needed: when there were passengers, a few simple bunks could be set up; when there weren’t, the wooden beds could be dismantled to make room for cargo. Such ships were extremely common on the Murray River and in the nearby coastal waters. After three days and nights of travel, it wasn’t until the ship neared Cyprus Port that Young Man finally shook off that lingering sense of discomfort and settled down, enjoying a solid sleep on the hard wooden bunk.

Staring at the bustling, crowded dock before him, Young Man seemed a bit lost. Was this really his home? The customs office and the river patrol station facing the dock hadn’t changed at all; they looked just as they had when he’d left home in disgrace three years ago. Yet something seemed different, though Young Man couldn’t quite put his finger on what had changed.

He lazily jumped off the boat, casting one last resentful glance at the single-masted vessel that had carried him these past few days. For such a shabby boat to charge him three gold shields—if he hadn’t been worried about the return of the Leima knights, he never would have boarded this rip-off of a ship.

Thinking of this, Young Man couldn’t help but glance at his arms. Thanks to his keen senses, he was certain that after the Leima knights left, they had returned to the original spot. The spiritual detection spell he’d set there wasn’t much use, but it was extremely accurate: as soon as someone moved in that area, he would sense it immediately. For someone to trigger it in such a short time, it could only have been the Leima knights. Their goal in returning was surely the corpse he wanted to use for cultivation. So what was their ultimate purpose in seeking the corpse? Were they trying to cover something up? Could there really be some great secret hidden within it?

But right now, he didn’t have the energy to ponder these questions. Better to wait until he got home. Young Man couldn’t help but take a deep breath of the salty air at the docks. Cyprus, my home, I’m back!