"Too bad we didn't get a beast soul crystal from it."
Jiang Ning shook his head, feeling a pang of regret as he glanced at the Iron Back Crocodile's massive corpse.
Not all Fatal-grade monsters formed beast soul crystals; only those with strong mana cores did. They'd been lucky to find one in the Spiked Grizzly Bear. This time, their luck had run out.
The group turned their focus to the glowing Dragon Tail Ferns spread across the cavern floor.
By the time they finished harvesting, they had counted over seven hundred stalks.
Jiang Ning was stunned.
Each stalk was worth fifteen gold coins at minimum, sometimes even twenty, depending on the market.
He did the math quickly.
That's at least fourteen thousand gold… maybe more.
Enough to fund the orphanage for a lifetime… and then some.
He couldn't help the grin spreading across his face. The number of Dragon Tail Ferns far exceeded what he remembered from his past life.
Either the rumors had been wrong, or someone had tampered with the story intentionally.
Still, it didn't matter. What mattered was that they'd found them.
"Good job, everyone!" Jiang Ning said, his voice echoing through the cavern.
He took a breath, his expression turning serious. "But before we head back, I want to make something clear."
The knights gathered before him, their faces solemn.
"Everything that happened here stays a secret," Jiang Ning continued. "The things we found, their value could cause chaos, not just in Vale, but across the entire empire."
The weight of his words hung in the air.
"We might be targeted if this information spreads. For the safety of House Ning, tell no one, not your family, not your friends. No one outside this group can know what we found here."
The knights exchanged looks, their expressions hardening with understanding.
The Dragon Tail Fern was a priceless treasure to knights; one stalk could double a warrior's growth rate in mana. With seven hundred, even a minor noble house could rise to power overnight.
The potential chaos this discovery could cause was unimaginable.
"Do you understand?" Jiang Ning asked quietly, his gaze sweeping across them.
"Yes, my lord!" they answered in unison, their voices strong and unwavering.
Jiang Ning nodded, satisfied. "Good. Let's go home."
By the time they emerged from the cavern, the sky outside was pitch-black.
It was well past midnight when they finally reached North Pine Town.
The quiet streets came alive as the townsfolk caught sight of the group. Lanterns flickered to life, and gasps echoed as the people saw the two enormous carcasses being dragged on makeshift wagons.
"Oh my gods, what kind of monsters did Lord Ning's men bring back?!"
"They hunted those things in the Evergreen Forest? I'm never going there again!"
"Look, one of the knights is wounded!"
The whispers rippled through the streets as they passed, but no one dared approach too closely. The beasts' hulking corpses were enough to freeze anyone in place.
When they reached the gates of the Ning estate, the guards ran to open them immediately.
News of their return spread fast. Before long, Baron Ren and Madam Maria appeared in their nightclothes, lanterns in hand. Lina followed a few steps behind, her expression tense with worry.
When she saw Rigor wrapped in bandages, her eyes widened.
But her gaze quickly darted past him, searching, until it found Jiang Ning among the group.
Her shoulders slumped with relief, though her hands were still trembling.
Maria was the first to reach him. "What happened out there? You all look exhausted." She clutched her son's arm, her face pale with concern.
Jiang Ning smiled softly and covered her hand with his own. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Mother."
Maria shook her head, forcing a small smile. "It's alright."
She was the wife of the Shield of the North, and she knew the kind of life her husband and son were bound to lead. A life written in steel and blood. She had steeled herself long ago for this truth, no matter how much it hurt to see.
Her duty as the lady of the house was to endure.
Jiang Ning turned toward his father and bowed. "Father, I've returned."
Baron Ren Ning nodded, his gaze calm and steady. "Good work."
Then his eyes shifted to the wagons, to the bloodied corpses and the sacks piled neatly beside them. "It seems the trip was… fruitful."
Jiang Ning grinned faintly. "Yes, Father. We achieved what we set out for, and even gained more than expected. There were some challenges, but we handled them through teamwork."
"I see," Ren replied with a raised brow. "That's good to hear."
He already knew what his son had gone in search of. "You found the Dragon Tail Ferns, then?"
"I'll tell you everything in detail," Jiang Ning said, meeting his eyes. "Let's go inside first."
Lucas gave a small nod. "Very well. Let's discuss it privately."
Jiang Ning turned to his men. "Bring the sacks inside. As for the carcasses, let the servants handle them."
"Yes, my lord!" the knights chorused, immediately moving to obey.
Lucas's eyes followed the sacks with a flicker of curiosity, but he didn't press. He trusted his son enough to wait.
As they crossed the threshold of the estate, Jiang Ning slowed for a moment. He reached out and gently took Lina's hand. Her fingers were cold from worry.
"Did you wait for me?" he asked softly, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
Lina's cheeks flushed bright red. She tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was warm and firm.
Her eyes darted nervously to the knights, but they were deliberately looking elsewhere, pretending not to see.
She lowered her head, her heart hammering, her voice barely a whisper. "...Welcome home, my lord."
Jiang Ning smiled, quiet, content.
For the first time since entering that cave, he felt the tension in his shoulders finally ease.