The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1803

In the meantime, Wynter, having turned back to save the others, naturally steered clear of Sablemare's path. Avoiding the dream demon was fairly simple—they just had to spot the pigmy rattlesnakes in the forest. Yet, their fate remained uncertain.

Though they had evaded Sablemare, they ran into a swarm of poisonous bugs instead.

Wynter glanced at a tattered cultivator and said, "Lend me your sword."

The cultivator, Piaras Giofa, was baffled, as he had never heard about her swordsmanship. Besides, wasn't Mt. Nxyvarn known for its useless cultivators with average spiritual roots?

Ignoring Piaras' bewilderment, Wynter noticed the other cultivators were burning talismans while chanting spells. Her gaze sharpened as she raised a hand. With a sweep of her sword, she severed the limbs of the poisonous bugs.

Guided by instinct, the poisonous bugs sensed the threat and kept their distance. Instead of fleeing, they blocked the exit and waited for their chance to strike. Even so, the cultivators were saved for the time being.

The four cultivators heaved a sigh of relief before turning to Wynter. A cultivator named Tierney Murchadha admitted in a low voice, "To be honest, I never expected you to come back for us.

"And I certainly didn't expect Mt. Lunther, the so-called head of the sects, would resort to such underhanded tactics."

Jaylene's sudden push cleared their minds. The young woman whom they believed to be kind, powerful, and honorable was revealed to have a heart more wicked than any demon's.

"Once I get out of here, I'll be reporting Mt. Lunther's action to the grandmaster. What they have done is highly questionable," another cultivator, Feradach Cuarta, stated firmly.

The cultivators were generally young, and some had sincerely hoped to rid the world of demons. As such, they were deeply disheartened by Mt. Lunther's betrayal. They had always thought that the sects everyone aspired to join were righteous, yet they were nothing but specious.

As Wynter wasn't concerned with others' opinions, she offered no comments. More importantly, she was eager to find the herbs she needed. Though she wasn't worried about Dalton, she did hope to reunite with him soon.

Still ridden with guilt, the cultivators muttered apologies as they walked beside Wynter. "We were wrong. We misjudged you."

"It's all in the past," Wynter replied, unconcerned. She was more interested in the poisonous bugs, noting their reluctance to approach the western area.

Seeing that Wynter held no grudges, a cultivator stated cheerfully, "Well then, from now on, we're all friends!"

Wynter attempted to warn them against the surroundings before they expressed their feelings. But when she met his sparkling eyes, she couldn't bring herself to trod on his enthusiasm. "You're right. We're friends now."

The young cultivator, Artgal Tuama, appeared to be around 16 years old. He had a distinctive red mole between his eyes.

"Since you saved us, I'd like to tell you a secret. When I first joined, I heard that Mt. Nxyvarn's fortune had been destroyed and that divine retribution would soon follow. In particular, Mr. Glaisne might be in serious danger. "

Tierney came over and echoed, "I heard that, too! My mentor mentioned Mr. Glaise used to be talented, but after an injury that damaged his spiritual heart, he has yet to recover. He's already 300 years old, so if he fails to ascend to the Sacred Path, he might get ruined during the thunderstrike trial…"

He observed Wynter's expression before continuing, "But it's not all bad news! My mentor said there's a Soul-Returning Herb around here. I'm sure the sages will try to get it for Mr. Glaisne."

Wynter had no intention of accepting help from others. She was well aware that certain sects were only making empty promises.

For instance, none of the cultivators from Mt. Lunther would take the risk for Ailithir. Rather, they were eager to see Mt. Nyxvarn fall so they could legitimately claim its golden encounters.

Wynter didn't share her thoughts but instead feigned ignorance. "Thank you for telling me."

Her tone, however, carried a hint of sincerity. After all, not many would be willing to share the truth in such critical moments.

Although the cultivators were the youngest disciples from their respective sects, they were gifted with cultivation talents and spiritual roots. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been sent to the Arcane Way forum.

Tierney replied excitedly, "No need for thanks. We're in this together now. Before all this happened, I thought you were just boasting when you said you would win against Jaylene. But now, it seems you're even better than her!

"Those swift attacks were so cool! You can't possibly be below the fifth stage. Was there a mistake? Why not test your spiritual roots once more when we get out of here?"

If Wynter were to take a second test, the true power she had hidden behind a spell would be revealed.

Still, she knew that Tierney meant no offense and gave a soft chuckle. "My spiritual roots are just average. It's just that I use swords often, and the bugs got struck down by chance."

Just as Tierney was about to reply, Wynter caught the sound of footsteps and shot a sharp glance over her shoulders. "Who's there?"

A villager, seemingly a newlywed, could be seen at a distance. Her face was ashen, and her legs trembled as she stood up. "I came from Moruso Village ahead. I was just married to my husband.

"We were on our way home before nightfall, but we got separated. The poisonous bugs appeared, and I was too scared to show myself… I thought I'd be eaten."

The villager, Brenda Pennoyer, was carrying a basket covered in red cloth—likely filled with food.

The young cultivators whispered among themselves. "She seems to be telling the truth, but there's no village around here."

"There is." Wynter glanced sideways, signaling them to look.

The candlelight, shrouded by the mist, only cast a weak, trembling glow. Moreover, they had been so focused on the poisonous bugs that they didn't notice there was a village nearby.

"Yes, you're absolutely right." Wynter was no longer in the mood to humor them. She kept her distance from Brenda as she observed her shadow. Though subtle, the slip was unmistakable.

Wynter recalled Dalton's disguise as a human. His skills were extraordinary—his breathing was perfectly controlled, as was his shadow. When he was brought into the mountains, Ailithir hadn't found anything unusual about him through soul seeking, and even the artifact had remained soundless.

Despite knowing she was still in the formation, Wynter couldn't help but wonder about Dalton's power. How high could his cultivation level be to have deceived the higher-level cultivators?

Brenda walked at a steady pace, offering thoughtful warnings along the way. "It's dark here. Please watch your step. We'll be safe once we get into the village."

Wynter remained stoic as she glanced at her feet. With a flick of her finger, something dropped to the ground. It gleamed under the moonlight, revealed to be a lucky token.

Without Dalton around, Wynter had grown more cautious.

"I didn't notice it from afar earlier, but the village is bigger than I thought!" Tierney exclaimed.

The flickering candle lights illuminated the village ahead, which was adorned with decorations as a trail of smoke rose to the dark sky. It looked as though a festival was underway.

"You're just in time for the celebration. There are plenty of stalls and food around. You can explore later," Brenda explained, striding forward.

No one had expected a village to exist in a place teeming with poisonous bugs and terrifying demons. After the deadly battle they'd endured, the sight of the bustling village filled the young cultivators' hearts with a sense of relief and comfort. Besides, they were starving.

"We'll look around and rest for a bit."

Wynter arched a brow at their words. Although the young cultivators weren't exactly smart, they shouldn't be that foolish.

A deserted village would have been expected, but Moruso Village was brightly illuminated, almost like a lively town. The young cultivators should've noticed something was off, yet they seemed eager to explore.

A sudden realization struck Wynter, and she glanced at Brenda, who was already heading toward the village. It became clear that the other cultivators would excitedly continue heading to the village, even if she had tried to stop them. But when did all of that start?

Wynter looked down at her hand. It seemed that the poisonous bugs' retreat hadn't been solely due to her attacks.

"Hot cross buns! Freshly baked hot cross buns! Would you like some buns, sir?"

The vendors' lively calls echoed in the air, adding to the vibrant scene. As the hot cross buns' rich aroma drifted toward her, Wynter could hardly resist and gulped.