The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1782

"Offer yourself to me." As Wynter spoke, she even reached out to grab Dalton's collar, pulling him close to her face.

Dalton, originally tall, now had no choice but to lower his head and gaze down at her. His eyes widened comically for a moment. "You..."

The commotion naturally caught the other disciples' attention, especially Jaylene Heidi, who frowned and said, "Wynter, just because the demon has possessed another disciple doesn't mean the one who was tied up is innocent. What exactly are you trying to do by getting so close to him?"

Jaylene had always looked down on the cultivators from that desolate mountain range. Not only were they all idle and unambitious, but they also constantly embarrassed themselves.

Carlton was also wary. The villagers had said that tying Dalton up was for offering purposes, and that was indeed a possibility. But he hadn't forgotten Dalton's demeanor earlier. He was so indifferent, not at all like someone who had been captured.

He had also tried to discern Dalton's true form earlier. No matter how well he disguised himself as human, there would always be some details that would give him away if he were truly a spirit or a demon. Or, under the pressure of his sword energy, some true nature would be revealed.

But Dalton showed no reaction at all. There was still nothing unusual about him, even with the famous sword hanging over him. It was impossible for him to remain completely undetected unless he was a supreme being.

So, he should just be an ordinary villager. But his appearance was anything but ordinary.

"Since the anomaly in the formation is now related to Mt. Lunther, these villagers should naturally be taken care of and questioned by us," Carlton said, glancing at Wynter. "Others should not interfere recklessly, or even their ancestors' mentors may not be able to bear the consequences."

This was clearly a warning to Wynter.

But Wynter smiled faintly, her voice light and calm. "If the anomaly is related to Mt. Lunther, what good will it do for you to interrogate them yourselves? Don't act so self-righteous when all you want is to put on a show."

"What did you say?" Carlton was furious. His sword flew toward Wynter, stopping right at her throat.

But something inexplicable happened at that moment. The famous sword trembled twice, then shattered into pieces.

This was Carlton's sword, a testament to his genius. He was considered a prodigy because he had managed to draw this sword from the Sword Mausoleum. Yet, it had shattered so easily.

The disciples gasped in unison, their eyes filled with terror and unease. How could a famous sword shatter so easily for no reason?

Carlton stared in disbelief, rushing forward to grab the broken sword's hilt, his hands trembling. When he looked at Wynter again, his eyes were filled with hatred. "You dare destroy my sword! Mt. Lunther will never forgive you or Mt. Nyxvarn!"

"Such bold words. Does Mt. Lunther really have the audacity to say that?" Wynter remained unmoved, her hand still protecting Dalton behind her.

"You tried to kill me, failed, and now your sword is broken. Do you really want to make an enemy of Mt. Nyxvarn over it? If your words represent Mt. Lunther's ways, then Mt. Lunther might as well stop cultivating the Arcane Way. After all, you can't fight without the possibility of losing."

Many disciples from various sects were here for training, and they needed to be mindful of the consequences of their actions.

Everyone was watching. Carlton had struck first, gained no advantage from Wynter, and had even lost to her! For someone hailed as a cultivation genius, this was a disgrace!

Carlton's grip on the broken sword tightened, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. "Wynter, you have quite the nerve. Do you think you don't have to take responsibility for your words just because you're the Princess of Velmoria? Mt. Lunther's people are not afraid to fight.

"We are in a formation, and the earlier demons were just a disturbance. This doesn't count as a win or loss. Don't you dare miss the upcoming cultivation conference if you really want to compete."

Carlton remained arrogant, but he knew his limits. He understood that he couldn't afford to clash with Wynter here. Having Mt. Lunther compared to Mt. Nyxvarn was already beneath them.

But his sword had indeed broken under mysterious circumstances, and the hatred in Carlton's heart refused to dissipate.

The crowd didn't dare speak loudly, only whispering among themselves.

"It couldn't have been her who broke Carlton's famous sword, right?"

"Of course not. She didn't even move."

"This place is too sinister. Even Wynter, who used to always try to get Carlton's attention, is acting strange now."

"Who's acting strange? Isn't she still the same, trying to take handsome men up the mountain? But from what I've heard, she's always been rather indifferent to Carlton."

Wynter listened to the chatter but paid little mind.

She had always felt a sense of regret for not having kept the man who looked exactly like Dalton back when she entered the formation. Now, entering the formation again, she decided she would keep such a young version of him close.

Everything was too bizarre this time. And truthfully, she was more suspicious of Dalton's identity than anyone else. The more dangerous something was, the closer she should keep it. If he really was some kind of evil spirit…

Wynter glanced back at Dalton. With such a handsome face, she figured she could cover for him to some extent even if he were an evil spirit. After all, this was a world of cultivation. He could easily be in danger if she wasn't careful.

Wynter sighed to herself, realizing once again how much she valued appearances. She didn't forget to grab Dalton's wrist as she was leaving. "Come with me."

Dalton, however, was polite. "I can just go back with my fellow villagers."

"Are you refusing to repay your debt?" Wynter raised an eyebrow, her expression clearly disapproving.

Dalton replied quietly, "No woman has ever asked me to offer myself in return before."

"Oh? Then the women here must have poor taste." Wynter didn't give him a chance to refuse.

Dalton didn't truly resist, either, or else he wouldn't have let her hold his hand.

He told himself that he'd have to go with those cultivators if he didn't go with her. He had no interest in being studied by a group of people who claimed they wanted to guide him onto the Sacred Path and were always hoping to gain some kind of divine favor from him.

Compared to that, it was better to go with Wynter. If things didn't work out, he could always leave later.

Dalton twisted his wrist slightly, a flash of crimson flickering in his eyes before disappearing without a trace. He didn't know who had set up this disgusting formation, but the place was filled with filth.

He seemed to find the place dirty and moved closer to Wynter. As for the other cultivators, he really didn't want them tainting his energy. Maintaining balance was what he needed to do.

Wynter led Dalton forward, seemingly unbothered by any gossip.

The villagers, however, were stunned. They truly hadn't expected a female cultivator from Mt. Nyxvarn to act so boldly. Not only was she taking Dalton with her, but she was doing so in such a manner.

"What if you run into demons again out there?" Some were still worried about what was going on outside.

"Yeah, let's wait for the sages to arrive before we leave."

Wynter had no desire to meet any sages. If they discovered she was possessed, she'd be dealt with on the spot. Moreover, she didn't believe Dalton was entirely innocent, either. If either of them encountered someone who had truly achieved the Arcane Way, they'd be exposed in an instant.

Wynter knew that trying to leave now would seem suspicious and might attract unwanted attention.

In truth, her concern came too late. From the moment Carlton's sword was shattered, Mt. Lunther's sages had already seen everything through the Arcane Celestial Mirror. The various sects wouldn't have sent their sages if they hadn't noticed something amiss here.

These accomplished cultivators stood atop the clouds, their hair mostly white, exuding an air of immortality and grace. A few white cranes even swooped low through the mist, adding Savior's energy to what had been a desolate, blood-soaked land.

If Wynter hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed this was a scene from a Human Sacrificial Formation. She couldn't imagine how it had come to this. She wondered if the Heavens had made the formation resemble a paradise because they truly favored such things.

Although Wynter valued appearances, she never forgot that she was currently inside the Human Sacrificial Formation, and none of this was real.

Sometimes, the most terrifying aspect of entering a formation was this very illusion. If someone stayed in the formation for too long, their soul could become trapped, never to return to reality.

The eerie formations Wynter had entered before weren't as frightening because the oppressive atmosphere constantly reminded her that she was inside a formation.

What was truly terrifying was a formation like this one, where everything felt real—even the younger version of Dalton she was holding felt vivid and alive. It was difficult to find the formation's heart or discern whose obsession had created it.

She unconsciously tightened his grip as she thought about this.

Dalton noticed it, his eyes lowering slightly as his dark gaze fell on her hand. He couldn't understand why Wynter was feeling uneasy. After all, a cultivator capable of breaking divine shackles shouldn't be afraid of the sages standing on the clouds above.

Dalton remained calm. After a moment of thought, he lightly tapped his fingertips and clasped her hand in return. The only thing he could offer her now was his fortune. Although the chains couldn't hold him in the first place, she had still saved him.

There was one thing she was right about—a life-saving debt must be repaid. This act aligned with the natural order of cause and effect.

Wynter was still pondering the Human Sacrificial Formation when she felt the muscles in her body relaxing, filling her with an indescribable sense of comfort.

When she raised her hand again, she found herself standing on the clouds with Dalton, face-to-face with the accomplished sages.

Wynter, uncharacteristically, wasn't used to this scene, but Dalton stood steadily behind her.

Seeing her actions, one of the cultivators from Mt. Lunther spoke. "It's been 100 years since we last met, and yet Mt. Nyxvarn has taken in someone so bold. A famous sword shattered just like that, and our path was blocked without hesitation."

"Dariel, there's no need to argue with a junior," another old cultivator interjected. "It's quite remarkable that she isn't even using a sword to fly.

"And from what we saw in the Arcane Celestial Mirror, this girl is clever. She knew the demons feared this place and wouldn't dare approach, which saved many of our disciples."

The old cultivator paused, his brow furrowing. "However… What is so strange about this place that it made the demons bow in respect?"

"We can investigate that later," Dariel Wilmer said. "But what are your intentions with the young man you're holding? He is, after all, a sacrificial offering from the formation."

The question fell on Wynter again, the gazes of the accomplished sages carrying a heavy weight, as if they could see right through her.

Wynter, however, smiled at this moment, her tone casual yet polite. "Nothing much. I just want to take him up the mountain as my boy toy."

Boy toy?