After discovering that Jonathan had been hiding his true talent and strength, Cesar knew he was the sort of person no faction could ever bind.
His words, "The world is vast; anywhere can be my home," showed that he had long been prepared to wander wherever he pleased.
With his ability to disguise himself and conceal his aura, even someone in the Saint Realm would probably have to face him directly to see through him.
"Knowing the Dark Church's ways, they won't let a genius like him go. He's fine for now, but once he rises into the upper ranks, he'll need to have unwavering faith. This little fellow Jonathan definitely won't submit."
"All factions are just nourishment for him!"
"Now that's interesting. It's been many years since a fascinating little fellow like this came along."
After a moment's thought, the two of them went to the spacious back courtyard of the manor.
"First, show me your full strength, along with the assassination techniques you learned from Xue Yan."
"Yes, Lord Cesar!"
Jonathan began by using only his assassination techniques. When Cesar told him to use magic as well, he didn't hesitate.
He cast all kinds of spells with ease: Level 7 Gravity Spell, Earth Spike Array, Sharp Stone Spell, Corrosive Poison, and more. Almost every spell below Level 5 was instant.
Within the black mist, Jonathan's figure appeared and vanished like a ghost.
"Swamp Technique!"
"Solidification Spell!"
"Shadow Seven-Kill Slash!"
After that final flurry of attacks, Jonathan was nearly exhausted.
The black mist dispersed. The figure within lay motionless, trapped in the earth. He smiled faintly. "Not bad."
As he spoke, he rose out of the earth.
Jonathan sat down to recover his battle qi and mental energy.
Cesar glanced at him and said, "Your overall strength is already on par with an Eighth-level Warrior or an Eighth-level Mage."
"Against either one, you might lack power, but you can make up for it with the strength of your other identity."
"If an Eighth-level Mage lets you get close, it's as good as a death sentence. If an Eighth-level Warrior gets trapped by you, you can wear down his stamina and endurance in the end."
"However, Level 9 is a threshold. Until you've both advanced to Level 8 as a mage and a warrior, never try to fight one head-on. Run without hesitation."
"With your speed, the support of Dark Magic, and your ability to conceal your aura, you should be able to escape."
Jonathan understood that. He asked, "If I advance to Level 8 in both, would I have a chance of killing a Level 9 Warrior or a Level 9 Great Mage?"
"Not much hope, but you should be able to fight for a while and then leave at your leisure."
"Once you reach the peak of Level 8 in both, you should be able to kill a Level 9 Warrior head-on. As for a Great Mage, that'll depend on your luck."
"After all, a Level 9 Warrior is no match for a Level 9 Great Mage. The mage won't give the warrior a chance to get close. Even at Level 8, it's difficult for a warrior to deal with a mage."
"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Cesar. I understand."
He smiled, then continued, "You've seen my strength and assassination techniques. Is there anything you'd like to teach me?"
"At your level, there isn't much I can teach you. Tell me what you want to learn."
Jonathan said, "For example, Heavy as Light and Light as Heavy, as well as the special power only those in the Saint Realm can master: Momentum of Heaven and Earth. And beyond that, the Laws. I read in a book that the ultimate goal of those in the Saint Realm is to grasp the Laws."
"Is that right?"
Cesar narrowed his eyes, looking surprised. Usually, factions without a complete legacy wouldn't know these things.
"You're quite knowledgeable."
"You really want to learn this? You may be able to achieve Heavy as Light or Light as Heavy at your current level. But Momentum of Heaven and Earth, as you said, is a realm only those in the Saint Realm can comprehend. If you truly grasp it before reaching the Saint Realm, you'll be a genuine genius."
"As for the Laws... I don't think you should reach beyond your grasp."
"That's all right. Even if I can't comprehend them, just getting an introduction would bring me endless benefits in the future and save me from taking a lot of detours."
"Young and ambitious," Cesar drawled lazily.
"Since you put it that way, I'll explain. First, Heavy as Light and Light as Heavy are realms that warriors can attain. As the names suggest, when you grasp Heavy as Light, even a weapon of astonishing weight won't slow your strikes."
"Light as Heavy is the opposite. Even with a light sword or a tree branch in hand, you can unleash a sense of weight, as though striking with a heavy sword."
"Momentum of Heaven and Earth is harder to explain. It's an influence over the space around you. Once you use it, it's as if the space itself is pressing in on your opponent, leaving them unable to catch their breath."
"If you master it in advance, you'll be able to enter the Saint Realm quickly. Many peak Level 9 Warriors, Xue Yan among them, are stuck at this stage."
"After reaching the Saint Realm, but before its peak, you need to gradually comprehend Momentum. Once you've fully mastered it, it'll help you understand the Laws and take your first steps toward mastering them."
"Most Saints on the continent have advanced this way."
"But a few rare geniuses comprehend the Laws as soon as they enter the Saint Realm. Once they incorporate the Laws into their techniques, their attacks will be on par with those of a peak Saint, even if their battle qi reserves are slightly lacking."
"I cultivate Dark Element battle qi, and the Laws I've comprehended are those of darkness. You're quite compatible with me."
Then Cesar demonstrated Heavy as Light and Light as Heavy.
Using a tree branch and no battle qi, he smashed a huge hole in the ground. Then he lifted a boulder weighing several thousand pounds and swung it freely through the air without much effort.
Once mastered, either of these two realms could greatly increase a person's strength.
"That's enough for today. We'll talk about Momentum and the Laws in a few days."
"I'm a little tired."
Jonathan's eyes shifted. "Then let me take you to Above the Moon, Lord Cesar. We can listen to some music and have a few drinks."
"Above the Moon? You're a sharp little fellow."
"Let's go, then."
Cesar had visited nearly every corner of the Yulan Continent. He'd been to Above the Moon in Black Phoenix City, and he was an even more frequent guest at Bishui Paradise in Fenlai City.
Jonathan took a detour to the Saber branch and called Xue Yan over.
"I promised Brother Xue Yan a while ago that I'd treat him. You don't mind, Lord Cesar?"
"What's there to mind? The more the merrier. But Xue Yan, you're his mentor. How did you end up as brothers? That's a quick change in status."
Jonathan thought to himself, Don't worry. You'll get a taste of this soon enough.
At last, he could drink with his idol at a brothel. Xue Yan was thrilled, and chuckled. "It's fine. His strength is already close to mine. There's nothing wrong with calling me Brother. When he surpasses me, I'll be honored if he calls me Brother."
Cesar smiled and said nothing more.
At Above the Moon, after the two of them had some drinks, they each put an arm around two delicate beauties and went upstairs to a private room.
Jonathan, however, got a room to himself. He quietly began cultivating and pondering Momentum.
He agreed with what Cesar had said earlier: Level 9 and the levels below it were indeed worlds apart. But if he mastered Heavy as Light and Light as Heavy, he could kill a Level 9 opponent even as an Eighth-level Warrior, without relying on magic.
A night passed.
A realm like this was elusive and profound.
It wasn't something one could grasp just like that. The key was understanding—how one came to understand it.
After all, not every warrior could comprehend these two realms.
Back at the manor, Jonathan went to the back courtyard. He cast a Level 7 Gravity Spell around himself, then sat cross-legged, holding a boulder weighing seven or eight hundred pounds in one hand as he quietly pondered Heavy as Light.
Cesar saw him and didn't interrupt. He smiled faintly. "Not bad. You know to use this method to gain insight."
"But whether you can truly grasp it still depends on your aptitude."
The same method could lead to different results for different people.
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