The Heart of a Strong Warrior

"How could this be?"

Linley was an Earth Mage himself, and he could now cast Gravity Spell, but this version worked in the opposite way from the one he had learned.

Grandpa Doehring hadn't taught him this!

Had he forgotten?

Doehring saw the confusion in Linley's eyes. "This was probably developed by a mage who came after me. To achieve this, that mage must have had a deep understanding of magical theory. I wonder who it was in history."

"A Gravity Spell that works in the opposite direction. Interesting. This spell isn't very friendly to Bebe."

At that moment, the instant Bebe stopped moving, its whole little body floated up into the air.

Bebe knew this, too, so it kept charging back and forth.

Jonathan clad himself in a jade-like Earth Guardian Holy Armor. Then, with a sudden movement, he appeared in Bebe's path and stopped it in its tracks.

Bebe's impact had started cracking the Earth Guardian Holy Armor. Another blow or two would have shattered it completely.

Sent flying, Bebe had nothing to push off against and floated in midair.

Below the Saint Realm, one couldn't fight in the air without drawing on the power of the world.

That was true of both humans and magical beasts.

The exceptions were Wind Element mages of Level Seven or above and flying magical beasts.

Bebe glared at Jonathan with its little eyes, chattering furiously.

"Not satisfied? A loss is a loss. That last attack showed that your whole body is incredibly tough—tougher than I expected. But if I'd been strong enough to break through your fur's defenses, you probably wouldn't have survived."

Linley stepped forward. "Bebe lost. Please take down the Magic Array."

Jonathan smiled faintly and did as he asked.

As soon as Bebe landed, it dashed over to Linley's shoulder, leaving only its head visible.

Hearing it chatter nonstop, Linley sent it a message. "All right, quit fussing. He's a Level Seven Mage and a Level Seven Warrior. He has no weaknesses at all. You haven't become a Seventh-Level Magical Beast yet. Once you do, he might not be your match anymore."

"Of course he won't."

Bebe fell silent at once.

Then Linley looked at Jonathan and smiled. "From that fight, I can tell you're an Earth Mage too. But your Gravity Spell seems different from the one I learned."

"I call it the Anti-Gravity Spell. I modified it myself. In my spare time, I study magical theory and how elements are arranged when magic forms. I can't say much about other spells, but Gravity Spell is fascinating. Change the arrangement, and you get an effect like this."

"Did it take a lot of effort to modify the spell?"

"Some, but not too much."

Linley was fascinated by the Anti-Gravity Spell. His eyes gleamed with interest; he wanted to learn it, but didn't know how to ask.

Jonathan smiled. "But this spell isn't easy to learn unless you have a deep understanding of elemental arrangements and the like."

Linley froze for a moment. He had the feeling Jonathan could see right through him, and suddenly didn't know what to do with himself.

"Everyone has their own path. There's no need to envy others. Just keep moving toward your own goal, and you'll eventually become a strong warrior."

Linley's eyes lit up. He immediately thought of Blue Heart Grass. Once he was strong enough to venture deep into Mist Valley and gather some, he could awaken his Dragonblood Warrior bloodline. After transforming, his strength as a warrior would surge.

Even if he wasn't as strong as Jonathan in his normal state, he might be just as strong after transforming.

And as for magic, as long as he persevered and kept carving to train his spiritual force, he wouldn't progress slowly either. Maybe he wouldn't catch up in two years, but in a few more years...

It was as if Linley had suddenly been enlightened. At once, his goal became clear. His blood was racing, and he was filled with drive.

Doehring glanced at Jonathan, a hint of confusion in his eyes. But when he saw Linley's state, he stroked his white beard and nodded in satisfaction.

"Thank you," Linley said, cupping his hands in a sincere gesture.

"It was nothing. You're leaving the Magical Beast Mountain Range, aren't you? Then let's part here. I still want to venture deeper and hunt a few Seventh-Level Magical Beasts."

"You still haven't told me where you're from," Linley said.

Jonathan's figure was already far away. Only a baffling remark drifted back.

"You'll find out. Then you'll know where I'm from."

His voice echoed in the distance, but he had already disappeared from sight.

"Grandpa Doehring, where do you think he's from? He's so mysterious, and what he says makes no sense."

"He's exceptional," Doehring said. "More exceptional than any young genius I've ever seen. At such a young age, he already has the heart of a strong warrior."

"Linley, you're still far behind him."

"There's always someone better, and there's always a higher mountain. You'll have to work even harder."

"But I believe that with my guidance, you'll catch up to him and surpass him someday."

Linley smiled wryly. "Grandpa Doehring, are you praising me or yourself?"

Bebe thought Linley was feeling inferior and said, "Boss, don't be sad. In my heart, you're the strongest."

Linley tapped Bebe's little head with a finger. "What nonsense. Why would I be sad?"

"Are you full? We should get going."

"I just had a fight, and it took a lot out of me. I need to go eat a few more pieces."

Linley smiled. "Go ahead."

"On it!"

His encounter with Linley had been only a brief interlude. After parting ways, Jonathan headed deeper into the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

Before half a day had passed, he encountered a Green-Striped Giant Python. It had been coiled around an ancient tree, using the white mist to obscure its outline. When it sensed Jonathan, it shot out suddenly, startling even him. He barely managed to dodge.

"I'll have to be more careful."

Jonathan stepped onto the trunk of a giant tree and used the recoil to propel himself forward. A dagger flashed into his hand as he rapidly cast a Level Seven Gravity Spell.

The Green-Striped Giant Python was a Seventh-Level Water Element Magical Beast, twenty or thirty meters long, with a body as thick as a water vat. When the Gravity Spell struck, its whole body plunged toward the ground.

Jonathan seized the opportunity. He poured all his battle qi into the strike and used the pull of gravity and his downward momentum. The one-meter-long black blade flashed with unmatched sharpness and cleaved its head off.

The cut was smooth and clean. Not a single drop of blood spilled.

This was the Saber's ultimate assassination technique.

After taking its magic crystal, Jonathan immediately left, though his speed had dropped considerably.

He had gone only a few miles when he ran into a Gold-Striped Leopard. It was so fast and nimble that it could rival a Peak Battle warrior at Level Eight. Fortunately, he had quickly covered himself with a layer of jade-like Earth Guardian Holy Armor, or he would have been injured.

The Gold-Striped Leopard clung to Jonathan like a predator to its prey, refusing to let go.

Agile magical beasts were the most troublesome kind for him. He hadn't wanted to waste time on it, but since it had come looking for death, Jonathan turned and began dealing with it in earnest.

Shadow Poison Mist spread, and a Level Seven Gravity Spell descended. The Gold-Striped Leopard's body sank, and its speed dropped sharply.

Jonathan cast an Anti-Gravity Spell on himself to lessen gravity's effect as he moved. In a brief instant, their situations were completely reversed.

The Gold-Striped Leopard tried to flee, but Jonathan gave it no chance. Moving swiftly, he kept it trapped within the Gravity Spell's range.

The poison mist also ate away at it and obscured its vision.

It could only dodge by sound and instinct.

Jonathan's assassination skills were pushed to the limit. After half an incense stick's time, he finally killed the Peak Battle magical beast at Level Seven.

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