Saint Domain!

After bidding Laun farewell, Lin Tian returned to the imperial palace. Having returned from his training in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, his strength had increased greatly, yet he did not become complacent. Instead, he immediately added a crucial new item to his training regimen—sparring with Commander Kahn.

Upon returning, he informed his father and mother of his current strength, then stated that he wished to gain more experience fighting Ninth-Level Warriors and needed a powerful Ninth-Level Warrior to train him.

After some thought, his father said, "Lin Tian, Commander Kahn has served as your guard since you were young and has always been utterly loyal to the royal family. Over the years, he has trained diligently and has now reached the peak of the ninth level. He has even comprehended the profound technique of Light as Heavy. In recent years, he has also gained considerable insight into Heaven-Earth Momentum. Given enough time, once he fully comprehends it, he will be able to enter the Saint Domain Realm. His strength far surpasses that of ordinary ninth-level experts, and his loyalty is absolute. Sparring with him will certainly benefit you greatly."

Hearing this, a trace of excitement and anticipation flashed through Lin Tian's eyes. He respectfully replied, "Rest assured, Father. Your son will not disappoint your expectations. I will temper my strength through sparring with Commander Kahn."

From then on, every morning, Lin Tian arrived punctually at the imperial palace training grounds and engaged in intense sparring sessions with Commander Kahn. Kahn was powerfully built, with steadfast eyes, and every movement he made contained immense strength.

"Your Highness, today we'll begin with the most basic techniques," Kahn said as he assumed his stance.

Lin Tian quickly entered the zone as well. He held his spear horizontally and said, "Commander, please instruct me."

Their figures crossed, and they launched into an exchange in an instant. Kahn's attacks were fierce and powerful, every strike seeming to weigh a thousand pounds, while Lin Tian relied on agile footwork and exquisite technique to contend with him.

"Your Highness, pay attention to the rhythm of exerting force. Light as Heavy is not simply about reducing strength. It is about using strength skillfully—appearing effortless while containing the force of a thousand pounds," Kahn instructed as he attacked.

Through repeated blocks and counterattacks, Lin Tian gradually came to understand Kahn's words. He tried adjusting the way he exerted force, skillfully integrating battle qi into every thrust of his spear.

"That's it. Your Highness learns quickly. But remember, in a battle that changes in the blink of an eye, you must be able to apply this technique flexibly." Seeing Lin Tian's progress, Kahn's eyes revealed approval.

When the sparring ended, Lin Tian was panting heavily, but his gaze had grown even firmer. He knew that comprehending Light as Heavy was not something that could be accomplished overnight; it required constant tempering.

In the afternoon, Lin Tian threw himself into magical training without pause. After completing his usual practice of magical techniques, he went to the palace gardens, calmed his mind, and raised his hand to cast a Fireball. The fireball blazed in midair as Lin Tian focused completely on sensing the changes in its elemental composition. He carefully observed the flames dancing at its edges, felt the rhythm of the fire elements within, and tried to find a more refined method of controlling the elements.

As night fell, the imperial palace became quiet. Lin Tian returned to his room, sat cross-legged, and began his nightly meditation. He slowly released his mental power, like gentle threads searching through the air for traces of magical elements. As his perception of magical elements grew sharper, the subtle fluctuations that had once been difficult to notice now appeared clearly within his spiritual world. In his perception, these elements seemed to come alive, producing a delicate resonance with his mind.

Lin Tian knew that the road of cultivation was long. Only through unwavering perseverance and constant tempering could he travel farther and farther down the path toward strength.

Day after day, Lin Tian immersed himself in the world of cultivation.

After training for some time, Lin Tian finally encountered an opportunity for a breakthrough. On a quiet night, he was engaged in deep meditation as usual when a powerful fluctuation of mental power suddenly surged from the depths of his sea of consciousness. It was like a boulder cast into a tranquil lake, sending ripples spreading outward. He could feel his mental power rapidly condensing and compressing under the influence of that fluctuation. Every condensation guided his mental power toward a higher level of transformation.

As his mental power continued to compress, Lin Tian's mental power finally broke through the shackles of the eighth level and successfully reached the ninth level. He could clearly feel that his perception of the surrounding magical elements had become sharper, and controlling them had become more effortless as well.

After attaining Ninth-Level Mental Power, Lin Tian did not pause for even a moment. He immediately began refining the elements of heaven and earth. His mana had already liquefied when he was a seventh-level mage, and this breakthrough in mental power gave him the confidence to challenge Ninth-Level Mana.

He closed his eyes and immersed his consciousness into the Mana Ocean within his body. Guided by him, the liquefied mana began to flow slowly like an endlessly rushing river. He focused his mind and continuously drew the surrounding elements of heaven and earth into his body, merging them with his liquefied mana. The process was exceptionally slow and difficult. Every thread of elemental energy he merged required his complete concentration; the slightest mistake could cause his mana to spiral out of control.

As time passed, more and more elements of heaven and earth were refined and incorporated into his mana. Lin Tian's Mana Ocean became increasingly turbulent, while the concentration of his mana continued to rise. For several days straight, he immersed himself in this intense refinement without sleep or rest.

Finally, at daybreak, as the last thread of elemental energy successfully merged into his mana, Lin Tian became a ninth-level mage.

Lin Tian had just calmed his mana when a strange fluctuation suddenly rose from deep within his body, like a dual cleansing of soul and body. He felt as though he had been placed inside a gigantic furnace, undergoing a rebirth-like transformation from soul to flesh.

During this transformation, his soul seemed to undergo a sublime ascension. Lin Tian could feel his soul becoming purer and stronger, reborn like a phoenix rising from nirvana. His body, too, was transformed by that power, becoming tougher and lighter. Every inch of skin and every bone brimmed with new vitality.

When the enhancement ended, Lin Tian slowly opened his eyes. To his astonishment, the soul within his sea of consciousness had turned into a burning flame. The flame radiated a mysterious and powerful aura, as though it contained endless power. A possibility arose in Lin Tian's mind—Saint Domain.

He tried concentrating and willed himself to levitate. The instant the thought moved, his entire body naturally floated into the air. Looking down at his body hovering in midair as naturally as breathing, he was filled with confusion and delight. He could not help murmuring, "I'm in the Saint Domain already?"

Floating in the air, Lin Tian felt the unprecedented power within him, his thoughts in turmoil. He knew this was merely a new beginning. The path of the Saint Domain was full of unknowns and challenges, but he was ready to face everything the future held.