Temporary Farewell

December 5, 9998, Magnolia Calendar.

The early morning at Ernst Institute was shrouded in a thin mist, with the distant back mountains appearing and disappearing in the haze. Akes stood at the dormitory entrance, watching Linley walk out with his pack on his back.

He stood there quietly, carrying a small bag, looking as if he were setting off on a long journey, or perhaps just heading to the back mountains for a day of cultivation.

"Is that all?" Akes asked.

Linley patted the pack behind him, revealing a sturdy outline beneath the fabric: "It's enough."

Yale, George, and Reynolds had all come out as well. The four of them stood in the courtyard, watching Linley. The atmosphere was somewhat heavy; even Reynolds, who was usually talkative, had fallen silent.

"Fourth," Yale spoke up, his voice a few notches lower than usual, "I've had that stone sculpture sent to the secret vault at the Wald Hotel. It has triple-layer security and is guarded by a seventh-rank warrior; it won't go missing."

Linley nodded: "Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Yale waved his hand, feigning a relaxed tone, "When you get back, you can handle it yourself. Whether you want to auction it or keep it, that's up to you. Either way, it's safer there than with you."

Reynolds leaned in, wanting to say something, but his mouth opened and closed without a sound. In the end, he simply patted Linley on the shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze.

George stepped forward: "Be careful on the road. The Magical Beast Mountain Range is no joke, and I've heard that even ninth-rank magical beasts roam the Mist Valley."

"I know," Linley said.

George nodded and stepped back.

Linley looked at Akes.

The two locked eyes for a few seconds.

The morning mist drifted slowly between them, carrying the chill of early winter. Akes looked at the friend he had known for nearly eight years—from the time they entered the academy at nine until now, cultivating together, fighting together, and experiencing all those ups and downs. He knew why Linley was going. Grandpa Doehring, the Dragonblood bloodline, and all those things Linley had never spoken of but had always kept buried in his heart.

"When will you be back?" Akes asked.

"I don't know," Linley said. His voice was calm, but Akes could hear the determination within it. "I don't know" meant it could be soon, it could be a long time, or it could be—no, there were no other possibilities.

Akes nodded and said nothing more.

Linley turned and walked toward the academy gate. The thin mist gradually swallowed his figure, first blurring his outline, then his back, until he was nothing more than a faint shadow, and finally, he vanished completely.

The four of them stood where they were, none of them moving.

The courtyard was very quiet, so quiet that one could hear the sound of mist droplets falling.

"He just left like that," Reynolds said in a low voice, a hint of indescribable loss in his tone.

Yale sighed and placed a hand on Reynolds' shoulder: "Let him go. In matters like this, others can't help. If it were you or me, we would have to walk that path alone as well."

George nodded: "When he returns, things should be different."

Akes didn't speak; he just stared at the path.

He knew better than any of them what Linley would become upon his return. The Mist Valley, the Dragonblood transformation, the Purple Blood God Sword—the plot of the original story flashed through his mind, as clear as a novel he had read only yesterday.

Some things must be experienced personally. Some paths must be walked alone. Even though he knew everything, he could not walk those paths for Linley. That was Linley's own destiny, his own transformation.

"Let's go back," he said.

The four turned and walked into the dormitory.

In the days that followed, everything went on as usual.

Only, one person was missing.

Akes went to his sixth-year classes every morning, went to the back mountains to cultivate in the afternoon, and chatted with Yale and the others in the courtyard at night. Occasionally, he would go to Fenlai City to stroll around, buy some things, and have a good meal.

At the end of December, the academy went on break.

Students poured out of the school gates like a tide; some took carriages, some rode magical beasts, and others followed their family's guard escorts. The campus, which had been bustling for days, suddenly turned quiet.

Yale returned to the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, saying his old man had arranged some family business for him. George returned to the Yulan Empire; his mother had written to say she missed him. Reynolds returned to the O'Brien Empire. Before leaving, he clung to Akes' arm and wailed for a long time, rambling about "Big Brother Akes, you must take care" and "I'll bring you something delicious when I get back," only to be swatted away by Yale before running off with a grin.

Akes stayed at the academy to continue his cultivation.

The cafeteria was still open, but there were far fewer people eating. The library was also open, but it was empty, and the sound of footsteps echoed through the halls. Only a handful of people remained in the dormitory building, mostly sixth-year students like him who had stayed behind to cultivate.

He had already touched the threshold between the sixth and seventh rank.

That afternoon, he sat by the waterfall to cultivate. The Fallen Heart Flame pulsed slowly within his body like a miniature sun, radiating a gentle and persistent heat. The Fire Spirit Bead rested against his chest, glowing faintly as it continuously absorbed the surrounding fire elements. The Five Spirit Wheel operated at full capacity, refining and compressing the absorbed elements before sending them into his middle dantian.

Fire elements from the surroundings poured into his body incessantly, and he could feel his magic power growing at a steady rate. Bit by bit, drop by drop, it was like adding water to a container. The container was nearly full, but it was still just a fraction away from being topped off.

Just a little more.

He opened his eyes and looked at the waterfall before him.

The water fell from the heights, never ceasing. It was like time, like cultivation, like this path he was destined to walk. He knew he was already very fast—it had only taken him eight years to go from the first rank to the seventh. This speed could rank in the top three in the history of the Ernst Institute. But he also knew that this was only the beginning.

Above the seventh rank were the eighth and ninth, above the ninth was the Saint-level, and above the Saint-level were the God-level ranks. This path had no end.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and continued his cultivation.

One day in mid-February, Yale sent someone with a message.

The messenger was a capable young man who had ridden a fast horse from Fenlai City to deliver a sealed envelope to Akes. The envelope bore the wax seal of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, imprinted with a hammer and a gear.

Akes tore open the letter; it was Yale's handwriting.

"The caravan returned from the Magical Beast Mountain Range and said they saw the Fourth Brother on the outskirts of Mist Valley," Yale wrote in the letter. "He was alone and seemed fine. But the caravan didn't dare get close; there are too many magical beasts in that area. According to the team leader, his complexion was alright and there were no visible injuries, though he looked a bit thinner. The caravan members called out to him, but he just glanced back, didn't come over, and headed straight into the valley."

Akes stared at the letter, his heart finally settling.

As long as he was fine.

He continued his cultivation.

At the end of the month, he made a breakthrough.

That afternoon was no different from any other. He sat by the waterfall, circulating the Five Spirit Wheel to absorb fire elements. Everything was exactly as it had been during the thousands of times he had practiced before. Then, suddenly, something changed.

The magic power in his middle dantian jolted violently, as if shattering some kind of barrier. Immediately after, the spiritual energy in his mind began to fluctuate intensely, and then—it liquefied.

That feeling was hard to describe. It was as if something in his brain had suddenly melted, becoming incomparably clear. The spiritual energy, which had previously been like mist, now turned into liquid, flowing slowly. Every drop contained ten or a hundred times the power it had before.

He opened his eyes.

The world was different.

The elemental fluctuations around him became exceptionally clear. He could "see" the fire elements dancing in the air, could perceive the water elements flowing within the waterfall, and could even sense the trembling of leaves in the distance—not by hearing or seeing, but by direct perception. The feeling was marvelous, as if the entire world had suddenly come alive.

"Finally," he whispered, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Seventh-rank Magus, high-level.

It had taken a full eight years to go from the first rank to the seventh. This speed could rank in the top three in the history of the Ernst Institute. If the academy's teachers knew, their jaws would likely drop once again.

But he knew this was only the beginning.

He stood up and looked at the waterfall before him. The water flowed as it always had, but in his eyes, everything was different. He could see the distribution of water elements within the cascade, could see the elemental ripples triggered when the water crashed into the pool, and could even faintly sense the pulse of fire elements deep beneath the earth.

When the Fourth Brother returns, we'll graduate together, he thought.

In early March, Linley returned.

That afternoon, Akes was cultivating in the back mountains when he suddenly felt a familiar aura approaching. It wasn't just that the aura had grown stronger—though it certainly had increased significantly—but it was a deeper change, as if the person himself had become someone else entirely.

He opened his eyes and saw Linley walking out of the woods.

At first glance, he knew things were different.

Linley was wearing ordinary clothes, no different from when he had left. But the temperament radiating from him had completely changed. His gaze was deeper, his stride more steady.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds.

Morning light spilled through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground. A breeze blew by, carrying the scent of early spring.

"You're back," Akes stood up.

"Yeah," Linley nodded.

The two walked back side by side. Neither spoke along the way, but that tacit understanding remained. There was no need to ask what he had experienced, no need to ask why he had changed. Some things didn't need to be said; they understood each other.

When they reached the dormitory door, Akes suddenly asked, "Are you alright?"

Linley paused his footsteps: "I'm fine."

Akes nodded and pushed the door open.

Yale and the others were all there. Seeing Linley return, they crowded around. Reynolds was the most excited; he let out a howl and pounced, hugging Linley and spinning him around, only to be slapped away by Yale.

"Alright, alright, let the Fourth Brother rest," Yale said. "Tonight at Wald, my treat."

"Your treat?" George squinted at him, his tone filled with suspicion. "The last time you treated us was three months ago, and that was only because you lost a bet."

"That's because you guys never give me the chance!" Yale said righteously. "I'm in a good mood today. The Fourth Brother is back, I'm happy, so what if I treat? If you're not satisfied, don't go."

"I'll go, why wouldn't I?" George laughed. "It's rare for you to treat; I'm going to order the most expensive thing."

"I want the most expensive thing too!" Reynolds raised his hand.

The group burst into laughter.

Akes stood to the side, watching them make a scene. A long-lost smile appeared on Linley's face as well.

That evening, the five of them sat at their usual spot in Wald and ordered a table full of dishes. Yale was indeed fleeced; George ordered a bottle of the oldest red wine, and Reynolds ordered every expensive dish on the menu. Yale winced in pain, but he still smiled and told the waiter to bring it all.

"Fourth Brother, how were these past three months?" After a few rounds of drinks, Yale asked.

Linley was silent for a moment, then said, "It was alright."

"What does 'alright' mean?" Reynolds leaned in. "Did you encounter any danger? Did you fight any powerful magical beasts? Did you—"