News

January 15th, Yulan Calendar 10000. The Imperial Capital of the Yulan Empire, the Count's Estate.

Akes set down the secret letter from the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, his gaze lingering for a moment on the final line: "Linley Baruch escaped during the chaos on the Day of Destruction and killed the King of Fenlai, Clyde, amidst the turmoil. His current whereabouts are unknown."

He brought the letter close to the candlelight, watching it curl into ash.

Unknown.

Akes certainly knew where Linley had gone—to the depths of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, where a bitter, years-long cultivation awaited him. He knew what would happen in the future, what Linley would experience, and even the ultimate fate that awaited the Radiant Church.

But so what?

Akes raised his right hand, and a cluster of crimson flames flickered in his palm. The Fallen Heart Flame burned silently; its temperature was restrained, yet one could clearly feel the violent power contained within. This was one of the foundations of his survival in this world, but that was all it was.

Mid-seventh rank.

He had been in this world for nearly ten years, and he was far stronger than his peers. But on this continent, only Saint-level experts were true players. Never mind Saint-level; even against a ninth-rank expert, his chances of survival were slim.

What was the use of knowing the plot?

He could not change the death of Linley's father, for at that time, he was still a first-year freshman at the Ernst Institute. He could not change the fate of Linley being imprisoned by the Radiant Church, for that was the work of the Saint-level Pope himself.

Akes clenched his fist, and the flames extinguished.

He stood up and walked to the window. People bustled through the streets of the Imperial Capital; the lingering warmth of the Yulan Festival had not yet dissipated, and colorful lanterns could still be seen hanging everywhere. A month ago, Fenlai City had been a river of blood, yet here, a thousand miles away, people were still living peaceful lives.

"My Lord," the voice of the butler, Kaman, came from outside the door. "There is a reply from the Dawson Chamber of Commerce in the O'Brien Empire."

"Come in."

Kaman pushed the door open and entered, holding a letter in both hands. This old butler was someone Akes had recruited after arriving in Yulan; he had once been the steward of a fallen noble house, was meticulous in his work, and never spoke out of turn.

Akes took the letter, tore it open, and scanned it.

It was a reply from Yale, and the content was simple: Linley was indeed alive, but he had refused all help and entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range alone. At the end of the letter, Yale complained a bit about "that guy being as stubborn as ever," and added some idle chatter about "how are things on your end" and "come to the O'Brien Empire for a drink when you have time."

Akes smiled and tucked the letter into a drawer.

"Kaman, cancel all visitors for the afternoon. I am going to cultivate."

"Yes, my Lord."

Kaman bowed and retreated, the door closing softly behind him.

Akes turned and walked toward the cultivation room. This room was his favorite part of the Count's Estate; a fire-element magic array was buried beneath the floor, keeping the room at a high temperature year-round, which provided a slight boost to fire-element magic cultivation. Although the effect was far inferior to the exclusive cultivation rooms at the Ernst Institute, it was better than nothing.

He sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his five hearts facing the sky, and began to visualize the Nuwa Diagram.

In his mind, the majestic figure with a human head and a snake body emerged, surrounded by rotating galaxies and the primordial chaos. With every visualization, Akes could feel his spiritual energy being tempered bit by bit, becoming more solid.

This was his greatest source of confidence.

The Nuwa Diagram came from the Desolate Era world, and its effect on enhancing spiritual energy far exceeded any cultivation technique on the Yulan Continent.

Akes opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

He knew he shouldn't be impatient. Going from zero to mid-seventh rank in ten years was a speed that would terrify anyone. But whenever he thought of the world-destroying existences in the original story, or the battlefield of the gods he would face in the future, this level of strength was simply not enough.

What frustrated him even more was knowing that Linley would soon encounter a series of fortuitous events—taming the Black Shadow Panther, comprehending the Profound Truths, obtaining the Necropolis of the Gods Manual, fusing the Dragonblood Warrior bloodline... Every leap in strength would leave his peers further behind.

And what about him?

The Sign-in System did provide good things, but aside from the Fallen Heart Flame and the Nuwa Diagram, most were auxiliary items. The Ice Block was enough to save his life, but not enough to kill enemies. Teleportation offered great mobility, but if he couldn't win a fight, he couldn't win. The Fire Spirit Bead doubled the power of his fire-element magic, but he was only seventh rank after all; could a doubled seventh-rank spell hurt a Saint-level expert?

No.

Akes was very clear on this point.

So, what could he do?

Nothing at all.

He was not the type of person to act recklessly out of hot-blooded impulse. He wasn't before he transmigrated, and he certainly wasn't now. Knowing he lacked the strength and running off to meddle in Linley's affairs wasn't loyalty—it was suicide.

Akes stood up and walked to the weapon rack on the other side of the room. On it rested a staff, dark red throughout, with a fist-sized fire-element magic core embedded at the top—the core of a seventh-rank magical beast, the Red Flame Lion King. He had spent a fortune to have it custom-made after arriving in Yulan; while it couldn't compare to those Saint-level artifacts passed down for thousands of years, it was still a fine piece.

He gripped the staff, channeling his magic power, and the core at the top glowed with a warm red light.

He simultaneously activated the Fallen Heart Flame, and the two flames echoed each other, forming a faint ring of fire around him.

Seventh-rank magic—Fire Snake Dance.

Akes waved his staff lightly, and over a dozen fire snakes darted out from the void, weaving and dancing within the room without touching a single wall. This precise control came from his powerful spiritual energy, one of his proudest abilities.

Akes withdrew the flames and placed the staff back on the rack.

He walked to the window and pushed it open. The afternoon sunlight shone in, carrying the chill of early spring. People bustled through the streets of the Imperial Capital, the sounds of hawking and laughter drifting in faintly.

In a few years, Linley would emerge from the Magical Beast Mountain Range, step by step head toward the Chaotic Region, establish his own power, and eventually fight a decisive battle against the Radiant Church. And by then, the Radiant Plane behind the Radiant Church would descend, the gods would intervene, and the entire Yulan Continent would be swept into an even greater vortex.

If he only wanted to live a stable life, it wasn't too late to start enjoying it now. A seventh-rank mage, a Count's title, and a solid family fortune were enough for him to live comfortably in the Yulan Empire.

But Akes was not resigned.

Having transmigrated once, possessing a system, and having talent far exceeding ordinary people—if he only lived for a life of ease, it would be too cowardly.

He didn't want to change the plot—no, he had wanted to, but he couldn't. Changing the plot required strength, and strength was exactly what he lacked.

So he could only wait.

Wait until he became stronger.

"If your strength isn't enough, it just isn't enough. Why overthink it?"

Akes muttered to himself, turned around, and walked back to the prayer mat to sit cross-legged once more.

He recalled a line he had read in his past life: A general on the march does not chase small rabbits.

Akes closed his eyes and began to visualize the Nuwa Diagram again.

The majestic figure in his mind became increasingly clear, the surrounding galaxy rotating slowly as wisps of cool energy seeped into the depths of his soul. He felt his spiritual energy solidify by another fraction.

Time holds no meaning in cultivation.

When Akes opened his eyes again, it was already dusk outside the window. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky orange-red, with a few clouds edged in gold.

He stood up and stretched his somewhat stiff limbs.

"Kaman."

"My Lord." The old butler's voice came from outside the door.

"Is dinner ready?"

"Yes, as you instructed, I have prepared Roasted Snow Beef and Firethorn Fruit Soup for this evening."

Akes nodded and walked out of the cultivation room.

The dining room was not large, containing only a long table. He sat alone at the head, with a simple meal of two dishes and one soup before him. Over the years since his transmigration, he had long grown accustomed to solitude. His friends from the Ernst Institute were scattered to the corners of the world; Linley was training hard in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Yale was managing the chamber of commerce in the O'Brien Empire, and he had heard that George had gone to serve at a church in the Fenlai Kingdom.

Everyone was walking their own path.

Akes ate his dinner slowly, his mind still occupied with thoughts of cultivation. From the seventh rank to the eighth, at his current speed, it would likely take another year and a half to two years. From the eighth to the ninth would be even slower, perhaps four or five years. And from the ninth to the Saint-level...

He set down his utensils and shook his head.

Enough, one must take the road one step at a time.

"Kaman, starting tomorrow, reduce the morning reception time to two hours. I will be cultivating for the rest of the time. Unless it is news from the Dawson Chamber of Commerce or the Ernst Institute, handle other matters as you see fit."

"Yes, My Lord," Kaman replied respectfully. "Additionally, someone from the Imperial Magic Guild came by this afternoon; they wish to invite you to participate in next month's mage examination evaluations."

Akes thought for a moment. "Decline it. Just say that I have reached a critical stage in my cultivation and it is inconvenient for me to go out."

"Understood."

After dinner, Akes returned to his study, lit the magic lamp, and pulled a copy of Biographies of Saint-level Experts of the Yulan Continent from the bookshelf. He had bought this book when he first arrived in Yulan; it recorded the famous Saint-level experts of the Yulan Continent over the past thousand years, including their life stories, battle records, and signature techniques.