Invitation to the Ruins

Summer, Yulan Calendar 10003.

When Akes emerged from the cultivation room, Kaman had already been waiting at the door for some time.

"My Lord, an urgent letter sent by Sir Holman." Kaman handed over an envelope with both hands; the flap was sealed with wax, bearing the crest of the Holman family.

Akes took the letter and began to open it as he walked. Kaman naturally fell two steps behind, maintaining a perfectly appropriate distance.

The letter was short, but the information it contained was significant.

Holman stated in the letter that there was now definitive news regarding the Southern Volcano ruins mentioned previously. An expedition team led by a Saint-level expert had been assembled and was currently recruiting its final few members. They were in urgent need of a fire-style mage, and Holman had recommended Akes. If interested, he was to reply within three days and gather at the south gate of the Imperial Capital in five days to depart.

Akes finished reading the letter, paused his steps for a moment, then continued walking forward.

A Saint-level leader. The Southern Volcano. Ancient ruins.

These three terms, when placed together, were enough to stir the heart of most eighth-rank mages, and enough to make most people calm down.

Akes walked into the study, sat down in his chair, and placed the letter on the table.

Kaman followed him in and stood at the door: "My Lord, is there anything that needs to be prepared?"

"No rush." Akes waved his hand, "Let me think about it first."

Kaman nodded, retreated, and pulled the door shut behind him.

Akes leaned back into his chair, his gaze falling on the garden outside the window. Old Tom was watering the Flame Flowers, his movements unhurried, looking quite at ease.

The Southern Volcano ruins.

He certainly knew what ruins implied. Opportunity, treasures, and legacies, but also danger, traps, and death. There were plenty of similar ruins in the original story, and it was the norm for fewer than one in ten who entered to survive. Those who could come out alive either had heaven-defying luck or sufficiently solid strength.

But on the other hand—

Akes stood up, walked to the bookshelf, pulled out Biographies of Saint-level Experts of the Yulan Continent, and flipped to the page recording the Southern Volcano.

The book was very brief, stating only that it was a famous gathering place for fire-style magical beasts in the Yulan Continent, and that there were legends of ancient ruins deep within, though they had never been verified. Saint-level experts had explored deep inside before; some came out alive, while others remained inside forever.

Most of those who came out alive later broke through their bottlenecks.

Akes closed the book and returned to the table to sit down.

Strength, that sort of thing, could certainly be improved by grinding away in seclusion, but it was too slow.

Risk and reward are directly proportional; he understood this principle.

Akes picked up the letter and read it again, his gaze lingering on the words "Saint-level leader."

With a Saint-level expert leading the team, the danger coefficient would be much lower. An expert of that level would not easily risk their life; if they dared to lead a team inside, it meant they had a basic assessment of the danger level of the ruins. As long as he followed the team closely, didn't run around, and wasn't greedy, the probability of coming out alive was not low.

Moreover, he was a fire-style mage, which gave him a natural advantage in the volcanic ruins. The Fallen Heart Flame was a supreme treasure for fire-style users, and it might just come in handy.

Akes placed the letter back on the table and suddenly smiled.

Thinking so much, it actually boiled down to one question—to go or not to go.

He stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open. The hot afternoon breeze rushed in, carrying the fragrance of the flowers in the garden. Old Tom looked up and waved at him, and he raised his hand to respond.

Go.

Once this thought emerged, he felt entirely at ease.

Ten years since transmigrating, ten years of signing in, and having obtained so many good things—if he didn't even dare to enter ruins led by a Saint-level expert, that would be too cowardly.

Akes turned back to the table, spread out some letter paper, and picked up his pen to reply to Holman. The content was very simple—he was willing to join and would arrive at the south gate on time in five days.

After finishing the letter, he sealed it and handed it to Kaman: "Have someone send this to Sir Holman's mansion immediately."

"Yes, My Lord." Kaman took the letter but did not leave immediately, "Is the Lord going on a long journey?"

Akes glanced at him: "How did you know?"

"A guess." Kaman smiled, "The Lord rarely makes decisions so decisively."

Akes also smiled: "Yes, I am going on a long journey, at least a month, at most two or three. Look after things at home; if there is an emergency, leave a message at the Dawson Chamber of Commerce, and they will find a way to forward it."

"Understood." Kaman paused, "Please take care, My Lord."

Akes nodded and said nothing more.

Over the next few days, he began making preparations for his departure.

First was taking inventory of his existing equipment and supplies.

The staff he used was a common item; although the quality was decent, it would be troublesome if it broke. Akes thought about it and decided to go to the market to buy a spare, not seeking anything too good, just something functional.

As for pills, he had accumulated quite a few from signing in over the years. Qi Gathering Pills, Rejuvenation Pills, Barrier Breaking Pills, plus a few bottles of Fire Spirit Pills brought back from ruins, were enough to last for a while. He also went to the Imperial Magic Guild to buy some common potions for healing and detoxifying, just in case.

Life-saving items were the most important.

The Ice Block could only be used once a day, and he had marked five points for Teleportation—the Count's mansion, the Ernst Institute, the ruins of Fenlai City, the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, and the Imperial Magic Guild of the Yulan Empire. If he encountered danger in the ruins, as long as he wasn't killed instantly, Teleportation could save his life.

Akes went over these possibilities in his mind and checked his equipment one more time before he felt at ease.

On the night before his departure, Holman arrived.

Akes was somewhat surprised and invited him into the study. For once, Holman hadn't brought any wine, and after sitting down, he went straight to the point.

"You won't blame me for recommending you for this, will you?" Holman's first sentence was exactly that.

Aikesi Yan looked at him: "Why do you ask?"

"After all, I was the one who pushed you into this. If something happens, my conscience won't be able to take it." Holman was rarely this serious. "I was thinking that you're young, capable, and happen to be a fire-element mage; this is a rare opportunity. But if you feel forced, there's still time to back out. I'll go tell them to find someone else."

Aikesi smiled: "No need to back out. I was planning to go anyway."

Holman stared at him for a moment, confirming he wasn't just being polite, before letting out a sigh of relief: "That's good. But I still need to make things clear—the Saint-level expert leading this team is called Kallen. He used to be a general in the O'Brien Empire, but after breaking through to the Saint level, he resigned to take on these kinds of exploration jobs. He's a decent man with a good reputation. But a Saint is a Saint, after all. When you go, listen when you're told to, don't stand out, don't try to steal the spotlight, and prioritize staying alive."

Aikesi nodded: "I understand."

"And the others in the team," Holman continued. "I've inquired around. There are eleven people confirmed so far, making it twelve with you. Most are eighth or ninth rank. There are two array-breakers specifically hired, and a pair of siblings who are ninth-rank warriors, responsible for melee combat. It's a mixed bag, but with Kallen leading, it shouldn't get chaotic."

Aikesi listened, committing this information to memory.

Holman gave a few more instructions, mostly about staying safe and keeping a cool head. Finally, he stood up and patted Aikesi on the shoulder: "Come back alive. I'll be waiting to drink with you."

"Right."

After seeing Holman off, Aikesi returned to his study to organize the information he had gathered today.

A twelve-person team, a Saint-level leader, two array-breakers, a pair of warrior siblings, and the rest likely covering various professions. As the only fire-element mage, he should be a key combatant in the Volcanic Ruins. As long as he didn't drag the team down, he should be able to hold his own.

As for the two array-breakers hired specifically to dismantle the ruins' mechanisms, it suggested that the target ruins were indeed not simple and likely guarded by complex magic arrays.

Aikesi thought for a moment, pulled Basics of Ancient Magic Arrays from his bookshelf, turned to the section on fire-element arrays, and reviewed it once more. While last-minute cramming wasn't very effective, it was better than doing nothing.

The night grew deep. He closed the book and walked to the window.

The night was beautiful, with stars filling the sky. In the distance, the lights of the imperial capital twinkled like stars, and occasionally, the sound of a dog barking drifted over.

Aikesi stood there for a while, then suddenly remembered something. A thought stirred.

The system interface appeared in his mind, the check-in button glowing.

It was a good time to check in before setting off; who knew, maybe he'd get something useful.

He silently recited the command to check in.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Immortal Sword: True Essence Body Protection."

A line of small text appeared in his mind—an active skill that consumes mana to generate a shield; defense increases with strength; can save one's life at a critical moment.

Aikesi raised an eyebrow.

This was a timely gift. Ice Block could only block one attack and had a long cooldown. If True Essence Body Protection didn't consume too much mana, it could serve as a standard defensive measure, significantly increasing his survivability.

He immediately attempted to activate it.

Mana flowed through his body along a mysterious trajectory, then formed a faint golden light barrier on the surface of his skin. The barrier was thin, almost transparent, but he could feel obvious resistance when he touched it with his hand.

Aikesi tested its strength. It didn't budge under normal force, and when he increased the pressure, the barrier vibrated slightly but showed no signs of breaking.

With his eighth-rank high-level strength, it could probably block a full-force strike from a ninth-rank low-level expert? He made a rough estimate and felt confident.

With True Essence Body Protection, Ice Block, and Teleportation, he had added another trump card for survival.

Aikesi retracted the barrier, feeling quite pleased.

He turned and left the study, returning to his bedroom to lie down. He had to set off early tomorrow morning, so he needed to be well-rested.

He closed his eyes and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning, Aikesi arrived at the south gate of the imperial capital right on time.

More than a dozen people had already gathered in the open space outside the gate, representing various professions. A burly, middle-aged man stood at the very front, talking to two people beside him.

Aikesi walked over, and the middle-aged man turned to look at him.

The moment their eyes met, Aikesi felt a wave of pressure—the kind of oppression that comes from being crushed by raw strength. The man wasn't intentionally releasing his aura, but the natural presence of a Saint-level powerhouse was enough to make lower-rank cultivators feel awe.

"Aikesi Yan?" the middle-aged man asked, his voice steady.

"Yes." Aikesi nodded. "Greetings, Lord Kallen."

Kallen looked him over twice and nodded: "The one recommended by that kid Holman. Eighth-rank high-level, fire-element. Not bad, young and promising."

"You are too kind, my lord."

Kallen didn't say anything more and turned to the others: "Everyone is here. Let's move."

The team began to move. Aikesi followed behind, observing the others calmly.

The two array-breakers didn't look young; one wore gray robes and the other blue, both dressed as mages. The warrior siblings stood in the middle of the team; the man was tall and burly, the woman looked spirited, and both had greatswords hanging at their waists.

The rest were dressed in various ways, including archers, thieves, and two others who, like him, wore mage robes—one was water-element, the other wind-element.

The twelve-person team headed south.

Aikesi walked in the middle of the group, next to the water-element mage. The man looked to be in his forties, with a kind face, and he nodded at Aikesi.

"First time entering ruins?" the man asked.

"Yes." Aikesi didn't hide it.

"Then stay close to the team and don't wander off." The man smiled. "My surname is Chen; just call me Old Chen. If you need anything, feel free to ask."

"Many thanks, Old Chen."