Northbound

It normally takes a month to travel from the Yulan Empire to the O'Brien Empire.

Akes was in no hurry.

After leaving the imperial capital, he kept his pace very slow, traveling only four or five hours a day. He spent the rest of his time either resting in a town or camping out in the wilderness. In any case, given his current strength, ordinary magical beasts and bandits posed no threat, so there was nothing to worry about when sleeping outdoors.

Traveling in such a stop-and-go fashion allowed him to see quite a lot.

The first day, he passed through the agricultural region in the north of the Yulan Empire. Vast stretches of farmland extended into the distance; the wheat had just been harvested, leaving only neat rows of stubble in the fields. Farmers were busy at work, some plowing the land, others driving ox carts to transport fertilizer. Villages appeared along the roadside from time to time, with wisps of smoke curling from chimneys and the sounds of chickens and dogs echoing. As Akes rode his horse past a village, a few barefoot children chased after him for a distance before being called back by their elders. He glanced back once, then continued on his way.

Such scenes reminded him of his childhood in his previous life. Back then, he had also run along such field paths, though those memories had become as blurred as if they belonged to a past life. Oh, they were indeed from a past life.

On the second night, he camped near a forest. He built a fire and was eating a piece of dry ration when he suddenly heard movement in the woods. Looking up, he saw a wild rabbit poke its head out of the grass, ears perked as it sized him up. Akes didn't move; after watching for a while, the rabbit retreated into the grass and ran off.

On the third day, he entered a hilly region. The farmland thinned out, replaced by stretches of forest and grassland. Occasionally, he encountered merchant caravans driving wagons loaded with goods, flying the flags of their trade guilds. Some caravans, seeing him traveling alone, would grip their weapons in vigilance, but he didn't mind and simply bypassed them from a distance. One caravan's guard captain did linger his gaze on him for a few moments, likely sensing something, but he didn't come over to strike up a conversation.

On the evening of the fourth day, he stopped by a small river. While his horse drank, he crouched by the bank to wash his face. The water was cool and clear to the bottom, where he could see fish swimming among the water weeds. He stared at the surface for a moment, then suddenly reached out. The Fallen Heart Flame transformed into an invisible heat current that dove into the water, instantly stunning a half-foot-long fish. The fish floated up with its white belly exposed; he scooped it up, scaled and gutted it, then skewered it on a branch to roast over the fire.

The fish was roasted until the outside was crispy and the inside tender. Sprinkled with the salt he carried, it tasted quite good.

On the fifth day, he passed through a small town and stopped to stay for the night.

The inn in town was small, and the owner was a man in his forties who was talkative and loved to chat. The food served at dinner was mediocre, but the portions were generous. As Akes ate, he listened to the owner ramble on about town affairs—who had given birth, whose elder had passed away, which merchant had been swindled, and which young man had been locked up for fighting. As he spoke, the owner suddenly lowered his voice: "Things haven't been peaceful lately. I hear there are bandits appearing in the north. You're traveling alone, sir, so you should be careful."

Akes nodded: "Thank you for the warning."

"If I were you, I'd stay here for a couple more days. Wait for a merchant caravan to pass through and travel with them; it's safer," the owner said, trying to be helpful.

"No need. I travel slowly, so I won't run into any bandits," Akes smiled.

The owner wanted to persuade him further, but seeing his firm attitude, he said no more.

Listening to this small-town gossip, he suddenly thought of his time at the Ernst Institute, where George was the one who loved talking about such things. Every time he returned from outside, he would drag them along to listen to his experiences—which noble's daughter was beautiful, which merchant's son had been cheated of his money, or which mercenary group had suffered losses in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. He had found it annoying back then, but hearing it now, it felt somewhat nostalgic.

He wondered what George was doing now. He should still be at the institute; given his personality, he was probably pestering some classmate for a chat.

Early the next morning, he continued on his way.

On the seventh day, he encountered bandits for the first time.

Five men, riding horses and wielding blades, charged out from the woods by the road. The leader, with a face full of jowls, shouted for him to hand over his valuables.

Akes didn't speak; he simply raised his hand and unleashed a streak of flame.

The flame scorched a charred mark on the ground in front of them, as thick as an arm and over ten meters long. The burnt earth emitted wisps of smoke, and a charred smell filled the air. The five horses stopped in unison, rearing up and nearly throwing their riders off. One horse was so startled it neighed and backed away, its rider pulling the reins tight with a death grip, his face turning pale.

The jowly leader froze for a moment, his eyes wide as saucers, staring at the charred mark on the ground for two seconds before turning his horse around and fleeing without a word. The remaining four ran even faster, one of them not even daring to pick up the sword he had dropped.

Akes lowered his hand and continued on his way.

On the twelfth day, he entered a wasteland.

The wind here was fierce, making it almost impossible to keep one's eyes open. The grass on the ground was short and tough, crunching underfoot. Occasionally, he could see a few wild beasts wandering in the distance; upon seeing him from afar, they would turn and run. A few vultures circled in the sky, likely mistaking him for some dying prey.

By evening, he found an abandoned shepherd's hut and decided to spend the night there.

The hut was dilapidated, with several holes in the roof, but it at least blocked the wind. The walls were made of stone, some parts having collapsed halfway, but the remaining sections were still sturdy. He tied his horse outside; the horse snorted and lowered its head to graze on the withered grass. Akes entered the hut, built a fire, and sat down against the wall.

Outside, the wind howled; inside, the firelight flickered.

He pulled the map from his chest and looked at it by the firelight. The map had been bought in the imperial capital before his departure and was marked in great detail, with mountains, rivers, towns, and villages clearly labeled. At his current speed, he would enter the O'Brien Empire in about ten days. Once he crossed the border, it would be a short journey to the Northwest Province.

The Northwest Province, the provincial capital of Basil.

He put away the map and added a few dry branches to the fire. The branches crackled, and sparks flew.

The firelight shone on his face, flickering between light and shadow.

He closed his eyes and began to cultivate. The Fallen Heart Flame circulated slowly within his body, tempering his meridians bit by bit. This cultivation was slow, but it was steady; with time and accumulation, he would always make progress.

The next day, he continued his journey.

On the thirteenth day, the wasteland gradually turned green, and sparse bushes began to appear. Occasionally, he saw shepherds driving flocks of sheep past; the sheep were plump and sturdy, with bright, lustrous wool. When the shepherds saw him from afar, they would wave to greet him, and he would wave back in response.

On the fourteenth day, he finally saw signs of human life. A small village sat at the foot of a mountain, with a dozen households and vegetable patches planted in front of and behind the houses. As he passed by the village, he saw several women washing clothes by a stream, chatting and laughing. An old man sat at his doorway basking in the sun, squinting as he sized him up. When Akes drew near, the old man suddenly spoke: "Young man, traveling alone?"

Akes reined in his horse: "Yes."

"Where are you headed?"

"The O'Brien Empire."

The old man nodded: "That's a long way off. Be careful on the road; things haven't been peaceful in this area lately."

Akes felt a chill in his heart, but his expression remained calm: "Thank you for the warning, elder."

The old man waved his hand and went back to basking in the sun.

On the fifteenth day, he finally entered the territory of the O'Brien Empire.

There was a checkpoint on the border, with a few soldiers on duty. The checkpoint was built from thick logs, simple but sturdy, and a sentry tower had been constructed nearby with an archer standing on top. Akes showed his identification from the Yulan Empire; the soldiers inspected it and let him pass. One of the young soldiers looked at him curiously, likely finding it rare for a young man to travel so far alone.

"Hey," the young soldier suddenly called out to him, "are you by yourself?"

Akes nodded.

"You've got guts," the young soldier grinned, "be careful on the road."

"Many thanks." Akes nudged his horse's flanks and continued on his way.

After passing the checkpoint, the scenery along the road was noticeably different from that of the Yulan Empire.

The Yulan Empire had flat terrain, vast farmlands, and dense villages. On the O'Brien Empire side, the terrain was more undulating, with many mountains and thick forests, and the distance between towns was much greater. There were more merchant caravans on the road, but fewer pedestrians; most were groups of mercenaries or merchants, and lone travelers like him were a rare sight.

On the sixteenth day, he encountered a magical beast in a stretch of mountain forest.

It was an Iron-Back Wolf, a size larger than an ordinary wolf, with blue-gray fur and a distinct ridge of black, stiff hair along its spine. It crawled out from the forest, blocked the road, stared at him with green eyes, and let out a low growl.

Akes glanced at it, and the Fallen Heart Flame within his body stirred slightly.

The Iron-Back Wolf seemed to sense something; its growl stopped abruptly, its ears flattened against its head, and it tucked its tail between its legs, darting back into the forest and vanishing without a trace.

On the seventeenth day, he passed a small town. He rested there for a night and replenished his dry rations and water. When he left the city the next day, he encountered a merchant caravan being besieged by bandits.

There were over twenty bandits, while the caravan had only seven or eight guards, and more than half were already dead or wounded. Four or five corpses lay on the ground, belonging to both bandits and guards. The remaining guards formed a circle, protecting the few carriages in the center, struggling to hold on. The flag on the carriage had been shot through with several holes, but one could still tell it was the flag of the Dawson Chamber of Commerce—a deep blue background embroidered with a golden bear.

Akes sighed and made his move.

The Fallen Heart Flame transformed into a dozen fire arrows, instantly shooting down the bandits charging at the front. The fire arrows pierced through their bodies, and they fell from their horses before they could even let out a scream. The remaining bandits froze, then scattered in a panic, running faster than rabbits.

The leader of the caravan was a middle-aged man covered in blood, with a deep sword wound on his left arm, though it wasn't life-threatening. He ran over to express his gratitude and asked for Akes's name. Akes did not answer, merely pointing at the flag and saying, "The young master of your chamber of commerce is a friend of mine."

The leader was stunned for a moment, then bowed repeatedly: "So you are a friend of the young master! Many thanks to our benefactor for saving our lives! May I ask your name, benefactor? I will certainly report this to the young master when I return!"

"No need." Akes waved his hand, preparing to leave.

The leader grew anxious and insisted on stuffing a bag of gold coins into his hand. Akes refused and rode away. Even after walking a long distance, he could still hear the leader shouting from behind: "Benefactor! At least leave your name!"

He did not look back.

On the twenty-third day, he entered the territory of the Northwest Province.

The terrain here was even more rugged, with mountains upon mountains, and the road winding through the valleys. On both sides were steep slopes covered in shrubs and wild grass, with occasional cliffs and bare, exposed rock. There were fewer merchant caravans on the road, but more hurried mercenaries and adventurers, all fully armed and looking vigilant.

On the twenty-eighth day, he arrived at a small town.

The town was not large, consisting of only one main street with a few shops scattered along both sides—a blacksmith, a general store, an inn, and a small food stall. There were few people on the street; a few children were chasing each other, an old man was carrying a load and hawking his wares, and a few dogs were lying in the corner soaking up the sun.

When Akes rode into town, it was almost dark. He planned to stay the night and continue his journey tomorrow.

He found an inn, handed his horse to the stable boy, and went inside to request a room.

The inn was small, with the dining area on the first floor and guest rooms on the second. The owner was a plump middle-aged woman with a loud voice, but she was quite hospitable. After collecting the money, she led him upstairs to see the room. The room was small but tidy, and the bed was soft.

He ate dinner downstairs, sitting in a corner, ordering a pot of wine and two dishes—a plate of braised beef and a plate of stir-fried greens. The wine was ordinary ale, mild in taste but thirst-quenching. The beef was sliced thick and flavorful, and the greens were crisp, cooked to perfection.

There weren't many people in the shop; besides him, there were only a few tables of guests. One table consisted of men dressed as mercenaries, speaking loudly. They wore leather armor and kept their weapons by their sides, clearly men who lived by the blade.

"...Have you heard? Something happened on that road outside the city," said a bearded mercenary.

"What happened?" asked a younger one.

"Yesterday afternoon, some people started fighting in the valley over there. The commotion was so loud you could hear it from miles away. Some say they saw a dragon, others say a monster; the rumors are pretty wild."

"Pfft, probably just more nonsense," the third mercenary said dismissively. "There are all sorts of rumors these days."

"Believe it or not, I'm not taking that road today, that's for sure. I'd rather take the long way around," the bearded mercenary gulped down some wine. "I heard from a guy who saw it with his own eyes that the commotion was huge, half the sky turned red, and there were massive roars—didn't sound like any ordinary magical beast."

"Then what was it?"

"Who knows. Either way, it doesn't hurt to be careful."

Akes held his wine cup, listening quietly.

Half the sky turned red... massive roars...

He set down his wine cup, settled the bill, and went upstairs to rest.

Lying in bed, he thought about what the mercenaries had said. If there really were high-level magical beasts or powerful experts in the vicinity, he would indeed need to be careful. However, with his current strength, as long as he didn't encounter anyone at the Saint level, he should have no trouble protecting himself.

In the middle of the night, he suddenly opened his eyes.

A surge of energy came from the distance, very intense; he could feel it even from this far away.

He sat up and sensed it for a moment.

Akes put on his coat, pushed open the window, and leaped out.

In the darkness of the night, he sped toward the direction from which the fluctuations originated.