Halu's Sacred Domain

Halu lay on the largest rock in the courtyard, eyes closed, motionless.

It had already been three days.

Ever since Linley had handed him that dark-attribute Saint-level magic core, Halu had maintained this exact posture. He held the core in his mouth, and wisps of dark aura emanated from his body, rising and falling like the tides.

The courtyard was very quiet. The five Barker brothers gathered in a corner, speaking in hushed tones, afraid to disturb Halu. Sessler had also emerged from his laboratory, standing in the doorway, squinting as he observed Halu's condition. Bebe squatted on the courtyard wall, his little eyes fixed unblinkingly on Halu, uncharacteristically refraining from his usual antics.

Akes leaned against the door of his room, watching as well.

A Saint-level magical beast.

The transition for a magical beast from the ninth rank to the Saint level was a massive threshold.

"The Lord is truly good to him," Barker whispered, leaning in. "A Saint-level magic core—that's something you can't buy even with all the money in the world."

Akes nodded.

That was the truth. A Saint-level magic core was a treasure obtained only by slaying a Saint-level magical beast. Not to mention how difficult it was to kill such a creature, even if one succeeded, the core itself was a priceless treasure—it could be used to forge Saint-level magical items or to construct powerful magic arrays. Many would gladly bankrupt themselves just to obtain one, yet they remained out of reach.

"Where is Linley?"

"The Lord is at the back mountain," Barker said.

Akes grunted, turned, and headed toward the back mountain.

There was a small stream at the back mountain with a flat, smooth rock by its side where Linley often sat to cultivate. When Akes found him, Linley was sitting cross-legged on the stone, eyes closed, perfectly still.

But Akes could feel the surrounding air flowing.

Those currents were gentle, circling Linley like the waters of the stream.

He watched those currents, a sudden realization dawning in his heart.

Is this the Profound Truth of Wind?

His own path of the Laws of Fire was different—it was about destruction, incineration, and scorching. Wind was different; wind was flow, speed, and formlessness. The two laws were completely distinct, yet watching Linley gain insight, he vaguely sensed something they shared.

Whether fire or wind, at their core, both were the application of the laws of the heavens and earth.

He recalled his own realization that the Essence of Flame was destruction and consumption. But what of wind?

Wind was flow, change, and eternal motion.

He simply found a rock nearby and sat down, watching the swirling currents around Linley while contemplating his own Laws of Fire.

Time passed bit by bit.

The sun moved from overhead to the west, then gradually sank below the mountains. Linley never moved, and those currents continued to swirl around him, never ceasing. Akes also remained seated on the rock, eyes closed, a faint glow of fire flickering on his body.

Suddenly, the currents stalled.

Akes looked up and saw Linley open his eyes.

The surrounding air suddenly accelerated, forming a visible whirlwind around Linley. The whirlwind spun faster and more violently, then abruptly exploded, transforming into countless tiny wind blades that shot out in all directions.

The wind blades grazed Akes's cheek and struck the tree trunk behind him, leaving deep gouges. Several other blades flew toward the stream, carving deep furrows into the water that took a long time to return to stillness.

Linley stood up, a smile on his face.

It was the look of satisfaction that came with mastering a new profound truth, a contentment with the growth of his own strength. Akes had seen this expression before—he wore the same look whenever he reached a new level in his fire profound truths.

Akes nodded: "Congratulations."

Linley walked over, and the two walked down the mountain side by side.

"How is Halu?"

"Still refining," Akes said. "His aura has been very stable; there shouldn't be any problems."

Linley nodded and asked no more.

The two walked down along the stream. Moonlight spilled over the mountains, coating everything in a silvery white. The calls of night birds drifted from afar, and the chirping of insects echoed from time to time.

When they returned to the courtyard, the sky had already darkened. Sessler had lit a bonfire in the yard, and the five Barker brothers were sitting around the fire, roasting a wild boar they had scavenged from somewhere. The boar was quite large, skewered on a thick wooden pole and rotating slowly over the flames. Grease dripped onto the fire, making a sizzling sound, and the aroma drifted everywhere.

Bebe squatted by the fire, his little eyes fixed intently on the sizzling, oily meat, his mouth practically watering. From time to time, he would paw at Barker, his meaning clear—hurry up, hurry up.

Barker flipped the meat helplessly: "Don't rush, don't rush, it's not cooked through yet."

Bebe squeaked in dissatisfaction, his little claws tugging again.

Halu remained in the same posture, lying on the rock, motionless. But Akes could feel that his aura was stronger than it had been during the day. Those dark auras emanated from his body, rising and falling rhythmically like breath.

"He hasn't woken up yet," Sessler said, seeing them return, and shook his head. "But his aura is much stronger than yesterday. This old man estimates that in another three to five days, we should have our answer."

Linley walked to Halu's side and reached out to stroke his head.

Halu didn't react, but his breathing was steady; he didn't seem to be in any danger. Linley's hand lingered on his head for a moment before he patted him gently.

"Let him refine it slowly," Linley said. "Don't disturb him."

Everyone nodded.

In the days that followed, life returned to its usual rhythm.

Linley went to the back mountain every day to cultivate; the second level of the Profound Truth of Wind he had just mastered needed time to consolidate. Sometimes he went alone, and sometimes he took Bebe. Bebe would run wild in the back mountain, chasing rabbits and birds, having the time of his life. Linley would sit on the large rock by the stream, staying for the entire day.

Akes spent most of his time in his room cultivating. The insight he had gained on the mountain that day kept swirling in his mind—the flow of fire. He tried to make his fire flow like water and drift like wind. But once the fire left his range of control, it lost its restraint, either extinguishing or burning out of control.

It was too difficult.

The Essence of Flame is destruction, it is fury. To make something so violent become docile and controllable requires incredibly precise control. He tried again and again, failing each time, but every failure gave him a deeper understanding of flame.

Halu had yet to wake up.

It lay on that rock like a statue, yet the aura emanating from its body grew stronger by the day, and the dark mist surrounding it became increasingly dense.

Bebe ran around every day, catching bugs and chasing birds with frightening energy. Sometimes it would perch on the courtyard wall, staring at Halu for a long time before letting out a few squeaks, as if cheering it on.

The seventh day.

The eighth day.

The ninth day.

By the evening of the tenth day, Halu's aura suddenly began to fluctuate violently.

Akes was practicing inside the house when he suddenly sensed a powerful surge of energy from outside. The fluctuation was so intense that even the walls of the house were trembling slightly. He opened his eyes and pushed the door open to step out.

Everyone was already out in the courtyard.

The five Barker brothers stood in a circle, watching nervously. Gates clenched his fists, muttering something under his breath, though no one knew what he was saying.

Sessler stood by the doorway, eyes narrowed, staring intently at the churning mist.

Bebe was perched on the courtyard wall, its small eyes unblinking, uncharacteristically quiet.

Halu lay on the rock, shrouded in thick, black mist. The mist churned violently, as if something were struggling within it. Waves of overbearing energy erupted from the mist, spreading in all directions and shaking the trees in the courtyard. The ground around the rock began to crack, with fissures spreading outward.

"It's breaking through!" Sessler shouted excitedly. "The most critical moment has arrived!"

The mist grew thicker, churning more and more violently.

Suddenly, a low roar emanated from within the mist.

The mist exploded outward.

Halu walked out from within.

It was still the same Black-Striped Cloud Leopard, but its size had increased by a full circle. Its fur was sleek and glossy, and the black markings on its forehead were deeper, faintly shimmering with a metallic luster. Most noticeable were its eyes—the originally yellow slit pupils had turned dark gold, radiating a glimmer of intelligence.

It was the light belonging to a Saint-level magical beast.

Halu stood there, exuding a powerful aura. It was the true aura of a Saint, a realm that countless magical beasts dreamed of reaching. It looked down at its claws, then looked up at its surroundings, its eyes filled with a sense of daze and disbelief.

Saint-level.

It had truly reached the Saint-level.

Halu's gaze swept across the group and finally landed on Linley.

It lowered its head and spoke, its voice low and powerful: "My Lord."

Only when a magical beast reaches the Saint-level can it speak.

A smile appeared on Linley's face: "Good."

The five Barker brothers let out a cheer. Gates rushed forward, wanting to hug Halu, only to be swatted aside by one of its claws. He didn't mind at all, climbing back up with a grin. Walter revealed a rare smile, and the others all breathed a sigh of relief.

Bebe jumped down from the wall, darted in front of Halu, and squeaked as it climbed up. Halu lowered its head, allowing it to climb onto its back. Bebe sat on Halu's back, looking around triumphantly, its expression as if to say—look, this is my territory!

Sessler stroked his beard, nodding repeatedly: "Good, good. With Halu breaking through to the Saint-level, our strength has increased once more."

Linley walked over and reached out to pat Halu on the head. Halu lowered its head and nuzzled against his hand.