A Year of Grueling Training

Because the army of magical beasts had breached the border, the human armies had now retreated a hundred li. The fall of Hess City was only a matter of time, and Arnold once again left Hess City with Yale's father, Monroe.

Although Arnold had joined Dawson Commerce, he was not actually bound by any particular tasks. After all, he was Yale's classmate and quite strong himself, so Arnold only needed to keep training.

Linley planned to undergo harsh training to increase his strength, and Arnold was the same. Linley, after transforming into a Dragonblood Warrior, had actually been able to kill a Ninth-level Warrior. Arnold could not help envying the power of Linley's family bloodline. But Arnold was also proud, because his spiritual essence had already reached the upper tier of a Seventh-level Mage. It was probably higher than Linley's!

Since Ernst Magic Academy happened to be close to Fenlai City, one of the magical beasts' primary targets, Ernst Magic Academy was directly destroyed.

One week after Linley left, Arnold also bid farewell to the three brothers.

Inside a manor in a city within a duchy north of the Hess Kingdom.

"Yale, George, Renault, Ernst Magic Academy is already finished. Although I could cling to you, Yale, and follow you around, that would be far too slow. I've decided to begin long-term secluded training as well. I want to surpass Old Third in the field of magic," Arnold said to the three.

"You brat, you're always making fun of me." Yale punched Arnold's shoulder.

"Really? But if we have a gathering sometime, you can't refuse to come," George said.

"Exactly, exactly! I always brag to others that my two good brothers are both magical geniuses! I'm waiting for the day you surpass Old Third!" Renault said.

"To be honest, during that time when I had an epiphany with Linley, my spiritual essence crossed the boundary of a Sixth-level Mage and reached the level of a Seventh-level Mage. But I lied last time, and I truly am sorry about that." Arnold spoke guiltily.

"It's fine, it's fine. We're all brothers. You had your own concerns too." Yale immediately showed that he did not mind.

"Exactly." Renault and George echoed him.

"Mm. I won't lie to you again in the future. I'll keep my word." Arnold spoke solemnly.

"Then doesn't that make you a Seventh-level Mage now?" Renault asked excitedly.

"Right. And my spiritual essence has also reached the upper tier of a Seventh-level Mage," Arnold said.

"Holy shit, Arnold, you're about to defy the heavens. Arnold, train hard and reach Saint Domain Magus as soon as possible! I'm waiting for you to protect our Dawson Commerce after you become a Saint Domain Magus!" Yale was extremely excited as well.

"Mm."

The group chatted for quite some time before Arnold set off.

His destination was the Warcraft Mountain Range. After taking a slight detour, Arnold arrived at its edge.

After witnessing the power of a Dragonblood Warrior, Arnold's determination to train his ** had not changed. He even planned to raise his ** to the legendary level of a Seventh-level Warrior on the Yulan Continent.

Naturally, he would not neglect his cultivation of battle-qi either. Arnold planned to begin using the rudimentary laws he had comprehended to create ultimate techniques once his battle-qi reached the level of a Sixth-level Warrior.

Merging with Earth Element was terrifyingly beneficial to the growth of spiritual essence. As his spiritual essence grew, Arnold also gained a deeper understanding of magic.

Arnold walked from the outer region of the Warcraft Mountain Range deeper within, preparing to cross the Warcraft Mountain Range toward the O'Brien Empire and the Magnolia Empire.

Although he did not possess materials as extraordinary as Black Jade Stone, Arnold had previously asked Master Vincent to forge a specially made sword for him.

Arnold named this sword Mooncleaver. It was an entirely black sharp sword, with a swastika-shaped handguard. This sword was intended for his battle-qi training.

By the end of his first year in the Warcraft Mountain Range, Arnold's ** strength had reached the upper tier of a Fourth-level Warrior, approaching the level of a Fifth-level Warrior. His spiritual essence had also grown to the level of an Eighth-level Mage. After spending some time absorbing Earth Element, Arnold raised his magical power to the level of an Eighth-level Mage as well. From then on, Arnold could be considered an Eighth-level dual-element earth and wind magus.

Mages held an exceptionally exalted status.

Even an ordinary mage had a status comparable to that of a noble.

An Eighth-level Mage did not need to kneel even before the king of a kingdom and could speak to him while standing. This showed just how honored an Eighth-level Mage was.

After reaching the level of an Eighth-level Mage, the power of Arnold's many spells skyrocketed.

First was the Eighth-level Earthquake Sacred Armor. Once cast, the sacred armor covering Arnold's entire body was directly formed from crystal jade, a material one grade stronger than ordinary jade.

Next was the Eighth-level Spiral Sphere. It could now form forty enormous spherical stones around Arnold, and its casting speed was beyond compare.

Then there was the improved Eighth-level Earthshaking Art, whose destructive power against enemies was several times greater than the Seventh-level version.

Most importantly, Arnold continued deducing the Greater Gravity Spell he had created until it could be deduced no further. The Eighth-level Greater Gravity Spell could increase gravity twentyfold. Used alongside ** training and battle-qi cultivation, it was practically divine assistance.

The Earth Escape Art Arnold had created also greatly increased his travel speed.

Of course, upon reaching the Eighth-level, there were new spells to learn, such as the Eighth-level earth-element spell—Earth Golem: Earth Howling Wolf!

After studying it a little, Arnold could tell that this spell was considered a basic application of Earth Element.

There was also the instant-cast Eighth-level earth-element spell—Rain of Shattered Stone. By using spiritual essence to communicate with Earth Element, one could instantly gather a vast amount of earth-element essence and form numerous huge boulders. It barely counted as a defensive spell! Likewise, it was a basic application of Earth Element.

The wind element also had some spells that needed learning. Yale had given Arnold books on wind-element magic long ago, so Arnold could naturally study them slowly now.

The Eighth-level wind-element spell—Wings of Wind! It was the advanced version of the Seventh-level Magic, Flight Art. It could directly form transparent azure wings from magical power and Earth Element behind a wind-element mage. After trying it a few times, Arnold was able to effortlessly soar into the air!

Arnold had gained a deep understanding of earth-element magic. He could even improve magical incantations and create them from nothing. But he was not very familiar with wind-element magic. In truth, Arnold had another trick.

Arnold had profound experience with merging into Earth Element and had directly created the convenient travel spell, Earth Escape Art. But what if he merged himself into wind-element essence? Wouldn't that greatly increase his speed?

The auxiliary magic Extreme was originally meant to increase the speed of a mage or their teammates, but Arnold only knew that it worked, not why it worked.

Thus, Arnold temporarily shifted his research focus to wind-element essence. Although he had never focused on studying the wind element before, with his prior experience of merging into Earth Element, Arnold's research into merging with wind-element essence progressed quite quickly.