Saint-level

Autumn, year 9998 of the Yulan Calendar.

In the dense woods behind Ernst Academy, a golden figure moved at tremendous speed. He had already surpassed what the naked eye could follow, leaving only golden afterimages and piercing sonic shrieks in his wake.

A month earlier, An had felt his bottleneck begin to loosen. Ordinary people needed ten years, sometimes decades, to cross the barrier between the eighth and ninth levels, but An had taken less than a year.

He had waited a long time for this day.

Boom!

An stopped abruptly, his feet plowing two deep furrows through the ground. He stood still and closed his eyes, feeling the power surging within him.

In his dantian, his Dragonblood Battle Qi was no longer liquid. It had solidified into crystals, the hallmark of a Ninth-Level Warrior-battle qi crystallization. From the eighth level to the ninth, both the quality and quantity of his battle qi had undergone a tremendous leap.

An channeled his Dragonblood Battle Qi. Golden scales emerged from beneath his skin and swiftly covered his entire body. His wings unfurled, dragon horns sprouted, and the spikes along his back stood erect. In his Dragon Transformation form, his body seemed to have been infused with limitless power.

This was Saint-level.

When An returned to the Earl's estate, Linley was cultivating his battle qi in the courtyard. Seeing An enter, Linley stopped.

"Did you break through?" Linley asked.

An nodded. "Ninth-Level Warrior. After transforming, early Saint-level."

Linley's eyes lit up. He, too, had waited a long time for this day.

"Big brother, let's go back to Wushan Town," An said. "We'll tell Father the good news, and the truth about Mother while we're at it. Then we'll capture Clayde."

Linley clenched his fists and gave a firm nod.

That afternoon, the brothers mounted swift horses and left Fenlai City.

Wushan Town was just as it had always been. The bluestone streets, the old stone houses, the training grounds to the east, and Wu Mountain in the distance.

Hogg was basking in the sun in the courtyard. Ever since his two sons had brought back blue heart grass and the warblade Slaughter from the Magical Beast Mountain Range, his spirits had improved considerably. Though he still thought of Lina, at least he no longer bore the burden alone.

"Father!" An and Linley called together.

Hogg looked up and smiled when he saw his sons. "You're back? Why didn't you send word ahead? I could have had Agatha prepare a few more dishes."

An and Linley sat down in front of Hogg. An glanced at Linley, who nodded.

"Father, there's something I need to tell you." An's voice was calm but solemn. "I've broken through to become a Ninth-Level Warrior."

The teacup in Hogg's hand nearly slipped from his grasp. His eyes widened, and even his voice changed. "N-ninth level? You're only eighteen!"

An offered little explanation. Instead, he directly channeled his Dragonblood Battle Qi and entered his Dragon Transformation form. Golden scales covered his body, his wings unfurled, and he unleashed his Saint-level aura without restraint.

The shock on Hogg's face turned to utter disbelief.

"S-Saint-level?" Hogg's voice trembled.

An returned to human form and sat down again. "Ninth level normally, early Saint-level after transforming. Father, from this day forward, I'll restore the glory of the Baruch Clan."

Hogg's eyes grew wet. He firmly patted An's shoulder, his lips trembling for a long moment before he managed a single word. "Good."

Linley stepped forward and knelt on one knee before Hogg. "Father, there's something else. We've uncovered the truth about Mother."

Hogg's body jolted.

"It was Clayde." Linley's voice was low and firm. "Clayde, the king of the Fenlai Kingdom, sent men to abduct Mother. Paterson was his accomplice, and An and I have already killed him. But Clayde was the mastermind."

Hogg's face turned ashen with fury. His hands gripped the armrests of his chair, his knuckles white.

"Clayde..." Hogg repeated the name through gritted teeth.

"Father, we're going to Fenlai City right now." An rose. "We'll capture Clayde and make him tell us where Mother is. If she's alive, we'll find her. If she's dead, we'll find her body."

Hogg drew a deep breath, suppressing his rage. "What do you need me to do?"

"You don't need to do anything," An said. "Wait at home for our news. Leave Mother's case to us."

Hogg looked at his two sons and remained silent for a long time. He remembered that night twelve years ago, when a group of mysterious men had burst into the hotel and taken his wife. He had risked his life trying to save her, but had only managed to protect little Wharton. For twelve years, he had never stopped hating his own helplessness.

But now, his sons had grown up.

They no longer needed his protection. They could protect him.

"Go," Hogg said hoarsely.

The Royal Palace, Fenlai City.

Clayde had been in a good mood lately. Paterson's disappearance had troubled him for a while, but as time passed, he had put it behind him. After all, Paterson was only his useless younger brother. If he was dead, so be it.

"Your Majesty, the arrangements for tomorrow's hunt are complete," the chief attendant said respectfully.

Clayde nodded. "How many men?"

"Three hundred guards and twenty Court Mages, with Lord Caesar accompanying you as well."

Clayde smiled in satisfaction. Three hundred guards, twenty mages, and Caesar, a ninth-level expert-such a force could handle any threat. Besides, he himself was a warrior at the peak of the ninth level.

"Go make the preparations." Clayde waved him away.

What he did not know was that two pairs of eyes were watching his every move from the shadows.

An and Linley had investigated Clayde's schedule in Fenlai City, learned the composition of his guard detail, and waited for a suitable opportunity.

The hunt was the perfect opportunity.

Every autumn, Clayde went hunting at the Royal Hunting Grounds outside the city. The hunting grounds lay roughly fifty li southwest of Fenlai City, covering a vast area surrounded by dense forests and hills. There were no heavily stationed troops there, no experts from the Church, only three hundred guards and a single ninth-level expert.

To An as he was now, three hundred guards and one ninth-level expert were no different from none at all.

On the day of the hunt, the sky was clear and the air crisp.

Mounted on a tall, powerful horse, Clayde led his great procession out of Fenlai City. Three hundred guards surrounded him front and rear, their armor gleaming with a cold metallic sheen in the sunlight. Caesar rode beside Clayde, a greatsword slung diagonally across his back, his hawklike gaze scanning their surroundings. Twenty mages traveled with the procession as well, riding in specially prepared carriages.

An and Linley spread their wings and followed silently from high above. At that altitude, they were merely two tiny golden specks, impossible for those on the ground to notice.

They reached the hunting grounds.

Clayde eagerly changed into hunting clothes, took up his longbow, and entered the dense woods with Caesar and a small squad of guards. The remaining guards spread out around them, forming a loose perimeter.

An watched it all from the sky.

"Big brother, take care of the guards and mages on the perimeter," An said. "Leave Clayde and Caesar to me. Finish it quickly. Leave no one alive."

Linley nodded. His azure-gold wings gave a slight beat, and he flew in the opposite direction.

An locked onto Clayde's position.