Andrew exclaimed, "What? Say that again!"
Angis asked, puzzled, "That mage's name is Doehring Cowart; that's not a secret."
Andrew shook his head. "Doehring Cowart, he's a very famous man."
"The old man in the ring—without him, what protagonist would there be..."
However, upon closer reflection, Andrew wasn't so surprised. According to the original timeline, the Pouant Empire was established around the second thousandth year of the Yulan Calendar, and Doehring Cowart was a crucial force within it. To be able to support the establishment of an empire, his magic level would at least be at the Saint-level Late-Stage, or close to the Peak Saint-level. Around the fourth thousandth year of the Yulan Calendar, he was ambushed and killed by his old rival in alliance with another Saint-level member, sealing his soul within the Azure Dragon Ring, which was eventually obtained by Linley...
It's not surprising that a mage could reach the Peak Saint-level after two thousand years.
Having figured this out, Andrew felt a mix of emotions. He had a strong liking for Doehring Cowart from the original book. In his mind, he was a selfless old man who diligently guided Linley's training and protected him with his own life. Who wouldn't admire such a character?
However, while I admire it, the Azure Dragon Ring is more important right now.
"I understand. I will search for Doehring Cowart myself. Alright, Angis, you can lead everyone back now."
With a wave of his hand, Andrew secretly transmitted his voice, instructing Golden Peng to take him to the capital.
Upon entering the capital, Andrew made no sound and quietly went to the " Blood Peak " weapons shop. At that moment, a drunkard was lying there, leisurely drinking his wine.
"Senior..."
The drunkard stood up, somewhat surprised.
What brings you here, kid?
Andrew smiled and sat down next to him.
"Senior, have you made a breakthrough during your seclusion?"
The drunkard laughed and cursed, "If breaking through were that easy, there would be Deity-level flying all over the continent by now."
Andrew said, "I've come here today because I need your help, senior."
The drunkard took a sip of his drink. "Don't bother me with anything too troublesome... but if it's something like killing someone for you, that's fine too."
Andrew looked confident. "This matter is a bit troublesome, but I believe you will definitely be able to help."
The drunkard said, "Tell me about it. From what you're saying, it sounds like there are great benefits involved."
"Of course. Senior, some time ago, I discovered a magic crystal mine in the territory..."
"Yes, this news has already spread throughout the mainland."
"Actually, I don't value this magic crystal mine. What I'm interested in is what's at the center of the mine... At the center of the mine, I found a 'door,' and behind the 'door' is a miniature space. Based on my judgment, this space must have been created by a super expert for cultivation!"
The drunkard's expression finally changed; he put down his wine jug and listened attentively.
"Later, I entered that 'door,' where the elements were incredibly dense, containing all sorts of elements. The space was enveloped by a transparent membrane, and outside, there was Spatial Turbulence!"
The drunkard was also shocked. The ability to create a space next to Spatial Turbulence was beyond his imagination.
"Moreover," Andrew continued, "Cultivating in a smaller space allows one to perceive the Laws more clearly..."
Feel the Laws!
The drunkard's eyes burned with fervor. He had been at the Peak Saint-level for nearly a thousand years, yet he could never cross the barrier of the Laws.
"Kid, you've covered the benefits, now let's talk about the troubles." Though he was eager inside, the drunkard managed to control himself.
Andrew smiled and said, "Actually, it's not much trouble. I just hope that you can help me stay in the Lance Duchy and protect my family. This won't conflict with your cultivation. I'll be traveling in a few days, and I don't know when I'll be back."
The drunkard paused for a moment, then nodded. What Andrew said was true; with his strength, he was more than capable of fulfilling Andrew's request. Moreover, cultivating in seclusion in the small space would give him a better chance of taking that crucial step.
Andrew was happy to have dealt with the drunkard. Although he didn't know the man's name, there was a sense of trust between them. The drunkard was also quite strong, and with him there, Andrew didn't need to worry about his family's safety.
After leaving the capital and returning to the Lance Duchy, Andrew and his family enjoyed a few peaceful days. Seven days later, he left Golden Peng in the manor and embarked on his westward journey alone.
" The Pouant Empire was established west of the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, so Doehring Cowart must be there too."
Andrew's primary objective for this trip is the Azure Dragon Ring; the training is merely a pretext. However, he cannot pinpoint Doehring Cowart's location at the moment, and can only determine a general direction for now.
"If we weren't worried about attracting attention, relying on the Yulan Empire to search would have been much more effective."
The Azure Dragon Ring is Sovereign Artifact; even in its damaged state, its power far surpasses that of any other divine artifact. Besides Andrew, the High Priest will surely sense its extraordinary nature. If they rely on the power of the Yulan Empire, and the High Priest notices it, things will be disastrous. Perhaps the High Priest won't notice, but Andrew dares not gamble. He'd rather face the trouble himself than create unnecessary complications.
Therefore, Andrew dared not disturb the Yulan Empire.
Andrew wasn't in a hurry on this trip, taking his time and walking at a leisurely pace, covering a maximum of a hundred miles a day. He had a detailed map of the Yulan Empire, and he made sure not to miss any city according to the map.
"I've already inquired in five county towns, but still haven't heard from Doehring Cowart. I hope Drifting Cloud City won't disappoint me."
Two months later, Andrew arrived in Drifting Cloud City in the southwest of the Yulan Empire.
Drifting Cloud City is a county capital, and quite large. Two thousand miles to the west lies the southernmost point of the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts. That area can be considered the edge of the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts, but it is no longer threatened by high-level magical beasts. Usually, warriors or mages with lower strength take this route when they want to cross the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts.
Andrew also had high hopes for this route. In his view, even if he obtained the Azure Dragon Ring, Doehring Cowart wouldn't have the strength to directly traverse the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts within five years. This route was the safest to go west.
The final result did not disappoint him; Andrew did indeed receive a message from Doehring Cowart.
After spending 100,000 gold coins, Andrew learned that Doehring Cowart had come to Drifting Cloud City three years ago. At that time, he was already a peak level six mage, and with the help of the Azure Dragon Ring, his strength was almost comparable to that of a level seven mage. Here, Doehring Cowart made quite a name for himself.
Two years ago, he broke through to level seven and quickly left Drifting Cloud City. According to the direction, he headed towards the southern edge of the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts.
"With a direction in mind, things will be much easier."
Satisfied, Andrew left Drifting Cloud City and continued to follow in Doehring Cowart's footsteps.
Southwest of Drifting Cloud City, several large cities form a line. Andrew followed this line, traveling through Purple Blossom City, Bosi City, Duofu City... In each city, Andrew found information about Doehring Cowart. Judging by the timeline, he was getting closer and closer to Doehring Cowart.
Four months later, Andrew had arrived at the southernmost tip of the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts. Hundreds of miles to the west of here lay the western part of the Yulan Continent.
A little further south, there's the South Sea.
The South Sea, the largest ocean in the Yulan Plane, is many times larger than the Yulan Continent. On its shore stands a city called Pearl City. Founded by local fishermen, it has grown to its current size over generations. Here, the most traded items are the shells and pearls of ocean monsters.
Stepping into the city, Andrew sensed a unique atmosphere.
"Ocean cities and inland cities really have different styles." Looking at the various shops on both sides of the street, Andrew sighed. In this world, the land area is sufficient, so people don't pay much attention to the ocean. Unlike in his previous life, when the land could no longer support the development of various countries, everyone turned their attention to the ocean.
After wandering around for a while, Andrew entered a tavern. The tavern was decorated in a marine style, with beautiful seashells everywhere and several huge fish skeletons.
After sitting down, Andrew ordered a few dishes, looked around, and frowned, sensing an unpleasant atmosphere.
"Dark aura!"
Andrew was quite certain that he had dealt with dark monks several times. The former Lefen City, Baird, was a practitioner of dark power. Both of them had been his enemies, and as a result, he had begun to feel aversion to dark power.
" Darkness Magic, probably level seven."
In a window seat in the tavern, Andrew found the source of the aura. There sat a mage shrouded in black robes, with his magic wand beside him and several plates of delicate dishes in front of him.
Just then, a warrior entered the tavern. He had intended to sit by the window, but upon seeing the person already there, his expression changed.
"Lord Hamlin!" The warrior bowed respectfully to the mage.
Hamlin waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly, and the soldier left the tavern in a panic. The soldier dared not linger for a moment and hurriedly left.
This little incident might have gone unnoticed by others, but Andrew witnessed it from beginning to end.
" Hamlin? That name sounds familiar." Andrew thought for a moment, then lowered his head. "That's right, Doehring Cowart once told Linley that his old rival was called Hamlin. And after his defeat, fearing that his soul would be tormented by his opponent, he sealed himself in the Azure Dragon Ring... Tormenting the soul, isn't that exactly what Darkness Magic excels at?"