That day, the Thornvale prison received several new inmates, keeping Knight Captain Rohan busy for most of the morning. He couldn't help the flicker of resentnt that rose each ti he rembered how their young lord had left the manor without an escort, as if guards were re decoration.
As for the young lord and his elf, after personally delivering the captured spies, they vanished once again-leaving behind no trace of where they'd gone.
Their disappearance only deepened Rohan's irritation, though by now, he was beginning to accept that his lord's movents would forever be a mystery to those ant to protect him.
*
Inside the dim confines of a massive coffin, a youth trembled uncontrollably. His eyes darted about before settling on the calm figure standing before him-a young human whose re presence filled him with both terror and awe.
That human, of course, was Michael. The youth on the other end was none other than Ace.
After rounding up the spies that had been lurking around Thornvale, Michael had originally planned to return to his study.
Multitasking between his main body and the one in Aurora had proven inefficient when it ca to comprehending the mysteries within a Law Seed-but it wasn't impossible either. Even so, while one body continued studying, the other could still handle daily affairs.
Just as he was about to shift his focus, however, Ace had requested an audience. Curious about what the boy wanted, and assuming it would be brief, Michael agreed.
The reason for the eting turned out to be far more intriguing than expected.
Ace had beco a cultivator.
Michael's eyes had glead with interest. Thanks to Jester's knowledge, he had long been fascinated by the cultivation path.
Unfortunately, thanks to his well advanced path, there was no use branching out again. There were no benefits to him as an awakener.
Compared to the knight and mage systems of Aurora and the Lionheart Kingdom, the cultivation system was superior in nearly every way.
He had even considered having Lily take that path one day. But she was so close to officially becoming a knight that he didn't want her to give up halfway. Besides, Michael wasn't entirely certain if becoming a cultivator would interfere with her knight's path.
Jester had reassured him it wouldn't-perhaps even claiming it might help-but Michael preferred to see for himself. His plan was simple: once Lily beca a knight, they'd then try cultivation.
Unfortunately, earlier this morning, Jester had confird that neither Aunt Mia nor Lily possessed spirit roots.
It was a disappointnt, though not a fatal one.
If the high human bloodlines could awaken them naturally, then Lily still had a chance. When she truly managed to acquire a spirit root later... even Michael couldn't predict how far her potential might reach.
But for now, Ace was the one who'd succeeded.
After confirming the truth, Michael had Ace close his eyes. When the youth reopened them, he found himself inside the eerie void of the Damaged Coffin of the Forgotten-with Michael standing a short distance away.
That was when the fear began.
All around him lood monstrous figures-more than a hundred undead beings, each exuding a pressure that made the air heavy and
the blood in his veins run cold. Their gazes glimred faintly in the coffin, silent yet suffocating.
It was little wonder Ace trembled.
In the heart of the coffin, surrounded by creatures born from death itself, even the bravest soul would find fear hard to resist.
Michael regarded Ace with quiet interest.
He recalled what Jester had ntioned earlier: Ace possessed a mid-grade spirit root.
In the cultivation world, that was a respectable talent-good enough for a stable foundation and more than enough to reach considerable heights if guided properly. Considering it had taken Ace barely three weeks to form his foundation and step into true cultivation, the boy's progress was remarkable.
Michael folded his hands behind his back. "Tell , Ace," he said
evenly. "What stage are you in now?"
Ace hesitated, lowering his gaze slightly before answering. "Lord, I... I just entered Qi Cultivation Stage One a few days ago."
Michael nodded, intrigued.
His curiosity deepened. He'd always wondered what kind of abilities cultivation granted in this world, and now he had a living example before him.
"What can you do now?" he asked. "Show ."
Ace's face lit up at the command. "Yes, Lord." He straightened a little, still uneasy under the stares of the undead around him. "In the cultivation thod you gave , there are three basic spells. They can only be used during Qi Cultivation, but for now, I can perform
just one."
"Oh?" Michael tilted his head slightly. "Which one?"
Ace took a slow breath, his trembling subsiding as faint threads of wind began to stir around his palms. "It's called Wind Blade," he said.
Michael's eyes glead faintly. "Then perform it," he said.
Ace didn't hesitate. He took a step back, inhaling deeply as his hands began to move. His fingers twisted, pressed, and flowed in a series of
hand seals.
The space inside the coffin shifted. Tiny ripples of wind swirled around Ace, gathering with each seal until a faint whistle began to
echo in the air. Then-
Shhhk!
A blade of wind erupted from his palm, cutting forward with startling
speed.
Michael's brow rose slightly. The strike hadn't damaged the coffin's ground-few things could-but the strength behind it was
undeniable.
He quietly folded his arms, studying the faint aftershock. "Impressive,"
he murmured.
He rembered the chaos back in Woodstone City. He had been able
to see the strength of an official knight.
Comparing the two now, he realized with so surprise that this single Wind Blade was already enough to threaten an official knight if
it hit.
Of course, an official knight who was also at rank one of the knight
power system.
"Ace..."
"If I said I could make you even stronger, what would you do?"
***
Thanks for reading and sorry for the ssy update rate. We're back to
normal now.
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