Chapter 26

In the year 10003 of Yunluo Li, late spring.

Aikesi pushed open the door to the cultivation chamber; morning sunlight slanted in, casting a long shadow on the floor. He stood at the threshold, stretching his limbs, bones emitting faint pops.

Eight-level High-stage.

Last night's breakthrough brought no grand spectacle—only a sudden surge of Magic within his body, then the thin barrier simply gave way. Fallen Heart Flame burned as usual, the Five Spirit Wheel turned as usual, as if it were just an ordinary cultivation session.

Good.

Aikesi returned to his room, took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went to the dining hall. Aunt Masha had already laid out breakfast: fried eggs, bread, bacon, and a bowl of hot milk.

"My Lord, today's bacon is fresh from the market—try it." Aunt Masha stood beside him, her face expectant.

Aikesi took a bite and nodded: "Good, more fragrant than last time."

"That's good, that's good." Aunt Masha smiled and stepped back.

After eating, Aikesi went to the study. Kaman was already waiting at the door, arms full of documents.

"My Lord, these are this month's accounts, and several reports from the domain require your review."

"Come in."

Aikesi sat behind the desk, took the documents, and began reading. The Earl Mansion under Yunluo's name also owned a small domain—not large, but productive, yielding several thousand gold coins annually.

He went through each document, signing where needed, annotating where required. Kaman stood by, occasionally answering questions.

"My Lord, there's one more thing." After Aikesi finished the documents, Kaman spoke, "Sir Huerman sent an invitation, asking you to attend the Douyouchang the day after tomorrow for a match—said it's the Level 9 beast battle we agreed on."

Aikesi remembered—Huerman had indeed mentioned it over drinks last time.

"Understood. Reply that I'll be there on time."

"Yes."

After Kaman left, Aikesi leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. Old Tom was busy in the garden; the Fire Flame Flowers were in full bloom, their crimson petals dazzling in the sunlight.

Moving from Seven-level Mid-stage to Eight-level High-stage was a major step forward. But the Saint Domain was still far off—the Magic required to go from Eight to Nine was several times greater than from Seven to Eight, and from Nine to Saint Domain, a chasm.

Can't rush it.

Aikesi stood, left the study, and went to the training yard in the back. He had specifically ordered this ground built, using it daily to practice Magic control. Four stone pillars stood at each corner, each carved with complex Magic runes, used to test precision and power.

He stood at the center, raised his right hand, and condensed Fallen Heart Flame into a fist-sized fireball in his palm.

The fireball was small, but its temperature was extreme—the air around it warped.

Aikesi willed it—splitting into four streams, each streaking toward one pillar. Four flames traced elegant arcs in midair, striking simultaneously at the runes atop the pillars, producing four soft pops.

Precision: flawless.

He raised his left hand again—this time summoning ordinary Fire Element Magic, without activating Fallen Heart Flame. Four flames again, striking simultaneously—but the power was clearly far weaker.

With Fallen Heart Flame, his strength was at least two tiers higher than without it.

Aikesi extinguished the flames and walked to the pillars to inspect them. The spots struck by Fallen Heart Flame bore fine cracks. These pillars were specially made, able to withstand Eight-level Magic impacts—but still no match for a Strange Flame.

He nodded in satisfaction and turned away from the training yard.

The afternoon was free; Aikesi changed into casual attire and left the Earl Mansion alone. He wanted to stroll through Didu's market, see if any rare Magic materials turned up.

Didu's market was vast, divided into four districts: east, west, south, north. Aikesi went to the east district—the hub for Magic materials and artifacts, shops lining the streets in dense rows.

He wandered aimlessly, occasionally entering a shop. Most sold ordinary goods: Magic Cores below Level 6, common Magic herbs, standard staves—he had no interest.

Deep in the market, a small, unremarkable shop caught his eye. The storefront was modest, weathered, but above the door hung a sign painted with a flame, beside it written: "Old Shop, Specializing in Rare Fire Element Materials."

Aikesi pushed open the door.

Inside, the light was dim, the air faintly sulfurous. Shelves were lined with bottles and jars; in the corner lay several chunks of differently colored ore.

"What might the guest require?" A hoarse voice came from behind the counter.

Aikesi turned; an elderly man with white hair sat behind the counter, examining a crimson ore.

"Just looking." Aikesi stepped to the counter, his gaze fixed on the ore. "Is this Fire Flame Metal?"

The old man lifted his head; his cloudy eyes flashed a glint of sharpness: "Guest has keen eyes. Indeed—Fire Flame Metal, mined from the depths of the Southern Volcano. Only a few pieces found every ten years."

"Will you sell it?"

"Yes, but the price isn't cheap." The old man placed the ore on the counter. "Three thousand gold coins. No haggling."

Aikesi picked it up, weighed it—he confirmed it was genuine Fire Flame Metal, usable for crafting a Saint Domain-level Fire Element staff. Three thousand gold coins wasn't cheap, but not overpriced.

"I'll take it."

The old man blinked, surprised by his promptness. Aikesi pulled out a gold note and handed it over. The old man inspected it, confirmed its validity, and tucked it into his robe.

He turned to leave, but the old man suddenly spoke again: "By the way, if you're interested in Fire Element materials, come back next month. Rumor has it someone discovered an Ancient Ruins over in the south—might yield some good finds."

Aikesi paused, turned back to look at the old man.

The old man had already lowered his head again, fiddling with the counter's contents, as if his remark had been an idle comment.

Aikesi asked no further questions, pushed open the door, and left.

Back at the Earl Mansion, night had fallen. He stored the Fire Flame Metal in the storage room, where he'd already gathered a small cache of materials—collected slowly over the years. When he had enough, he planned to commission a custom Saint Domain-level staff. He didn't need it yet—but he would, someday.

After dinner, Aikesi went to the study and wrote a reply to Yelu.

He didn't mention his breakthrough—only shared daily matters, asked after Yelu's well-being, and added a note: if he came across rare Fire Element Magic materials, please keep an eye out.

After sealing the letter, he handed it to Kaman to mail first thing tomorrow.

Deep into the night, Aikesi stood by the window, gazing at the night sky, then turned toward the cultivation chamber.

He pushed open the door; the familiar heat rushed over him. Aikesi shed his outer robe, sat cross-legged on the mat. Fallen Heart Flame flowed through his body; the Five Spirit Wheel turned slowly, absorbing Fire Element from the night.

Two days later, Aikesi arrived at the Douyouchang as agreed.

Huerman was already waiting at the entrance; he waved upon seeing him: "Over here! Thought you'd stand me up again."

Aikesi walked over: "Promised, so I won't forget."

The two entered and found their seats. The Douyouchang was vast, capable of holding ten thousand spectators—today nearly full. In the center, two massive beasts faced off—one a Level 9 Leiwenhuhu, the other a Level 9 Chiyan Shiwan.

"How's that for excitement?" Huerman exclaimed. "Both are adult Level 9 beasts—this fight's bound to be spectacular."

Aikesi nodded, his gaze settling on the Chiyan Shiwan. Both were fire-type magical beasts; he could sense the violent power contained within the other's body. A Level 9 magical beast, equivalent to a human at the Nine-level Peak, or even stronger.

The battle began quickly.

The two magical beasts clashed, lightning and fire intertwining, while deafening roars echoed over the Douyouchang. The audience cheered and shouted, the atmosphere extremely fervent.

Aikesi watched silently, his attention not on the battle's outcome, but on the two beasts' fighting styles. The Leiwenhuhu was extremely fast, every pounce carrying thunderous power; the Chiyan Shiwan possessed formidable defense, its flame jets astonishing in power.

Each had its strengths and weaknesses.

As he watched, he pondered in his mind how he would fight such an opponent. Could the Fallen Heart Flame break through the Chiyan Shiwan's defense? How many pounces could the Ice Barrier withstand from the Leiwenhuhu? Could Teleportation play a role in the battle?

The battle lasted an hour; finally, the Chiyan Shiwan proved superior, smashing the Leiwenhuhu's skull with a single claw. Thunderous cheers erupted from the stands, and Huerman stood up to applaud as well.

【88】 "Worth it, worth it!" Huerman's face flushed with excitement. "That was a thrilling watch!"

"Worth it, worth it!" Huerman's face turned red with excitement. "That was a thrilling show!"

Aikesi stood up. "Let's go. I'll treat you to a drink."

"Hey, rare for you to be so proactive." Huerman's eyes lit up. "Let's go. I know a good place."

The two left the Douyouchang. Huerman led Aikesi through a maze of turns, finally ducking into a narrow alley and stopping before an unremarkable small tavern.

"Don't let the location fool you; the wine is truly excellent." Huerman pushed the door open, and a wave of wine aroma hit them.

Few people were inside the tavern; several old men sat in a corner drinking and chatting. The two found a seat by the window. Huerman skillfully ordered two pots of wine and several small dishes.

"Do you come here often?" Aikesi asked.

"Occasionally." Huerman poured himself a cup. "This place is run by an old friend of mine. He used to be an adventurer, traveled north and south, seen much, and stores only fine wines."

After the wine arrived, Aikesi took a sip. It was indeed good; smooth on the entry, with a powerful aftertaste.

As they drank and chatted, Huerman began recounting the strange tales and anecdotes he had heard from various places. How a certain noble of the O'Brien Empire kept a Saint Domain magical beast as a pet, how rare deep-sea magical whales had appeared in Beihai, and how adventurers had discovered an Ancient Ruin at the Southern Volcano.

Mentioning the Ancient Ruin, Aikesi recalled the words of that old man a few days ago.

"Is the southern region quite lively lately?"

Huerman paused for a moment. "You heard about it too? It seems someone discovered an Ancient Ruin. The specific situation is unknown, but many people have already rushed there. What, are you interested?"

"Just asking casually." Aikesi raised his wine cup. "Entering as a Level 8 would be suicide."

"That's the truth." Huerman laughed heartily. "With our strength, it's safer to stay in Didu, drinking and watching the show."

The two drank for a while longer, only parting ways once the sky had completely darkened.

Aikesi returned to the Earl Mansion. Aunt Masha had already prepared dinner. He ate a few simple bites, then went to the study to handle the letters piling up from today.

One letter was a family trust report from the Fenlai Kingdom; the content was quite ordinary, nothing but territory harvests and shop operations. Aikesi finished reading, signed it, and placed it in the folder for mailing.

Night had fallen. He stood up and walked to the window.

The night in Didu was quiet as always. Faint lights were still visible in the distance toward the Douyouchang; the night session was likely still ongoing.