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Chapter 232: Tasking Black Star to Investigate the Spirits
🕑 Added 2024-09-23 03:49:07 +0000 UTCAlthough comprehending the mysteries might not be directly related to breaking through to the Saint Realm, Rhett's emphasis on understanding them had increased significantly.
In the coming period of training, Rhett planned to dedicate most of his energy to comprehending these mysteries. As for advancing in his mage level, that would have to wait until his fate points were replenished.
The surrounding quicksand twisted and swirled unpredictably as Rhett once again immersed himself in the profound insights. Occasionally, when the drifting sands overlapped and solidified, Rhett felt a faint stir in his heart. Soon, he was completely absorbed in his comprehension of the mysteries.
Time passed quietly.
In the following year, on January 15, 478 of the Golden Calendar...
In the fifth-floor hall of Dark Rock Fortress...
A faint yellow "mist" floated in the air, coalescing into a vague shadow.
The Sand Spirit hovered silently in midair, showing no reaction to Rhett's gaze fixed upon it.
Rhett was long accustomed to this. The Sand Spirit's personality was indeed like that of a rock—rather dull.
This time, Rhett summoned the Sand Spirit mainly because he realized it had been a while since he had observed it closely.
"Hmm, its appearance is still the same, but it seems that the Sand Spirit's size has slightly changed..." Rhett's eyes flickered as he confirmed that the Sand Spirit was indeed evolving.
He condensed a stone and made it hover in midair.
Then, looking at the Sand Spirit, Rhett commanded, "Turn this rock into sand."
Immediately, the Sand Spirit ceased its motionless stance, slowly turned its head, and looked at the floating stone. It raised its sandy right hand and gently pointed.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The rock was instantly transformed from the inside out into fine yellow sand particles that fell to the ground.
"Impressive ability, but what use is this destructive power to me? I can't just go around wrecking my own territory." Rhett shook his head. Even if he were to use it to cause damage in someone else's domain, it wouldn't be worth it. Using magic was much quicker than relying on this ability.
Leaving the room, Rhett headed straight to the magic plant cultivation field. Since confirming that the Sand Spirit was evolving, he knew he needed to periodically bless the earth-element magic plants again.
It just so happened that since Mandy brought the supplies from Prince Horgus, and after Tyles, Henke, and Felix planted many magic plant seeds, Rhett hadn't yet had the chance to bless the earth-element plants!
Upon arriving at the magic plant cultivation field, Rhett's gaze took in the sight of dense plants already in their growth or maturity stages, alongside a much larger area of moist soil.
Beneath the soft earth lay tens of thousands of magic plant seeds.
He approached the earth-element section, habitually scanning his surroundings, and after ensuring no one was watching, he summoned the Sand Spirit.
Then, Rhett instructed the Sand Spirit to bless the plants.
The faint yellow Sand Spirit floated half a meter above the ground, drifting over the fields and sprinkling small grains of sand. The sand disappeared as soon as it touched the plants.
However, the Sand Spirit's movement was excruciatingly slow. Compared to the Snow Spirit, Nina, the difference was like that between a joyful 18-year-old girl running and an 80-year-old woman leisurely walking.
Watching as the Sand Spirit took over ten minutes to bless just half the area, Rhett sighed in frustration, "Sagr, can't you move a bit faster?"
Unexpectedly, Sagr turned its head, stared blankly at Rhett for a moment, and shook its head.
"I'm already moving at full speed..."
"Ah, such a distinctive spirit..." Rhett smiled wryly.
Still, slow as it was, Rhett had the patience to wait. He had plenty of time.
Not wasting any, he began contemplating the mysteries within the magic plant cultivation field.
An hour later, the vast cultivation area was finally blessed.
Sagr floated before Rhett, conveying a simple message: "Let me rest..."
Hearing the spirit's blunt tone, Rhett didn't take offense. He knew Sagr's personality was straightforward, so he reluctantly allowed the spirit to return inside him.
Afterward, Rhett made his way back to the estate.
While strolling leisurely, the butler, Svet, dressed in a light spring outfit, hurried over, stepping on the freshly sprouted grass.
"Master, a lady has come to visit you. She claims to be Karina's daughter and has four knights accompanying her. They are waiting outside the estate," Svet reported respectfully.
Rhett remained calm. "I see. Svet, please invite them into the castle and ask Maru to prepare some refreshments."
"Understood, Master."
In the first-floor hall of the castle...
"Earl Rhett, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Your territory is truly unique, full of the essence of nature. This is the first time I've seen a territory situated near the Beast Mountains!" Karina's daughter, Ora, said cheerfully.
She was only in her early twenties, and inheriting her mother Karina's talent as an Archmage, she had already become a third-level mage at this young age. Though not as outstanding as Laurence, she still possessed considerable talent.
Today, Ora was dressed in a white knee-length dress. Her golden hair cascaded like a waterfall, her large, clear eyes sparkled, and her fair skin contrasted with her long, slender legs. Her resemblance to Karina was striking.
Even from Rhett's perspective, Ora was a beautiful young woman. Compared to Unika, Ora's combination of beauty and cultivated elegance was indeed more impactful for a young man.
"Welcome to Dark Eagle City, Ora. You truly resemble your mother," Rhett said with a gentle smile. "I hope the scenery of Dark Eagle City leaves a lasting impression on your canvas."
Ora tilted her chin slightly. "With Earl Rhett saying so, I'll be sure to capture more of its landscapes in my drawings."
"Hehe, I'm looking forward to seeing your work," Rhett replied politely. Then, standing up, he added, "Ah, I almost forgot the important task. Let me take you to Dark Eagle City. Your mother entrusted me with your care, so I'll introduce you to White Hat. After that, I'll find a suitable residence in Dark Eagle City for you during your studies."
Ora curtsied gracefully, brushing back her hair as she said, "Thank you, Earl Rhett. I'll likely trouble you in the days to come."
"It's my duty," Rhett smiled. "Let's head out. Dark Eagle City is just north of the estate."
With that, the two left Dark Rock Fortress.
As they walked, they chatted casually, and Rhett gained a clearer understanding of Ora. She had come here driven by curiosity about the world beyond, with a strong desire to explore.
Rhett first took Ora to visit the artist White Hat and then found her a residence near his studio. Naturally, it was rent-free—Rhett wouldn't charge Ora for something like that.
After everything was settled, Rhett was about to leave.
But at the last moment, his gaze lingered on a house at the corner and then shifted to the administrative office to his left—where Laurence frequently worked.
Rhett chuckled to himself, "No wonder... Such close proximity does give Ora and Laurence plenty of opportunities to get to know each other."
He then returned to the castle, retreating to his quiet bedroom to immerse himself in training.
Two days later...
Rhett continued his daily training, attuning himself to the mysteries of the earth element.
This time, he had relocated to the shore of Crystal Lake, a restricted area of his territory. No one was allowed near it except for a select few under his direct orders.
Suddenly...
Rhett opened his eyes and stared across the lake, his gaze slowly shifting to his right.
To an outsider, it might have seemed like Rhett was simply stretching his neck.
In reality, Rhett had already sensed Black Star's presence. His mental perception picked up on Black Star, who was cloaked in dense dark elements, moving closer until he was right beside him.
The air shimmered with a faint black light before gradually fading away.
In the next moment, the short-statured Black Star appeared before Rhett’s eyes.
He still wore that mask, and his staff, almost as tall as he was, rested on the lush green grass. In a cool tone, Black Star spoke, "Rhett, you’ve grown stronger since our last meeting."
"Oh?" Rhett raised an eyebrow, jokingly saying, "Do you want to defeat me? I'm not a villain..."
To his surprise, Black Star seriously looked Rhett over, then shook his head. "I can’t defeat you now, but when I become a sixth-level Magus, I’ll challenge you!"
"Why?" Rhett asked with a surprised smile.
"Because you've defeated many villains. If I can beat you, it means I've indirectly defeated them too," Black Star replied earnestly.
"Haha, how interesting. I’ll be waiting for you," Rhett chuckled, then asked, "So, what brings you here today?"
When it came to business, Black Star’s expression grew serious. "Rhett, there’s a group of powerful villains in Dahé Town. Their leader is a fifth-level Earth Knight. I can’t handle him, but I want to deal with the others myself. So, I hope you can help me."
"Is that all?" Rhett asked, feigning surprise.
"Yes," Black Star nodded.
After hearing this, Rhett didn’t immediately agree. Instead, he furrowed his brow and said, "Your organization should be strong enough to handle a fifth-level Earth Knight, right?"
"Of course. But most members are currently tied up with urgent tasks, and I don’t want anyone else to take my targets. If I call for help, they won’t just deal with a fifth-level Earth Knight..." Black Star explained, implying that he wanted to handle all the enemies himself, except for the Earth Knight.
"Alright," Rhett nodded, accepting the explanation.
After a moment of thought, he said, "I’ll help you take down the fifth-level Earth Knight, but you have to do me a small favor."
"What favor?" Black Star quickly asked.
"I need you to gather information on any leads related to spirits, whether suspicious phenomena or news of spirits being captured within the next year. I want to know everything!" Rhett said slowly.
"Information on spirits? Sure, no problem!" Black Star agreed after a brief consideration. After all, gathering information wouldn’t affect him.
Rhett smiled, satisfied. Although he was ready to leave immediately, he didn’t want to seem too eager, so he said, "Wait here for a moment. I’ll go grab some essential supplies."
"No problem."
Rhett then returned to Dark Rock Fortress. He had hidden his Blood Origin Orb deep within the muddy bottom of Crystal Lake, encased in solid rock he had carefully condensed over time. Buried deep underground, it was well protected.
Returning to the castle was merely a formality. He changed into a brown leather outfit and packed some dried meat, potions, and other essentials.
Descending from the fifth floor, Rhett adjusted his hat while instructing Svet, who was supervising the maids in the first-floor hall, "Svet, I’ll be going on a journey, which might take two or three months. I’ll leave the castle in your hands."
"This seems a bit sudden, but rest assured, Master, I’ll take good care of everything here," Svet responded seriously after a brief pause.
"With your assurance, I’m even more at ease," Rhett said as he pushed open the door and left Dark Rock Fortress.
Rhett whistled, and Fireclaw swooped down from the sky, stirring up a gust of wind.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
The freshly sprouted grass bent under the force of the wind.
Chirp!
Fireclaw chirped happily, lowering its neck for Rhett to stroke.
With a broad smile, Rhett mounted Fireclaw, gently petting its warm feathers.
He instructed Fireclaw to head to Crystal Lake to meet up with Black Star.
Then, the two set off toward the east!
A month later, Rhett arrived at Dahé Town.
The night was quiet, with stars twinkling and a bright moon shining in the sky. A few gray clouds drifted across the night sky, appearing and disappearing against the backdrop.
From above, the buildings of Dahé Town cast dark shadows under the moonlight.
The only sound was the gentle night breeze.
Rhett had ordered Fireclaw to remain silent and keep their movements to a minimum.
Once Fireclaw landed, Rhett activated his system.
"Do you wish to start a Real Simulation? Each day of simulation costs 1 Fate Point."
"Yes, simulate for one day!"
In the darkness, the ripples of simulation were even more discreet.
Seeing this, Rhett felt a little more at ease. Before coming here, he had used the text simulation to gain a rough understanding of this part of the trajectory, so he couldn’t just let things unfold without intervention.
He had to try and change something!
Although he lacked concrete evidence, Rhett firmly believed that the organization backing Black Star must be connected to the Circle Tower!
And if a Grand Magus was lying in ambush here, preparing to attack him, that person couldn’t be an unknown figure in the Circle Tower!
During his chat with Master Neeru, Rhett had discreetly inquired about the names of all the alchemy masters in the Circle Tower. After all, it wasn’t a secret. In the Rem Empire, the names of such individuals were widely known.
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