Tyrant The torrential rain fell from the sky, crashing onto the rocks with a clamorous sound, as streams flowed like waterfalls down the cliff, converging into thick currents on the jagged surface of Sigh Cliff.
The dull roar of thunder, like the booming of a great drum, intertwined with the howling wind, as if to tear the sky apart.
Hiliard Lesi gazed at the tumultuous sea in the distance, a massive and imposing yet dark and mysterious shadow deep within the sea, his mood undulating like the waves.
The air was suffused with the strange smell of moisture, and bolts of lightning fell ceaselessly from the roiling clouds above, striking the cliff top that had been cleansed by countless thunderbolts, revealing its fine metal skeleton that had long been stripped of its rock layer, displaying its true iron nature.
However, what was astonishing was that this dark metal skeleton was not affected by any lightning, regardless of how immense the electric current was, it would be quietly absorbed completely.
Boom!
An abnormally bright flash of lightning struck, illuminating everything on the cliff top, and for a moment, nothing remained but the bluish-purple glow inside and outside of Sigh Cliff.
Hiliard raised his head, he saw a chunk of cloud collapsing and falling, the heavy grey raincloud pressing down, plummeting toward the earth with the dazzling lightning, bringing with it an oppressive momentum that seemed to crush everything.
The old knight was undeterred, allowing his body to be washed by the raincloud mixed with a large amount of Spirit Energy and electrical charges, and with the help of the thunder light, he seemed able to faintly discern the ancient script on the metal skeleton, hidden under the rocky shell for who knows how long, now finally revealing some of its true form.
"Sky Ladder (ΚλίμαξΘείαςανόδου)…
The Heavenly Father's Seven Steps cross realms, suspending the stars, His footprints are the so-called ladders to ascend to heaven, they are also the stairs by which we, the Sublimators, elevate ourselves."
He muttered to himself, "A labyrinth is about to take form.
Depending on that to form the labyrinth, once fully constructed…"
Hiliard shook his head.
It was to prevent this from happening that he had come to this place.
"Thunderhunter Jellyfish."
At this moment, Hiliard noticed that with the continuous lightning striking Sigh Cliff, faint spots of aqua-blue brilliance began to surge in the nearby sea, like scattered glimmering phosphorescence on a black curtain.
Then, accompanied by a series of deep humming sounds, hundreds to nearly a thousand jellyfish with aqua-blue umbrellas gently floated up from the sea among the crackling electromagnetic sparks in the atmosphere.
Within the translucent jelly-like substance, bright blue cores that resembled lights spun rapidly, the jellyfish released electric currents, interweaving with each other as if they were communicating, and after a brief 'conversation,' they grouped together, forming a blue light cloud that danced around Sigh Cliff amidst the thunder.
From a distance, the thunderclouds in the sky and the sea reflected off each other, terrifying arcs of electricity and lightning flitting between them, weaving a grid of electric cages; a single arc striking down would be enough to char an entire boatload of people to a crisp.
As the Thunder Jellyfish Swarm appeared, Hiliard had already quietly retreated.
The most dangerous aspect of Cluster Demon Beasts lies in this—their defensive power exponentially increases with their numbers; while weak and low-tier when alone, the unity of hundreds to nearly a thousand can become the absolute overlord within a hundred miles radius around this area of Sigh Cliff.
The number of Thunderhunter Jellyfish this time, compared to eight and fifteen years ago when Hiliard came to this place, had increased by seven or eight, or even dozens of times more…
And fifty-five years ago, these Magical Beasts didn't even exist here.
"Even for a labyrinth, this rate of growth is too abnormal; there must be some unexpected factor that has caused their numbers to skyrocket in the last decade or so."
"The same factor is likely causing the recent decades' massive increase in the number of Magical Beasts in the waters around Harrison Port and their gradual ferocity."
With such thoughts in mind, Hiliard transformed back into Ossenna and returned to the city.
It was now the middle of the night on the second day, but to his surprise, he found that there was still a light on inside the house.
"What's the matter, Ian?
Why aren't you asleep?"
Once back inside, Hiliard looked at the white-haired boy sitting at the table who seemed quite exhausted, and said with some confusion, "Regular rest is part of training, especially at your age.
Only with enough sleep can you have the energy and room to grow."
"I know, teacher."
Finally seeing Hiliard return, Ian stood up to greet him.
Facing the knight's gentle rebuke, he simply shook his head and spoke earnestly, "But today is a special case."
"My Spirit Energy tells me that the entire city is in danger of destruction…
This premonition makes it impossible for me to sleep."
He met Hiliard's surprised gaze and said calmly, "Teacher, I want to know an answer."
"Even if it's a vague and perfunctory one."
What exactly is Ian's Spirit Energy ability?
Even Ian himself would find it hard to explain clearly.
Foresight View has the ability to predict a certain time range of future trends, in addition to identifying items, detecting Spirit Energy substances, and incorporates spiritual vision; it's a quite comprehensive observational auxiliary Spirit Energy ability.
Such Spirit Energy is quite rare on the Terra Continent.
Perhaps the Prophets of the major churches might have abilities similar to Ian's, but that's just speculation, after all, even if including the vague histories of previous eras, there haven't been many Spirit Energy Users proven to truly and correctly predict the future over the years.
Even Ian himself couldn't be one hundred percent sure, whether his Spirit Energy was selecting 'the most likely possibility' or glimpsing into the progression of another parallel world.
However, if it were merely 'predicting danger' at such a level, then most Spirit Energy Users might experience it once or twice, possibly on a whim, suddenly sensing a specific crisis relating to themselves.
"Is that so?
You can actually actively sense that the whole Harrison Port will encounter an exceptionally terrifying crisis, affecting everyone almost without exception?"
To avoid alerting the neighbors, Hiliard turned off the light.
In the pitch-dark room, the old knight frowned deeply, pondering the warning Ian had previously explained to him, and spoke softly, "It's normal for you to feel a great drain on your strength after foresight…
Whether intentional or not, foresight of Spirit Energy generally appears as a prelude in Sublimators above the Third Energy Level, even they would find it overwhelming, let alone you."
"Rather, the fact that you can still talk is enough to surprise me, which proves the quality of your Spirit Substance is quite high…"
"Even, you might have already possessed a soul."
"Eh?"
With a light exclamation, it was Ian's turn to be surprised—A soul?
He had assumed that in this magic world with Spirit Energy and the Path of Sublimation, everyone had a soul!
Not to mention that after crossing into this Otherworld, he could awaken memories from his past life, which made him feel like the concept of a soul might even exist in his old world.
How come it sounds like souls aren't something everyone can have, and might even be quite rare?
"Surprised, aren't you?" Seeing Ian's expression, Hiliard couldn't help but smile.
He patiently said, "Humans are gifted with wisdom without the need for a soul, a grace from the Fruit of Wisdom.
Conversely, Magical Beasts are born with Sublimation Power but lack innate wisdom.
They need to reach the Second Energy Level, 'Radiance,' to initially cultivate a soul, and then wisdom can be nurtured."
"I know, you youngsters always hear about souls in fairy tales, as if everyone has one, but it is quite rare.
Even naturally gifted Spirit Energy Users might not have one when their powers awaken, at most just a vague shadow."
"But you may be an exception."
Patting Ian on the head, Hiliard couldn't help but frown in thought, "Your Spirit Energy is the rarest kind that can foresee the future, actively sensing the trends and directions of the future…
If you're not joking, no wonder you were able to find me."
At this moment, the old knight's expression was somewhat anxious, "This is almost like a Prophet.
The path that suits you best should be the hidden Spirit Energy Inheritance of the major churches."
"But that inheritance might be difficult to obtain…"
"That may not be the most suitable for me."
Realizing that his teacher seemed to be seriously considering how to get the Prophet inheritance from the churches, Ian shook his head and said, "It's just the inheritance that's most suitable for my Spirit Energy."
"Rather than that." He interrupted the topic: "Teacher, what exactly is going to happen to Harrison Port?
Why is such a huge danger imminent?"
"…It's a long story."
Hiliard sighed, and since Ian had already sensed the danger, there was no need to hide it from him any longer.
He patted the chair, gesturing for the boy to sit down, and then he began slowly, "This matter is even related to the establishment of Harrison Port."
"As one of the most remote frontiers in the human world, the reason Harrison Port could remain standing amid the mountains and forests, despite being surrounded and besieged by numerous Redwood Natives, is because of the strong covert support from the former Emperor, Yinaiga II."
Yinaiga II…
Upon hearing this name, Ian couldn't help but recall some of the rumors he had heard in the past.
In those discussions spread in whispers, the reputation of this Former Emperor…
"The Black King…" he muttered to himself, voicing the posthumous title of the Emperor.
Of course, that was actually one of the milder nicknames.
For those who did not hold much respect in their hearts for the Empire's Royal Family, the true moniker of Yinaiga II…
Was 'Black Tyrant'.
Conscripted service, continuous enlistments, grand construction, and extreme luxury.
It is said that during the reign of this emperor, every man over the age of sixteen in the Empire had been conscripted into service at some point, and he had also erected an unprecedentedly grand palace in the Imperial Capital, the likes of which had never been seen or heard of in other nations.
Beyond this, he was a warmonger, amassing over a million soldiers at Steep Ridge Fortress, Fiery Flame Land, Ushetaraf Mountain Range, and the Karan Mountain Range, forcing even the Azure Sky Royal Court in the east to retreat to the Zhuxing Plains.
Not only did he strike fear into the hearts of his own people, but other nations also trembled before him, like a black sun dominating an era.
Upon hearing this epithet, Hiliad fell silent for a moment.
Then, he sighed lightly, "He was neither the Black King nor a tyrant."
"But that's not important."
Skipping over that point, the old knight calmly continued, "Anyway, the Imperial Exploration Team discovered that there are ruins of a previous civilization in the Southern Sea—and the original mission of Harrison Port was to serve as a forward base for the exploration of these ruins."
"However, due to the discovery of ruins in other regions that were easier to develop, and with Nanling Province being too primitive and difficult to develop, coupled with the troublesome natives, Harrison Port, which was initially constructed, ended up developing slowly…
Thanks to the Empire never forgetting, it continually transported resources to Harrison Port, thereby stabilizing the situation."
At this point, even Hiliad's expression turned somewhat bitter, something that Ian wouldn't have noticed if his vision hadn't been enhanced by the awakened spiritual power to see clearly even in the faint light of the rainy night.
He spoke gently, "It's just that afterward, during the Dark Moon upheaval, the former Emperor passed away, and the predetermined Crown Prince vanished due to conspiracies, leaving three princes and a princess fighting over the imperial throne, bringing the Empire to the brink of civil unrest…
It was not easy to stabilize, and after the new emperor took the throne, the Empire was greatly weakened, and all frontier expansions were scaled back, including the complete cessation of support resources for all frontier cities such as Harrison Port."
"It was only recently that the Empire's support slowly resumed…
but it was not for the development of the ruins, but rather because of the need to trade with Canaan Moore and Whale Song Cliff, where Harrison Port could act as a relay point for opening new trade routes."
Hearing this, Ian also had some enlightenment.
——It seems, Teacher Hiliad, you were perhaps on the failing side during the Dark Moon political upheaval?
But this wasn't particularly important; his attention was fixated on another key term.
"A Previous Civilization?"
Ian repeated the term seriously, looking at the old knight.
"Ruins of a previous civilization?"
"Teacher, what is that?"
"What?"
But Hiliad was surprised, "Haven't you read any history books?"
However, he quickly came to a realization, "That's right, cultural education only lasted for thirty years before it was abolished after the Dark Moon upheaval."
"You've missed a golden age."
Extending his hand, he patted the boy's shoulder sympathetically before briefly explaining, "This world once suffered an inconceivable natural disaster that scholars generally believe to have been a massive meteorite falling from the sky.
That catastrophe destroyed the entire previous civilization, completely obliterating all ancient civilizations, and that legendary era thus perished."
"We are the descendants of survivors, repropagating offsprings on the land after the disaster.
Across the world, we can always find traces left by the previous civilization.
The larger and more intact ones are known as ruins."
"The ruins are mostly very dangerous and have a high probability of transforming into labyrinths, a type of ecosystem that accumulates large amounts of spirit energy fields, and are mega-nests surrounded by numerous magical beasts."
Raising his head to look out the window, Hiliad gazed at the thunder streaking across the sky, "These mystical phenomena, the storms, thunder, and sudden rains, are all precursors of the birth of a large labyrinth.
It's just sedimentation right now, waiting to fully form in the next seven or eight years, or even more than a decade."
"Even in the sedimentation period, it will cause the proliferation of magical beasts and severe weather changes."
"My guess is that the impending crisis facing Harrison Port is related to the yet-to-be-formed labyrinth—the 'core' of the forming labyrinth will attract a multitude of wild beasts, magical beasts, and alien forms from seas and lands in all directions."
"Actually, this is not too bad because magical beasts have brains and value their lives.
As long as they are not mad, they definitely will not attack human cities."
"But if some natives intend to use the gathering power of the wild beasts…
even planning to use the power of the labyrinth…
then indeed, Harrison Port is in danger."
Hiliad shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with worry.
He didn't reveal everything, but the external situation was just as he described.
——That ruin is not something that can be used by humans at will.
"Time to rest."
Standing up, Hiliad calmly said, "I came back this time just to check on you.
Later, I have to go out to sea and will probably return before dawn."
"Whatever happens, ensuring you are physically strong and progressing well in your training is most important."
Ian always heeded Hiliad's advice.
But this time, the boy shook his head slightly.
"Right now," he said, "I might have trouble sleeping."
"Hmm?"
Hiliad looked at the boy with puzzlement.
Of course, he didn't think that Ian was suffering from insomnia or unable to sleep out of fear—how could a child who had learned the basics of the breathing method overnight be so fragile?
The old knight scrutinized the boy's condition seriously, then his eyes widened, "Wait a minute…
your Virtual Primordial Seed is very active…"
A possibility crossed his mind, and he exclaimed in astonishment, "You, have you already comprehended the structure of the Primordial Seed and can now operate it normally?!"
Being able to operate the Virtual Primordial Seed normally indicated that the Sublimation Apprentice had reached the entry level and could begin to attempt to condense a true Primordial Seed.
Generally speaking, the talented could achieve this within a month, while geniuses could attempt to condense it within one or two weeks.
But now, it had only been three days since Ian had started on The Path of Sublimation…
Teacher Hiliad observed solemnly, yet certain understanding dawned in his heart—no wonder Ian had trouble sleeping.
The energy provided by the running Primordial Seed was not something a child could expend, let alone an adult man, for whom being awake for three days and nights was the norm!
And to Teacher Hiliad's incredulous expression, Ian nodded earnestly, "Yes, I have understood the structure of the Primordial Seed.
Although I lack enough Origin Quality to condense a true Primordial Seed, I have corrected a part of the structure of the Virtual Primordial Seed, making it operate more efficiently…"
"Reckless!"
This time, before Ian could finish speaking, Teacher Hiliad raised his voice and sternly reprimanded, "Modifying the structure of the Primordial Seed on your own?
That's too dangerous, how could you do such a thing!
The Primordial Seed is the source of life for a Sublimator; what's needed is not efficiency, but stability and balance!"
"The structure of the Primordial Seed I selected for you might not be the most efficient, but it's the safest and most stable among them.
Your random modifications…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Teacher Hiliad had already taken large strides forward.
He lifted his right hand, with a hot surge of energy, and placed it on Ian's chest.
He, of course, knew how to structure a high-efficiency Primordial Seed, but for an eight-year-old child, what good was haste?
If Ian avoided mistakes, being six or seven years ahead of others in training would be a significant advantage.
Moreover, it's not as if the Primordial Seed's structure couldn't be replaced later.
Every time a Sublimator climbs the Sky Ladder and advances a power level, there's an opportunity to optimize their Primordial Seed's structure.
With Ian's talent, it wouldn't be late to switch then!
"Too much intelligence in a student can have its downsides…
At least, a less clever student would be obedient and not cause such dangerous situations…"
Sighing inwardly, Teacher Hiliad tried to sense the operation of the Virtual Primordial Seed within Ian using his own Spiritual Power.
He was determined that even if there was the slightest error, he would immediately dismantle the Virtual Primordial Seed in Ian's body and then bestow it after a month's rest.
Having no other students or apprentices, the old knight would not allow his last successor to suffer any mishaps due to such a fundamental accident.
But then…
"This…" In the instant he probed the condition of Ian's Virtual Primordial Seed, Teacher Hiliad's brow furrowed, but his expression became extremely odd, "How is this possible…"
To his astonishment, he found that the operation of the Virtual Primordial Seed within Ian was perfect, rapid in speed, and its overall structure, after optimization…
even had a kind of simplistic mechanical beauty!
Now, it seemed that the entity within Ian, rather than a virtual heart, was better described as a virtual engine.
This Virtual Primordial Seed, at that moment, was continuously and swiftly drawing upon the scattered Origin Quality from within Ian's body with the power of heartbeat and breath, condensing it into high-quality Origin Quality Crystal Chips, stacking them within him, waiting for the day of shaping and release.
"Genius…"
The old knight murmured to himself, "Chosen One…
is this what being a Chosen One means?
For an Apprentice who hasn't set foot on The Path of Sublimation, this is the highest level, a flawless Primordial Seed structure."
"No, this isn't right, even those Chosen Ones born with innate knowledge couldn't possibly do this!"
"Teacher, this is good news, isn't it?"
Hearing Ian's voice tinged with a smile, Teacher Hiliad looked at his apprentice's face.
The white-haired boy was smiling faintly, like an elf that had stepped out from a fairy tale, making him feel momentarily bewildered, unsure if he was experiencing a hallucination.
But he quickly came to his senses, and Teacher Hiliad gazed intently at Ian.
"I hope…" he murmured to himself, "after so many years, I finally see it."
"Hmph." After a moment of silence, then curving the corners of his lips, the grey-haired knight's gaze went from complex to sharp.
Lifting his head slightly, Teacher Hiliad watched Ian, and in a voice that made the latter tremble suddenly, he said solemnly, "I truly underestimated you, my apprentice."
His tone was unprecedentedly serious, and it even carried a firm determination, "Since you can do far beyond what I imagined, then I can't train you as I used to think, with the same methods I would use to train a common genius."
"Your current state is definitely not your limit."
"Wait for it, young Ian, don't think that this is the end."
The old knight withdrew his hand, placed his hands behind his back, and said sternly, "Now, go to sleep first."
"Starting tomorrow, we'll delay the condensation of the Primordial Seed, and your training intensity will be doubled, and cultural lessons will also begin.
I will tutor you, from Sublimation knowledge to historical common sense, from experiential realization to specific practice, I will teach you all of my summarizations and experiences!"
"Only after you have acquired the same level of Sublimation knowledge as an ordinary Knight can you condense your Primordial Seed under my supervision."
"Trust me.
You absolutely can do better!"
"Ah?"
The smile on Ian's face suddenly became a bit stiff.
Facing Teacher Hiliad's serious and solemn expression, and the vague sense of pressure coming from him, Ian suddenly realized that being too much of a genius might not be entirely a good thing.
——Had he…
——Had he shown off too much?
Going to the Sea Terra Calendar Year 766, Month of Flowing Flames, in the latter part of the month.
The seventh day since Ian awoke with memories of his past life.
For the Imperial People living in the border regions, aside from the nobles, basically, no one had a clear idea of the exact date; they could decipher if it was the earlier or later part of the month at best, based on some notifications and proclamations from the church and the town hall.
After all, they didn't have any holidays or legally mandated rest days; they worked every day to survive, so the specific date and day were meaningless.
Ian didn't like this vague feeling, as he always preferred to plan his time precisely, but unfortunately, in these days, he hadn't figured out the exact date of July.
He could only roughly judge that it should be the "second half of July", one of the months with the highest tides.
For someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder for order, this feeling was like not licking the yogurt lid clean or getting your sleeves wet while washing your hands—it was incredibly uncomfortable.
However, Ian didn't have the time to fret over these minor things.
Because he was always "in class."
Ever since four days ago, when Ian demonstrated a portion of his true Spirit Energy abilities and his natural talent for Primordial Condensation,
Hiliard, having settled on holding Ian to the highest standards, began teaching the boy everything about Sublimators in painstaking detail, including common knowledge subjects such as history, geography, and even cultural arts.
—The history of The Empire, the history of Terra Continent, The Empire's laws, the terrain of Southern Ridge Province, the scope of The Empire's power, and the distribution of other nations' influence…
—Ancient Terra myths, Imperial customs, the categories of the indigenous people of South Ridge, the peculiar customs of different peoples and sensitive points to be aware of…
—Etiquette in accordance with proper ceremonies, the secret language of Sublimators, the basic information about various Magical Beasts and their weaknesses…
And finally, many little tips about cultivation.
Not to mention, Hiliard was quite experienced in rote teaching.
Over these four days, he conducted lessons each day, imparting a wealth of precious knowledge to Ian, striving to make him, in a short period, possess cognition about The Path of Sublimation and other aspects to become a normal Sublimator.
"These are the indispensable pieces of knowledge I concluded must be taught during my time teaching those noble brats.
As long as you learn them, you won't be any different from those of Bloodline Nobility in terms of knowledge reserves, you may even be better," the old knight said, and he was very satisfied with Ian, who studied earnestly—few of his past students were willing to earnestly learn these 'boring matters'.
Those unruly and impatient youngsters just wanted to start their cultivation on The Path of Sublimation in the shortest time possible, always complaining about how these cultural lessons were uninteresting and tedious.
On the contrary, Ian, despite being a commoner, fully understood the importance of what seemed like boring knowledge, absorbing all the information like a sponge.
He even felt a sense of regret that the knowledge was too simplified and concentrated, not detailed enough.
What teacher doesn't love such a studious student?
Naturally, Hiliard was willing to incorporate decades of experience and lessons into the curriculum little by little, as much as possible, to help the boy avoid detours in the future.
As for this, Ian wasn't the least bit complacent.
Merely attending class and studying was nothing to someone who had lived twice as a human, had been a professional engineer in his past life, and had to take exams for three certificates every year—it wasn't even considered a challenge, and was quite relaxing.
And besides…
who said it was uninteresting and tedious?
—This was knowledge about another world!
For Ian, who sought the unknown and had an unusual curiosity for extraordinary things, merely listening to these pieces of common knowledge about the Otherworld was thrilling enough, making him clench his fists and listen intently in every class.
It was like a fan of lore finally getting their hands on a long-awaited compendium.
How could they complain about the content being dull and tasteless to the average person?
He wished he could memorize every single word said by Hiliard!
Furthermore, in this world where the social structure was not well developed, these pieces of knowledge were clearly private luxuries not open to ordinary people—secrets that only major families and forces could learn.
As long as he could learn these, there would be no decisive gap between him and those high-and-mighty Nobles who had started their journey earlier, except for the difference in resources.
Four days of time were far from enough for Ian to catch up with the legitimate Sublimators and Nobles who had begun their studies from childhood, especially in terms of the accumulation from eating Origin Quality food since they were young.
But at least, the current Ian was no longer that boy who was utterly ignorant about the Path of Sublimation, almost knowing nothing.
Around Harrison Port, along the coastal tidal flats.
A damp, warm breeze blew over the beach from the sea, carrying the scent of an impending deluge.
For the majority of Terra People, the Month of Flowing Flames marked the beginning of the hottest season in summer, where residents of towns near Fiery Flame Land even took shelter in their underground tunnels to escape the scorching sun and heat.
But for the coastal residents of the Southern Territory, the name of this month might be somewhat misleading, because from July until late autumn after the height of summer, plentiful rains and frequent typhoons would repeatedly wash over this land and only the most resilient giant trees and houses built of rock could withstand such trials.
Under the overcast sky and howling sea wind, a white-haired boy jogged along the tidal line of the beach, carrying a small bucket.
His movements were smooth and natural, his breathing extremely rhythmic, and his steps so light that they seemed to barely touch the ground before propelling him forward several meters.
His body was like a spring, strong and flexible.
Ian was engaged in his routine afternoon practical training.
After he had initially mastered the Breathing Guiding Technique while sitting quietly, Hiliard required him to breathe using the Guiding Technique during any activity, adjusting the flow of Essence within his body.
After all, during exercise, the flow of blood throughout the body speeds up.
If one can also make that power flow, while being vigorous in body and tranquil in heart, they can greatly accelerate the condensation of Essence.
This was also a basic quality required for Sublimators in combat—the more a Sublimator could maintain a stable circulation of Essence during intense movement, the more they could ensure their advantage in battle.
According to what the old Knight had said, once Ian officially became a Sublimator and acquired his first Essence Organ, he would be taught a special training method and an accompanying specific Guiding Technique.
With that method, Sublimators could quickly replenish their stores of Essence, but it was too taxing on the body for Ordinary people to use.
Not only would it be of no benefit to them, but it could also exhaust their life potential and lead to life-threatening danger.
Compared to that marvelous method of refinement, Earth's workout techniques, though detailed and comprehensive, were not entirely suitable for those with extraordinary powers like the Terra People.
Panting softly, Ian jogged along, yet his breathing was steady, and he seemed to be in much better condition, his pale skin now flushed with some color.
This was the result of daily consumption of fish and meat, paired with medicinal herbs, fruits and vegetables, and exercise over these past few days.
It was also a manifestation of Spirit Energy activating the excellent physical gift of the Terra People.
This slow jog had already lasted for three hours, but Ian felt no depletion of his energy.
On the contrary, he felt even more energized and the flow of blood throughout his body was increasingly smooth.
He could even hear the faint sound of his blood flow in his ears.
For Sublimators, normal food was hard to quickly replenish the Essence they had expended, but the efficiency was not as low as Ian had imagined.
Perhaps because the sunlight utilization rate of Terra plants exceeded that of Earth, even ordinary berries contained far more nutrients than similar types on Earth, and the staple foods were full-grained, of excellent quality, and had an incredibly rich aroma, hardly what would be expected of this era.
For High-level Ascendants, ordinary food had no nutritional value, requiring meals of Blue Mist Tier extraordinary ingredients to replenish the Essence expended in battle.
But for an Ascendant like Ian, who was still nurturing his body with the Virtual Primordial Seed, consuming more was completely sufficient.
Maintaining an unbroken breath, Ian still had the energy to occasionally activate 'Clairvoyant Vision'—around him within a hundred-meter radius, many white and gray mists appeared, manifesting on the tidal flats.
"Ha, there's a Bamboo Clam here!"
With a sweep of his aqua-colored eyes and a soft chuckle, Ian had found his target.
Assassination Slowing down, Ian arrived at a shallow bank exposed after the tide receded.
His gaze swept over the breathing holes in the sand and directly spotted a bamboo clam lurking beneath, a type of shellfish that resembled bamboo stalks.
This shellfish, rich in nutrition and delicious in taste, dwells in the soft beaches near the sea.
It digs burrows and escapes immediately at the sign of any disturbance, which is why, even though it's very tasty, it's hard to catch unless one is an expert.
Although sprinkling table salt into the holes can lure the bamboo clams out, in this era on Terra, high-purity table salt is far more expensive than the readily available seafood.
The bamboo clam that Ian had set his sights on gave off a dense white mist.
Among the ordinary food ingredients that weren't Sublimation materials, it was considered top-tier, measuring over thirty centimeters long and very plump.
Taking out the small shovel he carried with him, Ian dug straight into the spot where the bamboo clam was.
Sensing something wrong, the clam inside the sand attempted to escape, but Ian's shovel was too quick and accurate.
Within a breath, he dug it out without even losing the clam's siphon.
He casually threw the clam into a small bucket he was carrying, which already contained a number of shells, crabs, and smaller clams.
Seafood may not have much fat, but it is rich in high-quality protein.
As long as it is paired with meat, it makes for an excellent training diet.
Whenever Ian went out for training, he would always bring back a bucket of sea produce.
After all, with his Spirit Energy, finding Sublimation materials was a breeze, let alone harvesting the sea.
While using Foresight View to sense the creatures in the sea, Ian had even spotted the 'blue' mist several times, representing the fleeting presence of rare Sublimation materials in the ocean, often leaving him with a sense of regret.
If he could grow a little bigger, able to swim in the ocean and catch up with the fish, these materials would become resources for him to take another step forward.
"There's no rush," he murmured to himself.
Looking up, Ian saw another fish swimming near the shore, formed from deep blue mist.
Thanks to the intensive catch-up lessons from Teacher Hiliad in the past few days, he could now roughly distinguish that the huge fish, about half a meter long, was the Magical Beast 'Tidal Fish King,' necessary for the lower-tier of True Form 'Wave Breaker.'
The Tidal Fish King is the leader of a Tidal Fish Swarm, a type of mutated Demon Beast Level sardine.
The swarm itself is not composed of Magical Beasts, but compared to an ordinary sardine swarm, there is inevitably a Demon Beast Level Fish King among them.
As long as one consumes the brain marrow of the Fish King together with its bones, digest it in the sea during the tide, it will become one of the simplest Sublimation True Forms to acquire, 'Wave Breaker,' stepping into the realm of the Sublimator.
An ordinary Fisherman would thus become a captain of a large sea vessel, welcomed and treated with courtesy by every port and long-distance voyager.
Since the method of advancement is so simple and the strength of the Fish King not much different from a large herring, capturing the Fish King isn't an incredible feat.
It's a prey that every Fisherman dreams of and strives to capture.
"The tide is coming in," he noted.
The emergence of the Tidal Fish King signified an impending high tide.
Seeing the sea level rise, Ian prepared to take his bucket and head home.
Checking the contents of the bucket, he nodded in satisfaction, "Today's harvest is good; I can cook a pot of clam chowder."
When it came to seafood, Ian felt quite ambivalent.
In the current state of Terra, various kinds of sea goods and seafood were somewhat embarrassing as they lacked the fat needed to provide the calories required by Fishermen and farmers engaged in physical labor.
Only fish like salmon, rich in oils, were more popular.
Even with their rich nutrients and popularity among the upper class, the costly methods of preservation meant they could only be sold dried.
Pausing, Ian only then felt the sweat from his body and the moisture from the sea breeze completely soaking him.
This training session had been a great success; he could feel a light tingling sensation coming from his muscles all over, from his torso to his limbs, and a mild warmth in his chest, back, legs, and arms, with a thread of strength forming inside the flesh and blood, supporting the boy's intense movements for hours on end.
Ian could sense that the Virtual Primordial Seed was operating in his heart, transmitting a continuous stream of refined Origin Quality, flowing with the blood into every corner of his body, healing injuries and strengthening the body.
Although there was no change in his physique, Ian knew very well that the 'density' of his body was increasing.
"By now, I should meet Teacher Hiliad's requirements," he said to himself.
Ian reached the beach and looked out to Harrison Port not far away.
Beside it was the Oyster Breeding Factory of the White Folks, and with the Guard Squad patrolling, it was quite safe, "My physical condition is now good enough to complete a full session of the Breathing Guiding Technique."
"With this, I can perfectly create the Primordial Seed."
After several verifications by Hiliad, the structure of the Primordial Seed that Ian had improved was deemed very superior, with only a few minor details that could be more smoothly optimized.
However, this Primordial Seed was too complicated, requiring a long time to condense.
The process of forming the Primordial Seed itself was extremely intensive, involving the movement of blood and Origin Quality throughout the body.
With Ian's prior physical condition, it wasn't that he couldn't succeed, but there was a very high chance he would collapse from shock halfway through.
Of course, Hiliad wouldn't let Ian take such a risk, hence the recent days of training.
Feeling his physical strength had greatly improved, Ian was in high spirits.
He saw a palm tree growing along the coast, took a notion, and reached out to climb it.
Even with one hand carrying a bucket, he easily climbed to the top with agile movements.
Watching the setting sun gradually dip below the horizon from the treetop, Ian couldn't help but show a genuine smile.
Although his body in his previous life had been genetically modified and was far more robust than the children of his current time, Ian had spent years in space, surrounded by gigantic engineering machinery and massive spaceship engines that could shake the ground and sky when activated.
Human strength seemed minuscule and fragile in comparison.
What was this feeling of being one with nature like?
But before Ian could settle down at the treetop to rest and watch the tide rise, he suddenly felt something was amiss.
In the coastal forest not far away, there seemed to be some discordant disturbances.
To an ordinary person, or even an experienced hunter, it might not be possible to discern whether the noise was caused by the sea breeze or the movement of wild animals.
But harboring doubts, Ian directly activated his Foresight View to observe.
Instantly, a familiar silhouette shrouded in white mist appeared before his eyes.
"Brin?
Why is it still him?"
Ian wondered—while he didn't feel any danger from the other party, he found it somewhat absurd, "If he really wanted Sleep Powder, he should have come looking at my house…
Does he think I would carry Sleep Powder with me all the time?"
Of course, in reality, he did carry a bag of Sleep Powder as a protective amulet…
but how could anyone expect that?
For a moment, Ian was unclear if the other party was on the second floor or the basement level.
Since Brin showed no signs of coming forward, Ian didn't bother with him—given his current physical condition, even if Brin was a well-built adult, he might not be able to fight or outrun him.
Ever since he noticed Brin observing him that day, he had specifically sought out Elder Prude to report this matter and subtly mentioned his sense of impending crisis.
The Elder listened seriously and assured him that he would admonish Brin to restrain his scheming thoughts.
But as for Ian's sensed danger, the Elder merely smiled and said they were already aware that the Natives would definitely be up to something big recently.
He told Ian to be careful since they were prepared.
Ian had his doubts about this.
He believed Elder Prude and the local Governor must have already taken measures against the Natives, but what they were prepared for was definitely not what they were about to face!
Alas, he was indeed just an eight-year-old child.
Even if he proved himself a Spirit Energy User, which world really had Spirit Energy Users who could truly predict the future?
"Ah, troublesome things keep coming one after another."
With his thoughts in turmoil, Ian no longer felt like watching the seascape.
He shook his head, got up, and prepared to climb down the tree to go home.
But at that moment, the white mist around Brin in Ian's view suddenly enveloped a layer of urgent crimson!
Not only that, but as his Spirit Energy continued to be active for more than a dozen seconds, the range of Foresight View expanded.
Suddenly, three grayish-red figures lurking in the jungle appeared and stealthily approached Brin and himself!
"Natives?"
Sensing the approaching danger, Ian tensed up, "When did they get here, and who is their target?"
Without taking the time to ponder how the Natives could have infiltrated so close to Harrison Port or why they hadn't been detected by the Guard Squad, Ian made a snap decision and shouted, "Brin!
There are Natives twenty meters behind you!"
In the woods, Brin, hidden among the tree trunks and shrubs, was startled upon hearing Ian's voice.
He hadn't expected Ian to spot him observing from such a distance, which meant that Ian's Spirit Energy was stronger than he had imagined.
However, after grasping what was said, a chill ran down his spine, and his scalp tingled, "Natives?"
"Behind me!"
Without taking time to think, Brin promptly turned his head, and he immediately saw a dark shadow bringing a gust of wind, rapidly lunging towards him!
The Native, aware his ambush had been foiled, silently drew closer with a knife, quickly closing a distance of over ten meters.
In that instant, the man could even see the blade of the rusted short dagger still bore traces of blood that hadn't been completely wiped clean.
The stench of blood and the sense of slaughter hit him full force!