Chapter 17: The Request
Within the Spring Water Garden, the residence of the empire's foremost magus.
A earthen yellow glow enveloped the grassy expanse of the Spring Water Garden. It was an earth-type spell — the Gravity Technique. At this moment, Linley was clad only in trousers, his upper body bare as he trained on the grass.
The bare torso displayed muscle lines as fluid as flowing water, without a trace of excess flesh. The nearly fourfold gravitational force subjected not only Linley's skin but also his internal meridians and blood vessels to four times the normal pull. Fortunately, after the Dragonblood Baptism, Linley's entire physique had reached a new height.
Linley stood in an archer's stance, his legs braced, his arms extended horizontally to either side, each hand gripping a massive stone lock. Each stone lock weighed a hundred jin. Under the fourfold gravity, the combined weight of the two stone locks approached a thousand jin.
His legs were taut as steel cables, his upper torso erect and straight, his gaze fixed forward without a single movement.
Static strength training was an extremely effective method.
Beads of sweat seeped from Linley's skin, soon dripping from his temples. Yet Linley persisted...
Even after being honored as the so-called empire's foremost magus, Linley spent nearly every day in relentless training. The guards stood solemnly at attention, and two maidservants waited outside, ever ready to answer Linley's summons. The gate to the Spring Water Garden remained closed.
During Linley's training, intruders were strictly forbidden.
Once, King Clay of the Fenlai Kingdom had arrived. A palace attendant, ignoring the guards' obstruction, had rushed into the Spring Water Garden to summon Linley before His Majesty. Linley had immediately ordered twenty strokes of the rod for that attendant. The frail attendant had been beaten to death.
Later, King Clay had not blamed Linley in the slightest. Instead, he reprimanded his subordinates, insisting that Linley's rules must be observed in the Spring Water Garden.
"Lord Linley trains so fiercely. All day long, it's either warrior training or magical meditation. I suppose only the time he spends sculpting stone gives him a bit of rest," one maidservant murmured softly. The other maidservant nodded. "I've never seen a noble train so hard. Back in my hometown, the warrior instructor only trained four hours a day."
The knights of the Radiant Church standing guard nearby also felt great admiration for Linley. Typically, when geniuses were enveloped by a halo of glory, they might sink into decadence. The Radiant Church cultivated many prodigies each year, but those figures, far less dazzling than Linley, often fell to the temptations of the lavish world once their status rose.
"If Lord Linley keeps this up, he might become the youngest ninth-rank powerhouse in history, the youngest Saint-level expert," a knight on guard murmured softly.
The other knights nodded in agreement.
They all deeply admired Linley's diligence in training.
Only... "Lord Linley is just too strict," a maidservant whispered with some discontent. In their minds, Linley was handsome, young, demanding of himself, powerful, and promising.
Such a person was nearly perfect, except for his harshness toward others. Even with them, the maidservants, he showed no warmth or gentleness. He had time for sculpting, but they didn't know... that during his sculpting, his spiritual power grew fastest. Linley's strength was constantly improving!
Inside the Spring Water Garden.
"Whoosh."
After an hour of warrior training, Linley circulated the Dragonblood Warrior battle qi within him. Fatigue quickly dissipated. He took a flat chisel from a nearby table. On the other side of the grass lay several massive stones, which Linley used for sculpting.
Gazing at the stone before him, following its natural grain and lines, Linley's mind instinctively sketched an image. In moments, it became the likeness of a valiant warrior.
A faint smile touched Linley's lips. He swung the flat chisel.
The blade danced rhythmically, now fast, now slow, as stone chips flew continuously. Linley was confident, each stroke delivered with absolute certainty, each force precisely right.
A wondrous feeling!
Linley's soul merged with the fluctuations of earth-element energy, sensing the stone's internal texture. His soul also blended with wind-element energy, each strike achieving peak precision.
Natural!
Linley's soul immersed itself in nature, which nurtured it like a mother, allowing it to grow robust and strong.
"Whoosh."
Exhaling, Linley put down the flat chisel.
After two hours, the massive stone had taken shape as a rough sculpture. For the detailed carving, Linley planned to continue tomorrow. He allocated limited time each day to sculpting.
He had to optimally balance various training methods to maximize efficiency in improving his strength!
He started training at five in the morning, and now it was eight o'clock — Linley's breakfast time.
Setting down the chisel, Linley removed his trousers and jumped into the hot spring. Lying in the warm water, feeling it wash over every muscle, Linley closed his eyes in comfort, allowing himself a rare moment of rest.
"Come in," Linley suddenly called out.
The two maidservants, who had been waiting quietly outside the garden gate, immediately entered, carrying trays laden with various delicacies and fruits.
"Lord Linley." They placed the trays on a nearby table and stood respectfully, awaiting his orders.
Even as they stood obediently, the maidservants couldn't help stealing glances at Linley. His bare, powerful male physique held great allure for them.
"You may withdraw," Linley said calmly.
"Yes, Lord Linley." The maidservants bowed and left.
From start to finish, Linley hadn't even glanced at them.
Then, stepping out of the hot spring, Linley changed into dry undergarments and outer clothes before sitting down to breakfast.
"Swish." A black shadow leaped over from the distant grass — it was Bebe. While Linley trained and sculpted, Bebe had been sleeping.
"Boss, breakfast time! Oh, that big piece of roasted meat is mine!" Bebe immediately targeted a large slab of grilled magical beast meat.
Linley smiled.
"Grandpa Doehring, is there really no way to deal with Clay?" Linley asked Doehring Cowart in his mind.
Doehring Cowart flew out of the Coiling Dragon Ring and sat on a nearby chair, smiling at Linley. "Linley, Clay is a ninth-rank powerhouse. The gap between you is enormous. Even fully Dragonformed, you're only just entering the eighth rank. Oh, currently, in your normal state, you've reached the late sixth rank. Fully Dragonformed, you're at the mid-to-late eighth rank. But you're still far from being a match for Clay."
Linley felt a deep unwillingness. Now he knew that Clay was the one who had ordered Paterson to capture his mother. Yet against Clay, he was utterly powerless.
"I can only keep training." Linley clenched his fist, even bending the fork in his hand.
The Dragonblood Warrior's initial training phase yielded excellent results. Linley had now reached the late sixth rank. At this rate, he might step into the seventh rank within half a year. Once he reached the seventh rank, fully Dragonformed, he could enter the early ninth rank.
"Lord Linley." A maidservant's voice came from outside.
"Come in," Linley said calmly.
The maidservant hurried in and bowed respectfully. "Lord Linley, a young lady named Alice is outside, requesting an audience."
"Alice?" Linley raised an eyebrow, looking at the maidservant. "Take her to the drawing room. I'll be there shortly." Linley stood up.
"Yes, Lord Linley." The maidservant dared not joke in Linley's presence. They all knew he was strict with servants.
In the drawing room, Alice sat on a chair, clutching a water glass, looking somewhat nervous. Asking Linley for help was truly difficult for her, but she had no choice.
Footsteps sounded.
Alice's body trembled. She turned to look.
Linley, dressed in a loose robe, walked in from the inner hall with a smile. Seeing Alice's gaze, he nodded and smiled. "Alice, long time no see." He then took the main seat.
Alice could clearly sense that Linley's demeanor was completely different from a year ago. A year ago, Linley had still been very immature.
But now, Linley's calm, graceful, and noble bearing was evident even in his casual conversation. This was the air of someone in a high position, accustomed to command.
"Linley." Alice tried to keep her voice steady, but even so, it trembled slightly.
"Would you like some fruit? I remember you liked green fruits best." Linley glanced at a distant maidservant.
Soon, a maidservant brought a fruit platter.
"Thank you." Alice picked up a piece of green fruit and took a small bite. At that moment, she couldn't help recalling the times she and Linley had eaten green fruits together, when he had fed her.
Alice looked up at Linley, who was now smiling at her.
"Linley," Alice put down the fruit and looked at him. "I have a favor to ask of you."
"A favor?" Linley had a good guess about the purpose of her visit.
"Go ahead," Linley said directly.
Alice took a deep breath and looked at Linley seriously. "Linley, you know about what happened to Kalan's family. I believe they are innocent. I hope you can help, speak to His Majesty, and clear the Debs family's name. I know His Majesty values your opinion."
Linley couldn't help but smile wryly.
Innocent?
Others might not know, but he, who had killed Paterson, was well aware. When he killed Paterson, Paterson had personally mentioned the smuggling. It was almost certainly connected to the Debs family.
"Clear their name? How can you be so sure they're innocent? Alice, how much do you really know about the Debs family?" Linley looked at her.
Alice was taken aback.
She had mustered great courage to say what she just did. Now, being questioned like this, she felt that Linley didn't want to help.
She felt like crying, her heart aching.
Alice stood up and bowed to Linley. "Linley, I'm sorry for coming today. I know I hurt you deeply before, and now I'm asking you to save the Debs family. It's too much. If you can't help, I won't blame you." In her heart, Linley and Kalan were rivals in love. It was already generous of Linley not to kick them while they were down.
Linley looked at Alice, his heart calm.
His failed first love was now just a dream from which he had awakened. The current Linley had experienced the battle in the Misty Valley, the Dragonblood Baptism, and his father's death. Now, he was walking the dark path of revenge!
On this path of revenge, Linley had to be patient, cold, and ruthless, without any slack. His heart was now far tougher and more mature than before. He was no longer the naive Linley of a year ago, nor the Linley Alice thought she knew.
The more one experienced, the more mature one became. Linley had experienced too much!
"Linley, I'll be going now." Alice stood up, tears already threatening to fall.
"Alice." Linley stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder.
Alice turned in surprise to look at Linley, who gazed at her solemnly. "Alice, you know too little. Whether the Debs family is innocent isn't something you can decide based on your feelings. But since you've come to ask me, I won't stand idly by. However... whether I can save them or not is another matter."