Felix's mind went completely blank at that moment. He was so shocked that he didn't even notice the emerald slip turning into a streak of light and flying away.His new discovery was simply too incredible. The emerald slip contained none other than the next part of the Lone Paragon. Back when he first learned it, he had wondered why the Lone Paragon technique was limited to a threefold power boost. Finally, his suspicions had been confirmed.When he finally snapped out of his daze, he couldn't help but sigh. "Danger and opportunity truly go hand in hand."With his current strength, he mastered this new part of Lone Paragon in an instant, increasing the power boost from threefold to fourfold."Could there be even more beyond this? If I master the entire technique, just how terrifying will my combat power become?"As he took a moment to center himself, an even greater wave of excitement washed over him.Not only did this new section of Lone Paragon increase his power further, but
After confirming the results, with three days left until the full moon, Felix decided to absorb the last piece of the Dragonspine. Having successfully forged his Ethereal Constitution, there was no one in Martial City who could rival him at his current level. Nonetheless, he didn't want to risk any unexpected surprises.By noon on the third day, the sun was blazing down mercilessly, scorching the earth.A middle-aged man and woman quietly approached a particular house."I… I still feel uneasy about this. That's the Demoness' house, after all," the woman said hesitantly.The man scolded her, "What are you afraid of? The Demoness has been gone for nearly two years. She's long since left. Who knows? We might find some valuable treasures or secret techniques inside. Just because she didn't care for them doesn't mean they're useless to us."The thought of potential riches emboldened them. Although the woman hesitated, she eventually steeled herself and continued forward.Just as the
Who would have thought that Felix would just stand in midair like that, looking down at everyone around him? Wasn't that the sign of a Grandmaster Realm martial artist?It was universally accepted that martial artists of Grandmaster Realm couldn't fly, but they could stand in midair. So far, no technique or secret method has been discovered that could achieve such a feat. While the strongest martial artists could momentarily leverage the air to support themselves, only a martial artist of Grandmaster Realm could stand in midair like that.At that moment, Felix basked in the awe and respect of the people of Ghosttown. His heart swelled with satisfaction.Just as he'd predicted, reaching the peak of Transcendent Realm and absorbing the last piece of the Dragonspine had pushed him straight to the pinnacle of martial prowess—Grandmaster Realm level.No wonder he could absorb the Dragonspine so quickly this time. It only took a couple of days, and even though he was struck by lightnin
Seekstorm's large eyes were bright blue, filled with a hint of timidity and curiosity.Felix didn't dare make any sudden moves. He was afraid of scaring the little beast but also curious about what it was planning to do.After a few minutes of tense silence, Seekstorm slowly began to approach Felix, coming right up to him. It wasn't that friendly with him last time. Seeing its eyes sparkle with a hint of affection, Felix was almost in disbelief. He grabbed the steak and held it out.The little creature almost drooled, but after staring for a few seconds, it forced itself to look back at him instead."Hm? Why are you staring at me instead of eating your favorite steak?"Felix knew it wasn't because of his increased charisma upon reaching the Grandmaster Realm level. It was more likely that something he carried was attracting Seekstorm.After turning down several things with little interest, Seekstorm's eyes lit up when it saw the red bone that appeared during Aiden's demise. It
Standing in front of Felix was a statue about 16 feet tall, a bright smile on its face. Although it was gray, it didn't take away from the exquisite and detailed carving. But Felix couldn't hold himself back and walked right up to it because it looked exactly like Billy. "Could this be Billy's ancestor?" Felix rubbed his chin in puzzlement, not wanting to think about it any longer. He touched it directly with his right hand, as if there was something calling to him within the statue.However, his lack of fear was due to his invincible strength in Martial City. He touched it without hesitation or fear of danger.After a few seconds, Felix smiled. "Seems like this statue is the core of the spell hiding Martial City."Now, he could enter and exit the city freely without a token. He could also open and close the spell at any time—everything was under his control.As soon as he stopped touching the statue, the statue began to vibrate. Then, it sank into the ground and disappeared.
The only people Felix could bow to were Deborah and Cordelia. The two women were sobbing uncontrollably. Deborah truly doted on him, treating him like her own grandson. Meanwhile, Cordelia didn't need any explanation. She had been feeling guilty toward Felix for decades. She had never even dared dream of being forgiven, let alone attending his wedding as his mother. Now that she was, the feeling was indescribable.After curtsying to their parents, the two of them entered the bridal chamber. When Felix lifted Nerissa's veil, he felt amazed despite having seen her many times."You're so beautiful, Nerissa."She was flushed red from shyness. Nerissa had imagined countless times what her fiancé would be like—but she never would've thought that he would be this excellent. Many years ago, Westley had told her that a person who held on to their principles and persistence would eventually be blessed. Just as Felix was about to say something, Nerissa had already pushed him down on the
Cordelia took out a small piece of paper from her pocket. A painting revealed itself as she unfolded the paper.The man in the painting was handsome and strong. His eyes, in particular, were authoritative. Even though it was a painting, no one dared to meet his gaze. For some reason, Felix felt like this man seemed familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "Is this him?"Cordelia nodded. "Yes, this is a painting the royal family has kept for generations. Whether he has changed or aged at all isn't clear. We call him the Ancient Sage."The Ancient Sage? Felix questioned, "Is he stronger than a Grandmaster?" A mix of emotions flashed in Cordelia's eyes. "Most probably. After Yusri became Grandmaster, he claimed to be the strongest in the world. However, one day, he went to an unknown place for a few days."When he came back, he claimed that he was no longer the strongest in the world. The rest of us had guessed that he met the Ancient Sage."Felix thought about how Corde
At the foot of Trirock Mountain, a densely packed crowd gathered around. There was double the number of people gathered here compared to when Felix was refining pills during the assessment. Everyone was waiting and talking among themselves. They were all wondering what Felix was going to do. Logically, everyone couldn't be here at the same time. Yet, it happened.After Felix touched the statue, he could control the spell around Martial City. He could also feel the energies of the citizens and where they were. The three elders of the Celestial Hall had been asked to capture the hiding citizens. No one could escape."Being a Grandmaster is truly amazing! I was still caught despite hiding in a well-hidden place.""Ugh, don't even mention it! I buried myself underground, yet they dug me out!"Several martial artists were helpless as they chatted among themselves. They hadn't seen Felix but had already experienced the power of a Grandmaster. All of a sudden, a figure appeared above
Felix had clearly found Holt's weak spot. These guys were so desperate to extend their lives that they turned the entire Aquamarinus into a breeding ground. Obviously, they were terrified of death. As long as there was even the slightest chance of survival, they'd take it.And sure enough, Holt immediately agreed. He pulled out some kind of device and flew off, clearly contacting his comrades."But even if I agreed," Holt said, "the three of us split up and searched in different directions. Even if they rush over, they won't make it until tomorrow."The fear in his eyes was obvious, so much so that Felix couldn't help but laugh."How interesting," Felix said. "You made a deal with the Ant Queen, right? Couldn't she at least give you something to help you move freely through Desolated Lands at night?"Holt shot him a bitter smile. "The Ant Queen's children—the soldier ants—are born hunters. That instinct can't be erased. And honestly, we've never needed to go out at night anyway."
Lumen flew out and quickly returned. Felix's expression eased completely, and with a step, he vanished from where he stood."Chasing me was fun last time, huh? Did you think it'd go the same this time?" he asked.When he reappeared, someone was already lying on the ground about ten yards ahead. It was a figure fully shrouded in a gray robe, a man named Holt Bovington.That was Felix holding back. Otherwise, Lumen's previous strike could've shattered Holt's soul on the spot."Felix Zeller? It really is you!" Holt's voice was full of shock. Whatever he'd planned to do was already too late. His soul had taken a devastating blow, and he no longer had the strength to fight."Yeah, it's me. Just like I suspected, you people really aren't all that strong when it comes to soul power."Felix had spared his life because he wanted answers."If you answer a few questions honestly, I'll let you live. Even with your soul badly damaged, I assume someone who knows about Nine Flames and Desolate
Three months later, deep within a mountain on Aquamarinus, a meeting was taking place. Who would've imagined palace-like structures hidden within the mountain itself?In one of the chambers, a sky-blue dome adorned the ceiling. Beneath it, three figures in gray robes sat cross-legged, their bodies cloaked in shadow. Their faces were completely obscured."I went to see the Ant Queen yesterday. There's definitely something wrong.""Enough with the vague talk. Be specific.""In just three months, the Ant Queen has lost millions of her children. Do you even understand what that means?"The atmosphere shifted as all three took a sharp breath. A long silence followed before one finally spoke, "Perhaps our earlier theory is right. Is someone hunting soldier ants in Desolated Lands at night?""It has to be. How else do you explain millions of casualties? At this rate, we're down to just a million soldier ants across the entire planet. If this keeps up, they'll be wiped out in a month. An
"I didn't expect you to be a doctor, too. Thanks," Myles said, but then suddenly froze. His mind started racing.Wait a minute! He took down a tiger of True Blood Realm. On top of that, he was extremely skilled in medicine. That could only mean…"You figured out who I am?" Felix asked with a smile, trying to put Myles at ease. Despite that, Myles couldn't hide his fear. "You're Felix Zeller?""That's right. Judging by your reaction, I take it I've become a traitor to The Recovery Association? Or maybe some kind of unforgivable villain?"The air grew a bit awkward, and Myles shot him a strained smile."Not exactly… It's just that you took down the Flame Monarch. That's kind of hard to wrap my head around."His expression shifted again."Actually, everyone's still pretty confused. When we woke up this morning, every city, town, and even the smallest villages received a message. Five days from now, the Flame Monarch is holding a Flame Ceremony."Felix paused, frowning. "What's t
With Lumen and Indigo attacking and the Infinite Shield defending, Felix held his ground. Occasionally, he cast minor spells that barely consumed any soul power. Even as the monsters surged toward him like a tidal wave, not one of them could so much as scratch him.Feeling the steady stream of energy flooding into him, Felix grinned. If things kept going like this, there was a high chance he'd break through to the next major soul realm—Soul Overlord Realm.If he could level up again during the elimination rounds, his odds of winning the whole thing would increase significantly. Especially since Soul Overlord Realm required soul enhancement, it was a whole different league compared to Aetherium Realm.Once he hit Soul Overlord Realm, he was confident he'd be able to go toe-to-toe in a soul battle with the powerful figure who had chased him during dusk.That guy didn't dare appear in Desolated Lands at night, which likely meant his soul wasn't strong. In that case, Felix might actual
The sun had already begun to set. After fleeing in a panic, Felix had no idea if there was even a single place ahead that could shield him from the coming darkness.A few minutes later, the presence chasing him within his domain disappeared. Logically, the pursuer should've caught up in less than ten minutes, but they gave up. Still, Felix didn't relax for a second. The darkness was about to fall, and that could only mean two things. Either the pursuer wasn't confident they could survive the desolate night themselves, or they assumed there was no flame nearby and Felix was as good as dead.Either way, this was the most dangerous moment yet.After sprinting several more miles, Felix finally stopped. All around him stretched a barren wasteland with no end in sight. Even though he had memorized maps to identify different areas, they were useless now. As darkness swallowed the land, all reference points vanished."Damn it! I guess I'll have to see for myself what the hell comes out i
When Eira and Luigi saw that Felix was determined to go through with it, they moved instantly. Appearing right in front of him, they dropped to their knees."Please, Felix! For the sake of all those innocent lives, stop.""If you're really set on taking this flame, then kill us first."Seeing the two of them so resolute, Felix hesitated. The lives of hundreds of thousands—maybe even millions—now hung in the balance, all dependent on one decision from him."I haven't known you for long," Eira continued. "But from the way you avenged the 200 people of Innswood Village, I know you're not someone who kills without reason. You'd never turn a blind eye to the lives of ordinary people. "Please show them mercy. They've already suffered enough."Tears streamed down her face. The purpose of The Recovery Association was clear—overthrow the Flame Monarch, destroy the Nine Flames, and return Aquamarinus to what it once was. However, when it came to principles and morals, they were unwaveri
Felix thought that Gerald's advice really was spot-on. If he hadn't achieved Extreme Mastery, he could still beat the Flame Monarch. However, his subsequent journey would have been difficult. Winning first place in the Rank-Ascending Competition to protect Earth would've been almost impossible.With a casual wave of Felix's hand, the Flame Monarch collapsed to the ground. Thankfully, no one was around to see it. Otherwise, they'd have been scared out of their minds.The most powerful being on Aquamarinus, the Flame Monarch, just got instantly wiped out by Felix. To Felix, it was like crushing an ant and required no effort at all."It's time to complete the mission," Felix said.Just like that, he vanished. His speed was insane because Nine Flames were all scattered far apart. Since travel was banned at night, he couldn't afford to waste even a second.Honestly, he was curious what it would be like to go out at night. However, after thinking it over, he decided it just wasn't worth
Under the sunlight, Innswood Village looked even lonelier. If it weren't for Felix standing in the open field, the place would've looked like a dead town. Soon, a sound broke through the silent air. A person stood 30 feet in front of Felix. It was the Flame Monarch, whom Felix had met once."I really thought you were a member of The Recovery Association and that you'd laid a trap here. But it turns out, you're really alone."Felix replied, "I am a member of The Recovery Association, but why do I need a trap to kill you?"Oh? A member of The Recovery Association? The Flame Monarch smiled. "You're really brave, you know. You're the first person in Aquamarinus who dares to face me like this. Even the leader of The Recovery Association had been in seclusion, trying to reach Heavenly Realm before facing me."I don't know where you get your confidence from."Initially, Felix wanted to attack immediately. But he still had questions to ask. "There are only the two of us here. Sinc