"You know…" Alice glanced at Max, her eyes gleaming. "If I can fully awaken my Phoenix Flames, it’s only a matter of time before I enter Adept Rank."
Max raised his brows, hearing her talk about her flames. "What’s stopping you from awakening the flame?" he asked.
"Mother," Alice sighed. "She’s been telling me that the time to awaken my Phoenix Flames hasn’t come yet. Only with her permission can I awaken them."
She added, "Also, it’s not like I can awaken them on my own. According to my mother, my rank is too low to withstand the power of the Phoenix Flames. I need to be at least in the Adept Rank for my body to handle the Phoenix Flames."
Max nodded, glancing at her. "So what are you going to do? Will you enter the temple or not?"
Alice bit her lips in frustration. "I want to, but if so many forces from all over the continent come to the temple, they probably won’t care which power someone belongs to. They’ll go for the kill if a conflict arises. In that situation, I’d only be a hindrance to you and everyone from our guild."
Her eyes almost teared up. "That’s why I’ve decided not to go."
"You made a good decision." Max patted her head. "There will always be a next time. Besides, you’re too young for this. I believe that in the next few years, once you’re at the Temple of Divine, you’ll rule over the geniuses of that time."
Alice pouted, eyeing Max. "But you’re the same age as me, and you’re going, but not me."
Max smiled wryly and pointed at himself. "Well, I’m a bit of an odd one here. Don’t compare yourself with me."
Alice glanced at Max, her face darkening. ’I’m being left behind by him. With the way he’s growing, it won’t be long before I can only look back at him.’ She felt happy for Max, but there was also the sting of being left behind.
She wanted to walk side by side with Max, but she understood that if things kept going like this, her dreams would forever remain just dreams.
’I’ll talk to mother about awakening my flames,’ she decided.
"Alice, you won’t be going this time." Anton appeared before Max and Alice, addressing her directly. "You’re still very young, and there will be plenty of chances for you in the future."
Alice glanced at Anton, her expression resolute. "Big Brother, I’ve already decided not to go this time, so don’t worry about me."
"You have?" Anton was surprised by her decisiveness. He knew that when it came to stubbornness, no one could match her once she set her mind on something.
Alice nodded, glancing at Max and Anton before saying, "I’ll go find mother and inform her of my decision." She walked off into the distance, leaving them alone.
Seeing her leave, Anton turned to Max. "Let’s go. Before we leave for the temple, I want you to meet everyone who will be entering the temple this time."
Max nodded and followed Anton to the training hall. There, eight more figures were waiting for them, five of whom Max already knew. They were the team Alex had been part of—the one that had challenged him and learned a lesson about arrogance.
As for the other three, two had strength at the peak of Level 10 of Adept Rank, and the other was at the peak of Level 10 of Apprentice Rank.
"Everyone, I believe you all know Max, but he doesn’t know you. Introduce yourselves one by one," Anton said loudly.
"You’ve already met us before, but let me formally introduce myself and the others." A young man stepped forward from the group Max had previously met.
"I’m Vance, and that orange-haired arrogant prick you’ve already met is Alex." He sneered at Alex before turning to the gloomy guy. "That guy is Raman; he doesn’t talk much." He then focused on the two girls. "They are Shelly and Stacy. The former is the quiet one, while the latter is hot-headed. You don’t want to get on her bad side."
Max glanced at all of them and nodded lightly.
The last one, at the peak of Apprentice Rank, had dark blue hair and a calm expression. "I’m Astor. Nice to meet you, Max."
"Nice to meet you too," Max replied, smiling as he turned to the last two individuals, both at the peak of Adept Rank. One was a woman, and the other was a young man who had his eyes closed, as if he didn’t want anything to do with what was happening around him.
Find more chapters on freewebnovel.com
The young woman stepped forward and introduced herself. "I’m Serena Kahns." She pointed to the young man. "He’s Bruce."
Max glanced at her and nodded. "It’s nice to meet you all."
Bruce opened his eyes and looked at Max. "Don’t hold us back with your Level 4 Apprentice Rank," he said coldly.
Max turned to him with a sneer. "Sure."
Bruce frowned when he saw Max wasn’t taking him seriously, but before he could say anything more, someone else intervened.
"Alright, it’s time to leave for the temple." Anton clapped his hands, his eyes sweeping over everyone. "Follow me."
He led them out of the building area to an open field, where a magnificent, sleek, triangular-shaped jet was waiting for them.
It was pure black, thin in appearance, with a modern design.
’That’s a cool jet,’ Max mused as he observed the flying vessel in front of them. Beside the jet stood Aurelia and his teacher, Sophia, along with Alice.
"Everyone, board the jet. It will be leaving in less than fifteen minutes," Aurelia said loudly.
The jet’s door opened, and a stair descended to the ground.
Max glanced at Alice, nodded at her, and quietly entered the jet, followed by the others.
Only Anton remained behind.
Aurelia glanced at Sophia. "Handle the matters here for the time being. I won’t be present."
Sophia smiled and nodded. "Don’t worry. I’ve been waiting for a moment like this for a long time."
Aurelia smiled as she boarded the jet with Anton.
The jet then took off, disappearing into the distance.
Sophia watched the jet disappear into the distance until it became a tiny point and then vanished entirely. ’Max, a bigger stage with geniuses from all over the world awaits you at the temple… Are you up for the challenge?’ she thought quietly.
---
Inside the jet, it was like a large room with chairs and tables, where everyone seated. Some were busy scrolling through their feeds on the extranet, while others simply closed their eyes, waiting.
"Everyone," Aurelia called out, clapping her hands to draw the attention of the gathered geniuses on board. Her commanding presence immediately silenced the murmurs, and all eyes turned toward her.
"There are a few things you must be cautious about," she began, her tone heavy with warning. "If you encounter any geniuses from the South Region, you have two choices: ignore them or eliminate them if they pose a threat."
The crowd exchanged uneasy glances, but Aurelia pressed on. "The South Region has long been notorious for its lawlessness. It’s a haven for criminals from across the four regions and the entire Valora Continent. Outlaws, fugitives, and dangerous individuals seek refuge there, turning it into a den of the most wanted and ruthless."
Her gaze swept over the crowd, her golden eyes sharp and unyielding. "That is why you must remain vigilant. Do not trust anyone from the South Region under any circumstances. Their intentions are rarely pure, and betrayal is second nature to them. They thrive in chaos and deception."
Everyone nodded solemnly.
Aurelia continued, her tone steady but firm. "As for the West Region, they have long been our allies. The East and West Regions share mutual respect and understanding, so there likely won’t be any conflicts with them during this event. That’s one less concern to worry about."
She paused, her demeanor shifting as her expression turned grave. "That leaves the North Region."