Chapter 874: Strength Insights
After parting ways with Marylou, Sein and Reina spent another two years walking around Snow Spirit World before finally deciding to leave the medium-sized plane.
Marylou had been right—after visiting the greatest mountain range in Snow Spirit World, there was little point in exploring the other regions.
Snow Spirit World was a unique plane, blanketed in perpetual snow and devoid of both sun and moon.
Thick cumulus clouds shrouded the sky, blocking the light of nearby stars from reaching this world’s inhabitants.
Through the dense gray snow clouds, Sein and Reina could only catch the faint, hazy outline of a star above.
Without this layer of cumulus clouds, it would become apparent that this medium-sized world had only a single sun, much like the Magus World.
Only during the polar night phenomenon at the poles of Snow Spirit World did the gravitational forces of the plane spread the clouds apart, creating gaps that revealed the vast brilliance of the Astral Realm to its inhabitants.
Marylou was a Rank Two witch, the kind of mage Sein found easy to get along with.
Sein had met many mages during his time at the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, but only a handful could truly be called his friends.
Though his time with Marylou had lasted just a few years, her vast knowledge and sharp insights as a spellcaster had left a deep impression on him.
Of course, another reason for his admiration was that Marylou, like him, belonged to the younger generation of mages.
Sein had not asked her age outright but his extensive understanding of the human anatomy, honed through countless body-tempering experiments, gave him the ability to deduce someone’s age.
By observing subtle details such as her eyes, skin, and nails, Sein was confident that she was less than a thousand years old.
The only flaw, if it could be called that, was Marylou’s noticeably gray hair.
Despite her relative youth, she had a surprising number of silver strands in her aquamarine hair. Fortunately, the pale color of her original hair made the gray less noticeable.
The source of Marylou’s gray hair was undoubtedly her practice of astrology.
The Astral Plane maintained a perfect balance, and the mages of the Magus World believed in the laws of energy and matter conservation.
No matter how one viewed it, the ability to glimpse the future was an extraordinary, almost heaven-defying power.
Yet, as with all things in the Magus World, such power came with a price.
For astrologers, the ability to grasp the trajectories of the future demanded a steep toll.
Marylou’s gray hairs were the price she paid for years of researching and practicing astrology.
The most common consequence of practicing astrology was a reduction in lifespan.
This was why astrologers in the Magus World seldom used their abilities without significant cause.
Even when approached with requests or pleas, their fees were notoriously exorbitant.
For these mages, it was truly a matter of trading their lives for wealth.
As for Marylou’s “extortion” before their departure, Sein eventually relented and offered her a potion with a wry smile.
This particular potion had been crafted by his mentor using his Life Spring and was given to him before he left the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.
There were only seven in total, each vial no larger than a finger and containing a vibrant red liquid.
These precious potions possessed exceptional recovery and healing properties, along with the ability to slightly extend one’s lifespan.
Impressed by Marylou’s abilities and genuinely regarding her as a friend, Sein decided to part with one of these precious potions as compensation.
The potion more than made up for her lost years spent during her divinations, highlighting Lorianne’s unparalleled expertise in apothecary.
“Wow, I didn’t expect you to have so much good stuff!” Marylou exclaimed as she snatched the potion from his hand.
Then, with a serious expression, she added, “If you ever come to northlands, try contacting me. I might consider meeting you. Until then!”
“Well, I hope to see you again,” Sein replied, nodding in acknowledgment.
***
After leaving Snow Spirit World, Sein and Reina continued their journey north.
The two had truly explored the entirety of the Ylli Knight Alliance this time, with Sein focusing primarily on the foreign planes connected to the major knightly orders.
Some of these planes were directly governed by the Magus Civilization, while others were independent allied worlds with sovereignty.
Fire Trapa World, Dead Tree Plane, Icefall World, Dark Field Plane, Nine-Vine Mulberry Tree Plane, Azure-Eyed Fairy Plane...
Sein visited more than a dozen foreign planes of varying sizes. These travels not only broadened his horizons but also significantly enriched his knowledge and resources.
Among these planes, two low-level planes stood out as particularly fascinating to Sein—the Fire Trapa World and the Azure-Eyed Fairy Plane.
In Fire Trapa World, Sein successfully acquired a rare and valuable Crimson Trapa Fire Seed at an auction organized by the native inhabitants.
This fire seed, no larger than a thumb, was a crucial initial medium for cultivating pyro elemental power among the creatures of Fire Trapa World.
It functioned similarly to the battle qi seeds used by knights in the Magus World or the initial focus of mages.
The fire seed Sein obtained was of exceptionally high quality.
Although he was not interested in the cultivation methods of Fire Trapa World’s inhabitants, this specimen would prove invaluable for his research into pyro element’s qualitative changes and his progression toward Rank Three.
Securing such a rare fire seed specimen was an unexpected but delightful stroke of luck.
As for the Azure-Eyed Fairy Plane that also piqued Sein’s curiosity, it was a unique world dominated by fairy-like creatures, as its name suggested.
The Azure-Eyed Fairies were innately sensitive to the scent of plants, making them especially appealing to Dendromancers and apothecaries in the Magus World.
Many Rank One and Rank Two apothecaries who visited the Azure-Eyed Fairy Plane prioritized these fairies when selecting a familiar due to their exceptional traits.
While Sein had no intention of forming a pact with any familiar, the Azure-Eyed Fairies he tamed proved to be excellent assistants in apothecary experiments, particularly in screening raw materials.
In addition to keeping a few fairies and assigning them to the fox maiden for management, Sein acquired a dozen high-quality fairies and arranged for a passing airship to deliver them to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring as a gift for his mentor.
In Lorianne’s world laboratory, Sein had never seen a creature quite like the Azure-Eyed Fairies.
Thus, he believed these fairies would be a valuable addition to her laboratory.
While Sein immersed himself in exploring foreign planes, Reina directed her focus toward the knight orders within the Ylli Knight Alliance’s territory.
Mages pursued truths within laboratories and strengthened themselves at experimental tables.
In contrast, knights in the Magus World typically honed their abilities through combat—endless combat!
The Ylli Knight Alliance, one of the most renowned sanctuaries for knights in the Magus World, was a place where martial prowess was revered above all else.
Here, not only the major knightly orders but even ordinary human kingdoms regularly held ring battles, arena duels, challenge matches, and the like.
Traveling alongside Sein, Reina practically fought her way through the Ylli Knight Alliance.
While Sein immersed himself in his experiments, Reina ventured into the arenas to warm up her body.
This purely martial pursuit was not without its dangers. After all, exceptional talent could never be cultivated in a sheltered environment.
Each year, the Ylli Knight Alliance saw many excellent ranked knights lose their lives in fair challenges or duels.
Such deaths or injuries were considered normal under the protection of laws. As long as there was no foul play or intentional murder, neither the major knightly orders nor the divine towers intervened.
With her strength and resilience, Reina dominated most of her matches against knights of the same rank, winning battle after battle.
However, she also suffered two surprising defeats!
The Magus World was indeed vast and brimming with countless geniuses.
Sein had the chance to witness one of these rare losses, while the other occurred while he was preoccupied with an experiment.
The knight who defeated Reina was an eccentric man clad in pitch-black heavy armor that concealed even his eyes.
Though he was also a Rank Two knight, the power he and Reina exhibited during their battle was on par with Rank Three beings!
That clash was nothing short of a spectacular showcase of peak Rank Two knightly prowess in the Magus World.
Even Rank Three Sky Knights observing the fight were astounded by the ferocity and destructive force displayed by the two combatants.
To put it bluntly, some of those Sky Knights might not have been capable of achieving the same level of devastation as Reina and her opponent.
The mages responsible for maintaining the arena’s energy barrier had underestimated the strength of the combatants. As a result, the barrier was shattered under the force of their blows.
Fortunately, the overflow of battle qi did not cause significant harm to the spectators or damage to the surrounding area.
Otherwise, the arena organizers would have faced severe consequences.
While Sein unraveled the mysteries of truth, Reina was also reaping the fruits of her labor.
The lessons she gained, especially from her two defeats, were far more profound than the strength insights she had obtained from participating in interplanar wars.