In the end, I decided to splurge once again and wasted one hundred fifty points on this parasitic core from the Mage's shop. During later experiments, I learned that creating a new tier-one spell was not only an interesting job that could create all sorts of magic, but it was also quite cheap, with only ten spell points required to finalize and learn a newly crafted spell.

With the incoming duel in mind, I created two utility spells.

The firewall was as simple as the name implied. It was just a single layer of fire, appearing in front of me and slowly expanding forward for up to five meters. With only shockwave and the second rank spells offering any kind of utility, I required something that would allow me to mess with the potential battlefield a bit.

Even if the intensity of the blaze was far too weak to deal any serious damage to spiritual realm cultivators, it could efficiently block their line of sight, while retaining the aspect of intimidation for as long as it would take them to actually try to break it.

It was the other spell that I created, named Burial, that put a proud smile on my face. By combining the earth element, with condensation and implosion, I managed to create magic capable of creating a five-meter deep trench, while simultaneously sucking everyone and everything around to the inside.

From the tests that I ran in my interface, it didn't end up with my potential enemy thrown to the created pit, but slammed the surrounding earth on top of him!

Even if neither of the spells could pose any serious threat to my enemies, I had my shockwave and a fireball that I managed to finally level up to the second stage to use as the main source of damage. All the other tricks were aimed only at hindering my opponent's actions and allowing me to safely cast whatever I required without being disturbed.

All my tests, shopping and spell crafting took the rest of the day, with the inherent exhaustion that came after the entire day of hard mental work, lulling me to the sleep while in Eve's arms.

The next morning, we didn't change our usual routine, with Eve once again taking the lead even before I was able to wake up. Thinking about this, there was some sort of urgency in her action, as if she was scared that I might somehow end up losing my duel, forcing her to accept my fucking cousin advances.

While I was glad seeing how eager she was to enjoy her time with me, the notion that she doubted my capability to defend her pride still stung.

After the usual dose of harvesting essence, I spent the remaining time that we had on mastering the swift use of my new spells while confirming the details of my advanced spells.

With their firepower greatly increased, there was no doubt in my heart that any enemy that would face me, could be effortlessly turned into cinders, before even comprehending what got him. The only problem lay in its increased casting time. Compared to the previous instant cast, I had to spend the entire second to make it appear now!

After all my preparations were done, we dressed our best robes and departed from our room. If everything went as planned, there would be only one more night that we would spend in such comforts, before being subjected to the harsh life of colonisers.

Thanks to how early we woke up, we managed to take a long while strolling through the streets, before we were once again forced to separate at the gates of the arena. The next time we would approach this grand building, would be when I would set on to humiliate, mutilate and kill my dearest of cousins.

"Please, welcome the victorious cultivators from all around the world! With their wit and power, they managed to emerge as the absolute cream of the top from the great crowd of contestants that you saw two weeks ago!"

Without even realising, I managed to buy the tickets, find my seat and rest my sorry ass on it. Before I could notice it, an aura of celebration mulled my senses, with everyone around me keen to express their joy.

Taking human nature into account and how nearly half of the entire stadium was deserted, only those who won their bets decided to take part in the festivities. That would also explain the happiness that tried to intrude my thoughts while I was trying to figure out what kind of tricks could make Veriel's face so confident when I spotted him for a moment in the passage between seats.

Escalation of the fake strife between me and the heavenly sects also caused me to refrain from joining Venna's lobby. At some point, I even managed to spot some looks of pity from passersby who seemed to be aware of such minute political games going on under the skin of the normal city life.

"In the first row, I would like to present a group of absolute victors, that carved their path all the way to the top five seats for the first phase of the tournament! Please, award them with grand ovations!

As the announcer continued to spell worthless bullshit to hype the masses, I couldn't help but notice how far in the back Eve was. While I knew that her sudden and consecutive breakthrough put the organisers of the tournament on spot, but after my gifts to the city hall, I hoped she would receive a proper exposure!

Some might ask why I was soo keen to show her to the public with how fragile her social standing was, but it was exactly for this cause that I hoped for the masses to acknowledge and remember both her figure and story.

Spending so much time with someone deeply involved with the real politics of the city, I learned that just like in fake democracies of the earth, the real struggle of power was still based on the number of experts that all powers could muster for their cause. And just like it worked with earthy democratic systems, only by making someone a public figure and popularizing his or her cause loud enough, one would gain an immunity towards all the schemes thanks to the crowd's love to a chosen person.

I couldn't help but think whether this was an intentional act of breaking ties with me done by the city lord, or just Jelier stupid belief that this whole tournament was free from politics!

As the contenders continued to be awarded some strange medallion by a group of hosts and hostesses wearing the colours of all the major powers, I had to wait for an entire hour for Eve's turn to finally come.

Fuck. One hour worth nothing, when I was soo pressed for time! As if they couldn't just show Eve as the exemplary and outstanding talent!

While the order in which those people approached their rewards and the strange air of threat that was lingering just below my means to detect and trail it were putting me at the edge of my seat, thankfully, nothing major happened.

As soon as Eve received her reward from a trio of people dressed in pale blue robes, she raised her head to look at me and nodded her head slightly. Not willing to waste even a single moment more in this stupid place, I swiftly ran to the inner corridors and then to the entrance.

"They sure don't know how to properly organise their stuff."

The moment I saw Eve emerge from the contender's gate, I didn't wait to approach her. Grabbing both of her hands, I raised them a bit and inspected her all around, as if worried for any potential injuries, while in fact, looking for any sorts of funny devices. Only God would know how did the eavesdropping techniques developed in this world. With not enough information about this topic - that obviously were not covered in any books accessible to the public - I could rely only on my wit and feeling to ensure that we were safe and clean..

"I'm glad it's over now. How do you feel before your performance though?"

Locking her arms around my hand, Eve followed my steps as I guided us towards the trading hub of the city.

"Confident. Even if something unprecedented happens, I already devised a few ways to go back at them without risking sacrificing you."

At this point, I stopped, forced her to split apart from me and stood right in front of her, while lowering my head.

"Once again, I'm sorry. If not for the heat of the moment and this bastard words, I would never…"

Before I finished my sentence, Eve closed my mouth with her forefinger while gracing me with an unbelievably sweet smile.

"Don't mention it anymore. I saw how hard you are working and I have nothing to complain about the way you treat me. It saddens me when you make that hurt face!"

Hanging her hands on my neck, Eve brought the corners of her lips even higher. Expecting another gentle kiss of hers that I learned to treasure so much, I closed my eyes.

BANG!

Instead of the soft texture of her lips landing on top of mine, my forehead suddenly erupted with pain!

It wasn't anything that I would normally concern myself with, but the sheer unexpectedness of this situation was enough to make me stunned!

"I don't want to see you sulk. You are a grown-up man! I want you to take care of me and our children, so you can't kill yourself from the inside with guilt! Raise your head and stand proudly! I will headbutt you every time when your head will be lowered enough for my forehead to reach yours!"

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I opened my eyes only to see a rare expression on the face of my beloved. Instead of her usual, light smile, her lips formed a tight, straight line, and her eyebrows coming together over the base of her small nose.

"I'm sorry!"

I remember one of those rare anecdotes of my father. If I were to believe him, it was something he experienced himself, but since the time where he told me it strangely was exactly the same when his passion for internet jokes erupted, I doubt the honesty in his words.

He stated that when he came to his own father and my grandfather to inform him about how great girl he found and that he wishes to marry her, my grandpa told him to apologise.

Dumbstruck, he refused and asked why, but his father insisted. After going to and fro for a while, he finally caved in and apologized.

"Good. If you can apologise for no reason, it means you are ready for a marriage" were my grandpa's supposed words. Ha ha ha…

But I guess this was one of those universal truths about all forms of humankind. When your significant other is angry, you apologise. Even if you don't agree with her, you still say sorry. Because there will always be time to talk about it later, but allowing her to continue to be angry will only sour the sweetness of your relationship!

"Good. Now, shall we continue?"