SPELLWEAVING CELESTIAL

Three months passed in a flash. During those three months, there were some major shifts happening in the world; ‘Elvernheimn Empire’ had successfully shifted its capital city down to the south, where ‘Edgemaw’ used to stand, promptly naming it ‘Holy Paradise’. Due to this, their northern border was shaken, and area of their influence towards the freeze tundras has lessened.

In addition, there were also some rumors coming from the far West and the Eastern Wastelands – specifically about a character who called himself ‘Ling’. He threatened Kingdoms of ‘Saylar’ and ‘Yasern’ publicly; if they didn’t open the gates for the humans of the Eastern Wastelands, he’d plunge their Kingdoms into the war at last.

However, one news alone interested Lynne, and had sent him into a spiral of emotions; from joyful to sorrowful to absolutely furious. A month ago, the news spread like wildfire, not only through ‘Elvernheimn Empire’ but also through ‘Rolyhard Kingdom’. It was about his father; supposedly, his father was still alive and was being held captive in the new capital, ‘Holy Paradise’.

Due to his father’s genius in terms of military achievements, he was still being kept alive and persuaded to change banners. However, the deadline was also set; a year from now, he’ll be publicly executed if he does not comply, as to send a message to everyone else who harbors any ill intentions towards the Empire.

This news caused Lynne to be happy at first, as his father was still alive. However, that happiness then turned sour, as regardless of whether he was alive or not, Lynne had neither the strength nor the wit as to how to set him free. When the news reached him, if he was training maniacally before, he had gone completely insane since.

He’d visit Principal’s garden once a week to get a new batch of pills. Every day, he’d run around the sect’s grounds, challenging everyone and everything. He was beaten black and blue at least dozens of times, but he has also beaten people black and blue just as much. This had earned him a title of a ‘Madman’, and various powers within the sect even set spies around his residence to alert others when he leaves the house.

Lynne paid little heed to it, though; currently, he was sitting cross-legged on his bed, innocent smile sprung across his face. In his hand he held a crystalline clear, lime-colored pill which exuded magical aura in spades. It was thumb-sized and relatively thin, but the sheer amount of prowess contained within it caused Lynne immense happiness, while also shocking the monkey beyond belief.

During the three months, whenever he was beaten, he’d retreat back into his house and concoct pills and potions. Because he rarely, if ever, left sect’s grounds, he still had no clue that all Alchemists used the tools to do the same, and the monkey never told him. Instead, the small creature would run back and forth between places he even dreaded remembering, gathering all sorts of herbs and medical ingredients and giving them to Lynne.

After three months of immense training, his current proficiency was rather decent, as out of ten pills, he can successfully concoct four. This was actually on the level of ‘Master Alchemists’, and that was with using the tools. However, Lynne’s pills had much greater purity and were clearly better than the average ones, so one could only imagine the monkey’s shock.

Especially today – Lynne had concocted a famous pill, ‘Serpent’s Twister’ - Rank 7 anti-poison pill.

All pills and potions are divided into 11 Basic Ranks, and then 3 Heavenly Ranks. In total, there were 14. Even with tools, and dozens of years of experience, most Alchemists within ‘Rolyhard Kingdom’ could barely concoct Rank 6 potion or a pill, and that was if they gave it their all for days, yet Lynne managed to concoct Rank 7 pill within eight hours, without any tools. If the news was to spread, the monkey couldn’t imagine the waves of astonishment it would cause.

This kid is really too terrifying… hu hu, I better get him some higher-ranked ingredients soon, otherwise I might not be able to see his ceiling.

“Catch monkey.” Lynne threw the pill at the monkey rather casually after examining it; this was their deal, after all. However, Lynne rarely kept the pills. He’d only keep the first of the kind, and he’d give the rest to the monkey without reservation. After consuming hundreds of Lynne’s pills, there were finally some miniscule changes occurring on the monkey’s body; his thin arms had thickened slightly, and he seemed to have grown by at least ten centimeters.

“This is a pretty good antidote,” the monkey forcibly calmed himself as he spoke. “Shouldn’t you keep it just in case?”

“Heh, the day I die from poison, is the day I die from poison.”

“… crap, did you finally burn your brain out?”

“Scram, you damned monkey! Did you do what I asked you to do?”

“Damn kid, you truly are rotten! Forget about her already! She’s a daughter of some popular Lord, and she’s already been promised to someone for five years, even if she’s constantly rejecting the marriage. It’s no place for a little brat like you to be.”

“Damned monkey, I didn’t ask for your opinion! I swore on that day that I will have her, and I will damn well have her!” Lynne angrily hissed at the monkey.

“You truly are rotten! Why not find some lady your age, huh? Why not be decent like everyone? Your looks aren’t half-bad, and even your talent is pretty good. You could catch the eye of many young ladies, why are you aiming for old farts?”

“Why?” Lynne chuckled as his eyes brimmed with light. “Have you ever been held in the bosoms of a mature woman, damned monkey? It’s a feeling of being elated to the Heavens; the allure of their voice, the techniques, the sheer presence they exude… you think some sixteen year old chicken breast can compare to that? Scram!”

“Shouldn’t you be worrying about your father instead?” the monkey asked solemnly.

“Ah, you think I don’t?” Lynne replied in a similar voice, sighing gently. “But what can I do? Even if I go there, he’ll just curse me down to my last bone. And, even if I can handle that, I have no way of saving him.”

“You still have around ten months,” the monkey said. “Who knows how strong you’ll be then? Didn’t that Seed guy promise he’ll give you the manual today?”

“What’s the point? I’ve trained like a maniac for three months, and I’m barely at the peak of ‘Dao Magus’ rank. For the past ten days, I’ve felt like I’m stuck at the bottom of the well, and my legs gave out.”

“Have more confidence in yourself, you rotten brat,” the monkey said angrily. “You’re not even following a sub-path, how do you expect to get stronger anyway?”

“Oh, you’re right!” as if a light bulb lit inside Lynne’s mind, his lips suddenly curled up in a smile and his bright eyes shimmered. “Damn monkey, you really do have a speck of intellect in that tiny brain of yours.”

“I’ll eat your damned brain, you rotten brat!”

“Alas, that is not for you to worry!” Lynne suddenly got up from his bed, flamboyantly flipping his hair. “I have already given you a task: find me that lady’s name, her sizes, color of her clothes, where she washes them, who washes them, can they be bribed by any chance, are there any tall trees and thick bushes surrounding her room--”

“Rotten brat, what are you even thinking? You perverted existence!”

“Heh, man must live true to his desires, lest we implode!”

“… go to hell and implode already, you sickening brat.”

Without fiddling any longer, Lynne headed towards the Principal’s garden. He felt rather strange on his way there, as he didn’t encounter a single soul. Not even just encounter, he hadn’t seen a single living being in the vicinity. Although surprised, he didn’t think too much about it, and headed directly to the main building and the small, arrayed portal where two guards were stationed.

After being let in, he felt the same spacial fluctuations as always, but had already gotten used to them and didn’t pay any attention. Welcomed by a familiar sight, he smiled gently; this beautiful garden always managed to calm him down, regardless of how he felt.

“Oh, if it isn’t Junior Brother Lynne?” a familiar voice broke out from behind; Lynne turned around and saw First Prince drinking tea all by his lonesome, his lips curled up in a slight smile. Despite their confrontation when they first met, they managed to develop somewhat of a friendly relationship. The news about his father also came from the Prince’s mouth, which is why he had no doubts it was true.

“Damn Elynal brat, what are you doing here? Weren’t you on your way back home?” Lynne said merrily as he sat across; despite Lynne’s choice of words, the Prince didn’t seem angered, as he actually chuckled lightly.

“How could I possibly bear to separate from my Junior Brother? It aches too much.”

“Sorry, my bed’s large enough only for my ego.”

“Ha ha,” the Prince laughed without restrain. “Forgive me Brother, but I don’t think there’s a bed that large in the world at the moment.”

“Ah, so why’d you come back?” Lynne asked seriously this time; despite the fact that the First Prince was first-in-line to become the King of the Empire he wished to destroy, Lynne quite liked his character.

“Ah, Lynne, river’s waters run only so deep,” Prince Elynal spoke as his expression grew slightly distorted. “I’m afraid you’ll be stuck with me for a while longer.”

“Want me to have a word with those royally bastards?” Lynne said as he clenched his fist and comically lifted it up to the sky. “Believe it or not, I’ve got quite the sweet tongue.”

“I don’t doubt your abilities in courting ladies, but I’m afraid your celestial charms wouldn’t work on people in question.”

“Ah, whatever, if you wanted to tell me, you would. Is Master here?”

“He’s waiting for you.” just as Lynne got up and began to walk towards the cabin, he paused for a moment and turned towards the Prince.

“Have you ever been with a woman?” the Prince suddenly spat out a mouthful of tea he was drinking, clearly surprised by Lynne’s sudden question. “He he, looks like I was right. Don’t worry, your lil’ bro is here for you. I’ve… he he, I’ve dug up some information; turns out, there’s a secret underground paradise, and I would very much like to take you on an adventure. What do you say?”

“Brother Lynne…” First Prince’s eyebrows twitched for a moment as he stared at Lynne with dumbfounded expression. This guy really doesn’t think about anything except women and money! Utterly shameless!

“Hah, no need to be shy. We’re all men here, right Master?!” he suddenly shouted towards the cabin.

“Damn you scoundrel, don’t drag poor old man in your wicked fantasies!” angered voice burst out in a reply.

“O o, you really angered him.” First Prince smiled joyfully.

“Eh, if I die I die. What’s the point of living if not death?”

Lynne bravely stepped into the cabin, leaving behind a stupified and confused Prince. It wasn’t the first time he’d enter the cabin, and he was quite familiar with it. It had three rooms, and they grew narrower towards the other side. First one was rather spacious and it contained several tables and chairs, and even some pictures hanging on the walls and small, jade and stone sculptures atop the stands. Second room was Principal’s sleeping chamber, and it was rather neat and plain, having only a single bed and a nightstand.

The third room was even smaller, and it only had two golden mats laid onto the floor. It was an open room, and on both sides water ran from underground and into the garden, while the front was baptized with countless flowers and herbs. Principal was sitting leisurely on one of the mats, and Lynne sat on the other without hesitation.

“Damn brat, one day you’ll really skin all the face I have in the world.” Principal said, his face somewhat reddened.

“He he, don’t worry, I’ll restore it tenfold in the end!”

“What’s the point when, by that time, I’ll already be dead?”

“Heh, look at us, rhyming our sentences. We truly are close! Can I call you grandfather?”

“Who’s your grandfather you stinking brat?!” Principal lightly slapped Lynne’s head, sighing afterwards. He truly didn’t know how to contain this brat.

“Apologies, apologies…”

“Ah, be it as it may, you’ve truly outdone yourself,” Principal spoke solemnly as he observed Lynne. “Within three months, you actually purified your Mana to such a stage.”

“What can I say? Pills Master gave me were truly a work of art!”

“Pills are just pills Lynne,” Principal spoke calmly. “If it were that easy, every single man walking out there would have unparalleled strength. I presume you’ve heard the news about your father, no?”

“Yes.” Lynne nodded solemnly.

“I make no promises, but I’ll inquire and see if I can get him over here,” the Principal spoke with a rather serious face. “However, if I fail, you must not – I repeat must not – do anything stupid in ten months’ time. Do you understand?”

“… I would lie if I said I do.” Lynne replied honestly.

“Ah… who can, in the end, control the fury of youth? Alas, I am too old for such tasks. Here,” he suddenly extended his arm and atop his palm, after a bright flash, a ragged-looking book appeared. It was relatively thin, no more than hundred pages, but it exuded the perfect air of ancientness that seemed unmatched. “It’s the manual for ‘Spellweaving Celestial’ sub-path. I truly wish I could help you more, but beyond this point, it is all left up to you.”

“Thank you, Master.” Lynne spoke sincerely, from the bottom of his heart, as he kowtowed quickly before taking the book. “I will do my utmost to not disappoint you.”

“Following two ‘Origin Paths’ defies laws, Lynne. More importantly, if anyone in the world learned you posses not one, but two ‘Origin Paths’ on your body, there would be no hole in the world that could hide you. As of today, I wash my connection to that book; what you do with it is up to you, but you must never tell anyone you got it from me.”

“I swear I won’t, Master.”

“Hm, good,” Principal nodded lightly. “Alas, I can still offer a bit of advice; that year, when Brother Bliss attempted to combine and follow two paths, he was lacking. While the rebound on him was not severe, it was because he didn’t push past the boundary. He could still save his life, and become a magnificent figure in this world.”

“You, on the other hand, are much younger than he was when he tried,” Principal continued in a rather stern and serious voice. “Your heart is beyond unstable, your mind still lacking. However smart you are, you are still only eighteen. When you attempt to fuse the two, if you feel restriction, do not push. It is better to live a lifetime of extraordinary achievements, than to die seeking possibility of heaven-defying ones. Even if you can’t embark on that path, you can still resolve grievances in your heart, but dead men neither talk nor fight.”

“I’ll take those words to heart, Master.”

“Ah… be it so. Whether you succeed or not, after you’ve finished, I’ll allow you to choose three of ‘Spell Arts’ from my personal collection. I will also gift you two supreme treasures. Let that be both motivation… and restriction.”

“I understand, Master.” Lynne spoke seriously, but his eyes betrayed desire.

“… go, now.” Principal saw it, but said nothing of it; after all, Lynne was still a child. He was hotblooded and, however smarter he was than his peers, and however sharper his tongue was, his mind was still that of an eighteen year old boy. Alas… it is all up to you. Whether you succeed or not, I can but show a path…

Lynne left after kowtowing three more times and thanking the Principal. When he left the cabin, he noticed that the Prince wasn’t there. Without further delay, he directly entered the garden. There was already a place his Master set up specifically for today, where he will neither disturb nor be disturbed. Deep within the grove was a small pond of golden water. At its center was an elevated platform, barely large enough to hold a single person. Atop the platform, Lynne sat cross-legged as two books appeared in his hands.