Chapter 829: Valuing Intelligence
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 829: Valuing Intelligence
"Use them! Why wouldn't I?"
After a moment of thought, Ariel gritted her teeth and said, "He’s already gone this far. It would be a waste not to use them, wouldn't it?"
"Oh my, is that so? But I see these materials have quite a long shelf life. Look at this Guslanweir's Scale Armor—this is the kind of treasure whose effects won't diminish even after hundreds of years."
Peles blinked, teasing her, "Can you really call that a waste?"
"Then just consider it paid for!"
Ariel snapped in embarrassment, "That guy still owes me a hundred million, doesn't he?"
"A hundred million?"
Peles looked surprised. "Tsk, tsk. An amusement park, a crystal palace, all sorts of gourmet food, clothes, and rare materials... that hundred million is certainly stretching a long way. How come your money was never this durable before?"
"Teacher, how could you—"
"Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you."
Seeing Ariel’s face turn as red as a volcanic cloud, looking like she might explode at any moment, Peles quickly cut herself off.
It wouldn't be fun if this girl blew up and leveled the room. They had just gotten all this stuff for free; it would be bad form to wreck the host's house. A thick-skinned old soul like Peles wouldn't mind, but Ariel might feel obligated to crawl onto the bed to pay off the debt.
Thinking of Ariel in such a state, Peles felt another wave of amusement.
It had to be said that lately, Ariel had become much more interesting compared to her old self—the girl who cared for nothing but cultivation, beautiful girls, and money. Teasing her every now and then was quite entertaining.
Work and play in balance, work and play in balance.
"Since the materials are ready, let's get started."
Peles raised a hand, and the rare materials on the floor began to drift upward. With a flick of her finger, the storage magic ring on Ariel’s hand shimmered, and a massive metal container appeared in the room.
It looked like a giant cauldron, but its design was far more ancient and exquisite. Numerous patterns that did not belong to the style of this era were engraved on the metal surface. The moment it appeared, an ancient aura washed over them.
"I assume you already know the dangers involved, but just in case, I’ll ask the usual question before we begin."
Peles gazed seriously at Ariel. "Are you ready?"
"Of course."
Shifting from embarrassment to gravity took Ariel only a split second. She nodded with equal seriousness. "I’ve been ready for a long time."
"Good." Peles smiled with satisfaction. "That’s my disciple."
With that, Peles’s fingers moved slightly.
A mysterious ripple began to envelop the entire room, and the doors and windows were sealed tight. Peles’s ethereal figure began to drift through the space.
Candles made from deep-sea demon whale oil were lit, replacing the light of the magic stones. Incense ground from over a hundred varieties of spices rose in curling wisps of smoke, thoroughly purging any impurity from the room.
Several magic formations were delicately drawn to help concentrate mana and to ensure that if the refinement failed, the room wouldn't actually be blown to the heavens.
Once finished, Peles lightly tapped the ancient Great Cauldron, and the patterns upon it began to glow with a profound, faint light.
"Ariel!"
"Ready!"
Ariel, already fully focused, did not hesitate. She ignited her Divine Fire, concentrating all her mental strength to manipulate the flames, letting them scorch the cauldron.
Peles, following a sequence that could not be disrupted, cast the materials into the cauldron one by one. Her powerful soul power monitored every change in temperature, allowing no room for error.
Under the seamless cooperation of master and disciple, an unknown amount of time passed. A golden decoction gradually brewed within the cauldron, emitting a strange, rich fragrance that even overpowered the expensive purification incense.
As the golden broth continued to bubble, Peles looked up at Ariel. "It’s time."
"Understood."
Ariel nodded. Without hesitation, she shed her clothes and stepped directly into the Great Cauldron, which was still being roasted by the roaring flames.
"Sss—!" Ariel hissed through clenched teeth.
In an instant, intense pain surged from every inch of her skin, causing her to instinctively curl her body.
This agony, woven from high heat and potent medicinal power, was no different from countless sharp blades slicing through Ariel’s flesh simultaneously. An ordinary person might have fainted instantly, but after an initial furrowing of her brows and a soft grunt, she began to adapt with incredible speed.
This level of pain was nothing to Ariel Bugard.
"Don't slacken," Peles barked. "Your physical body reached a bottleneck during your previous trials. You need at least three stages of progressive refinement to break through that barrier, understand? This is only the beginning."
"Yes!"
Ariel responded, then submerged her mind, feeling her body gradually change under the continuous onslaught of medicinal power, growing tougher step by step!
*
"Ha... so sleepy."
Outside the Duke’s estate, a guard hidden in the shadows yawned. He glanced at the hands of the nearby clock tower, calculating how many hours were left until his shift ended.
It wasn't that he was lazy, but yesterday he had gone to the tavern and spent the whole night cursing the useless Kingdom with a group of "like-minded individuals," leaving him quite drained.
Ah... he wanted to get off work early. His debate from last night with that arrogant bastard about whether the Kingdom would suffer a crushing defeat within one month or two wasn't over yet!
How could it possibly take two months? With that bunch of losers in the Kingdom...
"Focus!"
Suddenly, a stern voice drilled directly into his mind, making the guard jump.
"Captain!" He looked at the approaching majestic figure, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Crap, caught slacking by the Captain.
"Now is not the time to relax, understand?" The Captain’s face was like a still pond as he stared at the distracted guard. He said coldly, "Snap out of it!"
"Yes, sir!" The guard stood tall and responded earnestly.
"Good." The Captain patted his shoulder. "It’s not that I want to be hard on you, but guarding the Duke’s estate is a vital duty. If anything goes wrong, neither of us can bear the responsibility."
"I understand, sir!"
"Come, no need to be nervous. Have some wine to clear your head." The Captain handed over a flask, his tone softening considerably.
The guard felt a surge of warmth. It seemed the Captain was in a good mood today and wasn't as strict as usual; otherwise, being caught like that would have surely resulted in a harsh punishment.
"Thank you, Captain."
Realizing he really had almost fallen asleep, the guard took the flask and took a large gulp.
But as the spicy liquid hit his throat, he suddenly realized something was wrong...
The Captain was always serious and rigid, a man of duty. Even if a good mood made him lenient, how could he possibly bring wine while on duty?
And actively encourage him to drink?
Had the sun risen in the west?
No!
The guard realized too late. This was...
"You..."
Clang. The flask hit the ground.
Before the guard could raise the alarm, a terrifying wave of dizziness attacked his mind, swallowing his entire consciousness.
His eyes bulged as he stared at the "Captain." Though the man’s appearance and aura were identical to his memory, the feeling radiating from him now was utterly foreign.
"Heh."
The "Captain" caught the fainting guard to prevent him from making a sound. He sneered, "The guards of the Duke’s estate are nothing special, after all."
A faint mist drifted from the end of the street.
"Who’s there!"
Several sharp shouts rang out from the shadows around the estate, but before they could travel far, they were swallowed by even deeper shadows, vanishing into the endless night.
"Lord Arthur."
Before long, several figures glided over silently. "One Fifth-Tier martial artist, one Radiant-Tier mage, and a bunch of Third-Tier guards. They’ve all been neutralized by the poison you provided."
"Only this many guards?"
The "Captain" wiped his face, and his originally rugged, square features suddenly became sinister. He pulled out a mirror, glancing at his reflection. He marveled at how extraordinary the cat-lover Dennis’s transformation magic was, while his smile grew more mocking.
"For a grand Duke’s estate, the security is much weaker than I imagined."
"It seems that because of the war, the Empress has withdrawn too many of the Empire's experts. She probably thinks that with that bear guarding Belland, everything is foolproof," one of the shadows remarked.
"That bear is indeed a problem, and the former Saintess seems to be here as well. Two genuine Crown Bearers are indeed enough to hold Belland. But unfortunately, our target isn't him, nor is it the palace he’s so focused on guarding."
Arthur looked up, his eyes reflecting the Duke’s estate, which crouched in the night like a giant beast.
It was said that when Duke Campbell was here, the defenses were impregnable; even an entire army attacking from the outside couldn't break through.
But unfortunately, the Lion King had left. All that remained were a few cubs who hadn't yet fully grown.
Even if the cubs had the potential to become great lions, they were still tender and not so terrifying for now.
"Lord Arthur, should we dispose of these people?" Murderous intent radiated from the shadows.
"No," Arthur declined. "That bear is very sensitive to the scent of blood. A large-scale slaughter now would be no different from alerting the enemy. The mission comes first."
"Understood."
"So next, the main event begins." Arthur straightened his clothes. "According to the plan, split up. Act fast and finish it quickly. Don't give them any chance to react!"
"Yes!" the shadows responded with vigor.
"Hehe, good. The little lions are probably going to get quite a shock."
As the shadows darted into the estate, Arthur’s eyes flashed with a cold light. The smirk on his face didn't fade, as if he could already see the horrified, disbelieving expressions of his targets.
Yes, who would have thought that someone would dare to directly invade the Duke’s estate, a place no one had ever attacked head-on?
This method of surprise attack was very despicable, but it couldn't be helped. Who told them to be the "soft persimmons," the little lions to be bullied?
He hoped these tender little lions wouldn't end up crying their eyes out in fear.
*
"Haaa— Fuuu—"
Ariel let out a long breath of turbid air.
Perhaps because she had endured so much tempering in the Abyss, or perhaps because the materials provided by the Duke’s estate were of even higher quality than expected, this refinement had been surprisingly smooth. No accidents occurred along the way.
By the time Ariel woke up, the medicinal liquid in the cauldron had turned almost into clear water. Its potency had been perfectly absorbed, and her skin began to shimmer with a faint golden light.
"How do you feel?" Peles withdrew her soul power and examined Ariel.
"Incredible." Ariel clenched her fists, feeling the surging, boundless power in her limbs and bones. "Though my realm hasn't significantly increased, I feel my physical strength has clearly moved up a level."
"I deliberately suppressed your martial artist realm. After all, it would be a waste to use such precious foundation-building materials just for a simple level-up."
Peles said with a smile, "It seems this refinement was perfect. The results even exceeded my expectations. You really should thank that little lover of yours; otherwise, this might have taken several more twists and turns and been delayed for months."
"What 'little lover'!" Ariel huffed. "Don't make it sound so scandalous."
"Oh?" Peles drew out the word. "If not a little lover, then what are you? Husband and wife? My, my, I hit the mark, didn't I? Do you already have those thoughts? Keep it up; Teacher will help you. Kick those seductive vixens out early—"
"Teacher, can you stop bringing that up all the time!"
Flustered, Ariel turned her head away, deciding to ignore her teacher, who seemed more and more like a "chaos-seeker" every day.
She stepped out of the cauldron with her firm, powerful legs and rustled into her previous dress.
Without realizing it, she—who used to dislike even wearing skirts—now wore these soft things most of the time. But Ariel had grown accustomed to it and didn't find anything wrong with it at all.
"The refinement results were indeed unexpected, but... I feel like something is missing."
After dressing, Ariel threw a few casual punches. Though she hit nothing but air, they still produced low, muffled booms.
"Missing?" Peles asked, puzzled. "What’s missing?"
"In the past, these refinements were always done in the gaps between being hunted. As soon as I was done, I’d have to go back to life-and-death combat. I could feel the immediate boost in my strength..."
Ariel threw a few more punches, but the more she swung, the less satisfying it felt.
"This is the first time I’ve finished one so peacefully."
"I understand your thinking," Peles said with a smile. "But this is the Duke’s estate, after all. You can't exactly go pick another fight with that maid."
"Hmph, it’s not like I couldn't." Ariel snorted disdainfully, thinking to herself that it wasn't because she was afraid of that woman.
But the moment the thought crossed her mind, a faint stinging sensation returned to her bottom, helping her push the idea back down.
"Fine, for Muen’s sake, I’ll let that slutty maid off the hook this once."
Ariel felt she was being very considerate and kind... definitely not because she was afraid of getting her butt smacked!
"I’ll go out and stretch my limbs first. I wonder if Muen is awake. A place as big as the Duke’s estate should have a martial arts arena or something..."
Ariel looked up and reached for the door... but just as she was about to touch it, she sensed something. Her expression suddenly froze.
A strange premonition began to ring in her mind, yet in her perception, there was absolutely nothing outside the door.
Ariel glanced at her teacher from the corner of her eye. Peles’s slender eyebrows arched slightly, as if she had discovered something interesting. She nodded toward Ariel with an amused look.
So it is...
It wasn't an illusion.
Ariel didn't hesitate. Her hand suddenly balled into a fist, and she smashed it right through the door!
"Eh?"
A surprised gasp came from the darkness.
A shadow that had been pressed against the door retreated like a piece of paper blown by the wind, then gradually solidified into a human figure.
"You actually discovered me? Impressive."
The light from the room illuminated the outside, revealing the figure’s true face.
It was a rather scrawny man with sunken eyes and prominent cheekbones. He wore a grey formal suit that looked slightly too large for him. He looked as if he had just finished a year of non-stop overtime; his aura was dejected to the extreme.
In contrast, however, a beast-like, ferocious aura constantly radiated from him. Just standing across from him made one feel instinctively uneasy.
"Who are you?" Ariel asked with a frown. "You don't look like someone from the Duke’s estate. To dare break in here at night—what is your purpose?"
"Hehe... who I am isn't important." The man grinned eerily. "As for my purpose, it’s simple. Just as Lord Arthur said, because a certain turtle shell is too hard to crack, we’re here to pick the soft persimmons."
"Huh?"
Ariel was so stunned she thought she had misheard. She pointed at herself. "Soft persimmon? Me? Where did you hear such hilarious news? Or did you just crawl out of a grave or some ancient ruin and have no idea what’s going on in the world?"
"Hehe... isn't that the case?"
The man’s smile grew even more bizarre. He pulled a piece of paper from somewhere and began to read it aloud in front of Ariel:
"Ariel Bugard. Female. Born in the Lower District of Belland. Lost her mother at age ten and began wandering the Lower District. Later taken in by the Church convent. During that time, she established a close friendship with the current Saintess, Liya Angel...
Her most recent public appearance was at the St. Maria Academy exchange event a few months ago. Displayed realm: late Fourth-Tier. Displayed strength: early Fifth-Tier. Powerful talent, incredible potential. To be able to easily fight above her level at such an age and possess the Divine Flame Blessing that others can only dream of—it’s truly admirable!"
"However!"
The man suddenly crushed the paper in his palm, looking triumphant. "You are still too young. Time is your only weakness. Even if I assume you’ve improved over these past few months, how much could you have possibly grown? Let’s be bold and guess that your true strength is approaching the mid Fifth-Tier. But before a veteran late-stage Fifth-Tier expert like me, what kind of waves do you think you can make?"
"You—"
Hearing the man recount such a detailed list and feeling the powerful, almost peerless aura he was deliberately releasing, Ariel couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
"Now you understand!" The man’s grin almost reached his ears. "I’m not joking with you. After all... the reason we’ve been able to contend with the Church for so many years is that we value intelligence above all else!"