The judge is diligently working in his chamber within the town's grand palace. It took him six days to meticulously complete all the tasks that Armad had assigned to him before his departure. During this time, he compensated all the families of the soldiers who had lost their lives in battle, ensuring that their sacrifices were acknowledged and honored. The spoils of the battle, including valuable goods and treasures, were securely stored in Armad's treasury, preserving the wealth and resources of the town.
In addition to managing these responsibilities, the judge issued orders to the business community to resume their market activities, restoring the town's economic vitality after the disruption of the battle. Farmers were also instructed to return to their fields and resume their agricultural duties, which are crucial for the sustenance and prosperity of the town.
Furthermore, the town's military forces have seen a significant increase in numbers. Many individuals who were previously reluctant to join Armad's battalion have now enlisted, bolstering the town's defense capabilities. Since Armad's departure, nearly 3,000 people have come forward to register and become part of Ai's troops, reflecting a newfound sense of unity and purpose among the populace.
Moreover, the judge has embarked on a thorough investigation to understand why Ai and her assistant awakened their cultivation abilities, a phenomenon that Armad specifically tasked him to explore. At present, he is in the company of some of Ai's troops, whom he had selected for this purpose. Armad had thoughtfully left behind an ample supply of herbs, which the judge is using in his experiments to ascertain whether they are the catalyst for the awakening of cultivation abilities in Ai and her assistant.
The judge is currently 70% convinced that the herbs play a significant role in this awakening. However, he also hypothesizes that the extreme fear experienced during the heat of battle was a crucial factor. To test this theory, he conducted an experiment where he administered the herbs to over ten individuals, providing each with ten bottles. Despite showing initial signs on their chests that suggested a potential awakening, none of them achieved the full awakening of their cultivation abilities.
From this experiment, the judge concluded that the herbs alone were insufficient. He believes that a profound sense of fear, similar to what Ai and her assistant experienced in the life-threatening conditions of battle, is necessary to trigger the full awakening of cultivation abilities. This fear, he theorizes, must be intense enough to invoke a fight-or-flight response, unlocking latent potential within the individuals.
To put his theory into practice, the judge plans to take a group of individuals, selected by Ai, on a hunting expedition. During this hunt, they will consume the herbs in an environment that naturally induces fear and heightened alertness. The judge is confident that this combination of factors will successfully awaken their cultivation abilities without relying on the traditional method of using seals.
As he was organizing and refining this plan, he received that message from those soldiers.
As he read the message, he understood that whatever he was doing, he must stop immediately because the guests arriving from home should be his primary focus. These guests are of paramount importance, and their arrival demands his full attention and preparation. He quickly called together all the remaining soldiers of Armad’s battalion. Originally, the battalion consisted of 2,000 soldiers, but Armad took 500 with him and posted some at the borders of Tiriba as a precaution. Therefore, the judge has at most 800 soldiers available, a number far less than he would prefer given the circumstances.
The situation is further complicated by the absence of most of the devas, the elite warriors of the battalion. By his estimation, there are no more than six devas currently in the town. Commander Silaini took five devas with him on a mission to capture Commander Kisa, leaving the judge with very few elite soldiers at his disposal. Additionally, other devas have been strategically posted in various locations within the town to ensure its security. These postings were arranged by Armad himself, who placed some devas in disguise among the townspeople to act as covert operatives and report any unusual activities directly to him. The judge does not know the exact whereabouts of these covert devas, as Armad intentionally kept this information confidential to prevent internal turmoil. As a result, the judge finds himself with only three devas he can reliably call upon.
Despite these challenges, the judge is certain that the guests arriving from home will bring with them a significant contingent of devas. He estimates that there will be at least 10 to 20 devas accompanying the guests. The Wilburforce Empire, to which these guests belong, assigns devas to guard their members, confident that their presence will deter any potential attackers. The power and influence of the Wilburforce Empire are such that, if they anticipated any real threat, it wouldn’t be surprising if they brought an overwhelming force of 10,000 devas for protection. This demonstrates the formidable might of the Wilburforce Empire in this era.
Faced with these daunting circumstances, the judge is at a loss for what to do. Deep in thought and weighed down by the gravity of the situation, he accidentally collided with a pillar in front of him. If he hadn’t used his cultivation abilities to steady himself, he would have fallen. This incident jolts him into action, and he realizes he must make a difficult decision.
After some contemplation, he decided to do what he least wanted to do: report the situation to Armad. He had no other choice. Although he knew Armad’s mission to conquer nearby towns was important for expanding their territory and securing their position, attending to these guests was even more critical.
If possible, Armad must abandon his current endeavors and return home immediately, even if he has to come back without his battalion, to greet the guests personally. The judge understands the importance of Armad’s presence; it would demonstrate respect and hospitality.
If Armad cannot return in time, the judge fears they might have to fabricate lies about Armad to the emperor.
Most of the council members don’t support Armad. They favor his elder brother. Given the strained relationship between the council members and Armad, if they arrive in town and find him absent, they will report to the Emperor that the prince neglected his duties, wandering away and leaving the responsibility of governing the town to the judge. This could cause Armad significant problems. However, the judge knows that there is no way Armad can return before the guests arrive, as it has been approximately seven days since he left.
Despite this, the judge quickly sent a message to Armad, informing him that guests were coming from home, and they didn’t know who the guests were. It could be one of the Emperor’s council members or one of the elites whom the Emperor trusts.
The judge couldn’t be certain if one of the guests might be Armad’s sibling or an important judge. Nevertheless, he had already sent the message to Armad. Additionally, he continued sending messages to the three devas that Armad left under his command.
The devas instantly appeared in the judge’s room, and he briefed them on the situation. He sent one deva to the entrance gate of the town to mobilize people to welcome the guests. He dispatched another deva to the palace to instruct the servants to prepare food for the guests. The remaining deva was tasked with gathering the town’s battalion.
The judge knew that the first thing the guests would do, even if not explicitly instructed by the Emperor, was examine the town’s battalion. It is well known that when the Emperor reviews the mission he assigned to his son, he will scrutinize the battalion. Therefore, the guests, carrying the Emperor’s directives, will undoubtedly inspect the troops. This is why the judge sent one deva to gather Ai’s troops and the remaining battalion members. He ordered everyone to don their armor and stand in formation to demonstrate the town’s might. The larger and more impressive the battalion, the stronger the town’s perceived power.
With these preparations underway, the judge began to think about how he could delay the guests, buying time for Armad to return.
In the town of King Konfot, Armad sits inside a room that has held significant power for more than a century. This was the very room from which King Konfot once ruled, making crucial decisions and shaping the destiny of the town. However, the tides of fate have shifted dramatically. Now, King Konfot and his family are confined to a dark, oppressive room deep within the palace, a stark reminder of what happens when one loses a battle. In a sense, Armad almost pities them, for they have been spared the ultimate fate – execution. He reflects that if the tables had been turned, and if King Konfot and his allies had emerged victorious, they would not have shown him the same mercy. Armad and his town would have been utterly destroyed without hesitation.
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During the days Armad dedicated to enhancing his cultivation with the aid of potent pills, he successfully regained the vast reservoir of cultivation he lost in the previous battle, amounting to 10,000 years of cultivation. He knew that if he could gain just one more year of cultivation, reaching a total of 10,001 years, he would ascend to the pre-deva level. However, his cultivation progress halted unexpectedly at this critical juncture. Surprisingly, this cessation brought him joy rather than frustration. This was because it signaled an increase in his Nagirinki substance. After the exhaustive creation of pole strings, his Nagirinki had been severely depleted, but now it was replenishing. His inner world had expanded to over 700 meters, a significant growth.
This expansion was not just in size. It also meant that each of his attacks would now be amplified by up to 12%, making him considerably more powerful in combat. Furthermore, this growth allowed his world to reduce the power of enemies’ attacks by up to 8%, meaning only 92% of an enemy’s attack would reach him. This enhancement represented a significant improvement over the defensive capabilities he had before the battle.
Armad understood that his journey did not end with increasing his cultivation. He had many other aspects of his strength to develop. When he reached this critical point in his cultivation enhancement, he made a strategic decision to stop using cultivation-enhancing pills and switch to skin-toughness-enhancing pills. The previous battle had taught him a crucial lesson about the importance of skin toughness. A resilient skin could significantly mitigate the damage from enemy attacks. However, Armad realized that the toughness of his muscles was equally, if not more, important. Tough muscles would make it much harder for an enemy’s attack to cause internal injuries, even if it penetrated his skin.
Armad believed that his internal organs, being composed of muscle tissue, would also benefit from increased toughness. Strengthening his muscles would therefore make his entire body more resilient. He held firm in the belief that once the toughness of his skin reached 100%, the system would allow him to begin enhancing the toughness of his muscles. The pills he will produce would then focus on this aspect, ushering in a new phase of his development.
Armad envisioned that as his muscles grew tougher, his overall strength would increase exponentially. His resilience in battle would improve dramatically, reducing the risk of severe injuries and enhancing his ability to withstand powerful attacks. This foresight drove him to meticulously plan each step of his training and enhancement regimen. He understood that achieving this next level of toughness would multiply his current strength many times over, making him a formidable force in any future conflicts.
Armad has now realized that he should not focus solely on the power of cultivation. Instead, he should focus on increasing the toughness of his body. Armad believes that if he increases his skin toughness to 100% and muscle toughness to even 50%, he can vanquish cultivators who reach the third stage of Deva, like the one he fought in the last battle, without even activating his Miyura. In the previous battle, Armad used all his abilities, including his world, Miyura, and Nagirinki. However, he now thinks that had he increased the toughness of his muscles, he wouldn't have needed to increase his cultivation or use his world to achieve victory. At his current level of peak Core Formation, he can kill a cultivator who has reached the third level of Deva. Even the term "Deva" is not an indication of one's power because one cannot compare the power of a person at the first stage of Deva from the King's Legion to that of a common cultivator, not from the legion. The power of someone from the Legion will be greater than that of someone who did not come from it, even if the latter has surpassed him in Deva level. These thoughts are why Armad brought out his skin toughness enhancement pills.
Although increasing his cultivation makes him feel warm in his body, increasing the toughness of his skin makes him feel pain, as if his skin is being cooked to become tougher. Despite the pain, Armad continues to take the pills for two days. As of now, the toughness of his skin has increased to 60%. As Armad observed, the more his body toughness increases, the more pills it will require to improve further. From a toughness level of 50 to this point of 60, Armad has already consumed all the pills in his magical bag, despite having about 8,000. However, Armad does not worry because he knows there is a medicinal farm waiting for him to harvest it to produce more pills. He knows his system is just waiting for the moment to go and harvest that farm.
Armad stands up. It is time. Armad notices that his skin has returned to its initial color; in fact, it is darker than before. His skin has become a little rougher. Whenever the toughness of his skin increases, it will likely have some roughness. However, this doesn't matter to him because he has an antidote for it. He instantly brings out skin-lightening pills and starts taking them. This time, he does not make the same mistake he made before. As he takes the pills, he is cautious about how the color of his skin changes. Before long, the color of his skin becomes normal, just like the color of the Wilburforce tribesmen. Even the lightening his skin had before, he didn't like because it wasn't the color of the Wilburforce tribesmen, which is why he moderates the changes now.
Armad meticulously scrutinized his skin from various angles, noticing a subtle yet discernible transformation with each shift in its composition. It appeared that with every increment of 10% in its toughness, there came a notable change in its resilience. Upon reaching the halfway mark of 50% toughness, he distinctly felt this alteration ripple through his being, and now, as he approached 60%, the sensation returned with renewed intensity.
Yet, despite his heightened awareness, Armad found it challenging to differentiate between the nuances of his skin’s toughness at 50% and 60%. This ambiguity spurred him to embark on an experiment. With deliberate intent, he retrieved a knife, its glinting edge poised against his palm. As he applied pressure, expecting the familiar sting of pain, he was met with an unexpected revelation – an absence of sensation. Confusion gave way to astonishment as he realized that not only was he impervious to harm, but the blade itself seemed to lose its edge, as though dulled by an encounter with impervious stone rather than human flesh.
The implications of this newfound resilience were not lost on Armad; a smile of satisfaction graced his lips as he contemplated the extent of his skin’s fortitude. Indeed, it had reached a level where even the most formidable weapons would falter in their attempt to inflict harm, akin to attempting to pierce solid iron. The prospect of reaching 100% toughness filled him with anticipation, eager to witness the zenith of his body’s transformation.
Following a brief interlude, Armad rose from his meditation, his muscles taut with latent energy. With fluid grace, he stretched his limbs, preparing himself for the tasks that lay ahead. Thirty minutes of vigorous exercise ensued each movement a testament to his unwavering dedication to self-improvement.
Satisfied with his physical exertions, Armad’s thoughts turned to the farm. With a subtle clearing of his throat, he summoned the deva stationed at the entrance, a silent sentinel awaiting his command.
“Your Highness. Welcome back from your cultivation meditation,” the devas said.
Today marked the culmination of the seventh day since Armad had embarked on cultivation meditation. That was why after the captain, recognized the significance of this milestone, approached his master with deference, a glimmer of pride in his eyes, and offered his welcome to him. He noted with keen observation the subtle changes that had taken root within Armad, his cultivation power palpable in the air.
However, accompanying this newfound strength was a sense of foreboding, a shadow that loomed over their interactions like a portent of things to come. The captain could not discern its origin, yet he remained steadfast in his loyalty to his master, trusting in Armad’s wisdom and guidance.
“Let us proceed to the town’s farms. I have already instructed the guards to secure them,” Armad commanded, his voice carrying the weight of authority.
The deva, ever dutiful, nodded in acquiescence. “As you command, esteemed master. The farms await your arrival, fully secured and prepared for your inspection.”
Armad nodded in understanding and lifted his leg to walk ahead of the deva. However, at that precise moment, he received that message from the judge. The Airid in his pocket glowed softly, signaling the arrival of a message. Reaching into his pocket, Armad retrieved the Airid and placed it gently on the ground. The small device quickly buried itself into the earth, and from the spot where it disappeared, a long, delicate flower began to grow, its petals made of thin, translucent paper. As the flower fully emerged, its petals unfurled to reveal the message written on them in elegant script.
The deva, sensing the importance of the moment, turned to look at the door, waiting patiently for Armad to finish reading. It was a well-known protocol that guards were forbidden from reading their masters’ messages; doing so was considered an egregious sign of disrespect and breach of trust.
As Armad read the first line of the message, a deep frown creased his forehead, and his expression darkened considerably. “Guests from home?” he thought, the words echoing ominously in his mind. Armad had been certain that he still had two years and several months before any such visit was scheduled. The unexpected arrival of guests from home could only mean one of two things: either something significant had happened, or they were here to scrutinize his progress in developing the town.
Before embarking on this mission, the Emperor had informed him that there would be periodic assessments to monitor his progress. However, the Emperor had also assured him that he would be given prior notice before any major examination. This lack of forewarning left Armad puzzled and uneasy. Were these guests here for a significant evaluation, or had they come to inform him that a major assessment was imminent? Armad couldn’t shake the feeling that, regardless of the official reason for their visit, it was ultimately a way for the Emperor to keep tabs on him—observing the town’s development, his achievements, his failures, and whether he was faithfully executing his duties as assigned.
The decree issued by the great Emperor Aldaima was common knowledge throughout the empire. It was intended to ensure the welfare of the second prince and his mother. Instead of placing them under the potentially hostile rule of the first prince, who had a different mother and was known to harbor feelings of jealousy, Emperor Aldaima’s decree granted them their domain. This arrangement was meant to protect them from possible neglect or worse.
However, the situation was further complicated by the fact that Armad’s mother had passed away. Her death cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the second prince’s claim to his empire, leading many within the empire to speculate that even the Emperor himself might not be particularly concerned about the second prince’s inheritance.