Ryker lay in bed with Patience cuddled up against him, his mind focused on Phoenix’s inner world.

In these last few weeks, he had already successfully unlocked Focused Push, Trailing Blaze and Earthen Shield and he had turned his focus to another set of three.

At the same time, he had reached the pinnacle of the 6th Enlightenment Realm and was only a step away from the 7th.

His speed was actually quite exceptional, all things considered. But in his opinion, about the only thing that hadn’t gone perfect in this less-than-month was his cultivation.

He had spent a lot of his time focusing on Time Type Spirit Energy and how to best make use of it. That could be considered what the bulk of his focus had been on, but in addition to that, he was also guiding Patience and the others.

It could be said that there was a lot on his plate and the fact that he had made even this much progress was quite shocking.

However, he wasn’t the type to rest on his laurels to begin with. So, his focus had already shifted.

This next set of three, though, felt far more difficult than the last. He had a feeling that it was because he had already reached a cap in what Phoenix could withstand.

They seemed to be able to unlock on Talent per Cultivation Realm, but it wasn’t exactly like that—not quite, anyway.

There was a bit of a feedback loop between Ryker and Phoenix. Though it seemed that this was entirely reliant on Ryker’s comprehension, Phoenix was also involved.

It was like the two were working against each other’s grain, trying to reach the middle.

However, because Phoenix was only at the 3rd Enlightenment Realm now, unlocking a fourth talent was already difficult, and it was only made worse now that Ryker was trying to unlock a fifth.

‘Got it!’

Ryker almost called out in excitement, his gaze blazing with triumph.

Just because it was harder, didn’t mean he was unable to do it. And in the process, he had managed to awaken a Lineal Talent of Earth Phoenix.

This talent was known as Earth Reborn. Compared to Inductive Touch, Fire Phoenix’s Lineal Talent, it wasn’t an offensive talent, but much like Inductive Touch, it could be used as one if it came down to it, similar to how Inductive Touch could also be used defensively.

That said, Earth Reborn wasn’t a defensive talent either.

Spirit Energy needed an anchor to survive. This anchor was worlds, but on a deeper level, it was the earth itself.

Spirit Energy tended to be the most highly concentrated near the surface of a world, and grew more sparse the further out you flew. In fact, the bounds of space had little to no Spirit Energy at all.

Earth Reborn became that anchor.

The sturdiness of earth and mountains wasn’t always just an allegory. Sometimes, it was very much real.

This realness was rooted in Spirit Energy and how it interacted with the earth.

It was said that long ago, humans and beasts alike learned to use Spirit Energy only by studying the earth, its patterns and its movements. Often, mines of Spirit Stones had the deepest insights toward the usage of Spirit Energy, more than even some of the most ancient cultivation manuals.

And Earth Reborn tapped into just some of that mastery.

When it was activated, Earth Phoenix could form an anchor with his body as the center. This would make Phoenix the center of the Spirit Energy in the surroundings, making it difficult for an enemy to gain an advantage on this front.

Against Enlightenment Realm experts who mostly relied on internal Spirit Energy, this was a little less useful. However, at higher levels, where wielding large amounts of Atmospheric Spirit Energy was a huge part of one’s power, it would be a devastating advantage.

Of course, that wasn’t to say that it was useless now. One way or another, when most humans or beasts attacked, they launched a bundle of Spirit Energy in a condensed form filtered through a sort of technique.

When Earth Reborn was activated, the Spirit Energy in the surroundings would be bent to Phoenix’s whims, gaining portions of their will. Any attack launched in such a way would lose considerable strength.

This was how the talent could be used defensively, but it had a great impact offensively as well. When Earth Reborn was activated, Phoenix could use Atmospheric Spirit Energy, meaning energy beyond just what was within their dantians. This could be used to directly empower their own attacks, and thus be used offensively as well.

On the surface, it was just an auxiliary ability. But in practice, it made his Phoenix even more of a no-so-little monster.

Especially since it would improve their cultivation speed by a huge margin.

Ryker shook his head and smiled. Spirit Beasts were truly on another level. Phoenix was only an 8th Circle Talent compared to his 9th Circle, but he certainly wasn’t born with such broken abilities.

Ryker was looking forward to the Wind Lineal Talent for Wind Phoenix. That way, they would all be on an even playing field.

‘I’ve been observing Phoenix for a while and they’ve definitely gotten more… aggressive. This should be normal, but if it continues at this rate, there could come a day where they turn against one another.

‘This is likely why the Twin-Headed Serpent Phoenixes chose to let one mind conquer the other, it’s a ritualistic devouring…

‘They probably would have done this for Phoenix as soon as they were born, but because father stole the egg, they never got the chance.’

Ryker was beginning to hesitate a bit.

‘Unbelievable. Don’t tell me this emotional rollercoaster nonsense is going to start affecting my judgment too. No. I’m sticking with my gut.’

Ryker had his own way of thinking about things. Unlike the creatures of this world, he had studied all there was to know about the creatures of his own, so how could he not know the rituals to the Serpent Phoenixes?

He had chosen not to take this path because he felt there was much more potential to be had if the three of them learned to coexist.

If they devoured one another and left behind just a single mind, their flexibility and future potential would be limited, he was sure of that.

The Serpent Phoenixes probably knew this as well, but they felt that it was a worthy trade off. They had enough examples in their history about things going wrong that they made this harsh decision.

Ultimately, Phoenix’s parents had had three babies, but so that at least one would survive, they chose to give up the other two. This was their culture.

Ryker just didn’t want to follow it.

Whether it was this situation, or how he felt Rosemary should use her Spiritual Resonance more often to exercise it like a muscle, or how he thought that Sofia had a chance to shed new light on the path of an Innate Battle Genius if she followed his teachings…

None of these things were certainties. Ryker just felt that he had studied enough that they were all plausible.

He also had to admit that the curiosity of whether he was correct or not was another part of the reason why he hadn’t, yet, bashed his head against a wall dealing with those two women.

Honestly, aside from her one slip up, Rosemary was on the more bearable side. She had always been a kind and loving person, although a little too “pure” and “white knightey” for Ryker’s tastes.

Sofia, though…

That woman really knew how to drive him up a wall. She seemed to know that too and was getting a rise out of pressing his buttons.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

She also seemed to realize that there was something different about him. In the past, he certainly would have never taken so much shit from her.

However, the more she did that, the more motivation Ryker had to reign in his emotions and go back to his former stoicism.

‘Was I ever really stoic, though?’ Ryker laughed at himself.

Ever since getting the strength to cultivate, he had to admit that he was on a bit of a tear. He completely lacked patience to deal with this and lashed out immediately to handle them. That wasn’t necessarily the best either.

Of course, he still classified those outbursts differently.

Whereas now he was having emotional outbursts, back then he was simply collecting interest for his younger self. Those people didn’t make him mad, they were just ants he thought overestimated themselves. He wasn’t bothered or annoyed, he was just swatting away a few flies.

Now, though…

‘One step at a time,’ he told himself.

He slipped out of bed and bathed himself. When he was done, he saw that Patience was still asleep so he left quietly.

She had been working very hard these days as well, and she had been far more receptive to his teachings than he had thought she would be.

Ryker was still quite good at reading people, so he knew why Patience was trying so hard to replicate her family’s Spiritual Resonance. Obviously, it was for approval, she wanted to prove herself as worthy.

But when Ryker mentioned that she was wasting her energy, she took in the advice with open arms and started moving in the direction he designed.

‘She’s a… resilient woman…’ he thought, losing himself a bit.

It wasn’t an easy decision, even if she made it look like one. While some of it was just trust in him, he knew it was deeper than that.

She had taken a lot of cuts and bruises in her short life, but she had always been willing to pivot when things didn’t go her way.

She obediently took up an objectively trashy posting by Smoking Tower City when she could have just given up her position and returned to live a life of leisure as a Princess.

She was bold enough to take a chance on Ryker even when to her, his 3rd Circle Talent was meaningless. As a 4th Circle Talent herself, she would have never thought highly of Ryker’s faked exam results. And yet, she had seen an opportunity and took it.

And now, she was willing to abandon a path Ryker was certain she had put years of blood, sweat and tears into when presented with a better path.

Thinking of her actions up until this point, Ryker felt some warmth in his heart and an unexpected sweetness.

Then he cringed at it.

‘Damn, I’m a sopping mess.’

Ryker’s steps paused when a door opened ahead, a familiar blond walking out.

Sofia spotted Ryker soon after and rolled her eyes almost immediately. For some reason, Ryker actually laughed at this. His mood was quite good at the moment, so he felt differently about the usually annoying action.

“What are you laughing about?”

“Nothing much. Just saw a little girl throwing a tantrum, and found it adorable.”

Sofia’s eyes narrowed before she stuck up two middle fingers and walked away.

“I take it back,” Ryker said, watching her saunter.

“What?” Sofia frowned, looking back. But seeing Ryker’s gaze glued to her ass, she ran out of middle fingers to hold up.

“Nothing adorable about that.”

Sofia realized she wasn’t going to win at this game of chicken, so she changed tactics.

“Well keep looking, because this is the best you’re gonna get.”

With a snort, she started walking away again, obviously headed to the practice arena once more. But Ryker could have sworn she swayed her hips a little bit more.

He followed after with a laugh. His strides were much longer than hers, so he could have overtaken her a long while ago. And yet, he purposely didn’t.

He could see her ears getting red as though she could sense his gaze. She was trying to pretend like she was some seductress, but they both knew the truth about that.

Sofia spun back. “Are you done yet?”

Ryker looked at her as her face seemed to be trying its best to be any shade other than red.

“How’s your training going?”

“Are you trying to make small talk with me? You know exactly how it’s going, you literally saw me fight yesterday.”

“I can’t make small talk with the little wannabe vixen blocking my path? It’s called being cordial.”

“I don’t want to be cordial with you. You tried to kill me, in case you forgot. I don’t know what mind tricks you’re trying to play here, but you’re not going to wiggle your way into my pants. That ship has sailed, asshole.”

Ryker laughed. “If I tried to kill you, you’d be dead. As for getting into your pants, I think I’ve been there already. It’s a nice view, the matching drapes only enhanced it.”

All of Sofia’s attempts to bark back were cut off by a flood of red.

Even her parents didn’t know what color she was down there, it just felt like a violation for Ryker to be talking about it so openly.

She took a breath and calmed herself. That was the choice she had made, she had to live with it. She knew what she was getting herself into.

Now that Ryker was helping her without asking for something in return for some reason, she would take advantage of it.

At the very least, she didn’t have to bite her tongue anymore.

“I’m glad you were impressed, but my view wasn’t nearly as nice.”

She held up her thumb and her forefinger, putting them together in a too small gesture.

But this only made Ryker erupt with laughter.

“You’re going to have to come up with some better insults. I seem to remember someone’s mouth struggling to—”

Sofia sent a quick kick at his balls that Ryker dodged with a step back. Seeing the grin on his face, Sofia launched a barrage of attacks, her body becoming coated in a silvery-gold energy.

Indeed, her near death experience had allowed Sofia to go from a Peak White Innate Battle Genius, to a Peak Silver one. In fact, the color she was radiating now was much more Gold than it was silver, so it could even be said that she was a Lower Gold Innate Battle Genius now.

This was a huge improvement, and it had also made her senses several times sharper. If they were at the same level, Ryker might have to get a little bit serious. But unfortunately for her, she was still at the 4th Enlightenment Realm.

He looked at the fierceness in Sofia’s eyes as the two danced through the wide corridors. He could see the anger in her eyes, but it wasn’t quite hatred.

Ryker stretched out a finger and pressed it against her forehead. Unfortunately for her, her arm reach was far shorter than Ryker’s, so the fist she thought she had a chance to land hit air instead.

She pivoted her hips to unleash a kick, but Ryker pressed his finger forward, causing her to lose balance and almost fall on her bottom.

“Alright, nice sparring session. You did improve again.”

He looked toward a familiar duck beast he had been ignoring. “But like I said before, you’ll really need to learn how to use your Spirit Beast in battle if you want to take that next—Why are you crying?”

“I am not crying,” Sofia said stubbornly.

Her fists were clenched to her side and every time a tear fell, she would quietly wipe it away as she glared daggers at him.

Ryker looked at her for a long while as she futilely tried to stop her tears from falling.

~

“I am not crying!”

Jaana stubbornly wiped her tears away. The little seven-year-old girl was as cute as a button. Her hair was done up like an elegant empress, but her chubby red cheeks and puffy eyes painted a completely different picture.

“We don’t have to spar anymore, Jaana,” a young Ryker said in a panicked voice. “Let’s just go shopping? You like shopping, right?”

“No!” Jaana balled up her fists and glared at him through her tears. “I will beat you!”

“Yes, yes. You will beat me! How about we try again tomorrow?”

“No! Today! Who said I have to marry you?! Ugly!”

The little girl brandished her little fists and charged.

~

Ryker shook his head and sighed. He bent down and stroked the Little Beaky’s head.

“Your emotions are felt by your Spirit Beast. Even if you lose control of them, you have to make sure to send them words and feelings of affirmation. Only like that can you keep them from worrying and lashing out. In the future, they’ll have enough maturity and intelligence to understand the nuance of a situation, but for now, they’re as fragile as newborns.”

The stress levels of the silver-beaked duck were slowly soothed until it almost began to purr like a kitten. Though, this “purring” wasn’t nearly as soothing and sounded almost akin to a subdued quack.

Sofia seemed to slowly calm down as her beast did and her tears finally did stop.

She took a breath. “We’ll be fine. I’m fine.”

Ryker shook his head, she was still being stubborn. But people didn’t usually change on a dime.

Sofia bent down and scooped the duck beast into her arms, burying her face into its soft feathers.

The two walked in silence toward the arena, but waiting there, Ryker found an unexpected guest.

The Crimson Supreme.

Sofia immediately bowed her head. She was quite aware that she and the others could only be here out of some loose connection with Patience through Ryker, and she was even more aware of the difference in status.

“Come with me,” the Crimson Supreme said to Ryker.

Ryker shrugged and followed after that man, giving Sofia a wink as he vanished. The subtle action couldn’t help but make her feel irritated again. What if the Crimson Supreme thought she was some harlot getting in between his daughter and her husband? Why did this man never think before he acted?!

…

Ryker found himself descending through floors he only vaguely knew existed. He had already used [Soul Ripple] and the silver mirror to get a god understanding for the palace. He was still the same cautious Ryker, so he had several contingency plans in case things went south.

He found the Crimson Supreme to be an interesting man, though… A terrible man, but an interesting one nonetheless.

Normally, such a man wouldn’t wait for him. He’d come directly to his daughter’s chambers, regardless of what that meant seeing.

The fact that the Crimson Supreme was basically allowing Ryker full reign of his daughter’s chambers in the first place was another thing worth discussing. But Ryker figured the man already knew that what was done was done, so there was no point in trying to stop it now.

Plus, Patience was 26 years old already, almost 27. In this world, that was already considered quite old for a woman.

The likes of Rosemary and Sofia were only allowed to remain single for so long due to their talent. Of course, Patience had talent of her own, but the precarious political situation of her father made it so that the matter of her marriage was actually of great importance.

A fact that only made the Crimson Supreme’s indifference to the situation all the weirder.

Soon, Ryker and his prospective father-in-law had reached a basement floor with an eerie level of chill to it. In fact, it was so cold that Ryker had to begin circulating Fire Type Spirit Energy within himself.

To call this place a basement didn’t do it justice. It was more like a catacomb buried beneath the palace. Chilly winds howled across its walls and licked against their bodies, echoing with spine tingling sounds.

From the floor to the ceilings, there must have been at least 50 feet, and pillars formed of earth fused the ground and what was above.

“Ryker Valorian, is that right?”

Ryker looked over and met the man’s crimson gaze. He seemed unaffected by the cold, his only focus on Ryker himself.

“What is your relationship with the Valorian Clan?”

Ryker tilted his head to the side, his emotions flaring up again before he forced them down.

“What do you know?”

“I asked you a question.”

“So did I.”

The Crimson Supreme and Ryker faced off in silence, both men seemingly relaxed.

“Mmh,” the Crimson Supreme nodded. “In that case, I will have to kill you. Those people cannot be allowed to descend again.

“I’ve allowed my daughter a few weeks of happiness. For what she’s been through… for what I put her through, she deserves it. I will have to hope that that is enough.

“Now, die.”

The aura of the Crimson Supreme flared up.

It wasn't in the 9th Enlightenment Realm.

This was a true Ascension Realm cultivator.