As a royal mage closely tied to the royal family, Hogus had a clearer understanding of the profound mysteries than most.
In the earth elent, almost every profound mystery is independent, but the Disintegration Profundity and the Condensation Profundity, though seemingly opposite, are deeply connected. Either one alone may not stand out among all the profound mysteries, but once the two are combined, allowing for seamless transformation between condensation and disintegration, they beco the strongest of the earth elent. Compared to other elental mysteries, they are among the best!
“He comprehended both Disintegration and Condensation Profundities?” Another Archmage was equally incredulous. Isn’t it said that only by mastering one profound mystery at a deep level can you more easily comprehend the other? This Rhett is only in his forties—how has he achieved such a feat?
“Incredible!”
“He’ll be the most dazzling genius in the Kinlan Kingdom! At least in the realm of comprehending profound mysteries, no one can match him.” The Sky Knight with the rapier had a complex expression. He recalled his ntor saying that so Saint-level beings might only grasp one or two perfected profound mysteries in their lifeti, and even the most talented could manage only two or three. But here was Rhett, who had mastered one mystery to a profound level and touched upon another, all before reaching the Saint level.
If he reaches the Saint level in the future, what then?
At that mont, even though Rhett was still a Level 6 Archmage, he lood large in their eyes. It seed inevitable that he would surpass them in the future, and if he ever reached the Saint level, he would surely be among the top in that realm.
No one dared to underestimate Rhett any longer.
Focused on the battle, Rhett was unaware of the spectators' thoughts. He activated the Condensation Profundity, known for its ultimate defense, encasing himself in an armor that felt as solid as diamond. The Dinsional Wind—which sliced through the air at high speed—barely felt like a light touch against his body.
Injury? Not even close.
Seeing his most powerful attack dissolve into nothing, Hogus felt a whirlwind of emotions. The joy he had felt after his breakthrough was quickly overshadowed by witnessing Rhett, an even greater genius. He couldn’t help but feel sowhat eclipsed.
Lowering his sword, Hogus’s expression gradually shifted from astonishnt to admiration, his heart swelling with an appreciation for talent.
“Count Rhett, I concede. This battle is yours.”
Though Hogus admitted defeat, he showed no signs of discouragent.
After all, it was just a friendly match. Losing wasn’t a big deal, especially when there was sothing more important at stake—winning over this genius. As a prince, he knew that personal strength was crucial, but so was the ability to cultivate, control, and expand his influence. These were essential lessons for any mber of the royal family.
Rhett, just recovering from his comprehension of the Condensation Profundity, felt the solidity of his body. Suppressing his excitent, he replied politely:
“There’s no need for that. Your earlier attack nearly ended . The Third Prince is truly as powerful as the rumors say.
And besides, the battle ended without a clear outco. The result is still uncertain.”
“Indeed, both Count Rhett and the Third Prince are exceptional talents. Without fighting to the end, it’s hard to say who would win,” said the Sky Knight with the rapier as he swiftly approached Rhett and Hogus, smiling.
“I agree. The Third Prince’s Dinsional Wind is nearly complete, with its hidden yet devastating power. And Count Rhett’s mastery of both Disintegration and Condensation Profundities, with their versatile transformations, makes him a challenging opponent!” The earth-elent Archmage’s eyes glead as he walked forward, glancing between Rhett and the prince.
For Rhett, the outco of the battle wasn’t important. A bit of fa ant little to him. Besides, he was well aware of what the final result would be if they continued fighting.
Hogus shook his head, “No, my comprehension of the Dinsional Wind is far from perfect, and my extre battle style is ineffective against you. My defense pales compared to yours. The mont you broke through and grasped the Condensation Profundity, the outco of the battle was sealed.”
Rhett wanted to explain further.
But before he could, Hogus smiled and shook his head, “Profound mysteries are the most mysterious and powerful forces in the world. Rhett, to have comprehended two at your age makes you the first in the history of the Kinlan Kingdom. Losing to you is no disgrace.”
“The Third Prince’s vision and magnanimity are truly admirable!” The Sky Knight with the rapier praised Hogus, his eyes shining. He then included Rhett in the praise, saying, “Since I’ve been following the Third Prince, this is the first ti I’ve seen a mage so outstanding at the sa level. Remarkable!”
The earth-elent Archmage, now smiling kindly, chid in. Being the oldest of the five, with white hair, he said, “Count Rhett, may I ask for your insights and experiences in comprehending the earth-elent mysteries?”
Rhett was surprised by the request and looked at the Archmage. The Archmage subtly controlled the earth elents around him, their fluctuations weak but intentionally displayed. The precision of his control impressed Rhett.
Hogus’s eyes lit up as he introduced the Archmage, “This is my magical protector, Zeros, the strongest among us, a Level 9 Archmage.
Count Rhett, whether you choose to share your insights is entirely up to you. But if you agree, I’m willing to offer a generous reward.”
“In that case, I have no objections,” Rhett agreed after so thought. Since he had decided to align himself with the Third Prince, it made sense to leave a good impression.
Hogus’s smile deepened, “I can offer many things—gold coins, alchemical potions, minerals, even magical beast contracts.”
However, his brow furrowed as he continued, “Hmm, though magical beast contracts are valuable, it seems Count Rhett might not need one. I heard you already have a Firefeather Eagle?”
Rhett nodded, “Indeed. If possible, I’d like to acquire so magic books.”
“This is sothing I can handle without troubling the prince,” Zeros said, barely containing his excitent. To him, magic books were just inanimate objects. Though ti-consuming to produce, they were insignificant compared to profound mysteries.
He eagerly added, “Count Rhett, I have access to extensive resources. I can provide you with a full set of magic books, from Level 1 to Level 9, across all elents.”
“That’s excellent!” Rhett replied, satisfied. Low and mid-level magic books were easy to purchase from rchants, but high-level books required specific channels and resources, and they were expensive. This convenient opportunity was one Rhett couldn’t pass up.
The other Sky Knights and Archmages nearby also listened closely, recognizing the rarity of such an opportunity.
Among them was a sturdy-looking earth-elent Sky Knight who usually kept a low profile. Realizing no one had noticed him, he quickly lowered his head, silently rejoicing. He hadn’t expected that following the prince on this trip would grant him the chance to hear insights on profound mysteries. This journey had been more rewarding than he could have imagined!
Rhett cleared his throat and began, “When I first comprehended the Disintegration Profundity, it was purely by chance…”
He recalled the changes in the earth elents after subduing the Sand Spirit and planned to start by explaining how he had noticed the dancing earth elents.
Suddenly, Zeros furrowed his brow and interrupted, “Count Rhett, hold on!”
“Hmm? Is sothing wrong?” Rhett asked, puzzled.
Instead of responding to Rhett, Zeros looked directly at the middle-aged knight who had been lowering his head and sternly said,
“Kite, it seems you’re feeling guilty! As a Sky Knight, where’s your knightly honor? Are you planning to listen to such valuable insights on the earth-elent mysteries without offering anything in return?”
Hogus glanced at Kite with amusent, teasing, “Indeed, Kite, if you remain silent, I might have to start calling you the Ostrich Knight. After all, you’re an earth-elent knight, and ostriches live in the desert—it suits you.”
“Cough.” The stout Kite blushed, realizing he couldn’t get away with it. He lifted his head and looked at Rhett, saying, “Alright, I admit my mistake. Count Rhett, what would you like in return? I’m willing to pay a fair price!
Please don’t hesitate—even if it’s costly, consider it my paynt for staying silent just now.”
With everyone’s eyes on him, especially the Third Prince’s, Rhett thought for a mont, understanding the situation. After a brief pause, he replied, “If you could provide so mid-level and high-level earth-elent plant seeds, that would be perfect. My territory is currently lacking in that area…”
“That’s it?” Kite was taken aback. He had expected Rhett to demand sothing much more difficult and had even prepared himself for a significant loss. To his surprise, the request was so modest.
Fearing Rhett might change his mind, Kite quickly agreed, “Consider it done. I’ll use all my connections to gather as many plant seeds as possible once we return. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied!”
“Thank you!”
Rhett felt he had gained a lot. With the Sand Spirit, his collection of earth-elent plants would soon expand significantly.
Clearing his throat, Rhett continued, “Now, where was I…”
Everyone resud listening intently. They didn’t feel embarrassed about learning from a mage—after all, knowledge was knowledge.
“The Disintegration Profundity represents the extre separation of earth elents. When I first comprehended it, I rely noticed a small cluster of sand particles distinct from the surrounding earth elents.
These opportunities are rare, but based on my experience, there are so techniques you can try.
For instance, frequently controlling sand to move rhythmically in a loose pattern might help with comprehending the profundity. For knights, I believe the sa principle applies to battle aura. As your understanding of the Disintegration Profundity deepens, the paths of the surrounding earth elents will beco more apparent, as if they’re alive…”
“.”
“That’s about it. As for the Condensation Profundity I just comprehended, it naturally ca to once the Disintegration Profundity reached completion. My understanding isn’t deep enough to provide more insight, but perhaps after further study, I’ll have more techniques to share…” Rhett concluded after sharing most of his experience.
In reality, there wasn’t much to share. After all, if profound mysteries could be fully explained with words, many more people would have comprehended them. But the truth was different—either you understood it, or you didn’t. No amount of sharing could change that, though it might offer so guidance.
Rhett’s words left many of them confused, but Zeros and Kite nodded thoughtfully.
They hadn’t expected to fully grasp the profound mysteries through a re conversation. Otherwise, they would never have been able to afford the cost.
“I’ll give it a try when I get back,” Zeros thought to himself, planning to practice controlling earth elents like sand, hoping it might help.
Having listened carefully, Hogus smiled and said, “Since Count Rhett was so generous in sharing, I’ll also share my insights on the Dinsional Wind.”
Rhett’s eyes lit up. This was likely the most valuable reward of all, and he eagerly anticipated hearing it.
“Unlike earth-elent mysteries, wind-elent mysteries are formless and invisible. The path of the Dinsional Wind leaves no trace visible to the naked eye, but every movent of the wind hides a bit of its mystery…”
As Hogus spoke, Rhett found himself equally baffled. He had hoped to gain so inspiration that might help with the Gravity Space mystery in the earth elent, but it seed this would be of little use…
Still, the exchange deepened the relationship between Rhett and Hogus, as well as with the three Sky Knights and two Archmages.
After a brief cleanup of the battlefield, Rhett invited them to his castle as guests.
Hogus was more than happy to accept, leading his guards along.
“Oh, this painting is quite remarkable!” Hogus remarked upon entering the castle, noticing a portrait of Rhett holding Trissy in the sunlight.
“Indeed, it’s on par with so of the pieces in the royal palace,” agreed Jelsen, the Sky Knight with the rapier.
“Yes, the artist seems very experienced,” Zeros added.
Having instructed the maids to prepare so desserts, Rhett couldn’t hide his pride as he responded, “This painting is the work of my second son, Reilly. I’m very fond of it! Even his ntor, White Hat, praised his rapid progress.”
“White Hat?” Hogus’s voice rose in surprise, “Count Rhett, did you just say…Reilly’s ntor is White Hat?”
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