Jiang Lin stepped into Big Guy’s small building and closed the door behind him.
The living room was tidier than expected. A wide leather sofa occupied the central spot, while a shelf in the corner held several bottles of aged wine and a few well-maintained spare weapons.
The air carried a faint scent of leather and incense, blending into a reassuring, homely atmosphere.
“Sit, sit, don’t just stand there.”
Big Guy casually tossed his coat over the armrest of the sofa, sat down in the main seat himself, and then reached under the coffee table to pull out a ceramic jug and two cups.
“You’ve come at just the right time. I just opened this jug of ale yesterday, and I was worried I’d have no one to share it with.”
Jiang Lin sat on the single sofa to the side and took the cup Big Guy handed him. He didn’t drink immediately, instead warming it in his palms.
Big Guy poured one for himself, tilted his head back to take a large gulp, and wiped the foam from his mouth. His gaze fell on Jiang Lin, scanning him up and down several times before he let out a click of his tongue.
“That aura of yours... are you at the 4th-rank?”
“4th-rank mid-stage. I just reached it yesterday.”
“Just reached it yesterday?!”
Big Guy’s hand shook, nearly spilling his drink as he stared at him with wide eyes.
“You were only at the early 2nd-rank when I last saw you, weren't you?! How did you jump so high so fast?! Did that master of yours from the Northern Ice Field directly infuse his power into you or something?”
“I’ll tell you everything. No rush.”
Jiang Lin raised his cup and took a sip of the ale. The taste was rich and slightly bitter, with a toasted malty aroma.
“The master I took in Clearwater City was indeed the Sword Saint from the Northern Ice Field. He taught me a king-tier swordsmanship technique, which helped immensely. But what truly allowed me to progress by leaps and bounds were a few opportunities that followed.”
Big Guy’s eyebrows shot up. He set down his wine cup and settled into a posture that showed he was all ears.
Jiang Lin began his story from the Demon Lord Trial, skipping over overly sensitive details but explaining the general outline clearly.
He spoke of the battles with the successors of the Four Great Demon Kings in the Abyss Corridor, of being forced to use an ultra-long-distance random teleportation scroll and drifting to the Endless Sea, and of his experiences in Silver Moon City, the elven kingdom on the West Continent.
Learning spatial magic, exploring ancient ruins, gaining heritages, and finally using a spatial tunnel to cross the Endless Sea back to the East Continent...
Big Guy didn't interrupt the entire time, simply holding his half-cooled ale and listening intently.
When Jiang Lin mentioned how the four 9th-rank Demon Kings found him on the sea and respectfully invited him back to the demon palace, Big Guy’s mouth hung open wide enough to fit a fist.
When Jiang Lin mentioned that his master, Loren, had beaten the Four Great Demon Kings one by one to find him, Big Guy slammed his cup onto the coffee table and let out a short, loud, “Good!”
“Satisfying! Truly satisfying!” He slapped his thigh, his eyes shining brightly. “Even though I didn't see it myself, I feel relieved just hearing it! Those four Demon Kings are used to running rampant on the East Continent. Getting sorted out like that by your master serves them right.”
He refilled both their cups with ale and raised his own.
“Come, a toast to your master, and one to you as well.”
“To be able to walk away from a situation like that unscathed and bring back three elves to boot.”
“Kid, you’re something else!”
The two clinked their cups.
Jiang Lin set his cup down and glanced at the clock on the wall; it was still early.
“I heard Aria is also in the Royal Capital. Is she over at the alchemy association? Is she free to meet today?”
“Her? She has indeed been at the association headquarters lately. Seems she’s busy with some high-level alchemy array verification project.”
Big Guy set down his cup, stood up, and took a thick short coat from the coat hook.
“Come on, I’ll take you there. It just so happens she was nagging me about you a few days ago, wondering if you’d died in some godforsaken corner since there had been no news for so long.”
The two walked out of the building, turned off Oak Street onto a wider main road, and headed toward the Royal Capital’s Alchemy and Rune Association.
The Alchemy and Rune Association was located in the West District of the Royal Capital. It was a three-story building made of gray-white stone, with a massive badge depicting interlocking gears, flasks, and rune rings hanging above the main entrance.
Two bronze griffin statues crouched on either side of the steps, gleaming with a dull luster in the winter sun.
Big Guy was clearly familiar with the place. He greeted the guards at the door and led Jiang Lin straight through the hall and up the spiral staircase to the third floor.
Eventually, they stopped before a door bearing a plaque that read: “High-level Alchemy Verification Laboratory – No Unauthorized Entry.”
Big Guy raised his hand and knocked three times with moderate force.
The room was quiet for a moment before the harsh sound of a chair leg scraping across the floor drifted out, followed by approaching footsteps.
The door was pulled open from the inside with a swish, revealing a face stained with a bit of charcoal soot.
Light brown curly hair was tied back in a messy ponytail, and a pair of silver-gray goggles had been pushed up onto her forehead, revealing eyes that were bloodshot yet still bright and spirited.
Aria froze when she saw the people outside. Then, her gaze moved past Big Guy’s broad shoulders and landed on Jiang Lin behind him.
She blinked once, then twice, before suddenly reaching out to rip off her goggles. She pointed at Jiang Lin, her mouth hanging open as she let out a short cry that was somewhere between pleasant surprise and annoyance.
“Jiang Lin?! What are you doing here?! I heard from Lilith last time that you went to the Northern Ice Field!”
“That’s right, but some things happened in between.”
Jiang Lin stood beside Big Guy with a smile.
Aria slapped her goggles onto a nearby shelf and hurried forward, scanning him several times.
“You disappeared for five or six months without a single word! Where on earth did you go, you jerk?”
“It’s a long story.” Jiang Lin glanced at the laboratory behind her, which was piled high with blueprints and flasks. “Are you busy? If it’s convenient, let’s find a place to sit and talk.”
“It’s convenient, it’s convenient. My verification project has been stuck on the fourth segment of the rune circuit for days anyway. If I keep staring at it, my head is going to explode.”
Aria turned back toward the lab and shouted, “I’m going out, I’ll be back this afternoon!”
Then she pulled the door shut behind her.
“Let’s go. I know a place nearby that makes great stewed meat.”
The three of them left the alchemy association, turned a few corners, and stopped in front of a small restaurant with a modest storefront but a line of seven or eight people at the door.
The air was filled with a rich, inviting steam of spices and broth, which felt especially tempting on a winter street.
Aria was clearly a regular. She greeted the owner and led the two through the crowded first floor to a relatively quiet small booth on the second floor.
While waiting for the food, Jiang Lin gave a brief account of his experiences over the past few months.
He had grown accustomed to summarizing those grand adventures in concise language.
Even so, when he mentioned the four Demon Kings appearing on the sea simultaneously and respectfully inviting him back, the teacup in Aria’s hand stopped mid-air and didn't move for a long time.
“You...” She opened her mouth, seemingly trying to find the right word to describe her complex feelings, but ultimately only two words came out. “That's unreal.”
Big Guy nodded beside her, feeling exactly the same way.
“What about those three elves?” Aria set down her teacup and asked curiously. “You brought them back with you, so where are they staying?”
“The Silver Crown hotel. They should be exploring the Royal Capital today.”
Jiang Lin picked up a piece of tender, well-stewed beef brisket and put it in his mouth. The meat was soft and savory, paired with slightly sweet carrot chunks; it was indeed excellent.
“The national competition officially opens tomorrow. My first match is at Ring 17 in the morning. Are you coming?”
“Of course we are,” Big Guy said immediately. He then turned to Aria. “What about you? Can you take a day off from that rune circuit of yours?”
“The verification project can wait a day. Half a day won't make a difference,” Aria answered decisively. “I’ll go straight to the arena to find you tomorrow morning. Which ring was it? Seventeen?”
“Yes, seventeen.”
The three chatted for a while longer, the topic shifting from the national competition to recent news in the Royal Capital, and then to some gossip within the alchemy association.
Jiang Lin learned that Big Guy hadn't been idle during these three months either.
Besides his daily missions for the Temple to clear out secret cult outposts, he had also taken the time to return to his hometown to handle some family matters.
Aria, on the other hand, had the honor of participating as an assistant in a high-level research project within the alchemy association.
Although she didn't have access to the core secrets, simply observing and helping out had already benefited her immensely.
Jiang Lin was happy for them. After talking for a while longer, they agreed to meet at the arena the next day.
It was already afternoon when they stepped out of the small restaurant.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds, casting dappled shadows on the stone road.
The streets were bustling with people, and the silhouette of the arena in the distance loomed through the winter mist.
When Jiang Lin returned to the Silver Crown hotel, the three elves were already back.
Fenrir had thrown himself into a wide armchair in the lounge area and was devouring a roasted goose leg that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Alicia sat by the window, a newly purchased copy of 《Geography of the East Continent》 spread across her lap as she read quietly.
Elune sat at a small table on the other side, a set of newly bought drawing tools before her as she sketched something on a blank piece of parchment.
Seeing Jiang Lin return, Fenrir raised his goose leg as a greeting.
“Master Jiang Lin, you’re back! How is that friend of yours?”
“Doing well. They’ll be coming to the arena to watch my match tomorrow.” Jiang Lin sat in an empty chair and glanced at the drawing on Elune’s table. “What are you drawing?”
“A map of the Royal Capital.”
Elune turned the parchment around. It already showed a fairly clear outline of the streets, with the locations of several major landmarks marked.
“I walked around today and found the structure of this city very interesting. It’s completely different from Silver Moon City, but it has its own rhythm.”
Jiang Lin took a few looks and nodded.
“Good memory. How was your day out?”
“The food is delicious,” Fenrir answered first.
“I tried roasted meat from six different stalls, and every single one had a different flavor. Especially the honey-glazed pork ribs at the corner of East Street... I’ve never tasted anything like that in Silver Moon City!”
“The cities of the human kingdoms are indeed very vibrant,” Alicia said, putting down her book.
“The flow of people and the density of shops are much higher than in Silver Moon City; the commercial atmosphere is much stronger.”
“However, accordingly, the concentration of pollution elements in the air is also higher than in Silver Moon City, likely due to the widespread use of magic crystal stoves.”
The three shared their observations of the day while Jiang Lin listened quietly, occasionally chiming in.
As the night deepened, the lights of the Royal Capital outside the hotel remained brilliant. The silhouette of the arena stood silently in the dark, waiting for the clamor of the coming day.
Early the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, the area around the Royal Arena was already bustling.
Flags of all colors were hung along both sides of the streets. The kingdom’s unified golden tassels flags fluttered alongside the school crest flags of various academies in the morning breeze.
Vendors' stalls popped up from every alleyway like mushrooms after a rain.
Steaming griddlecake stalls, sizzling roasted meat skewers, and sweet-smelling roasted chestnuts.
The aromas of various foods wove together into an invisible net in the cold winter air.
Spectators converged from all directions of the Royal Capital—well-dressed citizens, adventurers with weapons on their shoulders, students walking in groups, and many families with children.
Long lines formed at the ticket gates, the air thick with the noise of the crowd. Occasionally, knights in charge of maintaining order rode past on tall horses, loudly reminding everyone of safety precautions.
The contestant passage was located on the east side of the arena, with the entrance guarded by two knights in silver armor.
Jiang Lin presented his contestant wooden plaque and identity proof and passed through smoothly.
Today, he wore simple and efficient light gray martial attire with a dark blue short jacket on top that allowed for easy movement. He wore no sword at his waist.
He looked clean and sharp.
The three elves followed him as his entourage.
Fenrir wasn't carrying his exaggerated greatsword on his back today, having changed into clean and simple dark cloth clothes.
Even so, his burly frame and exceptionally rugged facial features were enough to draw plenty of attention.
Alicia was still in her silver-gray light leather armor, her slender elven sword hanging at her waist, her steps steady.
Elune wore a light blue long dress with a warm white short cape over it, her long silver-purple hair braided into a loose side braid resting against her chest.
The waiting area was located underground, a spacious curved corridor with a dozen small booths for the contestants to rest in.
The end of the corridor connected to the stairs leading up to the rings, where the faint roar of the crowd could be heard.
Jiang Lin stopped in front of the booth labeled “Seventeen,” opened the door, and took a look. Inside was a bench, a small table, and a cup of fresh water.
The environment was simple, but it was enough.
“You can watch from the stands, or stay in the dedicated entourage lounge next to the waiting area,” Jiang Lin said, turning to the three.
“This match shouldn't take too long.”
“Naturally.” Fenrir grinned. “We’ll be waiting to see Master Jiang Lin’s performance.”
“We will watch from the stands,” Elune said softly, then added, “Be careful.”
Jiang Lin nodded and walked toward the stairs leading to the ring.
The interior of the arena was even more spectacular than he had imagined.
The circular stands extended upward tier by tier, and nearly all fifty thousand seats were filled.
The voices of the crowd converged into a humming wave of sound that echoed continuously under the dome.
...
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