Novel Full Chapter 382 - 356: The Scholar
“Cooperation?”
Ronin’s brows furrowed slightly. The other man’s meaning was clear: the cooperation concerned the Giant Dragon.
Instead of going along with him, Ronin asked, “More than cooperation, I’m interested in how you found me.”
Bellora smiled faintly and didn’t hide anything, as if he were discussing a perfectly ordinary matter.
“It’s quite simple. I created an Energy Sensor. With my laboratory as its center, it can detect if any powerful Flying Magical Beasts intrude upon the airspace within a three-kilometer radius. I picked up the signal the moment your Giant Dragon entered the detection range, and by the time you landed, I was able to arrive.”
It dawned on Ronin. ’Isn’t that similar to a radar?’ He was surprised the man could design such a device.
“Is this an application of the Wind of Inquiry Magic?”
Ronin was curious. “What kind of device sends and receives the magical signals?”
Bellora shook his head. “The Magic World is endlessly profound. The Wind of Inquiry is just one type of sensory Magic. Sometimes, a slight change in the Magic Patterns can create entirely new Magic. You’ll understand this deeply once you become a Great Mage.”
Ronin felt a bit awkward. The man’s tone clearly implied that he was ignorant.
Well, to be fair, he was.
Having never received a systematic education, his knowledge of Magic was limited. He had been able to use so many spells smoothly purely because of his talent.
Bellora stroked his beard, a faint, mysterious smile on his face.
He continued, “As for the device you mentioned, that involves the application of numerous magic materials. If you’re interested, I can teach you.”
’That generous?’
Ronin thought about the cooperation the man had just mentioned. ’The price for teaching me is probably whatever this cooperation entails, right?’
“What do you want from Carlos?” he asked, cutting straight to the chase.
Seeing the topic return to the Giant Dragon, Bellora’s interest was suddenly piqued.
“Is Carlos the name of this Giant Dragon?”
He flew a little closer, looking as if he wanted to touch the Giant Dragon.
However, Ronin quietly had Carlos take a step back, maintaining some distance between them.
At this, the old man could only give a helpless smile.
“In recent years, I’ve traveled to nearly every corner of the Orland Continent and seen countless Magical Beasts, but never once have I seen a legendary Giant Dragon. I once believed the species had gone extinct. I never imagined I’d have the honor of seeing one today.”
He studied Carlos carefully. “Giant Dragons… they truly are wondrous creatures. I can feel a faint pressure from it—a pressure that comes not from its Power, but from its bloodline.”
“Some say Giant Dragons are the creations of gods. Seeing this now, I can understand why.”
Ronin was curious. “You seem to know a lot about Giant Dragons?”
Bellora nodded, then shook his head.
He nodded because there was likely no one else in this world who knew as much about Giant Dragons as he did.
He shook his head because he had never actually seen one; all his conclusions were drawn from historical records.
“This world has endured a great trauma.”
He said suddenly, “Once, this land had a prosperous magical civilization. Magic Masters, Great Mages, and even stronger Legendary Mages were all active on the Orland Continent.”
“Unfortunately, whether due to a natural disaster or a man-made one, that civilization suffered a devastating blow. It was so bad that humanity seemingly had to start over from scratch. The Giant Dragons also seem to have vanished during that time.”
Ronin was deeply shaken by these words. He immediately thought of the memories of Ridder and Elron.
The Flame Expedition Army they belonged to seemed to have been part of a vast, chaotic war that ended in their complete annihilation.
’A war where even Proud Sun Knights could be killed… could it be related to the cataclysm Bellora mentioned?’
Ronin felt a new respect for the man’s erudition. “I’ve been to the Royal Family’s archives and Library, but I found almost no historical records from before the Orland Empire. I wonder where you obtained this information.”
“From some surviving magic ruins.”
Bellora said, “If there had never been a brilliant magical civilization, then such magic ruins wouldn’t exist.”
’Speaking of which, doesn’t the Mysterious Valley in Wubei Territory count as magic ruins, too? The Magic Array there certainly attests to the former glory of Magic.’
“Perhaps I should make time to learn from you, but I don’t have that much of it.”
Ronin said, “As the Lord of Wubei Territory, I need to manage my domain first.”
Bellora seemed regretful. “Your talent for both Magic and Fighting Qi is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. If you could focus solely on your Cultivation and not be burdened by worldly affairs, you might become the sole Legendary figure on this continent in the near future.”
“I heard from Franz that you were the one who had him cultivate both Magic and Fighting Qi. Why is that?”
“You know Franz?” Bellora was a little surprised.
“We met at the martial arts tournament in Golden Feather City last year. My visit to Crystal City this time was also at Franz’s invitation.”
Ronin brought up his identity as a friend of the man’s great-grandson. ’Surely he won’t try anything now, will he?’
“Since you’re a friend of Franz, I won’t beat around the bush. First, it’s worth noting that your choice was correct. Cultivating both Fighting Qi and Magic may be a bit slower, but you’ll reap significant benefits when you break through in the later stages. It’s even greatly beneficial for advancing to the Legendary realm.”
To be honest, Ronin only knew how to become a Proud Sun Knight or a Great Mage. He knew nothing at all about how to cultivate beyond that to reach the Legendary realm.
After Bellora’s detailed explanation, he finally understood.
First, the benefits of dual cultivation become apparent when breaking through from the Eighth-level to the Ninth Level.
To be precise, when a Magic Master advances, the breaking of their Qi Wheel strengthens the Cultivator’s body, making them equivalent to an Advanced Level Knight.
If you are already an Advanced Level Knight at that time, this enhancement will help you advance even further, perhaps even breaking through to a new realm.
Similarly, for a Knight, when a Silver Moon Knight breaks through, they open their Cognition Wheel and establish a Sea of Consciousness Space, instantly gaining the power of a Senior Mage.
If you are already a Senior Mage at that time, you’ll receive a significant enhancement, which can even help a Mage stuck at the fifth or Sixth-level break through directly.
In a situation like Ronin’s, where both professions advance at the same time, he would receive a dual amplification.
“To become Legendary, you must have Extreme Elemental Power!”
“What is Extreme Elemental Power?” Ronin asked.
Bellora explained, “Simply put, when a Great Mage also raises their Knight Level to that of a Sixth-level Golden Knight, the Mana and Fighting Qi in their body will enter a state of resonance. In this state, the body will generate a new kind of power. This is what I call ’Extreme Elemental Power.’”
“The moment Extreme Elemental Power appears, it signifies that person has stepped into the Legendary realm. They receive a gift from the heavens and can fly freely without relying on Mana or Fighting Qi.”
Ronin committed this explanation to memory.
’If that’s really the case, does someone like me who breaks through in both professions simultaneously get two portions of Extreme Elemental Power?’
“I understood this too late and missed a lot of time for Cultivation. I am now merely a Bronze Knight. Who knows how long it will take to break through to Golden Knight. For this reason, I’m preparing to try a Magic Potion that enhances one’s Power, which I obtained from some ruins.”
Bellora paused here, then his gaze shifted to Carlos before he continued, “And one of the ingredients for this Magic Potion is the scale of a Giant Dragon.”
He looked at Ronin. “Given that yours is the only Dragon, I can only place my hopes in you. Of course, I won’t take a scale from the Giant Dragon for free. You can name your price. As long as it is within my power, I will make it happen.”
This was the cooperation he had mentioned.