Chapter 129: Rank VIII and a Growing Army

[Clearjade Pool]

[Quality: Epic]

[Area: 1,200 square meters]

[Functions: Calm Mind / Fatigue Relief / Aether Recovery / Self-Cleansing / Adaptive Temperature / Hydromassage...]

More than a dozen functions filled the panel. If he opened this place to customers, it would probably be full immediately.

"Self-cleansing too. At least I won’t have to keep changing the water."

Cassian put away the Seven-Star set, leaving only his shorts, and slowly stepped into the pool. He settled onto a dragon-shaped couch carved from fine warm jade.

"Now that’s comfortable."

He breathed deeply. Warm, moist air filled his lungs, and his whole body seemed to loosen.

The Clearjade Pool’s greatest benefits were its calming effect and relief from fatigue. The Fountain could heal wounds and restore his Aether, but it could not make days of mental exhaustion disappear.

"Hydromassage."

Currents stirred beneath the surface. They pressed and kneaded along his body like a dozen pairs of skilled hands. Cassian let out a contented sigh.

He relaxed so completely that his mind soon went quiet.

Half an hour later, he opened his eyes. The weariness of the past two days had vanished. His body felt fresh, and his mind was clear again.

"Half an hour, and it works better than several hours of deep sleep."

If he wanted, he could spend a tenth as much time resting and use the hours he saved for training, hunting, and his other work.

"Excellent. I should build one at home when I have time."

He finished outfitting the rest of the fleet with Gates as well. Using the Dockyard’s existing design, he paid the materials, construction costs, and instant completion fees for the other eleven Carriers, then registered their mobile endpoints with the Gate at home. The links could be opened in turn as needed.

With that done, he called across the deck.

"Rhea, Aurelia. You should try this pool."

Rhea changed into Summer Cool and stepped into the water. She settled on her side beside him, one shoulder above the surface.

"You certainly know how to enjoy yourself, Lord."

"I know how to make sure you enjoy yourself too."

Cassian activated the water massage around her.

Aurelia was clearly tempted. She looked at the water, then at Rhea’s outfit. Summer Cool left very little to the imagination.

Cassian gave her a questioning look.

"Aurelia, what exactly are you thinking about? We’re comrades. We’re only bathing together so we can fight better."

Aurelia finally changed into Summer Cool and stepped into the pool. A minute later, he was privately admiring just how good she looked in the water.

Aurelia caught his gaze. She glared at him, then turned away, leaving him a view of her elegant back.

Light flashed from the Gate at the bow, and Liora stepped onto the deck.

The new ship Gates made her rounds much easier. Instead of using Teleport, she had come through Forgotten Shrine, closing the previous link before opening the next and paying the usual fees. She remained diligent about returning to the flagship to report in person.

"Lord..."

She stopped at the sight of the three of them in the pool. Then she gave a delighted cry. Without waiting for an invitation, she changed into a pink swimsuit and jumped into the water with a splash.

Cassian had only caught a brief glimpse, but it was enough. Liora’s figure was the finest of them all.

A warm pool, beautiful company. He could hardly ask for a more pleasant afternoon.

If only he didn’t have to hunt.

"Damn this Ranking. Why did it have to be personal kills?"

After a short discussion of the fleet’s work with Liora, he rose from the pool on a cloud and returned to hunting.

Liora watched him go, amazed.

"When did our Lord become this hardworking? Well, Rhea, Aurelia, I’d better get back to work too."

——

That evening, Cassian paid to return to Forgotten Shrine through the Gate and opened his Domain interface.

"Upgrade the Lord’s Hall to Rank VIII. Complete it now."

He paid the required resources and completion fee.

[Lord’s Hall has reached Rank VIII.]

[Building unlocked: Potion Shop.]

[Domain area increased to 330,000 square meters.]

A rumble passed through Forgotten Shrine as its boundaries expanded again.

Cassian looked over the crowded rows of Buildings.

"Finally. Room for more houses."

Beyond Rank VII, improving the Lord’s Hall required more than special resources. Other Buildings also had to reach the required Levels. With so many Legendary and Epic Buildings demanding his attention, he had left those ordinary upgrades to the Domain’s steady resource production. Now the requirements were met.

The new Potion Shop was a common enough Building. At its best, it could prepare Rare potions.

His troop Level cap, however, had risen to forty-five.

"Build five hundred houses. Complete them immediately."

Another payment went through. Five hundred houses took shape across the newly opened ground.

"Recruit five thousand Eclipse Legionnaires."

Cassian confirmed the cost. The Muster Hall in the Deep Domain Layer began filling the order.

Before long, a Level-0 Legionnaire stepped out. A veteran Legionnaire moved forward to explain her duties and guide her training. Cassian paid for her first Level and the basic training she needed. Once she had completed it and learned to call on Wings of the Windlord, she bowed to him, spread her wings, and headed for the hunting grounds outside the Domain.

The Region’s monsters grew stronger with time. Their Levels and Quality still fell short of the Outer Marches, but they provided enough prey for ordinary Farming Lords and entertainment Lords.

Riftward had broad stretches of safe hunting ground, rich in resources and thinly populated.

Over the past several days, Cassian had paid to recruit several thousand more Epic Legionnaires. Those recruits had filled his available housing. The new expansion finally let him add more.

With basic Aegis Fold and Mistveil March training, along with their other skills, these Legionnaires could reach roughly a hundred stars at Level 1. Killing an ordinary Level-20 monster was easy for them.

Even Elara’s first Chapterhouse recruit had shown a rating above ninety stars. Put that strength into thousands of hunters, and the Battle Essence added up fast.

Their daily hunting income had already surpassed the old farming grounds around Crystal Bastion.

——

A week passed.

Coldridge kept bringing in Lords who specialized in personal combat, and each day it earned more points than the day before.

Cassian spent most of his time hunting too, breaking off only to obtain the supplies he needed.

The gap kept growing. When the standings refreshed at noon, Riftward was already two hundred million points ahead.

The new Legionnaires kept emerging from the Hall. Cassian paid for their Level-1 growth and basic training as they joined the hunting force. Its expanding ranks were now bringing him more than a hundred million Battle Essence a day.

He could finally spend freely on his strongest troops.

Among the supplies he had bought through the Exchange were compatible Crystal Dragon samples. He gave them to the original twelve Crystal Maidens. Each absorbed a sample and recorded the new form through Crystal Metamorphosis.

The samples added a form to their records. Their Core Attributes and remaining Crystal Load stayed as they were.

Cassian selected Sigrid and Crystal Nine, one of those original twelve.

[Battle Essence consumed: 22,000,000.]

[Sigrid: Level 25 → Level 40.]

[Battle Essence consumed: 10,000,000.]

[Crystal Nine: Level 20 → Level 40.]

Their attributes soared. Sigrid had gained a new skill, while Crystal Nine could now put her new form to far greater use.

Cassian looked at what they could do.

Both had become much more dangerous.