Chapter 143 - - 143 - First Blood Declared

Chapter 143: Chapter - 143 - First Blood Declared

A few days had passed since Zaria’s physique awakened, thrusting her straight into the Spirit Forge Realm. From that day onward, Lucien made a habit of coming every morning to teach her the true realities of cultivation. He guided her through all the fundamental steps—how to manipulate her astral energy, how to sense her inner astral pool, and how to maintain focus under pressure. But basic knowledge alone was never going to be enough for what lay ahead.

On a crisp, quiet morning, Lucien arrived at the courtyard. Vex and Zaria were sitting side by side on the stone floor, their eyes closed and their breathing synchronized as they cultivated together. Hearing his approaching footsteps, Zaria opened her eyes. A bright, instinctive smile crossed her face the moment she saw him. Even Vex looked at him with an open, relaxed posture, her earlier suspicion almost entirely replaced by a quiet trust.

"Seems like you are now in control of your physique," Lucien said, sweeping his dark robes back as he observed her lingering aura. "Perfect. Now it’s time for the next level."

Learning to control both astral energy and a newly awakened physique was absolute necessity. Because a cultivator’s astral pool was finite, knowing precisely how much energy was required for attacks and defenses made the difference between life and death. If an astral pool ran completely empty in the middle of combat, even a high-level Realm Master would immediately collapse from mental and physical exhaustion, left entirely helpless.

"Next level?" Zaria asked, leaning forward with sudden interest.

"Yeah," Lucien said, a small smirk touching his lips. "Now we are going for the good stuff. One of my favorite parts... attack."

Vex crossed her arms over her chest, a playful grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Yeahhh, that’s definitely a good stuff. I want to see as well—where do you get the confidence of being so strong?"

Instead of answering with words, Lucien lifted his hand and casually sliced his fingers through the empty air.

Space itself groaned under sudden, invisible pressure. A dark, jagged tear snapped open in the fabric of reality, revealing a swirling, pitch-black void beneath. A cold breeze swept out from the rift, carrying the damp scent of moss, old stone, and ancient earth.

Both Zaria and Vex froze on the spot, their eyes wide with utter astonishment as they stared at the torn rift hovering inches away.

"Follow me," Lucien said simply.

Without waiting, he stepped directly into the dark void. Vex hesitated for only a fraction of a second before rushing in right behind him. Zaria took a deep breath, steeled her nerves, and stepped through after them.

In an instant, the sunlight shifted. The warm morning air of the kingdom vanished, replaced by the cool, shadowed atmosphere of a completely different world.

They stood inside a massive underground expanse—a vast cavern filled with lush green foliage, towering ancient trees, and the overgrown stone ruins of an abandoned village that radiated a quiet, melancholic beauty. Giant, silent undead creatures moved rhythmically through the clearing, hauling heavy logs, moving stone blocks, and clearing debris.

The moment Vex saw the towering undead workers, her combat instincts kicked in. She dropped into a low, sharp defensive stance, her hand flying straight to her weapon hilt.

"It’s fine," Lucien said calmly, waving his hand for her to relax. "They are mine. They don’t attack unless I order them."

Zaria stared up at a massive skeletal warrior carrying a fallen tree trunk across the grass. "You control them?"

"Yeah. This is the first dungeon I cleared. It’s a good place for practice."

Zaria turned around slowly, taking in the towering green canopy and the serene stillness of the ancient ruins. "Yeahhh... it’s beautiful."

Despite the presence of the undead, the place possessed a peaceful loneliness that felt completely disconnected from the noisy, dangerous politics of the palace above.

"Well, we should start now," Lucien said, bringing their focus back.

"Yeah," Zaria nodded, taking a steadying breath.

"You should know the basics already," Lucien said, his voice turning clear and instructive. "Never let your astral pool empty, and never let your core get destroyed. But now, you have to use your astral pool and your physique together."

Zaria tilted her head, her brows drawing together. "Together? What do you mean?"

"Not every Realm Master has a physique," Lucien explained, pacing slowly across the soft moss. "Some are born with it. Some stole it from others. Some found one through ancient inheritances, and a rare few carry multiple physiques. But most of the Realm Masters who remain weak are usually the ones with no physique at all."

Vex leaned back against a mossy stone pillar, a mischievous glint in her eyes as if trying to tease him. "So what about you?"

"Well," Lucien said casually, not even looking back at her, "I have multiple physiques, and you don’t need to know them."

Vex blinked, her jaw dropping slightly in shock. "What? Multiple? No doubt you must be so strong..."

Zaria cleared her throat, eager to return to the lesson. "So how can I use my physique?"

"First, you need to start your astral energy flowing," Lucien instructed, stepping directly in front of her. "Direct it toward the specific body part you want to reinforce. At the same time, call upon the physique dormant inside your core while holding the absolute intention that you will use it then."

"So how do I start?" Zaria asked eagerly.

"Close your eyes and increase the flow toward your stomach, while thinking about the physique inside your core," Lucien said. "For now, it’ll be trouble to focus, but after a while, it will become natural."

Zaria closed her eyes. She slowed her breathing, focusing inward on the glowing core in her chest. She summoned a steady stream of raw astral energy from her pool, sending it surging downward into her waist and stomach while mentally reaching for the heavy, immovable presence of the Earth-Sovereign Physique. At first, her focus slipped, but she pushed through until a dense, rock-solid weight settled deep in her midsection.

She opened her eyes, feeling as sturdy as a mountain. "Now what?"

Lucien turned to Vex. "Vex, punch as hard as you can on her stomach."

Vex didn’t hesitate. She knew that if Lucien gave an order, he had a solid reason for it. Stepping forward, she drew her fist back and drove a full-power strike straight into Zaria’s stomach.

Clang!

The impact echoed through the cavern like a iron hammer striking solid granite. Vex yanked her hand back with a sharp gasp, wincing as she shook out her stinging knuckles.

"It’s like a rock," Vex gasped, staring at Zaria in complete disbelief.

"Well, that’s a defensive way to use your physique," Lucien said, nodding approvingly. "And if you use it on your hand, you can punch people through stone. But this is just the basics. For a few days, you’ll learn everything about attack and defensive measures—because a fight is very near."

Zaria’s chest rose with excitement, her heart hammering at the thought of real battle. Beside her, Vex smiled softly. She was genuinely glad to see Zaria growing stronger, feeling a deep relief that she had put her trust in Lucien.

Three days passed in a swift rhythm of training, observation, and hidden moments.

Lucien spent those days in quiet observation—walking the paved streets of the city, sampling local wines in tavern corners, and cataloging the capital’s defenses, guard rotations, and patrol routes. The Golden Leaf Pavilion’s high balcony offered an excellent view of the palace, and he found himself there most evenings, leaning against the railing and watching the lanterns flicker in the distant royal towers.

When he wasn’t plotting or studying the city, he spent most of his time with Maisy.

In the quiet afternoon heat, away from the eyes of the court, Lucien dropped his sharp guard. While reviewing mental maps or organizing his thoughts, he would lie back on the silk couch, resting his head comfortably in Maisy’s lap. Maisy would smile softly, her slender fingers tracing through his hair and gently massaging his scalp. Her warm touch was a quiet, soothing anchor against the cold calculations always running through his mind.

Their quiet afternoons often drifted into intimate nights. When darkness fell over the capital, they sat together on the wide bed in the soft moonlight filtering through the balcony curtains, dual-cultivating in complete harmony. Joined together, their energy flows intertwined naturally—Lucien’s dark, heavy aura blending smoothly with Maisy’s pure, gentle energy. The process warmed her skin, accelerated her cultivation, and left Lucien feeling fully rested, sharp, and completely refreshed for the days ahead.

Zaria spent those three days pushing herself to the limit in training. Her new Earth-Sovereign body was immensely powerful, but it was also raw and unrefined.

Vex soon figured out where Lucien was staying and which inn he was using, so she came directly to his room every afternoon to report the princess’s progress to him. During these visits, Vex met Maisy, quickly realizing that the quiet girl was Lucien’s maid and companion. As the days passed, Vex and Maisy became very good friends.

Maisy made fresh food for them and offered constant support to both Zaria and Vex after long, exhausting hours of training. Furthermore, when Lucien was teaching the core basics of energy control, he took the time and made sure that Maisy learned it too. So, Zaria and Maisy were learning together. Maisy didn’t have any special physique and was only in the basic Vein Opening Realm, but she learned everything Lucien taught her with absolute devotion. She saw a gentle, patient side of Lucien that others rarely witnessed, making her deeply glad that she had come here with him and was spending this time by his side.

By the third morning, Vex reported to Lucien that the princess had already shattered two giant rocks and an entire cliff face during her practice.

"She’s learning fast," Vex said on the third morning, appearing in Lucien’s room without knocking. She stood by the open window while Maisy quietly poured fresh tea into two cups. "Faster than should be possible."

"She’s been suppressed for a decade. Her body is making up for lost time." Lucien took a sip of tea. "It’s time."

Vex raised an eyebrow, recalling his earlier warnings. "Time for what?"

Vex realized that Lucien had mentioned a fight coming near, but she hadn’t thought he meant it so literally or that it would happen so soon.

The challenge was issued at midday.

Zaria Veylcrest, the once-unblessed princess, formally challenged her brother, Crown Prince Varen, to a public duel. The terms were simple: first blood, no killing blows, held in the grand arena before the entire royal court.

The news spread through Valcour like wildfire. By evening, every noble house, every merchant guild, and every cultivator in the capital was talking about it in hushed, excited tones.

The Crown Prince accepted within the hour.

"Of course he did," Lucien said when Zaria told him the news later that night. "He can’t refuse. If he does, the court will think he’s afraid of his ’unblessed’ sister. His pride won’t allow it."

They met in the same cellar safe house beneath the tea shop, which had now been repaired and reinforced with stone bracing following the earthquake. Zaria paced restlessly across the concrete floor, her earthen aura flickering around her fingers with nervous energy. She was deeply nervous—this was going to be her first real fight. Even though she had done exactly as Lucien told her by issuing the public challenge, she had never truly fought anyone in her entire life. She was pacing back and forth, trying her best to motivate herself and calm her racing heart.

"I can beat him," she said, clenching her fists tightly as she turned toward him. "I know I can."

"You probably can." Lucien leaned casually against the stone wall, watching her restless movement with a calm, steady gaze. "But that’s not the point."

She stopped pacing abruptly, looking at him with wide, uncertain eyes. "What do you mean?"