Qin and Julilah had been working continuously after meeting with the formation academy’s head-Yan Zemin. They received plenty of formation plans and resources.
Not wasting any time they got to work, wanting to see their fellow Alvans as soon as possible.
They were progressing quickly, they could take two, sometimes even three days to build them if they didn’t finish them on the first try.
Failure was its own kind of success as it showed them what they hadn’t mastered yet, and what they still needed to learn.
“What is all of that noise?” Qin asked sleepily. They had fallen asleep in the larger formation workshop again.
Julilah made a noise of not wanting to be disturbed as she turned her head away from Qin.
Qin went to the door and opened it, letting the sun in. She held her hand out against the sunlight streaming in. She saw a few formation masters walking around the workshop and raised her voice to them. “What is all of that noise for?”
“The noise? You don’t know about the formation master contest?” one said, shocked.
“Contest? That sounds familiar. Hmm, is that what Yan Zemin was talking about?” Qin yelled to Julilah.
Julilah only answered with another annoyed noise.
“Thanks.” Qin turned back and closed the door.
She looked at the formation workshop. There were two designs that they were working on. Julilah’s was a domain formation while Qin was working on another area of effect formation that was meant to be hidden in a talisman. It was a mana barrier, but highly miniaturized so it could act as a hidden protection.
Qin’s detail work wasn’t that good, so she was taking on projects that improved her deficiencies.
She let out a sigh. The projects were challenging and fun, but she missed seeing Yui and Domonos. She hadn’t seen them in so long and only had a few days to see them before they went to the Formation Guild.
Once we’ve finished reading from the library and we surpass Head Yan Zemin, then we can go to Vuzgal. I wonder how Father is doing.
She laughed to herself. Now we only need to get little Wren to join Alva. It’s been so long since I last saw him.
She woke up Julilah forcefully. “Come on, let’s clean up. Then we can head to the library. We’ve completed all of the basic classes now, so if we can understand all of the books, that should be the end of our education here. You can see Tan Xue again.”
That magical name made Julilah get up. She didn’t look pleased by it but she was moving at least.
They cleaned up their workspaces and then headed to their rooms. After cleaning up and donning new clothes, they traveled to the library.
“Most of them are probably at the contest,” Qin said as they looked at the empty library.
“Less people to compete with for books,” Julilah said.
They headed into the shelves, breaking up and going for different books. It made it faster and when they started talking or working on formations, they could condense that information down and pass it on to the other.
They only had limited access so they didn’t have many more books to go through that might be able to help them at their current skill level.
***
Elan had completed his control over the information network in the First Realm as well as the Second and Third Realm.
He had created four different levels of information: information on the Ten Realms from other sects and organizations. Information coming from the higher realms. And information that might be useful for Alva and its people. This was further broken down into information on threats or possible threats to Alva, their subsidiaries or their allies, and useful information to increase Alva’s strength.
Lastly, information on people from Earth and estranged crafters as well as possibly recruiting them.
Finally, he was making sure that no information was leaked about Alva Dungeon.
“I’ll need to develop the information networks in the Third Realm a lot more. We really only have the Sky Reaching Restaurant that gives us a lot of rumors and information. That said, threat-wise, there aren’t many people who can threaten the restaurant and the traders all work independently and are all over the place. The threat is in the Second Realm with other mercenary groups not liking how the Adventurer’s Guild is stepping on their toes, or how the merchants from Alva are pushing out aggressively and quickly becoming large powers in the trading world. The First Realm has threats, though our strength is such that just one member of the army could stand up to an entire sect or a kingdom with the tactics Erik and Rugrat have taught them and the gear that Alva creates.
“With building out the intelligence agency, even though I have been able to pull more people in to share the burden, it will take time. For now, our main focus is gathering information in Vuzgal and the Fourth Realm and compiling more information on the higher realms. As Erik and Rugrat advance through the realms, their strength and the power of Alva increases. With what the Expert crafters were doing, it was a play for power—they were using their position as a formidable tool. If we truly want to be stable then we need to be an existence that can compete in the highest realm.” Elan shook his head. Even the words sounded insane to him. There was so far to go, but it was the only way to create true stability like the stability that the associations had.
Elan adjusted his seat. “Okay, so then I need to head to the Fourth Realm,” Elan said. “Didn’t think that I would have to use my new levels so soon.”
He got a sound transmission from people placed in Chonglu.
“There were two strong people who just exited the totem before heading for the castle. I think that they’re now fighting,” the spy hurriedly said.
Elan closed the sound transmission, taking a moment before he sent a message on to Erik, who was preparing to leave the next day.
***
Qin and Julilah were reading when a librarian came up to them.
“Aren’t you two interested in the competition?” the librarian, a kind-looking man with a long white beard, asked.
“Not really,” Qin said.
The librarian coughed and his eyes bulged in shock, as he tried to display his high Apprentice-level emblem on his chest more prominently.
“You okay?” Julilah looked up from her book with a frown.
“Young ladies like you, aren’t you interested in seeing the talents from the other academies? It is a great opportunity to meet others,” the older man said, hinting heavily.
“Not all that interested,” Qin said.
“There are girls and boys there.” The man looked between them.
“What are you trying to say?” Julilah asked.
The old man sighed and shook his head. “You’re young and free. This is a great opportunity to get outside and leave the worries of the world behind. A change of scenery is as good as a break!”
“Just got a few more books to read,” Julilah said.
“You must go out and enjoy life or there will be little to remember and enjoy later on!” The man drew himself up to his full height.
“Well, books are more useful for us,” Julilah said.
“Fine. I will let you borrow these books as long as you make an oath to return them and to go and watch the competition!”
“Okay. It would be nice to get some sun,” Julilah said.
Qin let out a groan but the older man, getting their agreement, quickly took them to the counter and signed out their books, got them to give an oath and then sent them on their way.
Qin and Julilah were walking toward the competition, getting used to the sun outside, as the older man whistled and locked up the library.
“Telling us to go and enjoy life and our youth but he just wanted to close the library and have the day off!” Qin complained.
“Come on, don’t you want to see people fighting with formations?” Julilah asked.
“They have formation fighting? Why didn’t you say so?” Qin grabbed her friend’s hand and led the way to the arenas.
Being the close students of Head Yan Zemin, they were quickly admitted and found some seats in one of the booths that was reserved for visitors.
***
Cai Cheng sat in the challenger box. There were three such boxes for the students of the different academies that were going against one another in the competition.
Cai Cheng was a genius within his academy. It was only his third year and he had reached mid-Apprentice rank. He came from the famous Cai family. Much like the Mao clan, they were a group with wealth and resources that they used to cultivate geniuses to gain high position within the Formation Guild.
Cai Cheng didn’t see anyone from his current generation as his opponent. He wanted to use this competition to increase his momentum and gain favor in the head of the academy’s eyes so that the head could apply on Cai Cheng’s behalf to get him promoted into an academy in the Fifth Realm. There the association’s power was much higher, the mana was less chaotic, and it was filled with academies.
It was a big change as the groups in the Fifth to the Seventh Realms turned from fighting one another and turned into crafters. Fighting competitions were still held, but dungeons and crafts were the main way to increase one’s level. With the complicated nature of alliances, if there was one fight in the higher realm groups, then it wasn’t impossible for an entire continent and millions of people to be drawn into the conflict.
The opportunities and wealth of information in the Fifth Realm were like heaven and earth compared to the Fourth Realm. All of the resources from the Fourth Realm that had any value were transferred to the Fifth Realm anyway for people to purchase or use.
The younger one was when getting to the Fifth Realm, the greater their achievements.
Cai Cheng was confident in his skills as he saw two girls entering a private booth and sitting down.
They wore simple robes, but they showed signs of newly formed women. Their eyes were bright and there was a presence around them that few girls would have at their age.
Their skin looked soft, making Cai Cheng want to cup their faces in his hands and look into those water-like eyes.
He took a moment, sensing their aura more. They’re a lower level than me, but with that confidence and the way they look around the arena, it is clear that they only have a limited interest here.
“Who are they?” Cai Cheng asked one of his friends.
“It seems that Cai Cheng’s eyes are similar to my own.” Lian Ju spoke up, making Cai Cheng frown.
He looked at the other boy. He was just two years his senior, but he was just a half-step stronger than Cai Cheng.
“Lian Ju,” Cai Cheng said in a low voice of warning.
“I’m not sure which one I would pick. Why don’t I just have both of them! They would suit me well, don’t you think?” Lian Ju asked with a raised eyebrow and laughed, his eyes never leaving Cai Cheng.
“Don’t you think that they should go to the strongest person?” Cai Cheng counterattacked.
“I can only agree,” Lian Ju said lazily, but his eyes sharpened.
Seems as if he is trying to probe me more.
“I find that competitions are much more fun if there is something to be won or lost,” Cai Cheng said simply, staring Lian Ju down, a taunting smile on his face.
The others around them who heard the terms of their bet talked to one another, getting excited.
“Whoever places higher will have them,” Lian Ju said.
“I agree.” Cai Cheng looked away, as if Lian Ju was no longer worth his time, and his eyes fell on the two girls.
One was reading a book and the other had propped up her head and watched the battle happening below.