178: Elise Breakthrough

After the highest-level meeting concluded, Linn did not immediately attend to the accumulated administrative affairs. Instead, he took Clay directly to the most core and secret location of the Star Sea Territory—the Breath of Life Demi-plane.

The transition through space was seamless. When Clay's feet touched the vibrant land, flowing with rich life energy and various magical elements, even though he had vaguely guessed from Ocean Jack and Batu's disappearances and returns that the lord possessed some secret place that could accelerate time and aid cultivation, witnessing and experiencing it firsthand still deeply shocked him.

The concentration of magical power in the air far exceeded that of the outside world; every breath felt like inhaling and exhaling pure energy. What stirred his heart even more was that he could clearly sense the time flow here was completely different from the outside—as if everything had slowed down, yet it contained even more surging vitality. In the distance, the outlines of vast, neatly arranged beast pens were faintly visible, with the agile figures of Dragon Scale Horses and the majestic circling of Griffins intermittently glimpsed, their numbers far beyond what any external pasture could match.

He finally understood why the Star Sea Territory had been able to Cultivate two such astonishingly large Demonic Beast knight corps in just over a decade! The advantage of time, combined with this uniquely favorable environment, was the true reliance.

"Clay, how does it feel?" Linn's voice sounded beside him, carrying a faint hint of amusement.

Clay took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the storm of emotions in his heart, turned to face Linn, his eyes filled with indescribable excitement and gratitude. He knew that being allowed to set foot here meant the lord had entrusted him with his deepest secret and absolute trust.

"My lord..." Clay's voice trembled slightly, then without hesitation, he knelt on one knee, pounding his chest with his right hand in the most solemn military salute. "Such a Holy Land, such trust... Clay... could never repay even with ten thousand deaths! In this life, in this world, I will serve you and the Star Sea Territory with all my strength, never betraying you!"

Linn reached out to help him up, his expression gentle yet solemn. "Rise. You are the Star Sea Territory's God of War, my Right-hand Man. There will be even heavier burdens for you in the future. This place is the foundation for you to climb to higher Realms. For now, observe the ceremony. Feel the process of Elise's Breakthrough to Legendary; it is crucial for your future path."

Clay nodded firmly, saying no more, and focused all his attention deep into the Demiplane. There, vast magical elements were converging toward a central point with unprecedented scale and speed, forming a visible energy vortex. At the vortex's center, Elise's figure was faintly discernible; the magical fluctuations around her surged like tides, continuously impacting the invisible barrier separating the mundane from the Legendary.

Clay held his breath, concentrating fully on observing and sensing. He saw how Elise guided, compressed, and purified the immense magical power, witnessed the deep resonance between her Mental Energy and the magical elements, observed her sorting and sublimating her own magical path, and, most crucially, saw how she perfectly fused the fragments of comprehended Law with her magical core, igniting the "Law Flame" that symbolized Legendary.

The entire process was filled with indescribable mystery and peril; every violent fluctuation of energy tugged at Clay's heartstrings. He felt as if he were undergoing an invisible baptism; many doubts and Bottlenecks from his past cultivation seemed to loosen and gain new insights under this observation.

After an unknown length of time, the A violent energy vortex (fierce energy vortex) suddenly collapsed inward, followed by a pure and powerful magical radiance shooting into the sky, illuminating nearly half of the Demiplane! A new, vast as the sea yet condensed as stars Legendary pressure spread like quicksilver, yet carrying Elise's unique, elven Bloodline.

She had broken through!

The energy radiance slowly convergence (converged), and Elise's figure clearly emerged. She appeared largely unchanged from before, but deep within her eyes, it seemed as if stars and flames were eternally burning. Her aura was profound as the sea, yet carried a newborn, vigorous sharpness.

A sincere smile appeared on Linn's face as he strode forward. Elise also saw them, joy flashing in her eyes as she withdrew most of her outward pressure.

"Congratulations, Elise." Linn opened his arms, and the two embraced lightly. No words were needed; everything was understood.

Clay hurried forward as well, bowing respectfully with heartfelt admiration. "Congratulations, Madam, on advancing to Legendary! The Star Sea Territory gains another Pillar of Support!"

Elise nodded with a smile in return, her gaze resting on Clay with encouragement. "General Klei, no need for such formality. I can sense you are not far from that threshold either. This place is profound; the lord has put great thought into it. The next time you leave here, having completed your transformation, it will surely be you. Keep striving."

A warm surge and even stronger fighting spirit welled up in Clay's heart. He nodded emphatically. "Thank you for your encouragement, Madam! Clay will spare no effort, living up to the expectations of you and the lord!"

Elise looked back at Linn, affection flowing in her eyes, but now was clearly not the time for conversation. Linn patted the back of her hand gently. "First, stabilize your Realm and familiarize yourself with your new power. Clay, I've already prepared your seclusion spot. The rest is up to you!"

"Yes, my lord." Clay replied respectfully. Once again surveying this miraculous Demiplane, his heart was filled with unprecedented confidence and determination. With this Holy Land and the lord's guidance, the Legendary Realm was no longer out of reach.