Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Linda hadn’t known Mack long, but teachers at his level usually had unpredictable moods. Take Coleman, for example. One stern look from him, and the students wouldn’t dare budge
Even Matthew, his most trusted pupil, never threw a tantrum in front of him, always toeing the line, never stepping out of bounds. That was the imposing aura Coleman had instilled in them all.
But in her back–and–forth with Mack, she’d floated two requests. Each bolder than the last. And he’d greenlit both.
He was nothing like Coleman… Sure, his cultivation was higher, but his vibe felt far more easygoing
Craig wanted to say, “No, Linda, you’re imagining things.”
Linda wasn’t joking about wanting her own spot. She really needed some personal space.
Mack’s Hermit’s Sanctum abode was impressive. The Ocean–Soul Tincture even helped nourish her primordial spirit, but… it was still his domain. It made doing her own thing feel inconvenient.
She planned to hunt for materials in the Mystic Exchange and build her own “Hermit’s Sanctum abode.” It didn’t have to be huge; something small would do.
But it wasn’t a project she’d wrap up overnight. Linda would need to wait a bit, mainly because gathering enough Luster Shards was the big sticking point.
Just as she was brainstorming ways to churn out more Vellum Sigils or hit up a Veil Ore, Mack pulled a delicate Relic from his sleeve.
Linda gave it a quick once–over.
Mack said, “I whipped this up on a whim ages ago, but it didn’t turn out right, half–finished, really. You’re out scavenging materials to make one, but that’s no quick errand. Use this for now.”
With that, the Relic landed in Linda’s palm.
She gripped it firmly but kept her smile playful. “You’re really giving this to me, Mack?”
“A teacher can’t gift something to his student?”
“Of course he can.” Linda grinned, but… This was a first for her.
Mack added offhand, “Want me to come along and give it a spin?”
“Sure.” Linda stepped outside the Ocean–Soul Tincture and toyed with the miniature house in her hand for a moment. Mack waited without rushing her. “Just add a drop of blood to claim it.”
Linda followed his lead.
Seconds after the blood touched it, the Relic bound itself, the tiny structure glowing in her palm. With a
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Chapter 26
thought, Linda placed the Hermit’s Sanctum abode on the ground.
A snug Subterranean Vault settled right beside the lavish Ocean–Soul Tincture, done up in purple, refined and
understated.
Compared to the neighbor’s bold, extravagant style, this one felt much more low–key and graceful, yet it still captured its owner’s essence.
A cool aloofness. Though the pale purple softened the edge.
Linda glanced at Mack.
He caught the unspoken question in her eyes and said calmly, “It’s yours now. Do you need my permission to go in?”
Linda laughed. “Come on, Mack, join the tour.”
Mack waved it off. “I built the thing; I know it inside out. Check it out yourself.”
Linda watched him streak back to his stone seat in a blur of light, pondering for a beat before stepping into
the cave.
She swung open the mansion doors… And entered a spacious courtyard.
A barrier enveloped the yard, blocking the Frost–Crowned Highlands‘ biting chill and creating its own self- contained haven. East and west wings lined the sides.
One ideal for an alchemy setup. The other suited for artifact crafting.
The spaces were ample, and they could expand or reconfigure at will.
Past the front courtyard and through the middle one lay another yard, with the identical setup: two wings and four adjoining rooms.
Linda pushed deeper into the abode, but after two courtyards, the structures petered out. A shimmering water–like barrier appeared at the back, and recalling Mack’s comment about it being half–baked, she quickly figured out the deal.
She circled back to the front courtyard. Turned out, the yard was her favorite part.
It claimed half the cave abode’s footprint, but it blocked out the raging snowstorms. Within the barrier, seasons shifted through varied scenes and climates.
For Linda, who was eager to grow some Mystic Silver–Leaves, it hit the spot perfectly. Add in her talismans, and she had everything she needed.
With the place all set up, she moved her belongings from Apprentices‘ Quarters, leaving Rafael as the only rookie left behind.
Rafael griped resentfully. “Even you’re abandoning me?”
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Chapter 26
“I never signed up for you anyway.” Linda gathered her things and took off without a second thought, leaving Rafael fuming. “Finds a teacher and ditches me.”
Linda reflected for a moment. Toney had tossed out a similar line once, but then he’d latched onto a Marietta and forgotten all about Linda.
She shrugged, a wry smile tugging at her lips. She thought, ‘Why waste time on them? They are just a pack of losers.
Living atop the Frost–Crowned Highlands cut out Linda’s daily commute. She dedicated two hours each day to silent meditation alongside Mack, refining the Mind–Tempering Liturgy.
Two hours on sword practice. Two hours forging Frigid–Ichor Constitution.
Even drawing talismans with her divine sense flowed quicker now, though commanding the same premium prices as before proved tricky.
Linda had realized that word about the Mystic Exchange hadn’t spread far yet. It’d likely catch on gradually.
For that reason, she kept up with her routine exercises, just to stay sharp, and funneled most of her energy into cultivation.
She’d breezed through to the thirteenth level of Mana–Stoking Phase and hit her second Foundation Phase.
Not one to slack off, Linda plunged into closed–door training, going all out to push for the Gilded Core.
Six months later, boom! Thunder echoed across the Frost–Crowned Highlands, drawing eyes everywhere.
from
“Heavenly thunder, eh?” Sect Leader Kermit Vaughn chuckled, twirling his beard. “These youngsters are advancing at a clip.”
Laurence, knee–deep in the fields, glanced up at the rumble and grumbled, “Still haven’t nailed down this Arcane Produce recipe, and now they’re all moving past the point where they’d need it. Six months down the drain.”
Craig pulled off his hat. “Where’s that thunder rolling in from?”
Laurence swatted him on the back of the head. “You rascal, Linda’s already forming her core before you. When are you going to get your act together?”
Craig staggered. “Laurence, I condensed my core forever ago!”
“…Oh yeah. Slipped my mind.
“That jogs my memory, and it ticks me off. You’ve got your core, so why are you still freeloading off Linda’s sword?” Laurence huffed.
Craig pouted. “It’s that thing hanging around in the Sepulcher of Lost Steel. How can I show my face around here?” He muttered under his breath but kept it low, not daring to push back louder.
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Chapter 26
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Instead, he fixed his eyes on the storm over the Frost–Crowned Highlands, as thunderclap after thunderclap boomed down.
“Linda’s progress is unreal. But doesn’t she have fivefold affinities?” Laurence’s attention wandered to a white flower blooming on the Mystic Silver–Leaf. “Fivefold affinities, yeah, but every one of them is Celestial.
Storm clouds churned above.
Linda stood directly under them, her face composed, though a hint of puzzlement crept in. Her last core formation hadn’t stirred up anything like this.
Inside her body, five Gilded Cores trembled softly, rattled by the thunder’s force.
Linda’s gaze dipped. She wondered, ‘Is there some kind of heaven–veiling Enchantment down in Glacial Overlook’s depths?‘
Speculation was one thing, but she still had to ride out this Storm Trial.
As she stared into the turbulent sky, her determination held firm. It only grew stronger. “Bring it on!”
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
