What happened in Duster City caused a commotion throughout the entire Eastern region.
A mysterious cultivator had single-handedly saved the city from a staggering number of 10,000 bandits associated with the Red Moon Castle, completely wiping out the notorious group. The news even spread to various alliances within the banditry industry.
Powerful individuals flocked to the city, hoping to gather information or establish a connection with the enigmatic cultivator. However, the city's landlord, Arthur Lim, remained tight-lipped, refusing to disclose the identity of the savior. Attempts to extract the information, some resorting to violence, were thwarted by the fear that the cultivator might discover their actions and retaliate with deadly consequences.
Arthur maintained his silence, guarding Lucas's identity fiercely. Even the city's servants were kept in the dark, warned of severe consequences if they were to leak any information.
The entire month proved to be tumultuous for Duster City as it dealt with the influx of curious and ambitious individuals seeking the mysterious hero's identity.
***
Lucas and Felicity bid farewell to Duster City without a specific motive. The decision wasn't prompted by any particular cause; Lucas simply harbored a sense of restlessness and the anticipation of boredom in the city. Foreseeing the mundane task of cleaning up after the bandit attack, Lucas opted to depart before monotony set in.
With the altered plan in mind, Lucas turned his inquisitive gaze toward Felicity and initiated a discussion about their next steps. It wasn't necessarily contingent on her input, but he sought her perspective since she had initially devised the plan to aid his ascension to the Upper Heavens.
"Felicity, where do you think we should head now? Having attained the peak of the Master Spirit Realm, does our destination remain the same as initially planned?" Lucas inquired.
Felicity contemplated the question, the recent unexpected breakthrough by Lucas prompting her to reassess their course.
"Hm... Before we decide, let me inquire about the scope of your ability. Does your capacity to absorb people's spiritual energy extend to other creatures?" Felicity asked.
"Well, not exactly. I can only absorb the energy released by those who have died, and it's not an all-encompassing ability. Currently, I can only absorb about 5% of the total energy," Lucas explained, offering clarity to Felicity's inquiry.
"And you might be wondering if I can absorb monster cores by killing them. I should clarify that it's impossible since they can materialize their core, unlike humans. Consequently, their energy cannot be absorbed through killing, as they possess their own physical storage," Lucas added.
Continuing his explanation, he admitted, "It might be confusing, but trust me, I am also perplexed. My ability wasn't designed for this purpose; it was merely a hypothesis that happened to work out."
Felicity took a moment of silence to process the explanation, eventually arriving at an understanding. Even though the origin and nature of Lucas's ability remained questionable from the outset, she chose not to dwell on it.
"Given that what you said was unexpected, perhaps we should deviate from our primary plan. Originally, we intended to stay in an area where Warrior stage monsters abound. Instead, let's head to Morning Sun City, where trading is abundant," Felicity suggested in a nonchalant tone.
"I see... But how much do you think 12 monster cores cost?" Lucas inquired, lacking knowledge about the world's currency.
Felicity pondered for a moment. Currency values might have changed over the years, but she could only recall information from a long time ago.
"I don't know. We'll find out once we get there. Morning Sun City is just ahead in the northern part of the Eastern region. Let's change our direction," Felicity replied.
With no geographical knowledge, Lucas followed Felicity in silence. After hours of travel, they finally arrived at the city, with evening approaching as the sun began to set.
Suddenly, Lucas remembered a potential issue regarding Felicity's appearance.
"Felicity, do you know how to change your appearance?" he asked.
"Huh? Why do you ask?" Felicity questioned, her eyebrows raised in confusion.
"Well, it's kind of a problem," Lucas began, but before he could elaborate, Felicity reacted with curiosity.
"P-Problem?! How dare you call a delicate face a problem?!" Felicity exclaimed.
Lucas could only slap his forehead, realizing he had phrased it poorly. He smiled awkwardly, with a hint of a snicker behind it.
"I don't mean it that way. You are too beautiful, and people will react the same way as in Duster City. Since we don't have better clothes that will suit our faces, can you at least change yours?" Lucas calmly rectified the misunderstanding.
Felicity, left speechless in embarrassment, had reacted incorrectly, thinking her dignity had been trampled. Accustomed to being called beautiful, she hadn't expected Lucas's compliment to impact her so significantly. There was an unexplainable throb in her heart when she heard those words.
"S-Sure... I can change my appearance. So... sorry for reacting in a bad way," she reluctantly said, revealing her embarrassment.
Lucas shook his head. "Don't worry. It wasn't really a big deal. Can you change it right now?" he asked.
However, Felicity didn't reply immediately. When he noticed her hesitation, he instinctively inquired, "What's the problem? You can change your appearance, right?"
Felicity lowered her head in dismay. "I can, but not right now. Changing one's appearance requires a huge amount of spiritual energy. If I do it, I can't protect you since I would be focused on maintaining my appearance," she explained.
Lucas sighed. "Don't worry about protecting me. I'm already at the Peak of the Master stage, so worry not," he said with an assuring smile.
"Well, it might look like that. But I can't tell when you will need my help, and I can't easily assist you since I lack spiritual energy."
"I get it. But as I already said, don't worry. It won't even be necessary to protect me, so just maintain a different appearance. And if I am in a tough situation, I have tricks up my sleeve, so it's okay. I'm honored that you think of my safety, but don't underestimate me."
Felicity sighed in defeat and altered her appearance without making a sound.
A few seconds later, her body started reforming, and her pale skin became less white. Her silver hair also turned dark, now similar to what the average population had.
Then, her face became less beautiful, assuming only the average appearance of a female.
"Is this okay?" she asked, feeling a little embarrassed as she wasn't quite sure how to adjust her appearance appropriately.
"It's okay," Lucas reassured.
Then, they finally descended from a distance, ensuring they were far enough away from the gate to avoid creating a ruckus.