One Week Later
Inside the cave, Xenon felt a powerful fluctuation of energy circulating within his inner core. "This is it!"he thought.
He calmed his heart and focused his mind and soul entirely on breaking through to the next stage.
Minutes later, a radiant aura of spiritual energy, as bright as a rising sun, enveloped Xenon's body. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
"Martial Apprentice Stage 4..." he murmured.
His power had now tripled, and his lifespan had increased by 20 years, granting him the ability to live up to 100 years.
At the age of 23, reaching Martial Apprentice Stage 4 made Xenon comparable to a city-level genius, much like Karina of the Narhan Clan. However, the difference was stark—Karina had been a practitioner since childhood, while Xenon had achieved this in just two weeks.
Xenon exited the cave and was greeted by his subordinates, who congratulated him on his breakthrough.
But something caught his attention. "What are these horses?" Xenon wondered aloud. A week ago, he had instructed the Shadow Legion to tame some speed mounts to aid their travel.
Curious, Xenon quickly consulted the system for information about the horses. Even his subordinates, who had tamed them, seemed clueless. They were like puppets, responding only to his orders or when his strength increased.
[Host, these horses are called Fiery Horses. They are Tier 2 Demonic Beasts but belong to a class of demonic beasts that can be tamed. Their speed is at least 20 times faster than that of a normal horse.]
Xenon nodded after reading the system's response. He then ordered his subordinates to prepare for their journey to Tazar City.
He mounted one of the Fiery Horses, sitting behind Tarra, who would be controlling the reins. Xenon wasn't yet capable of enduring the intense wind pressure caused by the horse's incredible speed—it was as fast as a bullet train from his previous world. To withstand such force, he would need to reach Martial Apprentice Stage 7.
As the horse began to move, Xenon looked at Tarra in front of him. "Should i hold onto her?" he wondered. Without holding on, he would undoubtedly fall due to the horse's speed.
"Hey, can I hug you?" Xenon asked suddenly. He needed to hold on for safety, but part of him was also curious to see her reaction. After all, she was his subordinate.
"Of course, young master. I am yours," Tarra replied with a warm smile.
Xenon was momentarily stunned but soon smiled back. He hugged Tarra tightly, noting her slender figure and striking beauty.
With that, their journey began.
Leading the group, Gustav, Chain, and Venom Fang rode their own Fiery Horses. Xenon and Tarra shared a horse in the center, while the Shadow Legion followed behind.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Xenon was the most protected man in the entire Low Peak Mountain.
Despite the Fiery Horses' incredible speed, it would still take them two days to reach Tazar City. On normal horses, the journey would have taken 50 days.