Chapter 203: Steady Progress

As Thorian began his breathing technique, a pleasant surprise awaited him: he could accumulate Qi in his dantian. Although the amount of ether he absorbed was less than what he'd experienced in Wolvendale's cultivation hall, Thorian didn't mind the inefficiency. It was already miraculous that the system allowed him to cultivate in the time-dilated world of the abyss.

Two hours passed swiftly before his body could no longer gather more qi. Exhaling deeply, Thorian opened his eyes and assessed his condition. Sweat covered him from head to toe, but thankfully, the familiar black goo was nowhere to be seen.

Still, I shouldn't venture out reeking of sweat, he thought.

Scanning the room for a place to clean himself, Thorian discovered a small bathroom with a bathtub. A smile played on his lips as he filled it with water using his manipulation skill. He eased into the tub, relishing the luxury he'd been denied for so long. While it paled in comparison to his heyday as head of the Steelblade family, with dozens of servants at his beck and call, it was a stark improvement from his recent daily life.

Looking back, I've been through quite a journey since my reincarnation, haven't I?

Thorian chuckled, remembering the days of sleeping in a cave with the then-white kobloids. It wasn't until he upgraded his dwelling to a stone house that he could once again experience the "luxury" of a soft bed.

After thoroughly cleansing himself, Thorian donned his clothes and checked his cultivation progress.

[Cultivation Realm: Qi Gathering Seventh Stage (86.8%)]

As expected, without the added half-hour from the cultivation hall, the ether line nexus, and the boost from the Elixir, progress is much slower, he mused.

Nevertheless, Thorian felt satisfied. He calculated that at this rate, he would reach the Eighth Stage in another two days.

Thorian's day fell into a rhythm. The morning began with a session at the Combat Hall, where he and David battled giant ants. After a morning of rigorous training, they paused for lunch. He then returned to the Combat Hall in the afternoon to continue his exercises. Before meeting his comrades at the outer gate, he made a point to stop by the bank and fill his pouches with coins. He was determined not to repeat the previous day's oversight; he needed to maintain his dignity as their lord.

At the gate, Thorian shared the insights he'd gained that morning with his two comrades, ensuring they too could seize the opportunity to raise their cultivation realm within the abyssal world. Afterward, the group made their way to the taverns, enjoying their evening. The night was perfect, save for one glaring issue: they had yet to uncover the identity of the mastermind.

The subsequent days mirrored the first two, with the group focusing intently on their training and growth. Thorian swiftly increased the proficiency of all his first-advancement skills to their maximum potential and even began training in second-advancement techniques. Yet, a nagging worry gripped his heart. Despite five days having passed since they first entered this floor, the identity of the mastermind remained frustratingly elusive.

"My lord, I believe we've reached the limit in terms of how much information we can glean from the outer and middle layers of the city," Vigil sighed, downing a cup of ale. They sat in their usual haunt, a rowdy tavern they had frequented many times over the past few days.

Nox scratched his head in frustration. "If only I could use my shadow transportation to sneak into the inner city. This would have been so much easier."

"Nothing we can do about that," Thorian replied, shaking his head. "The magic detectors would find you immediately."

He fell silent, deep in thought, before finally reaching a decision. "I'm going to speak with David tomorrow and request an audience with the Silverwater duke. If I explain our circumstances, I'm sure he'll understand."

"Is that not too risky, my lord?" Vigil asked, his voice laced with caution. "We still haven't determined if there's a fractured faction within their family. If this is all an internal strife amongst them, you'll be walking into a lion's den."

Thorian shook his head. "I can't be completely certain, but I'm almost sure that even if there is internal strife, David has no idea about it. I've been dropping information about Elian Valor for the past week, but he's been oblivious to all of it. Even if he were a master actor, he would have slipped at some point if he had any part in the conspiracy."

"If that is your judgment, my lord, then I trust you completely," Vigil said, bowing his head slightly.

"My head is spinning with all these plans. They're too complicated," Nox grumbled before downing his eighth cup of ale.

Vigil raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure it's not spinning because of the alcohol? Remember, this isn't your old body. You can't handle it as you normally would."

"Then what about you?" Nox retorted, eyeing Vigil's empty cup. "Isn't that your sixth?"

"I'm purifying my body after each cup with my blessings," Vigil responded. "Should I bless you too?"

"No, no, you'll kill my buzz," Nox protested, shaking his head vigorously.

Watching Nox, Thorian chuckled inwardly. Over the past few days, he had discovered a new side to the usually innocent Nox: Drunk Nox. 'He's so much like Ventus when he drinks. I suppose there's a reason why the two of them are such good friends.'

With Nox clearing the previous sour mood, Thorian found himself able to think more clearly about his plans for the morrow. They had spent the last few days in limbo, mostly because Thorian couldn't bring himself to trust David completely. This was normal for Thorian, who was no stranger to court politics. Even a family that presented a strong and unified front could harbor deep, hidden cracks that could cause its collapse at any moment.

Yet as Thorian's mind calmed, he realized a simple truth: this was a narrative floor of the abyss. When he had secured the secret letter with Nox's help at the start, a part of the floor quest had been completed. As for David, he was not a random denizen of the streets, but a predetermined encounter. As such, he was a necessary piece that would allow Thorian to complete the second part of the quest: revealing the mastermind.

With his doubts now cleared, Thorian turned his attention to a subject he hadn't broached in a while. "The matter of David is one thing, but I also wanted to discuss your progress over the past few days. I trust you two haven't been slacking off?"

Vigil straightened, a hint of pride in his voice. "All of my first-advancement skills have reached peak proficiency, my lord. Both my blessings and healing abilities are much more effective—almost as strong as my second-advancement skills, but at a fraction of the mana cost."

"Hah, that's nothing," Nox boasted, fishing out a silver coin. "I've upgraded my shadow manipulation to the next level. Now I can do stuff like this even without shadow transportation."

With a flick of his wrist, Nox sent the coin spinning into the air. The moment it touched the shadowed part of the table, it vanished.

"Now, look behind you, Thorian," Nox said, a proud grin spreading across his face.

Rolling his eyes at Nox's theatrics, Thorian turned to find the silver coin nestled in the shadow of his chair.

"I can now throw objects into the portals I create without entering myself," Nox explained. "With this, I can attack an enemy from two sides simultaneously if I have a throwing weapon."

Thorian nodded, impressed. "We have quite a few dagger blueprints in the storage room. I'm sure Faber can craft something suitable for you."

As the night wore on and the tavern quieted, Thorian bid his comrades farewell, not wanting to risk a terrible hangover come morning. Back in his room at the mage court's dormitory, he decided to check his progress before retiring.

Display Panel

Ding

Race: Elemental Lord Kobold

 Level: 32/45 (EXP: 13902/495000) 

Class: Elemental High-Magus 

Level: 17/50 (EXP: 5461/495000) 

Lifespan: 70 years 

Cultivation Realm: Qi Gathering Eight Stage (6.1%)

Stats: 

Strength: 237 

Agility: 237 

Constitution: 225 

Mana: 275 

Qi: 280 

Free Points: 180

Thankfully, those giant ants provided experience points. I've managed to level up twice in the past few days, Thorian mused, calculating how many more stat points he needed to reach 300 in all four major stats. Four more level-ups, and I'll be able to unlock the next growth skill. That's a tremendous pace!

Thanks to the "Master of Growth" skill Thorian had gained after all his stats reached 200, he now earned two additional free points with each level-up. This made reaching the next milestone considerably easier.

Moreover, the skill not only increased his stat gains but also accelerated his skill training process. Coupled with "Jack of All Trades," Thorian could train his first-advancement skills to maximum proficiency 30% faster than his peers.

After confirming that all necessary skills were at peak proficiency, Thorian initiated the fusion process.

[Skill Fusion Complete]

[List of Mist Skills: 

Torrential Mist: Conjures a powerful, swirling vortex of mist that pulls enemies towards its center, dealing damage and disorienting them. This skill is highly effective for crowd control. 

Mist Blade: Summons dense, razor-sharp mist in the form of blades that can be directed towards enemies. These blades are capable of slicing through armor and flesh alike, ideal for cutting down foes with precision and agility.]

Without hesitation, Thorian chose "Mist Blade."

[Congratulations, you have acquired the skill: "Mist Blade"]

Swiftly progressing through the fusion process, Thorian selected the best skills from the available lists.

[Congratulations, you have acquired the skill: "Magma Eruption"] 

[Congratulations, you have acquired the skill: "Sapling Barrage"] [Congratulations, you have acquired the skill: "Blizzard"] 

[Congratulations, you have acquired the skill: "Sandstorm Fury"] 

[Congratulations, you have acquired the skill: "Chain Lightning"]

However, the barrage of notifications hadn't ended. The moment he confirmed his last skill fusion, another message appeared:

[Congratulations. Your skill "Elemental Synergy I" has been upgraded to "Elemental Synergy II"]