Kael prepared to leave the ancient ruins with Amelia, the Snow Bear Beasts, and the Unicorn Rhino herd in tow.
A trace of sentimentality lingered in his heart—this place had been his crucible of growth, pivotal to his rise. Without these ruins, his cultivation and ascent would never have progressed at such an astonishing pace.
Moreover, once departed, returning would be impossible. The spatial rules governing the ruins imposed severe restrictions. Unless one day Kael's power reached a level where he could defy spatial laws—a feat likely beyond even the Grand Speaker of the Sacred Council—reentry was out of the question.
Shaking his head, Kael dismissed these wandering thoughts. With a faint smile, he met Amelia's gaze.
"Let's go," Amelia said softly, reaching out to take his hand.
The warmth of her touch sent a ripple through Kael's heart. Without another word, he led her away from the ancient ruins.
As they stepped beyond the boundary, the weight of spatial constraints lifted instantly. Kael inhaled deeply, surveying the transformed landscape around them.
"We'll move at top speed," he declared. "The Lafei Plains are still days away. The sooner we arrive, the better."
Amelia nodded, and hand in hand, they set off.
The Black Valley remained cloaked in snowfall—flawless, crystalline flakes drifting like goose feathers, painting the world in pristine white. Their footprints, swiftly buried by the relentless snow, left no trace of their passage.
It was as if they had never been there at all.
The Lafei Plains had always been the private territory of the Sacred Council, with their personnel stationed there for oversight. However, Kael had heard that the previous administrators had been negligent, failing to leverage the land's strategic importance—likely the very reason the Grand Speaker had replaced them with Kael.
Kael and Amelia traveled swiftly, reaching the borders of the Lafei Plains in just under five days. Yet, to Kael's surprise, the region was engulfed in rain.
Not a light drizzle, but a relentless downpour.
The ceaseless torrents had turned the roads into muddy quagmires. The plains themselves were sparsely wooded, mostly barren sand and soil, giving the entire territory a desolate, uninhabited appearance.
"Why the rain?" Kael frowned.
"That's just how the Lafei Plains are," Amelia explained. "This region has abundant rainfall year-round, with exceptionally dense water-element energy. Moreover, there's a major river here—the Lafei River—which frequently floods, causing constant water-related disasters."
It was clear Amelia had done her homework. She must have pored over countless records about the Lafei Plains beforehand. Kael's chest warmed at the thought—her dedication to his affairs was nothing short of extraordinary.
When Kael's gaze lingered on her, Amelia responded with a gentle smile. But his expression soon darkened again. "The Lafei River, frequent floods... So this place is far from peaceful." He sighed. He'd long suspected that such a "bargain" of a territory couldn't possibly come without hidden complications.
Of course there's a catch.
Still, there was no turning back now. The arrow was already on the string—he had no choice but to press forward.
In the distance, beyond the sheets of rain, Kael glimpsed the swollen Lafei River, its turbulent waters surging ominously. The sight deepened his unease with every passing moment.
"If this continues, the river will inevitably breach its banks, and then the Lafei Plains..." Kael murmured with a sigh. A flood would mean little to cultivators like them, but the common folk would suffer terribly.
His concern was genuine. The reality of the Lafei Plains fell far short of his expectations—not only was it plagued by relentless rain, but the land was barren, with scarcely a tree in sight and almost no signs of human habitation.
What did a territory need most?
Population. Environment. Economy.
Yet as far as Kael could see, there were no villages or towns—only the occasional isolated household dotting the distance.
"Kael, they say the entire three-thousand-mile Lafei Plains has fewer than ten thousand inhabitants," Amelia said softly, her brow slightly furrowed. "It'll take us a long time to develop this place."
Kael nodded but fell into thought. The plains weren't without advantages. Bordering two powerful empires—the Guyi Empire and the Maide Kingdom—they should have been a hub for merchant trade. By all logic, the geographical advantage alone should have spurred growth.
But the scene before them was downright dismal.
Just as Kael and Amelia were surveying the land, a military contingent emerged through the curtain of rain.
To call them an "army" was generous. Their armor was battered, their morale nonexistent. The soldiers trudged along with slumped shoulders, muttering among themselves—utterly devoid of discipline.
At their head marched a black-armored commander, his gaze sharp as it swept the surroundings. When his eyes landed on Kael and Amelia, they lit up. After a quick word to his troops, the group quickened their pace toward the pair.
"That's... the Sacred Council's garrison force for the Lafei Plains," Kael observed, his eyes narrowing.
Given that the plains were Council territory, their presence made sense. Kael's keen vision picked out the Sacred Council's insignia engraved on their armor.
"Lord Earl! Lord Earl!"
The soldiers hurried forward, their leader clasping his fists in salute as he bowed deeply to Kael.
Kael's eyes flickered with interest. "You recognize me?"
"Of course, Lord Earl. The Sacred Council has circulated your likeness across the continent—we've all seen it. And your distinguished bearing makes you unmistakable!" The commander offered a measured smile, blending flattery with professionalism.
Kael nodded. "Your name?"
"I am Jett, commander of the Sacred Council's Lafei Plains garrison, authorized to oversee military operations in this territory. From this day forward, my forces are at your full disposal!"He spoke with practiced deference.
"Jett. Noted." Kael studied the man—a hardened warrior in his thirties, his armor-clad frame unyielding even in the downpour. His strength seemed decent, likely around the seventh tier.
For a garrison commander, raw combat prowess mattered less than tactical acumen. Yet the ragtag troops behind Jett were another story—slouching, murmuring, some barely able to stand straight. Not a shred of military discipline to be found.
Kael suppressed a sigh. The Lafei Plains' defenses are in worse shape than I imagined. Jett himself seemed competent, but his soldiers were clearly green recruits, utterly untested.
As Kael assessed Jett, the commander was doing the same—and struggling to mask his disappointment. This Kael is just a boy—barely twenty, if that. Did the Sacred Council truly send a child to govern this territory?
...Or is he some high-ranking official's bastard?