Chapter 205: Extremely Powerful Source Material

Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Extremely Powerful Source Material

But even facing such a fierce assault, the white-haired old man remained unhurried and at ease.

Elvira was not the least bit discouraged by this.

With a twist of her sword-wielding wrist, the properties of the Ether Energy clinging to her blade changed in an instant.

The wild, swirling cyan aura was transformed into a pure, dazzling golden light in the blink of an eye.

WHIR...

The golden Light Saber, no longer bound by the length of the physical blade, suddenly shot forward by half a meter, stabbing straight for the old man’s chest.

The old man’s feet slid slightly, and he dodged the unexpected thrust of the light blade by a hair’s breadth.

"A truly outstanding conversion of Energy Traits."

The old man nodded, offering his praise without reservation.

Upon hearing this praise, a flutter of joy welled up inside Elvira, a rare feeling on her usually serious face.

’My master is a Legendary Sword Saint,’ she thought. ’His standards are incredibly high, and he rarely offers praise.’

"However, the warmup is over. Now, it’s my turn to attack."

The old man’s gaze suddenly sharpened.

Hearing this, Elvira became instantly alert, as if facing a great enemy. She composed herself and gripped the hilt of her sword tightly with both hands.

In that instant, the old man’s aura underwent an earth-shattering transformation.

He simply swung his Short Sword in a casual slash, yet the blade carried a terrifying pressure, as if it could cleave the entire training ground in two.

Facing this unavoidable strike, the maiden did not retreat. She raised her sword with both hands, assuming a textbook parrying stance.

The moment their swords were about to clash, the phantom image of a thick, translucent suit of heavy armor appeared around Elvira’s body without any warning.

This phantom armor, combined with the bonus to her Parry from the Profession Specialty she had just acquired, made the quality of this parry unbelievably high.

BOOM!

The two swords clashed. A violent shockwave erupted from the point of impact, and the resulting gust of wind sent the maiden’s long, golden hair flying wildly.

A flicker of surprise passed through the old man’s eyes.

He had thought that since she had only just attained her Profession, she wouldn’t be able to parry this strike.

He never expected her to stand her ground and firmly block his blade.

Feeling the solid impact travel up her arms, the maiden couldn’t help but let a victorious smile grace her lips.

’Now it’s my turn to counterattack.’

The "Heart of the Red Dragon" hidden in Elvira’s chest began to roar wildly.

Her special Source Material was fully activated at this moment.

The effect of this Source Material was extremely domineering: after an enemy’s attack is parried, the subsequent counterattack is guaranteed to be a critical hit.

Two completely different types of Ether Energy, wind and light, coiled around the blade of her Cross Sword under extreme compression.

Their fusion seemed to swallow the physical blade, making it impossible to track the path of the sword’s edge.

The maiden put all her strength into her arms, forcibly knocking aside the old man’s Short Sword. She followed up with a flat thrust, delivered with all her might, that shot forward like a falling star.

This was the most powerful strike she was currently capable of.

However, when the tip of her sword was half an inch from the old man’s throat, it was stopped dead by a Short Sword.

Elvira didn’t feel disappointed. On the contrary, her eyes sparkled with a brilliant light.

Because she could clearly see that her master’s training Short Sword was now coated in a layer of his own golden Ether Energy.

’I forced a Legendary Sword Saint to use Ether Energy to protect his sword. I’ve already won.’

"A very impressive Source Material effect."

The old man retracted his Short Sword, letting out a heartfelt sigh of admiration.

He looked at the Short Sword in his hand, which now had fine cracks on its blade. He knew full well that if he hadn’t defended with Ether Energy just now, the training sword would have been shattered on the spot by the maiden’s counterattack.

’This student before me is, without a doubt, the most terrifyingly talented prodigy I’ve ever seen in all my long years.’

The old man even made a silent comparison in his mind.

’Even I, the Royal Guardian, when I first ignited my Melting Furnace and stepped into the Professional Level, my overall combat power was probably nowhere near the Princess’s current, astonishing level.’

The physical foundation this Princess had built during her mortal stage was so solid it was frightening.

Besides, the fight just now was merely a light spar where they were both holding back.

The Princess’s truly terrifying Talent was never even given a chance to manifest due to the nature of the duel.

"That’s enough guidance for today, Your Highness."

The old man gave his Short Sword a casual flourish.

A handmaiden standing at the edge of the field immediately hurried forward and respectfully presented a magnificent Sword Scabbard.

Elvira calmed her breathing and deftly sheathed her Cross Sword.

The battle had seemed brief, but it had consumed a great deal of her stamina. She possessed monstrous strength that few could match, and naturally, her energy consumption was also much greater.

The old man looked at the straight-backed maiden, a gratified smile on his face.

"In all my years of teaching, you are the most gifted student I have ever seen."

The old man’s voice was loud and full of expectation. "In the upcoming Heroic Spirit Baptism Ceremony, you will undoubtedly achieve a perfect resonance with the Treasure that represents the ’Red Dragon’."

After speaking, the old man took half a step back, placed his right hand over his chest, and gave Elvira a perfect Knight’s salute.

"Congratulations. From this day forward, you are no longer a fledgling lion."

Hearing this title, Elvira also stood at attention and returned an impeccable Knight’s salute to her master.

"Fledgling lion" was the old man’s private term of endearment for her.

When Elvira was very young, the old man had brought back a white lion cub from a distant land as a birthday gift for her.

The old man had compared her to that cub, hoping she would one day possess the majesty of a king of lions.

Elvira treasured that gift immensely. Even now, she still personally cared for the lion, now fully grown, in the rear garden of the royal palace.

Just as master and student finished their salutes, the handmaiden who had presented the Sword Scabbard clasped her hands before her, bowed her head slightly, and reported.

"Your Highness, the duel is over. It is time for you to bathe and change."

"There isn’t much time to prepare for the coronation banquet the Royal Family is holding for you tonight at the ’Platinum Velvet Palace’."

Hearing the word "banquet," the maiden’s spirited demeanor seemed to deflate a little.

She could only bid her master a polite farewell and follow the handmaiden toward the changing rooms.

"Lady Eleanor instructed me to be sure to remind you."

The handmaiden relayed the instructions in a low voice as she led the way. "Almost all the influential nobles of the Royal Capital will be in attendance tonight."

"The lady’s exact words were that your attire must strictly adhere to royal etiquette, and there can be no mistakes whatsoever."

At the mention of Lady Eleanor, Elvira’s steps faltered for a moment.

The lady was her chief lady-in-waiting, responsible for her daily life, and also a Professional who had reached Level 13.

The woman was extremely strict and rigid. If Elvira’s performance tonight was anything less than perfect, she would surely have to endure her endless lectures for the next few days.

The handmaiden following behind her keenly sensed her highness’s sinking mood.

As her personal attendant, she knew her highness’s true personality well.

The princess actually loathed these political functions, where she had to wear a false mask and hobnob with politicians and nobles.

Seeing the slight tension in the maiden’s jawline, the handmaiden suddenly remembered something and quickly added in a cheerful tone.

"Oh, right, Your Highness."

"Her Ladyship just reviewed the guest list. The Rosenthal Clan from White River Province also sent representatives to the Royal Capital today."

"The young lady of the Rosenthal Family, with whom you are very close, will also be attending the banquet tonight."

The handmaiden looked at Elvira. "With her company, perhaps you will have an enjoyable evening after all."

Hearing this news was like a ray of sunshine piercing through the gloom in Elvira’s heart.

Cecilia.

The image of the soft-spoken Half-Elf maiden, who was nevertheless extremely focused on her Magic research, appeared in her mind.

She was one of the very few true friends in the tedious circle of high society with whom she could let down all her guards and confide in.

"I understand."

Elvira’s steps became light again, and a look of anticipation returned to her verdant green eyes.

For the chance to see her dear friend sooner, dealing with those nobles no longer seemed so unbearable.

...

The coronation banquet was already halfway through.

Gentle court orchestral music echoed through the grand hall of the Platinum Velvet Palace.

Cecilia stood alone on a secluded open-air balcony of the palace, quietly gazing up at the sky.

The early summer night’s breeze carried the scent of roses from the garden below, caressing her face and helping her relax.

The night sky over the Royal Capital was quite unique.

In addition to the twinkling stars, a faintly visible, large-scale, dark blue Technique Array blanketed the entire city.

The interwoven Magic Circuits resembled a giant net, carving the sky into extremely regular geometric patterns.

This was the magnum opus of the Royal Capital’s Alchemy Order, a creation that had taken decades to complete.

This celestial canopy was not just a display of power, but also a highly efficient use of Ether energy.

It not only acted like a giant funnel, converting the volatile Ether Energy from the air into safe, gentle Magic Power for direct use by the city’s various daily-life Alchemy Tools.

It was even capable of regulating the regional weather and possessed a terrifying Defense Power sufficient to withstand a Nine Rings Spell.

This was the kind of power that only the Royal Capital, a city that gathered the continent’s top Alchemists, could possess.

Cecilia tore her gaze away from the sky and glanced down at her attire.

She was wearing a hand-stitched, light purple evening gown tonight.

The skirt was layered, and embroidered upon it in silver thread was the thorny flower emblem of the Rosenthal Clan.

The form-fitting cut perfectly accentuated her graceful figure, which, while not yet fully mature, was already taking shape.

Her long hair, usually worn down to hide her Half-Elf features, was pinned up high. A pair of priceless sapphire earrings hung from her pointed ears, making her delicate, innocent face all the more captivating.

In truth, the Rosenthal Clan’s power base had always been deeply rooted in White River Province.

They didn’t have many substantial conflicts of interest with the old noble families at the center of power in the Royal Capital.

The only reason she had suddenly appeared at this high-profile banquet hosted by the Royal Family was that her aunt, Hill, had dragged her here.

Her aunt had ignored her objections and forcibly brought her to the Royal Capital, claiming she wanted Cecilia to stay as far away as possible from that terrifying Dragon Descendant.

As for why her aunt felt such strong animosity toward the senior...

Cecilia still couldn’t figure it out.

Just then, the heavy, dark red velvet curtain behind her on the balcony was pulled open from the inside.

"Who is it?"

Cecilia turned her head.

"It’s me."

A voice, tinged with relief, called out.