As an ordinary person from Earth who had read hundreds or even thousands of novels, manhua, and manhwa.
Sevrin had always felt... although his strength wasn't weak, it surely wouldn't reach the level of high-tier combat power in the Graew Dynasty, let alone the peak.
Because stories are always written that way: there is always a higher mountain; beating the young will bring out the old, and beating the old will bring out the even older. In such a continuous cycle, the path of leveling up is never-ending.
But now Sevrin finally understood...
It turned out that this world was essentially a vast traveling troupe; there weren't actually that many professional contestants.
Translated into human speech, this meant that the actual number of true experts within the Graew Dynasty's borders wasn't nearly as exaggerated as Sevrin had imagined.
And on the foundation of this limited number of experts, the birth of elite high-level experts was, naturally, even more incredibly rare.
Specifically, in this world of Martial Lands, everyone's cultivation consisted of ordinary martial arts techniques; they did not specialize in the so-called arts of immortality or cultivation.
Therefore, even if the combat power of a True Grandmaster was high enough to go "musou" in an Earthly society, under normal circumstances, their lifespan still couldn't cross the great 200-year mark.
Once their lifespan reached its end, no matter how unrivaled that grandmaster might have been in their lifetime, they would still suffer death and dissipation, their soul returning to the Yellow Spring.
Thus, the number of experts across the Martial Lands was always sparse. One era produces a batch, they die off one by one, and the next era produces another batch, who also eventually die off. New groups rise; the essence of it is just one party finishing their song while another takes the stage.
There simply wouldn't be those outrageous scenarios where you could encounter a large group of thousand-year-old monsters or ten-thousand-year-old demons in just any mountain hollow.
Ah, that statement didn't seem entirely correct though.
Because according to what Rheta and the others said, there seemed to be another realm above True Grandmaster.
The lifespan of someone in that realm might be a bit longer, but as for exactly how much longer, they weren't clear; many books contained very few records of it.
As for this situation where experts were scarce and high-level experts even scarcer, while the Graew Dynasty was already like this, the Mount Qing region where Sevrin currently resided was even more so.
Because Mount Qing, as these few people described it, belonged to a land of turbid essence and exhausted spiritual opportunity.
Unless one's natural talent was high enough and their willpower strong enough, it was incredibly difficult for a martial artist in this region to break past human limits and reach the Steel-level.
Simply because the gap between these two realms was truly too immense, so immense that within the Graew Dynasty, anyone who could advance to the Steel-level before the age of thirty would be regarded as the hope of their organization and the future of their sect.
As for a situation like Sevrin's, having broken through to the Valiarior realm at just eighteen years old, they had only seen a few scattered records in history books and couldn't even guarantee their authenticity.
"That's why I say, Sevrin, in the future you will surely become a titan of Graew!"
Zenom observed Sevrin meticulously, his arms crossed over his chest as he looked up and sighed, "Sigh, an eighteen-year-old Valiarior-level martial artist... it remains difficult to believe."
Seeing his reaction, Rheta couldn't help but laugh and say, "But the truth is the truth; it's useless even if you don't believe it. The gap between people is just that large."
"To be honest."
Not far away, Shaxe, holding his long halberd and leaning against the tent, said gloomily, "If Sevrin's aura wasn't truly young and tender, completely devoid of any sign of age, I would suspect he was some old monster's reincarnation."
"That's an exaggeration."
Xixun, who sat to the side with a round head and belly looking much like a Maitreya Buddha, said jovially, "You might as well say Sevrin started practicing in his mother's womb."
"Hahahaha~"
Just as he finished speaking, a burst of laughter came from outside the tent, "Xixun, you're wrong about that. Even if an ordinary person returned to their mother's womb five, six, or seven times, they still couldn't have cultivation like Sevrin's at eighteen."
"This voice sounds like..."
"It's Commander Clover's voice!"
"Commander Clover is here!"
Upon hearing this, everyone present except Sevrin was startled, and they immediately turned their heads to look.
Then they saw the tent flap not far away being thrown open by a large, powerful hand. Immediately following, a burly man whose stature was not at all inferior to Sevrin's walked in, and behind him followed several Steel-level martial artists.
As soon as this man, whose aura stood as imposing as a high mountain, entered the tent, his eyes shone brightly as he looked at Sevrin and strolled forward.
As he walked, he laughed heartily and said: "Aura like a floral canopy, intent like a descending god. No mistake, Sevrin is not a Valiarior-level martial artist at all, but a... genuine, bona fide True Grandmaster!"
BOOM!
These words were like a ten-thousand-pound bomb dropped into the minds of Rheta and the others, instantly leaving them mentally staggered and in total disarray.
An eighteen-year-old martial arts Grandmaster?!
What a joke!
There were no records of such a thing even in history books!
Because nobody even dared to make it up; they would be mocked as idiots for writing such nonsense.
But now they had been shocked into idiocy, their minds almost unable to function.
"Commander Clover, you... you're not mistaken, are you?"
Zenom stuttered, "You just said... said he... is already a grandmaster?"
He said it, but he actually already believed Commander Clover's words. For many years, Commander Clover had been an extremely steady person, always a man of his word, never speaking nonsense.
It was just that the news was so terrifying that Zenom found it impossible to accept.
"This... this..." Shaxe muttered with dazed eyes, "An eighteen-year-old martial arts Grandmaster..."
He turned his head toward Xixun, who was completely bewildered, and asked in a daze, "Old Xixun, you've studied history a lot; tell me, have there been eighteen-year-old grandmasters in history?"
"There have never been any, ever."
Xixun stared with wide, bewildered eyes, "Even our Graew founding Emperor... even that first-generation Black Emperor of Grxin... none of them stepped into the Grandmaster realm at just eighteen."
"Sevrin..."
Rheta, who was closest to Sevrin, turned her head in a daze and looked at him in disbelief, "You... so you weren't Valiarior-level, but a True Grandmaster? Why... why didn't you say anything?"
"Big Sis Rhe, you never asked me."
Sevrin smiled and said, "Besides, I felt this kind of thing wasn't a big deal, not that important, so I didn't think to mention it."
"Phew~"
Rheta let out a long breath. Her gaze toward Sevrin immediately shifted from admiration and respect to something bordering on worship.
She sighed, "Sevrin, I thought you were a genius who would be recorded in history, but I didn't expect... you are a genius who surpasses history. This is truly... too incredible."
In fact, it wasn't just Rheta and the others whose souls were shaken beyond control; the several Steel-level martial artists brought by Clover Holloway were also inexplicably shocked and sighed in wonder.
Every one of them craned their necks and stared wide-eyed at Sevrin, wanting to take a good look at the style and aura of this eighteen-year-old grandmaster and see just how extraordinary he was.
Sevrin did not care much about the mental shock he had caused the Lieutenants in the tent.
All of his attention was focused on the man before him, Commander Clover.
Specifically, it was on the other man's personal information interface:
[ Character Name: Clover Holloway
Level: Mainstream Martial Arts → Valiarior, Occult Techniques → Object Manifestation
Mastered Skills: "Thunder-Fire Tyrant Seal""Holy Rhino Battleform""Ghost and Monster Tracking""Upper Crescent Yang-Refining Method""Golden Crow Yang-Guiding Art""Primal Breath Yang-Refining Method""Lifespan-Draining Power-Gathering Art""Heavenly Incision Yang-Guiding Art""Stuacn Spirit-Suppressing Talismans""Heavenly Lotus Earthly Saint Salvation Scripture (Damaged)""Great Spiritual Transference Art"
Special Traits: [Level 3 Robust Physique][Level 3 Stamina][Level 3 Intuition][Level 3 Yang-Absorption][Level 3 Spirit-Concentration][Level 3 Magical Power][Level 3 Lightning][Healing]
Expert Shards: None ]
After seeing Commander Clover's personal information, Sevrin immediately confirmed one thing.
That was... this time, he was truly going to become a high-level leader.
Think about it; the person in charge of all Demon-Slaying Bureau affairs and Demon-Slaying Lieutenants in the entire Mount Qing region was merely a Valiarior-level martial artist.
Then, for a martial arts Grandmaster like Sevrin, wouldn't he directly take flight upon reaching Graew?
Ahem... but then again, what official positions in the Demon-Slaying Bureau were even higher than a Commander?
He was drifting a bit far in his thoughts.
On the contrary, Sevrin was currently feeling quite ambitious; he was not the kind of pure-hearted seeker who eschewed worldly desires. If there was an opportunity to gain fame and fortune, a chance to become a person of high status and great power, he would absolutely not refuse.
Indeed, Sevrin was such a worldly man, a man who loved eating good meat and drinking fine wine, who wanted to hold invincible strength and supreme power in his hands, and who wished to enjoy all the various beauties of this world.
After his drifting thoughts, he turned his focus back to this Commander Clover.
Unlike Lan Yuca, who practiced a bunch of unorthodox and sinister arts, this Clover Holloway, who also stood at the Valiarior realm, cultivated many techniques and arts that could be described as grand and majestic, possessing all sorts of mysterious effects.
For example, the "Thunder-Fire Tyrant Seal", which granted Clover Holloway the [Lightning Level 3] trait, was the first Mainstream Martial Arts technique Sevrin had encountered that could actually cultivate thunder and lightning.
As everyone knows, lightning is of a pure Yang nature.
Therefore, the thunder produced by this art could not only strike down living beings and melt gold or break iron, but it also dealt immense damage to Ghost Path evil spirits.
This matched perfectly with the "Aura of the Saintly Archer" he had recently acquired, allowing for Energy-Infusion attacks.
Further, when combined with a True Grandmaster's ability to project force from a distance...
The mental image was truly spectacular.
Sevrin could already imagine a scene where he threw a punch, and thunder erupted everywhere within a thousand meters, how cool that would be.
Then there was the "Great Spiritual Transference Art".
This occult technique was even more mysterious.
Generally speaking, once a sorcerer reached the Object Manifestation realm, they could use Yang magical power to manipulate various physical objects from the outside world.
These objects could be inanimate things, living beings, or even the spirit bodies of ghostly entities.
One should not underestimate this magical power to manipulate external objects.
For anyone without magical power, their internal organs, brain, and even soul are merely playthings in the palm of a sorcerer at this realm, easily manipulated.
Only someone who also possesses magical power can shield themselves from such control.
However, it can only provide a partial shield.
To be completely shielded, one must be in the same realm.
Then, apart from this magical power manipulation, an Object Manifestation realm sorcerer can also purge their Yin impurities and condense a Yang-Spirit.
Afterward, this Yang-Spirit can leave the body safely without any hidden dangers, wandering and speeding freely under the bright sun and blue sky.
This is equivalent to one mind controlling two bodies; both the soul and the physical body can fight the enemy simultaneously.
But this dual-tasking is extremely crude and flawed.
In actual combat, this method of splitting the mind between soul and body will always result in a delayed reaction from the physical body, lagging half a beat behind the Yang-Spirit.
This is extremely detrimental, making it easy for enemies to find an opening, which ultimately leads to defeat in battle.
Furthermore, the distance between the soul and body for a sorcerer at this realm is basically limited to a couple of miles. This is far too close and highly unsuited for high-speed, mobile combat.
But Clover Holloway's "Great Spiritual Transference Art" can achieve perfect dual-tasking, and furthermore, extends the distance between soul and body to a hundred miles.
Even more miraculously, this art can actually etherealize the physical body, placing it within the separated Yang-Spirit, allowing the Yang-Spirit to carry the physical body as it travels through heaven and earth.
This was extremely useful.
Even more astonishingly, this technique can even allow the soul and body, within a distance of nearly a mile, to swap positions anytime and anywhere.
With this, combat tactics become incredibly versatile, greatly enriching Sevrin's fighting methods.
Finally, there was that damaged fragment of the "Heavenly Lotus Earthly Saint Salvation Scripture".
The art that brought Clover Holloway the [Level 3 Healing] Special Trait had a style entirely different from those bizarre and sinister arts.
Because it was the first healing-type art Sevrin had seen so far.
Although this art could not bring the dead back to life, it could prolong and delay the death of someone who was mortally wounded.
As long as the recipient of the art was not dead, even if their body was incomplete, their life could be forcibly extended by this art.
Of course, if they had lost their heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, skull, or head, then no matter how miraculous it was, they still couldn't be saved.
But in Sevrin's view, even a fragmented portion was this miraculous; if it were complete... would it be possible to bring someone back even after they died?
Speaking of fragments, it was interesting to note that the "Stuacn Spirit-Suppressing Talismans" cultivated by Commander Clover happened to be a complete set, not a fragment.
This was entirely different from all the other Demon-Slaying Lieutenants Sevrin had seen so far.
However, regarding this doubt, Sevrin fully understood it the moment he finished learning the talismans.
The reason was simple: it was because this set of talismans contained many talismanic methods that required a high level of sorcery cultivation and were subtly damaging.
Unlike the "Lifespan-Draining Power-Gathering Art", which, although it shortened one's life and harmed the body when used, had clear effects without any uncertain hidden damages.
But the complete set of "Stuacn Spirit-Suppressing Talismans" was different; it actually recorded some very good and effective talismanic methods that were prone to failure, and once they failed, they became dangerous arts that harmed both the user and others.
For instance, one called the "World-Salvation Incantation" was recorded within.
It required that only an Object Manifestation realm sorcerer could use it.
Once used, the practitioner could purify and save vengeful spirits and resentful souls on a large scale, with the scope of influence determined by their magical power cultivation.
This was merely one example.
Besides that, there was also the "Great Sleeping Charm" that could hypnotize the populace over a large area; the "Evil-Extinguishing Sacrificial Incantation" that could purify and erase a demonic land; and the "Thousand-Mile Charm" that could instantly teleport one away from danger to a place a thousand miles away... and many other types of talismanic arts.
Every single one of these arts, without exception, had requirements for cultivation level and was fraught with danger. One small mistake and the user would die on the spot, potentially even endangering those nearby.
So Sevrin conjectured.
This was perhaps why the Demon-Slaying Bureau had not taught the complete set of "Stuacn Spirit-Suppressing Talismans" to lower-ranking Demon-Slaying Lieutenants like Rheta.
Simply because they were too weak; one wrong move and they might play themselves to death.
In short, after these various thoughts flashed through Sevrin's mind.
He activated his mind and intent, instantly learning every single one of this Commander Clover's techniques and arts.
Subsequently, he pushed them all to their peak conclusion.
This action also granted him the two level-three traits: [Lightning] and [Healing].
By the time Sevrin finished all this, Commander Clover had just arrived before him.
Looking at Sevrin, Clover Holloway laughed brightly and said:
"Greetings, Lieutenant Sevrin. I am Clover Holloway, the overall person in charge of the Mount Qing region's Demon-Slaying Bureau, a Dragon-Rank Demon-Slaying Lieutenant.
You might not recognize me, but I... have actually known of you for a long time."
"I know,"
Sevrin smiled and said, "It was through the recording talisman array in the Nina Town outpost's underground drill grounds, wasn't it?"
"Yes, but not entirely."
Clover Holloway laughed and said, "The Demon-Slaying Bureau possesses quite a vast intelligence network; many people who seem ordinary are actually our spies.
So I have an understanding of the traces of many of your deeds, for example... the Celestial Slaughterer. Haha, quite a resounding title; in many places across Mount Qing now, people know of your chivalrous reputation.
Oh, and do you still remember Canji? Haha, he performed a great service by recruiting you into the Demon-Slaying Bureau.
I've already reported this to the Graew headquarters. Not long from now, headquarters will send Canji a large reward, because thanks to him, we have a great treasure like you."
"Huh?" Sevrin was stunned, "A great treasure?"
To be honest, this term... really cringed him out.
If someone called Sevrin a butcher, a ruffian, a villain, a demon, or even a beast among beasts, he wouldn't feel much.
But being called a "great treasure"... that was a bit disgusting.
"Hahahaha."
Seeming to see Sevrin's subtle repulsion, Clover Holloway said with a beaming smile, "Lieutenant Sevrin, when you accepted that letter from Canji, your martial arts realm... was likely only at the Steel Tendons and Iron Bones realm, right?"
"Correct."
Sevrin nodded very decisively.
In his view, there was nothing to hide about such a thing.
The surrounding Rheta and others, listening to this dialogue, felt confused, not knowing what Commander Clover's words were meant to imply.
At this point, Clover Holloway spoke again:
"Then in less than two days, at the Nina Town outpost's underground arena, you mastered Tea Master's "Furious Flood-Dragon Whip Art" to its highest realm.
At the same time, you also broke through to the Valiarior realm, and you even mastered a divine ability that allows you to transform into a ghostly entity, didn't you?"
"So what if I did." Sevrin's thick brows twitched, his tone becoming stiff.
Clearly, he was starting to feel annoyed by Clover Holloway's prying questions.
"And then, in less than half a month..."
Clover Holloway still wore a gentle smile, "You broke through from the Valiarior realm to the True Grandmaster realm, right?"
BOOM!
The moment these words were spoken, Rheta and the others, along with the several Demon-Slaying Lieutenants brought by Clover Holloway, felt their bodies tremble. They all stared fixedly at Sevrin with wide eyes.
In less than half a month, someone could break through multiple realms, advancing from Steel level to Grandmaster level?
This... what kind of martial arts monster was this?!
Simply unheard of.
Forget about history books; even in their wildest dreams, they had never imagined that anyone in the vast world could progress so quickly.
But now, Commander Clover actually said that this Sevrin... could actually break through the two realms of Steel and Valiarior in less than half a month, going straight to the martial arts Grandmaster level?!
This... this was insane.
Just as everyone present was being driven to the brink of madness by Sevrin's defiance of the natural order, Commander Clover spoke once more:
"Lieutenant Sevrin, there is no need to be angry, and no need to worry."
Having said that, Clover Holloway sighed with emotion and said:
"In fact, if you had joined the Demon-Slaying Bureau at age thirty-six and then advanced from Steel level to Valiarior level in less than half a year, we would certainly have subjected you to an investigation.
We would need to find out where you came from, who your master was, and whether there were any issues surrounding you or behind your back."
After he finished, he pointed to a table not far away, gesturing for Sevrin to sit down with him.
Sevrin nodded coldly and was the first to sit.
Immediately, Clover Holloway sat across from him and spoke again:
"But once we learned that you reached the Grandmaster realm at just eighteen, and that you broke through all the way from Steel level in less than half a month, we decided... there was no need to investigate."
"Huh?" Sevrin asked doubtfully, "Why?"
"Hahaha, because... none of that matters."
Clover Holloway grinned, "Where you came from and who your master was are no longer important. What is important... is that this Martial Lands continent has never seen an eighteen-year-old grandmaster, and likely never will again.
The most talented person in history only barely reached the Grandmaster realm at age forty, which is more than double your age. Martial artists of average talent must pass a hundred years of age before even having the qualification to attempt the Grandmaster realm."
At this point, his expression suddenly turned serious, and his eyes shone brightly as he looked straight into Sevrin's eyes, saying very solemnly:
"You are a one-of-a-kind favorite of heaven; all so-called geniuses are fools in front of you.
So you cannot stay in Mount Qing. This wretched place will only waste your talent and ruin your life.
You should go to Graew, go immediately. Her Excellency the Military Governor will treat you like her own child, and the entire Demon-Slaying Bureau will put all its effort into nurturing you!"
"Tsk~"
Sevrin shifted uncomfortably, shaking his head and chuckling, "You're really too enthusiastic. Aren't you going to test me at all? To be honest, after your questioning just now, I thought you were suspecting me: suspecting that I was an undercover agent sent by some organization."
"Test what? No testing needed!"
Clover Holloway waved his hand and said, "There is no power in this world that would be so stupid as to release a peerless talent like you as bait or a mole.
Even if someone's head was kicked by a donkey, they wouldn't be willing to do that. Just by nurturing you to success, you're an automatic winning hand, ready to crush the world openly.
So what you need to do now is quickly head north to the Graew Capital, Zhoaw, to the Demon-Slaying Bureau headquarters. Once there, you will receive the best nurturing in the world!"
These words left Rheta and the others feeling incredibly ambitious and their blood boiling with excitement, wishing they were the one sitting firmly across from Commander Clover like Sevrin.
Yet, to everyone's surprise, Sevrin shook his head and refused:
"I'm sorry, I can't go to Graew right now."
Clover Holloway's expression froze, and he quickly asked: "Why?"
"Because..."
Sevrin smiled, "I'm going to save some people."