The days blurred together, each one bringing Lidien closer to the day he would revive Lily.

The squeak of wagon wheels pulled by slaves and the tramp of thousands of boots resonated across the grassy field.

Hundreds of carriages, thousands of soldiers, marched through the southeastern part of the Savage Expanse.

Slowly, silently, like a normal day.

Lidien was sitting inside the carriage watching the bright blue sky, freeing his mind the same as the floating clouds without restraint.

"Master... Mad Dog informed us that it would take more than half a month before we could reach the outskirts of the Dark Wolf Clan Territory."

Lidien tapped the table, while looking at Alva still in her maid outfit.

"Tell him to execute the initial plan... send scouts ahead and ensure the slaves and wagons are secured."

As his eyes glanced back at the sky outside, he added.

"Also... Alva, you make the decisions as you deem fit... I'll take command after we are near the territory... for now, I just want to relax and watch the sky undisturbed."

Alva bowed, and silently left the carriage, leaving Lidien alone inside.

The past few days had kept Lidien so busy that he had no time to join the breakfast with his adopted family, and the only one who accompanied him in his preparation was the silent ancient soul inside of him, as he tried to communicate with it without entering his Dreamflow.

Yet, the Monarch of Blood never spoke, or hinted that he was listening to how Lidien talked, making Lidien feel he was just talking to himself every time he asked something, waiting for the Monarch of Blood to answer.

However, the Monarch of Blood not answering didn't mean Lidien couldn't answer himself... it also helped him brainstorm on his own... reviving his old hobby of questioning himself from his lonely past life.

Lidien, for the past few days, had absorbed Elemental Essence with the crude method taught by Azer, making him feel that in his lower abdomen, there was a liquid of Essence that was slowly forming, shaping... but not enough to form the Coreflux.

'I wonder if the Coreflux grows solely by accumulating Elemental Essence, or if, like Spiritual Essence, it requires deeper understanding to truly form.'

He sighed, thinking that both Essences were hard to advance, compared to the Profane Essence of the Demons, where they would only let themselves succumb to Intense Emotions to advance to higher stages.

'This explained the prevalence of Demons over the Blessed... in a world so chaotic and full of despair, surrendering to intense emotion was far easier than seeking enlightenment. True peace was a rare commodity in this world.'

Lidien closed his eyes and performed the meditation to gather Elemental Essence, hoping that he could form the Coreflux in its solid stage before the march ended.

Another day passed, Lidien never rested, he even entered his Dreamflow to maximize the time brainstorming... not for the plan of the attack, but how to adjust the meditation given by Azer to form his Coreflux.

And when frustration hit him, he would decipher the Ancient Runes and language based on his own knowledge, and the memories of the Monarch of Blood in the fragmented shattered shards.

'Am I doing wrong? or is my understanding flawed? because if I already have an Elemental Essence inside my body... it means it was already stored in it... it also means that the Coreflux successfully formed. It was now just in its Liquid state.'

The pain and agony of not having knowledge really hit Lidien hard, for everything he needed to do should be based on his own understanding... without a proper guideline... without a mentor... he could only trust himself, hoping his mistakes would not cost his life.

'Now, if this really is the Coreflux in its liquid state inside my body... I should be able to imitate what Azer did that time in the Training Hall...'

Though Lidien now visited his Dreamflow once a day, the Monarch of Blood still didn't show himself and just continued hiding in the fragmented shattered shards.

"Idiot Monarch... I know you are there... I don't know what you are waiting for, but if you don't help me with your knowledge, I won't be able to make a Vessel for you... and worst, if the Death God takes this body from me, you'll be as good as dead."

Yet, the only thing that replied to Lidien was the splashing of verve dripping into its reservoir.

As time passed, deciphering the ancient runes and language...

Lidien memorized how to read and write the ancient runes, the only problem now was what the runes meant... for every line and wiggling worm had a different tone and meaning.

Even using his Incite of Blood to think rapidly didn't help, for it could only make him think fast but not enhance his own logic.

Then after few hours of studying, he felt his body getting pulled, bringing back his consciousness outside the Dreamflow...

And when Lidien opened his eyes, the sound of beast low humming gradually increased into screaming, momentarily making his blood jolt awake from it.

Lidien stood and proceeded to the table just outside of his carriage room, then placed the map he stored in his space ring spreading it wide open.

His finger traced from the Blood Rose Clan's central territory south to a region marked with a skull and a bloody forest... the Bone Orchards.

The old Lidien's tribal village lay to the west of it, while the path to the Dark Wolf Clan curved eastward.

The map made one thing chillingly clear... the only viable route to their target was a direct pass through the Bone Orchards.

"Xyon... are you there?"

The carriage door opened, Xyon wearing leather armor with a sword strapped to his waist entered briskly.

"Tell Mad Dog, for every slave dying, it will be replaced with a soldier that failed to protect it..."

Xyon bowed, and left the carriage immediately upon receiving the command.

Lidien watched him leave with a smile, and stared out of the carriage, gazing at the misty forest under the dim moonlight.

"A magical beast wanting to be my test subject... let's see how it goes."

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