Chapter 26 Unparalleled

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The noisy sound of the sea tide came from outside the window.

Due to infrequent cleaning, the small coastal cabin was filled with dust.

But Hiliard and Ian did not mind, they sat cross-legged on the bed, facing each other.

"How much do you know about Sublimators?" the old Knight asked.

"I only know that Sublimators exist," Ian replied succinctly, "and Spirit Energy."

"At least you can spell the words correctly." Hiliard didn't expect Ian to know much, he nodded slightly and said, "Then, do you know about Alien Forms and Magical Beasts?"

"I know," Ian naturally acknowledged, "I've seen them before."

Immigrants living in South Ridge, how could they not be aware of Exobeasts? Those powerful creatures that naturally wield Spirit Energy and roam the wild mountains are the stuff of legends among all people.

It is said that some of the totems worshipped by the Natives are friendly Magical Beasts that protect Humans, their protection forced the Empire's army to turn back without success and had to recognize the Natives' autonomous rights within the Redwood Forest.

And Exobeasts in the sea were even more common.

In Ian's memory, when he was four or five years old, he and his mother stood at the port, watching from a distance as fishermen worked together to drive away a huge sea serpent.

The blue-black sea serpent was more than thirty meters long, its scales were tougher than steel, and it could create whirlpools in the sea with its powerful tail to help it swallow schools of fish.

Neither harpoons nor crossbows could cause it harm, in the end, it was only by the merchant ships under the Viscount's command taking the risk of sinking that they managed to drive it away.

"All creatures are born from the same origin, all are the offspring of the sun, whether plants or animals, Magical Beasts or Alien Forms, even us Humans, we all need to bathe in the sun's radiance, thus all living beings are brothers and sisters."

"However, as time passed, all things diverged, acquiring different gifts and special abilities."

Hiliard turned his head, the sunlight passing through the curtains and the window seemed tranquil and silent, he stretched out his hand, letting the sunlight fall on his palm, painting it with a layer of gold.

The old Knight said calmly, "In ancient myths, Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and many other intelligent life forms shared a common ancestor, who received the Fruit of Wisdom, and thus gained wisdom."

"The ancestors of the herds, those with powerful bodies, and even various spirit abilities and special powers, received the Fruit of Life, which is why they possess extraordinary might."

Turning back, the Knight looked at Ian and said earnestly, "To integrate wisdom and the power of life is 'sublimation,' Sublimators are travelers on The Path of Sublimation, pursuing the ultimate elevation."

"Simply put, Sublimators are those who use their wisdom to attain a power comparable to, or even surpassing, that of the Alien Beasts."

—— Myths, huh? Worship of the sun. An unexpected science.

Ian's culture and history classes had not failed him, he clearly understood what Hiliard was referring to was just a small part of the complete mythology system, and the inheritance of Sublimators was intricately linked with it.

Sun worship was not uncommon. Rather, the sun held an important position in any mythological tale.

And from the perspective of energy transfer, the sun indeed was the source of all life, all living beings were indeed brothers and sisters at the feet of this benevolent father and mother.

As for the key terms like Fruit of Wisdom and Fruit of Life, Ian took a mental note to seek further guidance later.

Because right now, he had another question he wanted to ask.

"Teacher."

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Ian furrowed his brows in confusion and asked in a soft voice, "How can one amalgamate the power of wisdom and life?"

"Eat."

Hiliard was succinct, "That's the true essence of a Sublimator's cultivation."

"Exobeasts inherently contain the power of the Fruit of Life. Through wisdom, one refines their essential elements, extracts their essence, and with alchemy, uses the materials of the Exobeasts to concoct Magic Potions and supplements, allowing humans to absorb the power of the Fruit of Life and gradually enhance their own rank on The Path of Sublimation."

"As for the effects, Ian, you can touch my arm."

Hiliard raised his hand and showed his arm to Ian, "I am a knight of a certain distinguished individual and was once a high-level Ascendant, but in past battles due to the Originium Plague, nearly all my Sublimation Organs were destroyed, and even the higher-grade Sublimation Structures like the 'Spiritual Nervous System' built inside my body were completely dissolved."

"In other words, I'm basically a commoner now, without the divine power of a high-level Ascendant."

"However, even so—"

Clenching his fist and bulging his muscles, the elder emphasized, "My life's essence has evolved, far stronger than an ordinary person and even some lower-level Ascendants."

At this moment, Hiliard's face had returned to its true form, no longer taking on the appearance of Ossenna.

He might not be as handsome as an elf, but his features were well-proportioned; with a straight nose, his grayish-brown hair slightly curly. He possessed a steady and dignified military bearing, with wrinkles that didn't make him seem overly aged, just adding a stately authority of time to the knight.

"Alright, Teacher."

Responding, Ian reached out without hesitation and touched Hiliard's arm.

——He had wanted to feel it a long time ago; the bodies of the Sublimators from this world must be extraordinary!

However, it wasn't until Ian really made contact that he realized the 'skin' he was touching was only skin-like in appearance.

"This touch..." The boy couldn't help but widen his eyes.

It was a series of fine, smooth scales layered one upon the other, a lustrous crystal carapace, hard yet flexible, seemingly impervious to both water and fire, almost like a suit of chainmail that one carries around.

Beneath the skin was not traditional flesh and blood but a non-Newtonian fluid that was extremely soft and could be extremely hard as well. Ian even felt as if he was touching a humanoid crane. At his prime, Hiliard probably could have easily flipped a house, and perhaps much more than that.

Looking up, Ian met Hiliard's gaze. At first glance, the old knight's light brown eyes seemed unremarkable, but Ian, with his keen perception, noticed those pupils were constantly adjusting and enlarging in response to changes in ambient light and distance to the target, just like high-precision surveillance cameras, meticulously encompassing everything in the field of vision.

This power... Ian's breath quickened slightly for a moment.

This unprecedented possibility...

Was exactly what he had been pursuing, what he had been exploring!

Noticing the boy's gaze mixed with anticipation and desire, Hiliard nodded in satisfaction.

Clearly, the bright boy in front of him had grasped the key point.

"Teacher's body is very special."

Letting go and calming his mind, Ian seriously summarized, "Although they seem to be ordinary skin, muscles, and eyes, they all possess abilities beyond that of ordinary people."

"Beneath the facade of a human carapace, hides an extraordinary power."