Return of the Mythic Bloodline-Chapter 348: The Snow Goddess is ill

"I must leave now," Ume whispered, parting her lips a few seconds later. "You should treat your injuries as well."

"Not until I hear the words," I said, holding her tightly by the waist.

Knowing what I wanted to hear, she murmured, her face carrying a faint reddish hue from the kiss, "I will not entertain such useless thoughts anymore."

"Good girl," I whispered, kissing her forehead before removing my hands from her waist.

Now completely flushed, she suddenly rose from the bed and blurted, "I will contact you once I reach Everfrost Peak!"

Without waiting for my reply, she vanished, leaving behind petals of plum blossoms.

On my chest, a pink-colored magical circle glowed for a moment before completely disappearing. While I was kissing her, she had changed my Soulforce signature again, this time using an even stronger spell so it would not be accidentally undone.

---

"Greetings, Your Highness. The Thunderbane Sect is blessed by your return!" Lily said the moment I walked out of my room.

Master Robert must have explained the situation to her before returning to his abode.

"Greetings, Maid Lily," I replied. "Forgive me for the mess I made of this place." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Please do not, Your Highness," Lily said with an even deeper bow. "I will take care of everything here."

Although she was a maid, she was an Awakened Sage, highly trained in every kind of task a maid could be required to perform. Even rebuilding houses and repairing the torn garden were well within her capabilities, given the Sect she served.

---

"I should heal these wounds before morning," I thought inwardly, sitting cross-legged in the chamber given to me in the Sect.

Using the Tree of Divinity, I converted a small amount of my Soulforce into Divine Soulforce, lacing my entire body with it.

A golden hue radiated from my body as the Divine Soulforce seeped into my wounds, slowly healing and regenerating the skin.

It took me more than three hours to fully recover while continuously pouring out Divine Soulforce.

It would have been faster if I had not been suppressing my Soulforce pressure, ensuring it did not leak outside the room.

Knock-knock!

"Lucifer!" A sharp voice came from the door, followed by loud banging.

I rose from my seat, wore the face-changing mask, and put on a robe since the previous one had been completely torn during the clash with Master Robert.

While I was at it, the banging on the door kept increasing, violently shaking it with each strike.

"Ugh. Someone is eager to be beaten to a pulp," I muttered, moving toward the door.

"Lucifer! Open the door!"

"Why are you barking at my door first thing in the morning?" I snapped, opening it.

"B-bark?" Thorin gasped, his eyes widening. "You dare speak rudely to a Thunderbane while living in our Sect?"

"What do you want?" I asked, completely ignoring his babbling.

"Y-you!" he muttered, veins bulging on his forehead from the utter disrespect he felt for the first time.

Taking a brief breath to calm himself, he muttered while throwing a space ring toward me, "Hmph. Who wants anything from you? I am only here because Master Robert ordered me to give you this."

Using his foot as a pivot, he turned and said, "It contains the robe of a core disciple and the monthly resources that a core disciple receives."

"Do you need something as well?" I asked, turning to Lyra, who was also standing beside him, appearing to be in some distress.

"She only came to give me company," Thorin retorted. "Let us go, Lyra."

To his surprise, she did not move. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Junior Brother Lucifer, could you train me?"

Before I could reply, Thorin exclaimed, turning to Lyra, "H-how could you ask an outsider to be your training partner, Lyra? We will become a laughingstock among the Seven Banes!"

"We are already a laughingstock among the Seven Banes, Brother Thorin!" Lyra shouted, raising her voice. "We have been placing last in the Azure Sky Competition every year. I do not care if Junior Brother Lucifer is an outsider if he can prevent the Thunderbanes from suffering humiliation."

After a brief pause, she continued, "Besides, I did not ask him to be my training partner. I want him to be my teacher."

"Y-you have completely lost your mind, Lyra!" Thorin shouted loudly. "Stop talking nonsense and return to your abode!"

"Oy, loudmouth," I said, stepping in. "Does it feel manly to raise your voice at a lady?"

"Keep your nose out of it, outsider," Thorin muttered, stepping closer to me. "This matter does not concern you."

"Then you must be an idiot," I replied with a shrug. "I am at the very center of this matter."

Turning to Lyra, I continued, "Follow me."

"Lyra, do not speak to me again if you leave," Thorin declared, clenching his fists.

Lyra hesitated for a moment. Then she bit her lip and began following me as I moved toward the upper part of the Sect reserved exclusively for core disciples.

---

"J-Junior Brother Lucifer... huff huff... will this really make me stronger?" Lyra asked, breathing heavily as she ran around the open ground with heavy weights tied to her waist.

"You can stop if you want," I said, sitting cross-legged at the center, my eyes closed.

"One hundred rounds, was it? I will... huff huff... surely complete them," she declared, refocusing on her run.

She, along with the other Thunderbanes I had fought, possessed a stable cultivation base and explosive Soulforce output, as expected since they were trained by none other than Master Robert. However, the most important thing they lacked was physical capability. They were like fragile clay pots filled with pure water. One strike and they would crumble.

Being occupied with maintaining not only the Sect but the entire mountain, Master Robert could not train them personally. Lyra revealed that Master Robert had indeed told them to train their physical prowess. However, except for her, most ignored his suggestion, focusing solely on cultivating their Soulforce and ascending in rank.

These remaining Thunderbanes were also highly pampered and had never fought in a life-and-death battle, as the Sect could not afford to lose even one of them. This led to further deterioration, as none of them possessed real combat experience.

"Sister Lyra, tell me more about this Azure Sky Competition," I asked.

"A-are you also interested... huff huff... in participating?" she asked, her pace slowing.

"If you reduce your speed any further, your set will be doubled," I said, my eyes still closed.

Gritting her teeth, she immediately picked up her pace and continued explaining between heavy breaths, "The Azure Sky Competition is held every year, where the heir of each Sect has a friendly spar with one another in the presence of King and all the Sect Masters. The winner earns the right to request any reward from the King."

"Hmm," I nodded before asking, "Will the Snow Goddess also participate in the competition?"

"Obviously not," Lyra replied. "She cannot fight."

"Why not? Because she is a Princess?"

"Are you deliberately feigning ignorance?" Lyra muttered. "Everyone knows the Snow Goddess is ill. She cannot live past the age of twenty-five."