Chapter 135 - Preparation

"Box of Time. Seal"

The light from Box of Time enveloped Alicia. It took him a while before he can calm down. He can't show his weak side anymore. He needs to get stronger as soon as possible. That way, he can meet her again as quickly as possible, the same applies to Firia. After he ascended, his opponents, later on, are far more dangerous than Zircodina Previous King. He let out all his frustration here, in this room. Let his weak side completely remained in this room. So, after he walked out of this room, he doesn't let out his vulnerable side, he needs to be clever. For his 'dream'.

He closed his eyes. He adjusts his state of mind. The moment he opened his eyes again. The eyes that filled with determination, bravery, cleverness, and sincere eyes show its appearance for the first time. This is the first step that Alex took before becoming a sovereign.

He opened the door. Outside, all of them still in tears. Even though they didn't witness the scene with their own eyes, they still clearly feel the emotion within. They were shocked when they see Alex suddenly come out without tears in his eyes. No, to be exact, his previous eyes that filled with sadness and his weak side were no more. They can see in Alex's eyes now. There is no trace of sorrow. Instead, it is full of determination. There is no shadow in his eyes. Instead, they can only see bright eyes that brimming with energy. They were very sure, the one who hurt the most in here is Alex. But the one they thought will hurt the most, appeared in front of them with pure, clear eyes. If Alex is like that, they can't show their weak side, right? They wiped their tears.

"Firia, can we talk?"

Firia wiped her tears as she nodded her head. Then Alex turned to his teacher, "Teacher, I also need to talk with you. Can we talk after this?"

"Sure" He answered with hoarse voice. "I will go back to my office. We can talk there

Alex nodded. He then looked at Firia, who also nodded her head and then took her away.

In a room, Alex and Firia looked at each other faces.

"Husband…" When she opened her mouth, She found herself can't speak any words when she saw his eyes. "Husband, I will love you not for what you have done, or what you will become. I will love you because it is you. So… May fortune be with you"

Alex was surprised, he never expected that Firia would say this. "Dear, wait for me, I will make the three of us reunite."

Firia smiled, "Sherry will be with you. She will monitor you so there will be no homewrecker, thieving cat, or gold digger approach you. I'm sure that's what Alicia would say."

"What!"

"You might not realize it, but there is a charm that can't be described by words in you, Husband. Though we didn't mind, you get another sister for us. But make sure that you choose the right one."

Alex scratched his cheek, "What kind of charm is that…"

(AN: MC's Charm, the best and can't be described charm)

"Hehe…" Firia giggled. "When are you going to break through to Martial Master Stage?"

"As soon as possible, so I think today."

"You need to challenge the lightning tribulation, right?"

Alex nodded, "Well, it will appear every time we advance a big stage. You will also need to pass the lightning tribulation later. Well, this is one of the things that I want to talk to you. When we are going to ascend, we will leave a big hole in this kingdom. After all, before we ascend, we are 'Rank 9'. That's why I wanted us to act."

"Act?"

"Yes. This world believes that the one who ascends will become a god, right?"

"Yes. That is the belief. You mean…"

Alex nodded. "After we passed the tribulation, we will fly above the cloud, like we disappeared and went to the 'Heaven/God Realm'. I had checked that it is possible when I reached the Peak Qi Manipulation Stage. Especially after we passed the tribulation. Our energy/qi will be refined into the true form of energy."

"You mean Spiritual Energy?"

"That's right. After we passed the tribulation, our qi will be replaced with Spiritual Energy. It is the true form of energy. That's the reason why starting from Martial Master Stage, called True Cultivation Stage. That's why, after we passed the tribulation, I wanted us to ascend to the sky until we can't be seen, which is above the clouds. Then we will silently go to the dungeon and went to the teleportation array. That way, even if we are not here. Our enemy or our kingdom enemy will think twice. That is the last thing I will do for this kingdom."

"I see. I don't mind about it. Father and Mother live in here too." Firia agreed to it. "Then, where will you challenge your tribulation?"

"That is the other matter. I think I will challenge it in Night Forest."

"Night Forest?"

"Yes. It is close from here since I'm going to use the teleportation array in the dungeon in the Maka Town. The second reason, there is no High-rank monster present in the forest. So, there won't be any monster that dares to disturb us. Of course, I will make a defensive array to prevent that too. But it is better to be safe."

Firia nodded in agreement.

"For my plan. I will make a big defensive array to cover a big area to prevent monsters from disturbing us."

"Us?"

"Yes, inside of that big Array. I will make a pair combination of Qi-Gathering Array and another defensive array. I will use one of them, so when you are going to ascend too, you can use it the other one."

Firia eyes widened before she shook her head. She put her hand on his face. "You are such a worrywart."

"Of course. You are my wife." Alex smiled. "And one last thing"

Alex took out the 'Box of Time' out of his inventory and handed it to Firia.

"Is this…"

Alex nodded. "Alicia inside. I leave the rest to you"

Firia smiled, "Leave it to me."

"Then, I'm going, Dear."

"Yes"

They kissed for a while before Alex walked away. Alex went to Sherry first.

"Sherry" He patted her head a few times.

"Wuu?" Sherry looked at him confused.

"Will you accompany me to the upper world?" Alex asked

"Wuu" Sherry looked at him with a star on her eyes

"The upper world is far more dangerous, you know. If you follow me, then, we need to fight far stronger than Zircodina Previous King."

"Wuu" She puffed her chest, saying that she will protect him. After four months with Alex, Sherry also reached Peak Qi-Manipulation Stage, just one step away from Martial Master Stage, Alex have prepared a few medicinal herbs for her. If she follows him, he will feed her those medicinal herbs, so when they ascend, not only him who reached Martial Master Stage, she will also follow him as soon as she eats those herbs.

"You won't regret it?"

Sherry shakes her head furiously.

"I see. Then, Let's go. We will meet Teacher first before we ascend."

Sherry nodded and became a stream of light before going inside of Alex's body.

Alex went to his teacher.

"Teacher"

"Now that you wanted to meet me. When are you going?"

"After this"

"I see. I just wanted to say sorry. I didn't help you when you are in the academy. Even though I'm a rank 8. Maybe you hate me for that, why is that me a student whose teacher is respected and one of the ten rank 8 in the kingdom get so many people offended me…"

"No, I never resent you for that. I'm thankful that you let me have the chance to mature up." Alex bowed to him to show his respect. "Teacher, I wanted to talk to you about this ascending thing…"

Alex explained the whole ascending thing, from Rank 10, Cultivation, Dungeon, the Upper World, and so on. He also told him his plan with Firia.

"That's why I can't go back here. But, please keep this as a secret."

"I see. Don't worry about that. We are still the strongest kingdom. You also leave your name in the Demihuman race. So you can go without worries. I know why you wanted me to keep this secret. Don't worry about that, I won't blabber something like that, even to your father-in-law."

"Thank you, Teacher."

"Are you going now?"

"Yes"

"I see. Let me give you one last piece of advice to you as your teacher. Don't hesitate, always move forward, don't entangled with the past. Everything in the past will make you stronger. If someday you feel fear, don't get scared and overcome it, that fear will make you stronger and kinder more than anyone else."

"Yes"

"And one last thing. I don't have any relatives in this world. I don't have a wife, and I don't have a son. But after meeting you, I always treat you as my son. So, Whatever you had done in the future or whatever you will become. I will always be proud of you." He can't face Alex like this. He looked back so he can't watch his face, his eyes become moist.

Alex's eyes widened, he felt the warmness he lost more than ten years ago. He bowed once again. "Please, accept this last bow from me…Father!"

The Dean raised his right hand, signaling him to go. Alex didn't say anything and disappeared. After Alex disappeared, he finally used his hand to wipe his tears. "Go, my Pride. Haiz, I'm too old for this."

…

Alex arrived in Night Forest within a few minutes. He searched for the spot he met the Forest King, Rank 6 Ape. He decided to set the array here. He wanted the forest to camouflage the array. He already told Firia the location so Firia can find this place. He started to make a big array. He took out the materials and the rank 9 monster blood that he got from the Demihuman race when he repaired the array. There are still two bottles left, which is enough to make this big array. For Qi-Gathering Array and Defensive Array. He will use rank 9 monster blood from Maxwell treasury.

For the big array, he planned to make Turtle Shell Array, this is a Rank 2 array which he toned down because of the ingredients to Rank 1 array. In these four months, he didn't blindly enjoy his honeymoon. He still practicing all his arsenal. Sanguin Sword Art, Luminous Spear Technique, Sky Movement, Fire Phoenix Art, Spirit Eyes Technique, Alchemy Technique, and even this Array Technique. Unfortunately, he still failed to condense the Spear Intent like his sword.

Rank 2 Turtle Shell Array. This is one of the lowest rank 2 arrays. That is the reason why Alex can make it and replaced some ingredients to tone it down to Rank 1 Array. It is like the Five Element Defensive Array that he met in the Demi-human Territory. But this array wasn't that good when blocking magic. After all, this array's purpose was to fend the monster away from this area. He makes six smaller arrays as the pillar, like a turtle shell, and linked them to the center, and those links become a pattern just like on the turtle shell surface.

After he finished, he killed all the monsters inside the array and burned their remains. It makes this big area clear from monsters. Then, he moved to the center of the Turtle Shell Array. He is planning to make a combination of Qi-Gathering Array and a Defensive Array called Lightning Rod Array. This is a cheat sheet when you are in the test. His Master specially make Rank 1 Lightning Rod Array to Rank 8 Light Rod Array in continuous. Just like its name, it can absorb one wave of lightning tribulation and channel it to the ground. Unfortunately, this array can only be used once, if he used it more than once, the Tribulation's consciousness will notice this, and send a far scarier tribulation. Its purpose wasn't to let cultivator pass it and become stronger than anyone else in the same rank. This tribulation purpose was to kill the cultivator. Even if they are still alive somehow after taking this tribulation, there will be no advancement, and they need to redo their tribulation from the start.