Age of Adepts
chapter-263

A light boom rang out in the room.

As the new Flame Fiend's Heart beat for the very first time, Greem felt a burning stream flowing through his body. The powerful and plentiful feeling of having excessive amounts of energy coursing through his veins was so uncomfortable that even Greem couldn't help but let out a groan.

Even though most of the heart's abilities had been sealed away by the runes, it still used to be the heart of a Second Grade being. The power of a Second Grade abyssal creature was still too much for Greem to handle.

Possession of powerful strength demanded the possession of an equally powerful body!

The abyssal Flame Fiends of the lower realms were massive creatures that easily grew up to four meters in height. The resilience of their Physique could even compare with the dragons themselves. Even though they had bodies of flesh and blood, burning lava coursed through their veins. It was the evil and violent powers of flame that surged within their bodies.

Greem had brought suffering upon himself by transplanting the magical organ of such a powerful creature into himself. Apart from the overwhelming flame energies, what was more painful was that chaotic, violent, and brutal aura of the abyssal Flame Fiends.

If Greem hadn't completed the elementiumization of his body, he might have just turned to ash with the first beat of the Flame Fiend's Heart.

Even though the Flame Fiend's Heart had now successfully integrated with his body, he still felt pain all over his body. It was as if his blood was slowly being heated up and turned against him, used as a blazing inferno to reduce his body to ashes.

Fortunately, the sealed Flame Fiend's Heart only beat twice in a single minute. This ensured that Greem wouldn't be burnt to death by flame energies that went out of control.

In truth, this was only a short-term imbalance in his bodily systems brought about by the Flame Fiend's Heart introduction. As long as he had a period of time to rest and get used to his new heart, the problem would go away on its own. Once that happened, Greem's Physique might even have a chance of improving, thanks to the positive influence of the powerful Flame Fiend's Heart. This would bring him closer towards the resilience and savagery of a berserking adept.

Greem endured the intense pain and slowly sat up. He lifted his body from the stone platform.

Greem looked down. The ghastly cut on his chest had already been sealed by heat rays, leaving a long and ugly scar running across his flawless skin. Such a massive wound would completely heal in half a day, given his Physique. Of course, that was provided he had enough to eat. Moreover, it had to be quality food.

Greem stumbled for a bit before regaining his footing.

Even though power surged through his body, the only thing he felt was nausea and dizziness. These contradictory feelings clashed against each other in Greem's mind, torturing him and plunging him into agony. He frowned in pain.

Greem waved and his magical equipments flew out from the darkness. Once again, he was fully armed. As the designs for the runic equipment hadn't been completed, Greem was still wearing the soft adept’s robe so commonly worn by elementium adepts.

The more traditional and conservative adepts still preferred their tall and pointy hats, but Greem had absolutely no interest in such outdated fashion.

With the emergence of large amounts of magic equipment, there was a countless array of powerful options to choose from. The old-style adept’s robe, adepts' hat, and flying broom that only featured a few enhancements were unpopular among the adepts these days. Only some old stubborn fools in the more conservative and ancient organizations remained. They continued to persistently refuse to use this newer equipment.

However, Greem had no such issues!

He was a classic pragmatist. There was only one thing in his mind when choosing his equipment– its power and its effects. Old and new didn't matter.

A casual wave of his hand swept a wave of fire through the room. All the blood stains and marks he had left behind were erased in a single move. Even the bone fragments that had been chipped off his bones when they were cut were reduced to ashes. Greem would never leave behind a chance for potential enemies to peek at the secrets of his body.

Although Greem had half a mind to keep his original heart, he still destroyed it out of safety concerns.

It was only after Greem had completely combed through his room that he released the magical defenses he had placed on it.

Thus, the pseudo-adepts and advanced apprentices under him swarmed into the room and quickly cleared away the stone platform and robotic arms. Greem ignored them and asked the tower's spirit for a couple sets of magical energy meals. He wolfed it all down.

The previously beneficial magical energy set meal was no longer effective or helpful for his Physique. However he was still able to derive immense sensory pleasure from eating gourmet food that suited his elemental affinity.

The tower's spirit sent him a message as he was enjoying his meal.

A certain Adept Angus from the Underground World adepts' tower was trying to contact him long-distance. The tower's spirit was trying to ascertain Greem's response.

Angus? Wasn't he the adept that made him promise to visit the Castle in the Sky? If Angus had managed to find his way here, he probably had some basic information on Greem already.

Greem, who already planned to visit the Castle in the Sky, agreed instantly.

A black rift slowly appeared in mid-air. A strange plant that resembled a sunflower crept its way out of the rift. Large amounts of light gathered on the surface of the sunflower. The light flickered and the silhouette of a black-robed adept appeared.

It was Adept Angus!

"So glad to see you again, Adept Greem!" A strange smile surfaced on Angus' cold and uncaring face. He put extra emphasis on the word 'Adept' when he greeted Greem.

After all, Greem had only been an apprentice adept that he could knock around the last time they met. Just one year later, and Greem had already advanced to an official adept with equal status to himself. As such, even this Adept Angus was not confident that Greem would obey the contract they had agreed to earlier.

The contract was one meant to bound an apprentice adept to his words. It had limited effect on an actual adept. As long as Greem was willing to pay the necessary recompense, he could choose to ignore the terms of the contract. On the other hand, Adept Angus would never take the risk of offending a mid-tier adept clan in the central area all for the sake of forcing Greem into obeying the contract.

This was why Adept Angus couldn't help but betray a trace of nervousness and concern when he saw Greem. He could see Greem's powerful figure and feel his mental flux, fierce as fire, lashing against his face.

"Nice to meet you, Adept Angus!" Greem nodded and replied politely.

"Are you still willing to obey the terms of the contract we agreed to in the past?" Angus asked testingly.

"Of course!" Greem smiled, "I have great hopes for the trip this time!"

Adept Angus was visibly relieved after hearing Greem's answer.

In his original plan, having Greem participate in the apprentice level Golem Wars was already enough. That would ensure that their clan's benefits would be protected. Now that Greem had advanced to an adept, the potential profits would be upwards of ten times greater if he managed to win in the adept-level Golem Wars.

Of course this made him nervous!

However, any sort of lying or trickery in the face of an actual adept of equal status was a despicable and treacherous act. Thus, Angus immediately came clean. He wanted to sign a new contract with Greem, and promised great profits that could even move Greem.

It was clear that the profits the Byron Clan stood to gain from the Castle in the Sky were extremely massive. Why else was he so willing to offer such generous pay!

With only three months left till the Golem Wars, Greem only had two months to prepare. He would then have to leave for the Castle in the Sky.

The two made some small talk before agreeing on a meeting points for the trip. It was only then that both parties ended their conversation on a satisfactory note and cut off the long-distance magical communication.

"You are preparing to go to the Castle in the Sky?" Alice had been beside him the whole time and had overheard the conversation between him and Angus.

"Why? You want something?" Greem stared at her amusingly.

It seemed Alice had figured out his temperament. She knew that he was a master that didn't care too much for status and ranks. This was why she dared to sit in for the conversation of two adepts.

"Why don't you bring me and Snorlax along!" Alice suddenly became extremely excited and happy.

"Why?"

"Because the Castle in the Sky is the most prosperous place for trade and merchanting across the entire Continent if Adepts. That goblin of yours has to go to the Castle in the Sky if he wants to fulfil his dream of becoming a great goblin merchant!" Alice continued to dance about as she explained, "There are all sorts of innovative and interesting golems and machines there, not to mention all kinds of odd voodoo beasts, precious and rare magical creatures and materials, as well as countless types of esoteric adepts. However, even all this added together couldn't compare with the sheer marvel of the Castle in the Sky itself!"

"The Castle in the Sky is the true alchemical magnum opus of the World of Adepts!"

Greem listened to Alice's lengthy ramblings. He couldn't help but yawn and said nonchalantly, "What does that have to do with you?"

Alice's emerald eyes opened real wide. She flashed her sharp canine teeth and said angrily, "How could I not follow after my master? After all, I am your cutest and most precious personal maid. Is there anything to question about this?"

Alice's eyes were narrowed together. She tried her very best to act her cutest.

It was clear that Alice was extremely interested in this Castle in the Sky. The arrogant girl was trying to suck up to Greem to get him to agree to the idea.

"Very well, we will go together!" Greem thought for a moment and turned to pass some instructions to Alice, "Go and pass the news to Snorlax and get him to prepare for the trip. If the Castle in the Sky is as great as you say, we should try and get a spot for Snorlax to stay there!"

If he wanted to create a new force that belonged to him and him alone, he would need an endless stream of resources and information. If that was the case, it was much better to have Snorlax stay on the Castle in the Sky rather than in Feidnan City.

Greem also wanted to take this opportunity and see for himself this marvel of a city floating in the skies– the Castle in the Sky!