Chapter 2153: Experience Through War

"You know that the Sage Council is not going to be pleased." Rui raised an eyebrow. "After all, the sole power of the Union comes from Martial Artists and nothing else."

"Don't worry; I have given each of them similar missions that will end up benefiting the Council if they succeed," Emperor Rael calmly remarked. "There is more than one Martial Sage who could use the Divine Doctor's medical prowess, though not all of them need it as desperately as Sage Kole does. Regardless, I have chosen my targets and their corresponding probability of success such that the Martial Union will benefit similarly to the Royal Army. I still am a firm believer that the Martial Union and the Royal Army should always be in harmony with each other, for the sake of the Kandrian Empire."

"Hmm..." Rui narrowed his eyes. "Can you really trust that all of them will do as told after they have made use of the Divine Doctor's services? Many of them might have only agreed for the sake of being healed or enhanced, before ditching the Kandrian Empire after getting what they came for."

"Ordinarily, you would be right," his father replied. "The risk factor, in my estimation, crosses the acceptable threshold. Thus, your assessment is completely accurate."

"...But?" Rui raised an eyebrow. "But we have your grandmother." Emperor Rael smirked. "She, in addition to Sage Farana, is able to allow me to be certain in my choices. Thus, I have decided to go more aggressively on this plan, and many other plans, due to the sheer strategic advantages of the power of the Eye of Prophecy. It is thanks to her that I was able to eradicate the festering Underworld as well as I did. She is indeed worth being considered a treasure of the Kandrian Empire."

Rui had to agree with the statement.

The eradication of the Underworld had happened when he was deep in the middle of his training for the Yin-Yang Spear. He had been deeply shocked when informed that the Underworld had been uprooted and eliminated, all with the help of his grandmother's prophecy.

Since it had already proven itself, he could see why his father would rely on it to overcome high risks with the certainty that his grandmother's technique used.

Yet, more than the political considerations, Rui was much more intrigued by it as a Martial Artist.

He felt a deep attraction to the power of the technique. How could he not?

He couldn't even imagine how strong he would become if he did master it. The combination of the VOID algorithm, the SOUL System and the Eye of Prophecy together would raise his insight into a battle into absolutely uncharted territories. He might very well become nigh omniscient within the confines of a battle.

Furthermore, he technically had access to it due to being a member of the Silas Clan. As long as he contributed his systems of thought to them...

"I wouldn't recommend it." His father stared at him knowingly. "The Eye of Prophecy will drain your greatest gift—your youth. It will accelerate your aging and consequently cripple and destroy your bottomless potential."

Rui stirred at those words.

He valued his prime deeply; it certainly wasn't going to last forever.

"If you weren't strong and if your capacity to develop your Martial Art powerfully wasn't high, then it might be worth considering. However," his father continued, "you have proven that you are capable of creating techniques that are no less powerful than it. You have reached the Master Realm at a shocking young age. That youth at this altar increases the probability that you will eventually rise to the Sage Realm."

Rui stared at his father melancholically.

"...I am aware that your path to the Sage Realm is uniquely difficult." His father closed his eyes. "However, I am of the firm belief that you will reach the Sage Realm."

Rael's voice contained no ounce of uncertainty.

"You will be able to maximize your gains across your entire lifetime if you master the technique after discovering your Martial Soul."

Rui had to admit that, on a logical level, his father's words were entirely accurate. However, it took a herculean amount of self-control to not just jump at the prospect of new power.

Rui heaved a sigh. "I'll think about it. I won't master it this close to the war, since I won't be able to make it a source of genuine experience in time."

His father smiled. "Have you not been satisfied by the experience you gained from all your battles inside the dungeon in the past eighteen months?"

"...It's not unsatisfying per se, but it feels like the returns diminished after I fought all willing Masters at least once," Rui muttered with dissatisfaction. "My Martial Path is Adaptive Evolution. Once I adaptively evolve to an opponent, the difficulty of fighting reduces significantly. It also reduces the value of any experience I gain as a result."

It was why Rui had exited the dungeon in the first place. There were only so many gains that he could make with fewer than two hundred martial masters. He left the dungeon a little over a month after entering it to grind for experience for a year and a half straight.

"I came to the conclusion that I need more opponents, ideally as many powerful high-grade ones as possible," Rui remarked. "Ideally, they should be fighting with the objective of killing me. Something like a war."

A fleeting grin cracked at the edge of his mouth.

"You've started resembling the Fire Sect." His father smiled wryly, shaking his head with resignation. "Oh well, if it's a war you want, then rejoice. Soon, your desires will be fulfilled."

Rui smiled as his fists clenched with anticipation.

He wouldn't miss the war for the world. Where else would he ever get such an opportunity?

He was grateful that his father was both highly ambitious and highly able to give him exactly what he needed.