Hallelujah!

At night.

Inside the palace, at the library sat the emperor of the Dragon Empire, wearing leather armor with a well-embellished tunic with gold-work thread.

At his side was Misha reporting everything that he found mysterious about the fourth prince's disappearance at Stone Valle.

"That's all your majesty." Misha ended his report.

The emperor, who's listening to Misha, couldn't help but feel a little bit odd. It took Misha three months to find his son who mysteriously went missing when in fact Apolaki could easily be found because of the qi he branded to him.

Seeing that the emperor went silent for a while Misha interrupted saying, "Actually, from what I have heard from the people around the village, they said that a phenomenon appeared out of nowhere. Dark clouds covered the bright sky and lightning and thunder flashes for about a minute. This phenomenon actually matches the signs where the Qi branded into the fourth prince vanished."

"And the Qi that has been branded to him only shows signs of coming back after three months, right? That's when you found him. At the Stone Crew Sect mountain." The emperor added.

"Yes, however, the thing is I already searched the whole mountain and in fact I have been to that spot where the fourth prince was located many times but there's no one there. There were only signs of lightning hitting the ground and the scorching trees that had been damaged."

The emperor went silent again as if he was thinking about something. His left fingers gradually tap at the table from time to time, and then it stops. He looked at Misha and said, "It seems like we couldn't find the answer we were looking for. I also doubt it was the doing of the empress. We made sure that the fourth prince left the palace at that time without anyone knowing. And we also spread fake news that the prince died because of a mysterious disease.

As long as the fourth prince is alive everything is well. Let's not dwell into this matter for too long. And also, next week is my birthday, we have to prepare well. Many delegates would be attending the party and this time, I hope the fourth prince can form a connection between them quietly. It's been twenty years how could they possibly know what Apolaki looks like? Tell him what's on my mind and let him decide what he's going to do next."

"Yes, your majesty." Misha bowed.

He was about to excuse himself when the king continued, "However, if he wants to leave, let him. He is already at the age where he can decide on his own, so let him decide and give him the things he needs. At least as his father I can do this much."

***

Inside the room, Apolaki could be heard sighing. Who would have thought that he was someone who had been reincarnated seven times already. Added by the fact that he himself is the son of Francis Momin and Dana Momin the emperor and empress of the Dragon empire.

What a powerful identity.

However, Apolaki shook his head.

"My mother despises me and my father could barely keep me. What was the use of keeping this identity?"

Keeping the identity as the prince of Dragon empire can only lead to trouble.

Having an unknown identity is more suitable than having a powerful background.

And also, kingdoms and empire schemes are normal and he had enough of it from his past experience.

"Thankfully, it seems like my father understands my circumstances."

Apolaki massages his temples and sighs again. Having lived seven lifetimes Apolaki could understand how difficult it is to maintain zero thoughts. Those who experience hard life have the tendency to think all the time.

He who had been plotted.

He who had been betrayed.

He who had been used as a tool.

Now, because of those memories, he began to think twice about how to proceed with his life from now on.

It might be better if he doesn't have those memories. But to think that god heard his prayer, he gained something. And that something comes along with a painful memory he doesn't want to have.

However, as they have said. Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forwards and learn from those sad memories.

Now that he had the power to change his future, Apolaki couldn't help but feel relieved.

He who has low talent when it comes to cultivating Qi, can actually be able to cultivate and convert the Qi into mana itself.

He was quite lucky.

Being an experienced mage, converting Qi into mana is simple.

Qi is everywhere in this world. Converting Qi into mana, one needs to purify the Qi and convert it into a higher form of energy.

By doing this, not only it creates great changes into your body but it also provides you with stronger magical power compared to the pure raw Qi in the surroundings itself.

Thus, he began to convert qi into mana.

"…"

The sun steadily climbed over the horizon. Nevertheless, Apolaki did not move an inch and maintained his posture. He slowly opened his eyes, which were overflowing with a strong dark-blue aura. To an onlooker, it would have been an astounding sight. The dark-blue energy that was clearly visible at first glance was the manifestation of having heaven and earth qi that was converted into mana inside the body. The hazy concentration was unmistakable proof of successfully converting the Qi into mana.

"Ugk!"

Apolaki vomited a mass of black liquid. The putrid black substance reeked. Before long, a similar black substance began to trickle out from his pores all over his body.

This black substance called impurities accumulated in the body of Apolaki since he was born. In order to quickly circulate the qi efficiently, the impurities needed to be cleared first. The circulation would be much faster and he would now be able to cloak his body with mana more easily, making it possible for him to engage in a fierce battle.

For a dozen minutes, Apolaki spewed forth an amount of black liquid so great that it was unthinkable to have come from such a weak and slightly thin body. Once finished, he sighed with a satisfied look. Although he smelled quite awful and his clothes were drenched with black substance, he felt rejuvenated and was full of vigor.

"Now, with mana, I can use magic. Who cares about training yourself with Qi when you can cultivate a purer energy instead?"

After erasing the old energy and consolidating the new energy in his body, Apolaki formed hand seals and recited an incantation, "Greater magic: Eight Gates of Body Enhancement!"

After a while, runes suddenly appeared in front of him. It was as if it was scribed by a mysterious energy formulating a complicated mysterious symbol. After the runes finished formulating itself, it began to draw near to Apolaki's middle chest.

After it contacts Apolaki's flesh, the runes brightly glowed red. Similar happens to his body also. It glows with a hint of tingling red. As cracks grow visible into the naked eye.

After a minute or so, the runes, cracks, and the red glow finally subside.

This time Apolaki blew a deep breath and smiled brightly saying, "Success!"

Greater magic: Eight Gates of Body Enhancement is an advanced body enhancement created by him. It is a type of magic which is infused with magic power creating a rune and inscribing it into the body allowing him or her to perform incredible physical feats. What makes this magic advanced is that the runes can continuously convert Qi into mana and strengthen his physical body.

In his past life this body enhancement works when it continuously absorbs mana in the surroundings. But here, he needed to make changes to it in order for the magic to work effectively.

Since there is no mana in this world one needs to create mana using Qi energy. However, if the user converts mana by himself and lets the rune absorb the converted mana inside the body, then there is nothing left for the user to use.

So, Apolaki changes the use of the rune and makes it convert its own mana by itself. Of course it becomes quite complicated but thankfully it works.

Now, Apolaki needed not to worry about his own mana.

Next is, "Lesser magic: Aura manipulation!"

By doing this, no one would be able to discover the changes going on with his body. This is to provide safety and also in order for the stronger cultivator to never be able to see the different energy he emits inside his body. What the cultivator sees is not the actual truth but the actual truth can only be seen by the person who casted it himself.

The aura he imitated right now was at the third level… the last level of the warrior phase.

Thinking about how bright his future will be from now on, he slowly spreads his two hands and looks at the ceiling.

As if feeling ecstasy, he said, "Hallelujah!"