"So, Bubba's been misbehaving this whole time," Apollo muttered, resting a hand beneath his chin as he thought about his mischievous monkey. "To think he still has the nerve to run off, even after all the punishments I've given him. I must've been too soft."

An intense wind whipped through his hair and clothes as he stood atop his flying mount, Bluetooth—the Water-Attributed Falcon—whose powerful wings cleaved the skies with every beat.

Apollo's shoulder-length black hair fluttered behind him, dark strands dancing as he scanned the endless terrain below.

After leaving the vast desert far behind, they soared above mountain ranges that took nearly two hours to cross. Along the way, Apollo glimpsed several villages dotting the rugged landscape. With his enhanced senses, he caught sight of villagers pointing up at him, their faces alight with wonder and awe.

They passed a few other cultivators riding their own flying mounts. Thankfully, none of them were the reckless sort spoiling for a fight. Like him, they all seemed bound for the same destination.

The journey from Belthias City to Manida Land was a grueling ten-hour flight—comparable to crossing countries back on Earth. Even though Belthias and Manida were considered "close," the sheer distance between them felt like traversing an entire continent.

It made Apollo wonder just how enormous Planet Luan truly was.

With a quiet sigh, his gaze fell on a sprawling settlement larger than any of the villages they'd passed.

Quasi-City.

Unlike the scattered villages, this place teetered on the brink of becoming an official city—provided it could expand and fortify itself. The Empire encouraged such growth, which explained the massive gaps between established cities.

Supporting Quasi-Cities gave villages a shot at rising to cityhood. Once strong enough, the Empire would appoint a mayor to oversee them. Many people grumbled about this policy, knowing that even if they built a prosperous city, it would eventually fall under imperial control.

Yet the lure of resources and power was irresistible. The Empire's arrangement was simple: assign a mayor, enforce imperial laws, and demand tribute only occasionally. Beyond that, the city was free to govern itself.

It was a bold strategy, Apollo thought. But he had quickly learned the mastermind behind it all—the Emperor of the West himself. A ruler who expanded his domain by planting seeds of ambition, certain he could crush any city that dared defy him. As one of the ultimate powers on the continent, his authority was unquestioned.

Since the policy's inception, cities had risen and fallen—but none had ever dared challenge the Empire.

Still, with Klown's death, the Devil Worshippers lurking in the shadows, and that impostor who claimed to be a Devil, Apollo couldn't shake the feeling that something dark was stirring in the West Continent.

Once they passed Quasi-City, only three or four hours remained—if Bluetooth maintained their blistering pace.

He glanced down at his mount, watching the blue falcon's wings pound the air with tireless determination. The bird's face was set with an almost comical seriousness, eyes fixed ahead like a soldier marching to war.

Apollo couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head.

"Hey," he called, smirking as he leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing with amusement. "You look awfully eager to get to Manida. What's going on?"

"A-ah… N-nothing," Bluetooth stammered, trying and failing to hide the excitement glinting in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" Apollo pressed, raising an eyebrow. "You know I can understand animals, right?"

Thanks to the Basic Animal Translation Technique he'd purchased from the System, Apollo could communicate with his monkey and his mount. He could even understand other intelligent beasts and monsters—though he'd learned to shut that ability off during fights. The last thing he needed was to hear the panicked rambling of monsters he was trying to kill.

For now, though, he kept it active—reserving it for his loyal companions, Bluetooth and Bubba.

Bluetooth hesitated, glancing sideways at Apollo, his beady eyes filled with uncertainty. "B-boss… do you think I stand a chance?"

Apollo didn't need to guess twice to figure out why his blue falcon was so eager to reach Manida Land.

Earlier, when they'd encountered other cultivators soaring on their mounts, one in particular had caught both their attentions.

Apollo's focus had drifted to the figure standing atop her own flying beast—a young girl, no older than ten, dressed entirely in shades of delicate pink. Her robes shimmered with expensive silk, and her long pink hair flowed like a banner in the wind, adding an ethereal grace to the skies.

What truly captivated Apollo, however, wasn't her appearance. He wasn't some degenerate. It was the power radiating from her small frame—a quiet pressure revealing she'd already reached the 2nd-Step Core Creation Stage. For someone so young, it was astonishing.

Though the girl tried to hide her cultivation, to Apollo, her concealment was laughably thin—a veil he pierced with a casual sweep of his senses. He even knew her exact age.

She was more talented than Kuo-Pal, the famed prodigy from the Middle Continent.

Apollo had simply marveled at her strength. But Bluetooth? The moment his eyes landed on the girl's pink falcon, his feathers practically stood on end, wings trembling with excitement.

When Bluetooth had craned his neck and flapped a little harder, the pink-haired girl glanced back, her eyes cold as she scoffed and disappeared into a drifting cloud of pink mist.

That was all it took. Ever since, Bluetooth had been desperate to catch up—though no matter how fiercely he flapped, their speed remained frustratingly steady.

"This is what you get for slacking on your cultivation," Apollo said dryly, shooting his mount a mocking smile. "If you'd at least reached the Qi Condensation Stage, you might've stood a chance."

"I hate myself!" Bluetooth wailed with a shrill cry, feathers ruffling wildly. "Isn't my handsomeness enough? I know she noticed me—she must be into me! It's that girl who scared her away!"

"Idiot," Apollo muttered, flicking his finger and launching a tiny Wind Blast at Bluetooth's head.

"Ouch! Why'd you do that?!" Bluetooth squawked, shaking his head, eyes swimming with tears.

"Handsome?" Apollo scoffed, arching an eyebrow. "Have you looked at yourself lately? You look like a pigeon."

He expected Bluetooth to snap back, but the falcon took it to heart, his eyes round with wounded pride.

"No! I'm nothing like a pigeon!" Bluetooth screeched. "Those stupid birds just waddle around looking clueless! I'm majestic!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure you are," Apollo chuckled, his laughter rolling across the skies before he shook his head. "I'll make you a deal—if you reach the Qi Condensation Stage, I'll help you win her over."

Bluetooth's eyes widened, determination flashing so brightly that Apollo almost flinched. "Hmph! That's easy! Don't you dare take it back!"

Apollo studied his mount, both amused and a little surprised. Is this the power of women? he mused, lips twitching into a grin.

Before he could ponder further, a retching sound snapped his attention backward.

"What's the… commotion… blergh!"

A rancid stench hit him like a brick. Apollo winced as he looked over his shoulder and saw Don hunched over, vomiting across Bluetooth's back, his face green.

"Argh! Get it off! Get it off!" Bluetooth screeched in horror, wings flapping wildly.

With a weary sigh, Apollo pulled out a glowing sphere from his storage ring. A soft light enveloped the mess, making it vanish instantly into thin air.

"You two…" he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose as he cast a long-suffering look at both mount and disciple. "You're both ridiculously high maintenance."