Chapter 697: Chapter 695: Never Stopping Chapter 697: Chapter 695: Never Stopping Ancient Whispering Forest, on the Snowfield beyond the He Feng Liehuo Kingdom, Russell returned in disappointment.

“Your Majesty Russell, Ci Xin indeed appeared here,” said King Rheins Windfire, sitting on the Fiery Fire Giant Dragon’s throne, offering his apologies to Russell, “but Fire and I could not intercept it before you arrived.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Russell waved his hand, “there will always be another opportunity.”

King of Rheins said, “Your Majesty Russell, since you have come to our He Feng Liehuo Kingdom, why not stay here today and allow me to properly host you? My granddaughters have just come of age and admire you greatly.”

King Rheins was exceedingly handsome.

Squinting his eyes, Russell knew the other was trying to entice him with beauty, and he didn’t plan to give him the chance.

“However, I do wish to stay for a while to ponder the power of the fire element within Fiery Fire Volcano.”

With that in mind, he decisively said, “King Rheins, there’s no need for a banquet, let’s drink to our hearts’ content after resolving the Frost Star issue. I plan to study swordsmanship in Fiery Fire Volcano; please grant me this convenience, King.”

“Your Majesty Russell, how can you even say that? Of course, it’s convenient!” laughed King Rheins heartily.

He then personally led Russell into Fiery Fire Volcano and arranged a platform exclusively for Russell to study swordsmanship undisturbed.

Leaving the Shadowflame Dragon and the Fiery Fire Giant Dragon to eye each other warily.

He sat, sword across his knees, contemplating the power of fire element represented by Fiery Fire Giant Dragon and seeking to comprehend its secret techniques.

When evening came,

someone sent by King Rheins brought food, which was served by a pair of twin maidens with fiery red hair, voluptuous and pretty, dressed in luxurious and distinguished attire, personally attending to Russell’s meal.

“Who are you?” Russell frowned.

“Your Majesty Russell, my name is Lea.”

“My name is Levin.”

“Our grandfather is King Lalis,” the enthusiastic twin maidens, Lea and Levin, replied to Russell’s question, “Grandfather has asked us to serve Your Majesty during meals, and it will be the same for the next few days.”

“Yes, we wanted to join the Amber Dreamland before, but we weren’t chosen to be your maids, Your Majesty.”

“Too many maidens applied.”

“We sisters cried for a long time back then.”

“Now we finally have the opportunity to serve Your Majesty.”

“We truly wish to serve Your Majesty Russell for a lifetime!”

The twin sisters took turns speaking, pressing with enthusiasm, leaving Russell hardly able to cope, forcing him to enjoy a sumptuous dinner amidst overwhelming tenderness. After dinner, Lea and Levin stayed behind to continue serving Russell.

This led Russell to sigh, “King Rheins… you’re trying to disturb my dao heart!”

Fortunately, he was firmly focused on his swordsmanship. After dinner, he sat cross-legged and continued to study the patterns of the fire element’s movement within Fiery Fire Volcano.

Three days later,

he rode the Shadowflame Dragon back to Shadowflame Volcano.

Accompanying him were the twin sisters Lea and Levin as his maids, coming to work at Red Castle.

…

The second month of Giant Troll disturbance.

The nations had stabilized the situation, with Snow Demons and Snow Ghosts being eliminated in such numbers that forced the Giant Trolls of the Frost Star Hundred Divisions to engage in direct combat.

At this time, another piece of good news spread among the humans.

Grand Duke Vitali of the former Coldflame Duchy had, in just over a dozen days of drawn-out battle with a Snow Troll, successfully been promoted to the second Phantom Dragon Knight in human history.

“Ha ha, let me grandly introduce to everyone, this is the newly minted Phantom Dragon—Royal Griffin Vimo!” Grand Duke Vitali returned to the Amber Council, bringing with him the newly advanced and imposing Royal Griffin.

“Congratulations, Grand Duke Vitali!”

“Congratulations, Your Highness Vimo!”

“The Dragon watches, Mother Earth gazes!”

Everyone offered their congratulations to Grand Duke Vitali, who then took Vimo to the Dragon’s Path Study Society and delivered a week-long lecture series about how he and Vimo had ascended to become Phantom Dragons.

Originally, when confronted by a traveling Snow Troll, Grand Duke Vitali and Griffin Vimo had gone out of their way to provoke it.

Afterward, taking advantage of their ability to fly, they did not cease to harass the Snow Troll every single day.

It was also a stroke of luck that after being harassed to irritation, the Snow Troll had likewise fixated on Grand Duke Vitali, insisting on battling him every day.

The fight persisted for well over ten days before a victor emerged.

“During that time, I nearly lost my life to the Snow Troll on several occasions, amidst constant peril, but it was precisely those brushes with death that allowed Vimo and me to undergo the tempering of the mortal heart, eventually turning defeat into victory, slaying the Snow Troll, and ascending to Phantom Dragon Knight!”

Besides the lectures,

Grand Duke Vitali also made a trip to Shadowflame Volcano to express his gratitude to Russell.

“Your Majesty Russell, had you not pioneered the way of the Phantom Dragon Knight, I couldn’t even imagine achieving what I have today,” Grand Duke Vitali lamented, initially thinking that becoming the Dragon Domain Lord was his ultimate accomplishment.

Little did he expect that beyond that lay the Phantom Dragon Knight.

“Your promotion has given all the knights of Dragon Sleep Continent confidence,” said Russell. “My comrades, even if they all advanced, would just have the knights believe that it was due to Mother Earth’s favor, thus lacking firm belief.”

Grand Duke Vitali laughed and said, “Indeed, I, too, have made a contribution to the Way of the Knight, ha ha.”

He paused, then spoke, “During the lectures I gave at the Dragon’s Path Study Society, I could clearly feel a surge in the knights’ enthusiasm, unlike before. They were more skeptical or dared only to aspire to become Dragon Domain Lords.”

After chatting for a while,

Grand Duke Vitali voiced his doubts after ascending to Phantom Dragon Knight: “Your Majesty Russell, is Phantom Dragon Knight the final rank?”

“I can’t simply say whether it is the end or not,” Russell shook his head. “Just like with the Ancient Dragons, whether they represent the final point of the Way of the Knight is also a realm we have yet to reach.”

He said calmly, “What I can tell you is that the path of cultivation is endless… The universe is vast, and we are but a single speck among countless particles. Dominating Dragon Star or Frost Star is truly insignificant.”

Had Russell not witnessed the vast expanse of the cosmic tree, had he not possessed an Amber Great Tree himself, he would not be so certain.

But he had seen such a majestic creation as the cosmic tree.

Naturally, he knew that even the Ancient Giant Dragon Knights were insignificant creatures in the universe, unable to break free from Dragon Sleep Continent.

Therefore, there certainly were untraveled paths waiting to be climbed by the Ancient Giant Dragon Knights.

“Indeed, what Your Majesty Russell said is extremely true,” Grand Duke Vitali nodded in strong agreement. “The universe is so vast. If not for Frost Star’s invasion, I would have no idea that our Dragon Sleep Continent was not the whole world and that beyond it lie countless Dragon Stars and Frost Stars.”

Having his doubts cleared, Grand Duke Vitali did not dare to delay Russell’s time any longer and bowed out: “Then I shall not disturb Your Majesty Russell’s cultivation.”

“Take care,” Russell said without opening his eyes.

He remained seated on the throne atop the Shadowflame Dragon’s head, his steel longsword laid across his knees, meditating on the power of the fire element.

Seeing that Russell, undoubtedly the strongest in Dragon Star and even Frost Star, wasn’t indulging in pleasures but was still engaged in arduous cultivation, Grand Duke Vitali’s pride from advancing to Phantom Dragon Knight was quickly swept away.

After leaving Shadowflame Volcano and mounting his Royal Griffin Vimo, who had come to greet him, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Vimo, we cannot slacken our efforts. If His Majesty Russell is still exploring the path ahead, what reason do we have to stop here!”

It wasn’t just Grand Duke Vitali.

Many human knights were also striving in their cultivation, climbing the Way of the Knight because it is a path of cultivation that never ceases.