Sovereign of the Ashes

Mauritius Archipelago was situated in a region known for its hot climate.

Though the Western Archipelago and the East Coast are on the same latitude, only their longitudes differ.

However, the vast expanse and complexity of the Magus World meant that its environment and climate differed significantly from those of small or micro-sized planes.

In Magus World, climate changes, as well as, the timings of sunrise and sunset were governed by the plane’s laws.

As these laws varied, so did the conditions and biodiversity across Magus World.

Mauritius Archipelago, one of the more prosperous areas on the East Coast, benefited from its proximity to the Western Archipelago and boasted an extremely well-developed maritime system.

In fact, this region was a primary point of contact with the Western Archipelago.

Based on a map obtained from the divine tower, Sein noted that the southern part of the East Coast housed numerous small and lesser-known forces.

Although the southern part of the East Coast could not match the territories of the more structured and resource-rich knightly orders and divine towers, it was abundant with forests and magic beast resources.

The continuous mountain ranges in the south had also given rise to several vast magic beast forests.

Although these forests were generally smaller than the Sage’s Forest near Steel City, they were nonetheless substantial.

Additionally, several mountain ranges and forests in the southeastern corner of the region were directly connected to Sage’s Forest—the largest forest in Magus World.

They were favorite destinations for knights and mages undergoing their training.

Sein had little interest in exploring the magic beast forests to improve his combat skills given his current situation.

Instead, he planned to continue eastward.

After navigating the hot but rainy Mauritius Archipelago, Sein finally reached the mainland of the East Coast aboard an alchemy ship.

The climate on the mainland of the East Coast was warmer and more hospitable than that of the Mauritius Archipelago.

This region was characterized by vast farmlands and a population in the billions.

After spending some time traveling, Sein observed that the development of the East Coast closely mirrored that of the South Coast, which he had previously explored.

Both regions, as coastal territories of the Magus Continent, showcased comparable advancements in magic and battle qi civilizations.

Upon closer examination, the East Coast seemed slightly more prosperous, owing to a marginally higher number of divine towers and orders of the knights than those found on the South Coast.

The diversity of magical professions here was also greater.

During his journey here, Sein encountered battle mages for the first time, as well as dual cultivators proficient in both magic and battle qi.

There wasn’t much need for elaboration on battle mages, as Sein could nearly be classified as one.

The dual cultivators excelled not just in close combat and ranged offense. This term specifically referred to those individuals who simultaneously cultivated battle qi techniques and delved into the mysteries of magic.

Although Sein had been tempering his body, he was still a pure mage.

He chose not to explore battle qi techniques nor find a way to make his body generate battle qi. Due to the ongoing demands of his magic research, he simply did not have the capacity to temper battle qi.

The use of magic to temper the body was an approach unique to the Verdant Flame Faction, epitomizing the wisdom of a Rank Six mage.

After encountering dual cultivators of the same rank, Sein concluded that his own strength was comparable, if not superior, to theirs.

While those skilled in both battle qi and magic generally held more power than peers of the same rank, this advantage was not limitless.

As one of the strongest among Rank One beings, Sein was confident no dual cultivator could surpass him merely because they wielded both magic and battle qi. After all, his strength was bolstered by his equipment and profound knowledge of magic.

If dual cultivation were truly superior, it would be the chosen path for many mages and knights in the Magus World.

Its lack of mainstream adoption indicated significant flaws and limitations.

Sein acknowledged that while no dual cultivators he had met so far matched his strength, it was possible he had yet to meet the most formidable among them.

Having achieved his primary goal in the Western Archipelago, Sein leisurely explored during his return journey.

In his seventh month on the East Coast, Sein finally located House Jobbs.

In Yemisen Kingdom at the heart of the East Coast, they were the most distinguished family in this sizeable human nation.

House Jobbs was also an ancient family with achievements in multiple areas. Their ranks included both knights who wielded battle qi and mages devoted to the study of magic.

In commerce, the family held a significant standing throughout the Yemisen Kingdom.

Rumors circulated that the House Jobbs had forged alliances with several divine towers and orders of the knights along the East Coast, and their lineage boasted more than one demigod-level expert.

House Jobbs far surpassed House Grantt in prestige, though both were noble houses—they simply were not in the same league.

Due to their renown in the region, Sein had little trouble locating them.

Upon reaching out to Ghur using the contact details they had exchanged on the Knight Continent, the Rank One knight—who had previously found himself mired in the swamps—promptly appeared before Sein.

Clearly, Ghur held a significant status within House Jobbs.

Otherwise, amidst such a vast family with numerous sons and daughters, it would not have been his turn to participate in the trial on the Knight Continent.

Having not seen him for nearly thirty years, Ghur had undergone considerable changes.

Initially, during their encounter in the trial zone, Ghur seemed like an early or mid-stage Rank One knight.

Now, his aura alone suggested he was in the late stages of Rank One, not to mention any other hidden strengths he might possess.

Geniuses were not uncommon in the Magus World, and Ghur, despite his unassuming initial impression, was far from just a simple knight.

“Sein, my friend! You really came to visit me!” Ghur exclaimed as he embraced Sein.

”Come, let me take you to my manor and show you some of the East Coast’s specialties. Aren’t you mages interested in rare specimens? I even have a gift prepared for you!” he added.

“Oh? How did you know I was coming?” Sein asked curiously.

“From the Western Archipelago, you’d return to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring either by heading east or west—and I guessed you’d take the East Coast route,” Ghur explained with a shrug.