Solflare: The Painter's Secret

Chapter 236: Leon, You Ruined Everything

Thousands of kilometers away from Agatha, mirrorlike clouds drifted at varied angles to form a giant white spear. In the sky, the words *Welcome to Seol-Mujin* glowed upon it.

Beside the monument, white birds with tentacle feathers swirled around the spear and began turning it with their large wings. When they cried, beams of white fire escaped their small throats and struck the transparent glass. The fire snaked through the spear from all sides and merged at the tip before blasting out into fireworks of pure heavenly grace.

Below the glorious display were reflective roads that stretched without end. On them, countless men who seemed to be in their thirties walked like immortal gods. They flung their colorful robes to the side and smiled whenever they collided with one another.

On the left side of the road, huge translucent towers sprawled with sharp edges cutting through the sky, each one accompanied by its own artificial star. On the right were massive floating gardens suspended in the open air. Large sunflowers, capable of swallowing five muscular humans at once, lingered in the gardens and sent warmth across the Land of Lords.

Inside one of the translucent towers, countless people walked without echoing a single footstep. Every step was measured and in perfect sync, as if a single mistake would bring calamity upon the city. Some flew on mechanical equipment that no human in Thule or Agatha had ever felt beneath their fingers, while the few Skywardens flew through the air without any technology at all.

Among the Skywardens, two dashed into the clouds with a speed that surpassed time and appeared at the edge of the second largest blue Skywarden tower. The moment they hovered closer, the walls opened and folded in on themselves like a mat, then sealed back once they entered without leaving a single scratch.

As soon as they reached the interior, Lord Kessa shoved the shoulder of her partner, Lord Riven, and dashed forward like a bomber jet while laughing.

"Oh, want to play that game again?" Lord Riven said. He took a deep breath and placed his hands at his sides. "Here I come."

They flew across an endless hallway until they reached a black door that seemed to bend with every slight vibration from the walls.

"Be careful this time," Kessa said as she shifted her blue gaze to Riven’s. She slowly lowered herself onto the moving floor. "I will miss you."

When they reached the entrance, a white glow scanned their bodies before the door turned white and opened.

"Good morning, Lord Luo Fang," Kessa said as she bowed her head slowly. When she glanced up, Riven was still standing tall, as if being in the presence of the Skywardens’ second-in-command was merely a joke.

"Hey Uncle," Riven said in a joyful tone. He moved a step forward, leaving Kessa standing alone with her head bowed.

"Kessa, you may leave now," Lord Luo Fang said. He did not turn away from the thick darkness outside the tower, despite the graceful light of the city.

As soon as Kessa exited, she ran to the wall on her right and covered her face with her palms while tears slowly dripped from her eyes.

Inside the chamber, Riven maintained a smiley expression and began swinging his arms as he walked sluggishly toward Luo Fang. "Uncle. So, why did you call me? I asked Kessa, but she kept on smiling and telling me she had no idea."

Luo Fang inhaled deeply then lowered his gaze before turning. He looked at Riven’s childish face and shook his head in shame.

*How come that brat reached a level like that, but Riven hasn’t over the past five years of intense training?* Luo Fang thought as he closed in on Riven.

Riven looked at Luo Fang with shocked eyes, then giggled when he felt a heavy hand land on his shoulder. Luo Fang walked Riven toward a chamber with a smiley face drawn at the top and stopped a few inches away. "Step inside."

Riven looked at Luo Fang and hesitated before taking a step. "Uncle, would this boost my strength like it did last time?"

Luo Fang smiled without answering. As soon as he closed his eyes, a transparent glass sealed the chamber shut. Riven began slamming his fists on the glass when his breathing began to change. "Uncle! Uncle! Please, I can’t breathe."

Luo Fang stood there with no remorse in his eyes as he watched Riven’s skin redden.

"This is just the beginning," he said. He turned toward the glowing orb on the wall. "Go and come back stronger, Riven."

With a press of the button, a blue glowing message appeared on the screen.

[TELEPORTATION ACTIVATED.]

[CONFIRM LOCATION: ]

[TARTARUS]

[YES / NO]

Luo Fang shifted his gaze to Riven’s and grinned. "Accept."

[LOCATION CONFIRMED]

[DEPARTURE IN 3...2...1...]

Inside the chamber, Riven’s body dissipated into motes and vanished, leaving only smoke behind. As soon as the glass door rolled back into the wall, Kessa returned with a rigid expression. "Sir."

Luo Fang walked to her left and stopped. "Make sure the next person you train surpasses grade B within one year."

Kessa swallowed hard while her eyes widened with shock. "But sir."

"That’s an order."

"Okay sir," she said. She stiffened her body until Luo Fang exited the room. "One year?"

She looked at her palms then at the wall with the smiley face. "Even the only person who transcended from Tier 4 to Tier 5 of the Skywardens used two years of constant practice. Who on earth is Lord Luo Fang trying to create?"

...

Outside the chamber, Luo Fang stopped when he saw Hayes nearing him.

"Lord Luo Fang," Hayes said in a low voice. He glanced behind him before looking back at the Lord. "We have to inform the council about Leon before they get to him first."

"Don’t worry, the right person for the job has already been sent," Luo Fang said as he placed a hand on Hayes’s shoulder. "We’ve got the right person to bring him."