Imperial Crown.

Chapter 612 Eric Breaks Through to the Fifth Rank
Raven would never do something like showing favoritism.

Back in his bedroom, Raven took out Adjani's four sixth-tier magic cores. Gazing at one of the steel magic cores, his mind was in turmoil, and he couldn't calm down for a long time.

As everyone knows, Lord Raven is always generous and selfless. Since he has already used the Eye of Truth to strengthen White Moon, there's no reason not to strengthen his loyal old general, Eric.

Eric's strength is indeed insufficient now. Many things aren't a question of whether he wants to help, but rather whether he can even get involved. If Eric possessed sixth-tier strength, Raven wouldn't need to personally risk his life against Ferdinand.

What kind of logic is there for a protagonist destined to become a lord, a nobleman, or even an emperor to personally go to the battlefield and fight bloody battles with others?
That's so embarrassing.

After much deliberation, Raven decided to use the sixth-tier steel magic core to strengthen Eric. At the very least, it would help him break through to the fifth tier. "Tsk," Raven's nose tingled, his eyes welled up, and he was deeply moved by his own generosity, almost to the point of tears. But to be honest, since returning from the Orc Empire, Link and the Hyena had both received the Battle Mother Potion as a reward, breaking through to the third tier. Eric, however, had received almost nothing. It wasn't that Raven didn't want to reward them, but the Battle Mother Potion was only effective for second and third-tier transcendents. It was useless against Eric, who was at the fourth tier. As for why it wasn't distributed to the second generation, that was an even better question. There were so many second-generation cultivators, but only a few bottles of the potion. Who should get it?
Are we going to stage an internal power struggle where two peaches kill three warriors?
Furthermore, even a common steel element sixth-tier magic core would cost no less than 22.53 gold coins. So it's not that Raven is stingy. Eric already has a salary. This sixth-tier magic core is purely an extra reward. Most people wouldn't even be willing to give their parents over 20 gold coins, let alone a servant. And for other nobles, it would be absolutely impossible.

As for Ferdinand's spatial ring, it was practically empty. The Vandorian family had been struggling financially due to the burden of paying millions of gold coins in reparations to the Insa Empire. Raven had only obtained a little over 20 gold coins from it. The most valuable item was the World-Suppressing Divine Weapon, the Fang of the Realm. Besides that, there were several ice combat techniques. Raven chose one called [Ice Edict Finger], intending to cultivate it later.

“Although Eric lacks political wisdom and foresight, as long as his military strength exists, the entire territory will certainly not be thrown into too much chaos.” “This way, I can focus on my secluded cultivation in peace.” After weighing the pros and cons repeatedly, Raven made up his mind. After all, Eric’s loyalty was beyond question. This alone made Raven’s investment in him worthwhile. “But I still need to cultivate a successor.” Raven pondered silently. Several figures flashed through his mind, but he rejected them one by one. Paine was cunning and fickle; he was fine as a strategist, but he was not qualified to be a successor in terms of either temperament or loyalty. Denise, as a woman, would certainly not be able to command respect. Hu Xia had good qualities in all aspects, but his indecisive personality and lack of ruthlessness made him unsuitable for great things. This made Raven think of his previously chosen candidate—Hoyaz. He was struck on the head by Akery and died there. Ernada, desperate to save her husband, also lost her life in vain. "What bitterness!" "What sorrow!" Years of cultivation and planning were interrupted overnight, and Raven couldn't help but lament his fate. As a lord of a region, his life was truly difficult.

"Hyena," "Call Eric."

There was no point in dwelling on it now. After regaining his composure, Raven called out towards the door.

Before long, Eric rushed over.

"How are the preparations for the memorial ceremony going?" Raven asked, getting straight to the point.

"Reporting to the patriarch," Eric replied in a deep voice, "it can begin by tomorrow evening at the latest." He counted the nobles who had not yet arrived.

"Um"

Raven gave a nonchalant reply, "Remove your armor. I will help you break through to the fifth rank later."

"Ah...?" Eric was taken aback at first, then his eyes lit up with great joy. "Thank you, Patriarch." "But I don't have the resources I need for this breakthrough."

To break through from the fourth level to the fifth level, taking Eric as an example, one needs an Elf Bone Orchid and a fifth-level steel ore called [Undying Banner Marrow].

"Use this instead."

As he spoke, Raven tossed out an item. He certainly didn't have the Undying Banner Marrow, but Adjani's ring contained a fifth-tier steel ore called [Slaughter Abyss Ingot]. It wouldn't be a big problem to use it as a substitute. After all, steel element is a common metallic element in the Five Elements theory. As mentioned before, Adjani's ring contained seven fourth- to fifth-tier ores. One of them was the fifth-tier Slaughter Abyss Ingot. "As for the Elf Bone Orchid..." Raven murmured, then frowned and pondered for a moment, "I have my own way." Raven planned to try his Battle Demon Qi to see if it could help Eric. However, to avoid exacerbating Eric's tension, he didn't say so explicitly.

Back in the Elf Empire, Raven obtained three Elf Bone Orchids. He gave one to Litanshi, one to Gilida in exchange for the Broken Compass of Spatial Rules, and used one himself when breaking through to the fifth rank. Now, he can't get any more Elf Bone Orchids for the time being, so he has to force things out.

If the Demonic Qi truly fails at that point, then so be it—he won't break through. When Raven broke through to the fifth rank, he didn't absorb any blood elemental ore either. That's the difficulty of cultivation; it's impossible to always be perfect and risk-free. Many brave souls have perished or been destroyed during failed breakthroughs. In reality, Raven didn't even want to give Eric this fifth-rank steel ore. Because of the elements within the demonic core, there was no need to absorb more ore. It was merely a psychological comfort for Eric. If he truly needed to use this fifth-rank ore this time, then the total cost of Eric's breakthrough to the fifth rank would be no less than 50 gold coins.

This is almost equivalent to a ducal family's net profit for a year!
It's easy to imagine the price Raven paid for Eric.

"Master," "I am ready."

Eric had already removed his armor and sat cross-legged in front of Raven, speaking calmly.

"Eric, you're currently a fourth-tier, four-star individual." "You're 57 years old." "If you fail to break through... are you aware of the consequences?"

Raven's voice sounded somewhat indifferent, his tone cold as he asked. His long-accumulated authority pressed down on Eric like a mountain. Eric couldn't help but tense up.

Looking into Raven's deep black eyes, Eric paused for a moment before nodding. "Master," he said, "I have prepared for the worst. I understand the consequences."

If one had to pinpoint the greatest benefit of Raven's battle with Ferdinand, it wouldn't be Ferdinand's death or the world-suppressing divine weapon. Rather, it would be how this great battle solidified the resolve of the many onlookers who cultivated towards the Dao. The inspiration for Raven and his fellow warriors was unparalleled. The same was true for Bai Yue, the Hyena, and Eric… and indeed, many more.

"Then let's get started."

Raven crushed the sixth-tier steel magic core in his hand. Instantly, dense steel elements filled the room. These silvery-white steel elements occasionally transformed into hurricanes, occasionally condensed into sharp blades, and occasionally coalesced into iron balls... churning and surging like dragons within the room.

"Hmph!" Raven snorted coldly, his immense mental power forming an invisible barrier that enveloped the steel element. Then, golden light flashed in his eyes as he began to extract the essence of the corrupted soul. Eric stared intently at everything unfolding before him, his heart pounding with tension. But he was quickly overwhelmed by the formidable power Raven displayed.

Enveloped in a vast, abyss-like ocean of steel elements, the seed of battle aura within Eric's body began to leap rapidly, hum and vibrate, emitting light... expressing an intense "desire" to absorb the steel elements. However, Eric forcefully suppressed it. Throughout the entire territory, aside from the Marquis, Eric had been strengthened the most times. Therefore, he was very familiar with the procedures and rules. He knew that the magic core contained a large amount of corrupted soul essence. Once absorbed, it could lead to anything from qi deviation to instant death. At this moment, Eric felt as if he had fallen into an endless ocean formed of steel elements. His five senses and six perceptions were actively blocked and shielded. He had completely become a "drowning" person. The silvery-white ocean, the mist... all robbed him of his true perception and judgment of his surroundings. But soon, he saw a dazzling golden light. The golden light powerfully pierced through the silvery-white mist, like a great sun, shining brightly and decisively... The scene of Raven and Ferdinand's clash that night involuntarily flashed into Eric's mind. At that very moment, just as it is now, Raven seemed to transform into a god once more, standing tall in the vast ocean, silently protecting Eric. This brought him both peace and tranquility, and a profound sense of awe.

"drink"

A cold snort suddenly erupted from the nasal cavity. The almost invisible essence of decaying souls transformed into terrifying, monstrous dragons, which were seized by the golden noose. No matter how the dragons struggled, rolled, or roared, they were utterly powerless against the divine force.

Panic, fear, and horror... After briefly sensing the mental power of the family head, Raven, Eric was immediately horrified. His emotions spiraled out of control. He had never known that he, a fourth-tier transcendent being, was so insignificant. Before the family head, he, Eric, was clearly a fly in a downpour, completely panicked and blindly stumbling into a spider web. And the family head was like a spider the size of a basket, capable of taking his life at any moment!
"Eric, stay focused!"

A voice, like that of a deity, boomed out, pulling Eric out of his previous panic and confusion, and making him dare not act rashly again. He held his breath and waited quietly.

How much time had passed was unknown—perhaps an hour? Or perhaps several days… The golden light had noticeably dimmed. Heavy breathing echoed from the silvery-white ocean. The storm power contained within the sixth-tier magic core was so immense that even someone as strong as the patriarch had to exert his full strength. Fortunately, the corrupted soul essence had been completely stripped away. Only pure steel elements remained in the world before him. “You can absorb it now,” the patriarch’s voice rang out calmly. Eric hurriedly released his suppression and greedily absorbed the surrounding steel elements like a whale drinking water. *Pop*

A muffled thud clearly emanated from Eric's body. As a torrent of pure steel elements surged into him, Eric's cultivation level instantly soared and broke through!

Fourth-tier five-star, fourth-tier six-star, fourth-tier seven-star... fourth-tier eight-star, fourth-tier nine-star...

"Master!!" "I... I can't take it anymore!"

At the peak of the fourth tier, nine stars, Eric's face was flushed red, and he roared in agony. A massive amount of steel element surged into his body, but his Battle Qi Seed could not absorb even a tiny bit. It transformed into razor-slice daggers within him, beginning to tear apart Eric's flesh and bones.

hum-

The golden light blazed brightly once more, and Raven extended his finger, sending a dazzling, azure-colored battle aura toward Eric's lower abdomen. He simultaneously enveloped Eric with his mental energy, driving away the steel elements, while simultaneously piercing Eric's body with his battle demon essence.

The Doumo Yuanqi entered Eric's dantian. The Douqi seed in his lower abdomen immediately began to shake violently, visibly growing stronger. As more and more Doumo Yuanqi was poured in, Eric's silvery-white Douqi seed grew larger and larger. This step was the most dangerous; failure would mean Eric's death or serious injury.

Raven's body contained approximately 19% of the Demonic Qi. This was rapidly depleting, quickly surpassing the 10% mark. Raven couldn't help but feel worried.

12%...14%...16%... Just as Raven's Doumo Yuanqi was about to be exhausted, Eric's Douqi Seed finally stopped growing. Outside, the sky was already filled with strange phenomena, purple lightning surging and exploding within the dark clouds. Almost everyone in Venice witnessed this scene.

Eric immediately let out a long howl.

boom

He finally succeeded in breaking through to the fifth level of transcendent!
Inside the room, nearly one-third of the steel element in the sixth-tier magic core remained unabsorbed. Raven absorbed this steel element into his body. Instantly, the magic vortex trembled, and he also broke through a minor realm, becoming a fifth-tier, two-star mage. "Stabilize your condition," Raven instructed, quietly taking the unused fifth-tier steel ore, the Abyss Ingot. He stood up and left the room, instructing the hyenas outside to guard the door.

When a cultivator breaks through to a higher realm, they must solidify their foundation. The timing of this process varies from person to person. Like a snake shedding its skin or a crab shedding its shell, these are the moments when they are at their weakest. At such times, absorbing steel elements would be tantamount to suicide.

Under the cover of night, Raven walked alone down the street. He couldn't remember the last time he had the leisure to stroll around so leisurely. The street was both chaotic and bustling. The smells of rust, fish, and foul odors mingled together, filling his nostrils. Looking at the smiling faces of these foreign, lower-class people, Raven had unconsciously lost the sense of alienation he felt after his transmigration. It was as if he were a local of the Middles Continent, completely integrated into their lives. The trauma of the great war seemed completely irrelevant to these people; their heartfelt happiness and joy gave Raven a feeling that even if tomorrow were the end of the world, it wouldn't stop them from indulging in extravagance and debauchery tonight.

After walking for a short while, Raven arrived at a detached house.

Step inside and push open the door.

"Your Majesty the Marquis!"

Several people inside hurriedly stood up and bowed respectfully. However, some remained seated.

"I've been very busy lately and haven't had a chance to come see you." "You weren't secretly cursing me, were you?"

Raven smiled and said.

"Uh..." "No, no, I wouldn't dare."

Henchton and Grand were amused and scratched their heads, unsure of what to say. Baydo, sitting in his wheelchair, laughed heartily.

Raven placed the large pile of food he had just bought from the night market on the table and began eating it himself. Since he didn't eat, the other three didn't dare to either. "What are your plans next?" Raven asked casually, spitting out a chicken bone, as if having a casual chat.

Hinchton is Cuman's son. Cuman is the governor of Snowmaple County and was formerly under Viscount John. However, he was kept on to allow Raven to quickly familiarize himself with Snowmaple County. Grand is the son of a merchant with no significant background. He graduated from Griffith College. Baido is Phil's son. Phil is currently the head of Goldshire. Although he doesn't hold a title, he wields considerable power; Goldshire has practically become Phil's territory. Phil only needs to hand over a portion of the profits each quarter.

"Reporting to you, sir," I replied, "I intend to go home."

Having survived this brush with death, Hengchiton had come to understand many things. It wasn't that he was afraid of death, but rather that the loss of so many brothers was truly painful. His father was a government official, so he had a way out.

Raven nodded. "Good thing."

Grand's gaze was firm. "I've decided to stay with the Eagle Army. But before that, we plan to send Baido back to Goldshire."

"cheers."

Raven didn't say much, but raised his glass.

The four clinked glasses and enjoyed a delicious meal. Afterwards, Raven took out 300 gold coins as a red envelope for the three men, 100 coins each. Then, at their insistence, they spent the night in the largest bedroom.

The next day, Raven was awakened from his sleep by Grand. "My Lord Marquis," Grand said, "the ceremony is about to begin."

……

(End of this chapter)