All-Class Anti-Mage - Chapter 39 - True Recognition

Yang Zhen did not expect that while waiting for someone, he would encounter an old acquaintance instead.

Katie, dressed in a snow-white gown that highlighted her pure appearance, stared in surprise at Agaku, who was kneeling on the ground. Even Steve and Kerry looked astonished. What could possibly make the City Lord kneel before Yang Zhen?

In an instant, the visual focus shifted from Agaku on the ground to Katie. Everyone was marveling at her beauty; her innocent and pure face instilled no sense of lewdness in those who gazed upon her. Her wide, surprised eyes evoked feelings of protectiveness in the hearts of onlookers.

Undoubtedly, Katie’s careful preparation had paid off. A group of influential young men gathered around her, and even some elderly men who could be her great-grandfathers joined in. She feigned shyness, stepping back, but her heart was filled with pride. However, when her gaze swept over to Yang Zhen…

Yang Zhen ignored Katie’s presence, taking Miss Roland’s hand and returning to the banquet hall. The two of them bumped their foreheads together intimately, whispering sweet nothings to each other. No one understood Katie’s true nature better than Yang Zhen; beneath that seemingly pure façade lay a heart as venomous as a snake’s. He had witnessed it firsthand in the Magical Beast Forest.

Katie’s pride disintegrated. She could not fathom being overlooked, especially by her intended target. Her heart was filled with resentment, her venomous gaze fixed on Roland. She vowed to win Yang Zhen over and then torment him emotionally!

“Katie, stay calm,” Kerry whispered, nudging his sister. He knew her well; from a young age, she had been incredibly ambitious. Whatever she desired, she would go to any length to obtain it. Yet, once she had it, she never cherished it.

Katie took a deep breath to quell the jealousy burning within her. Instantly, she transformed back into the cute, innocent girl, pretending to be unsure of how to handle the adoration of those around her.

Kerry stood protectively around her, almost provoking a few young men’s fists. Once they realized the two were siblings, their attitude towards Kerry became exceedingly polite.

Katie sought an opportunity to be alone with Yang Zhen, but given the current situation, it seemed impossible. Setting aside how to shake off the pesky people around her, Yang Zhen would never choose to be alone with her. In this banquet hall, where everyone had their own motives, the noise was a chaotic blend of schemes and ambitions. Suddenly, a loud shout broke the commotion, bringing instant silence to the room.

“The Emperor has arrived!”

Agaku wiped the sweat from his forehead, thinking to himself, finally, the old man has come. Thankfully, Miss Roland hadn’t left, or I would be in real trouble.

With that shout, a dignified man in his sixties, emanating an air of authority, entered the banquet hall. After a brief moment of surprise, people flocked to him like flies. For some of the Mage Guild leaders present from within the Saga Empire, this man, with supreme power, was akin to their benefactor.

“How could it be him!” Roland thought in shock. If the man Agaku mentioned was truly the emperor of Saga, then she had brought immense trouble to Yang Zhen! A bitter thought crossed Roland’s mind: was trouble simply inherent to being a woman?

The emperor of Saga, Ubantu, walked into the banquet hall with his hands clasped behind his back, striding confidently amid the flattery of the crowd. As he stepped onto the podium, he turned and scanned the assembly with an imposing gaze. When his eyes passed over Katie, there was no change in his expression. This left Katie feeling a deep sense of loss and insecurity: was she not beautiful enough?

“Thank you all for attending this banquet I have organized. I hope everyone has a great time tonight,” Ubantu began, shocking the crowd. The banquet was initiated by His Majesty the Emperor! Why hadn’t Agaku mentioned this in the invitation?

Agaku, facing the crowd’s skepticism, felt a deep bitterness. He thought to himself, it’s not like I could have made this decision without the emperor’s approval for his name to be on the invitation! When has anyone ever seen the emperor host a banquet?

This was also the reason behind the crowd’s astonishment. As the emperor of the Saga Empire, Ubantu was known for his relentless dedication to the empire’s construction. Across the Firmament Continent, everyone said he was a dull emperor who had never hosted a banquet for anyone. Even those who had contributed to the empire received only verbal praise from him. Invitations to banquets were universally declined. If he hadn’t been the emperor, he would surely have faced backlash long ago.

Although the authority of kingship ranked below that of theocracy, compared to the rarely seen pope in the Holy City, the emperor still held a formidable presence in the minds of the people. Especially Ubantu; his governing style was swift and ruthless, and there wasn’t an official in the empire who wasn’t afraid of him. The Saga Empire, too, was known as the country with the most stringent official conduct on the Firmament Continent, largely due to Ubantu’s brutal methods against corrupt officials!

Yet today, our dull emperor had taken the initiative to host a banquet! After their initial surprise, people’s attention turned toward Yang Zhen and Roland. Everyone knew the theme of tonight’s banquet; could it be that even the emperor had bowed down to the Bidel Mage Guild? That seemed impossible! Everyone knew how unforgiving the emperor was towards the major guilds-there was no way he would show weakness!

“Where is Miss Roland?” Ubantu asked again, surveying the women in the crowd. This time, his gaze lingered on Katie’s face for a few seconds. However, Katie felt as if she had swallowed a fly because His Majesty was looking for Roland!

A group of influential figures finally began to understand Ubantu’s unusual behavior. It seemed our emperor was indeed swayed by beauty. Miss Roland had become the embodiment of wisdom on the Firmament Continent; any man would have thoughts about her. Although His Majesty had only married one empress and didn’t indulge in women, who doesn’t appreciate a smart woman-especially when Miss Roland was equally beautiful?

Agaku sighed inwardly. Your Majesty, you are a bit too impatient. Why not take a more indirect approach? Pursuing a woman shouldn’t be done so straightforwardly; if you weren’t the emperor, you’d surely be foolishly criticized!

“Don’t be angry. Trust me, I will solve all of this,” Roland gently reassured Yang Zhen, holding tightly onto his clenched fist. “You mustn’t act rashly; otherwise, I would regret it for the rest of my life. Besides, his reason for seeking me may not be what you think it is.”

“Mm!” Yang Zhen nodded, appearing to comply, but Roland knew all too well the young man’s temperament. With everyone speculating about the emperor’s intentions, it was no wonder Yang Zhen was so furious. If this were mishandled, he wouldn’t hesitate to act just as he did in the Magical Beast Forest, regardless of who it was!

Ha ha, go ahead! As long as I can become the emperor’s woman, Yang Zhen is free to me! Katie thought with satisfaction, though tinged with a bit of jealousy. After all, he was a man of supreme power-an object of desire for many women in the Saga Empire.

Roland gave Yang Zhen’s hand another comforting squeeze before making her way to the stage. What relieved Yang Zhen was that Ubantu looked at the girl with admiration, devoid of any romantic interest. He thought to himself, perhaps he was misinterpreting the situation.

However, Yang Zhen’s anger flared when Ubantu suddenly grasped Roland’s hand. The girl hadn’t expected the emperor to be so eager; in order not to trouble Yang Zhen, she could only gently struggle to express her dissatisfaction. But Ubantu seemed unaffected, tightening his grip further!

“I, the emperor of Saga, hereby announce…” Ubantu slightly raised Roland’s right hand and began to declare his decree. Just as the onlookers amused themselves at the spectacle and Yang Zhen prepared to act without fear, he heard His Majesty continue, “I adopt Roland as my adopted daughter and bestow upon her the title-Princess An Guo!”

Princess An Guo?! His Majesty had taken an adopted daughter, not a concubine! The title “An Guo” in the oriental language implies stability and peace in the nation; why would the emperor choose such a peculiar title?

Everyone was stunned, including Yang Zhen. Who would have thought that Ubantu would play such a card? Throughout his life, Ubantu had never indulged in women, having married only one empress. However, for decades, the empress had been unable to bear children, making Ubantu the only emperor among all the rulers of the Firmament who had no offspring.

So, what was the meaning behind his decision to adopt Miss Roland as his adopted daughter and bestow upon her the title of Princess An Guo? Could it be… that he was selecting Miss Roland to become the imperial heir of the Saga Empire?

After the decree was announced, Ubantu led Roland into a side room. A few minutes later, Ubantu emerged without even acknowledging the gathered guests and left the venue.

Roland walked out of the room, slightly dazed. Yang Zhen rushed forward and tightly grasped her small hand, nervously asking, “What did he do to you?!”

“Don’t worry; His Majesty is a good emperor,” Roland replied, feeling a sweet sensation in her heart at the sight of Yang Zhen’s anxious expression. Not wanting to hide anything, she glanced around and pulled Yang Zhen toward a secluded corridor.

Katie immediately realized her opportunity had arrived. While the nearby guests were still transfixed by Ubantu’s departing figure, she quietly followed the two of them. Katie didn’t care about what Ubantu had said to Roland; she just needed them to leave the group to have a chance to cast the Great Love Incantation in front of Yang Zhen!

“What exactly did Ubantu say to you?” Yang Zhen couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer as they reached the secluded corridor. Roland smiled gently and playfully tapped his forehead, but just as she was about to speak, she noticed Katie trailing behind them.

“What are you doing here?!” Yang Zhen’s expression turned cold. He was reluctant for Katie to interrupt his conversation with Roland at that moment.

Hmph! Once you fall in love with me, I will slowly torment you! Katie wore an innocent expression while holding her magic staff as she approached Yang Zhen and Roland. The light crystal core at the top of the staff emitted a pure, radiant glow. As Katie ran her middle finger over the core, a heart-shaped white light flickered and vanished!

“The Great Love Incantation!” Roland recognized it at once. The girl gazed at the dazed Yang Zhen with terror, a sense of impending loss for her beloved rising within her heart.

“Do you like me?” Katie asked, a hopeful sparkle in her eyes.

“Yes,” Yang Zhen replied blankly.

It worked! The Great Love Incantation was indeed effective! Katie struggled to contain her urge to laugh out loud. Roland’s tears began to flow uncontrollably as she shook her head in despair, unable to utter a single word.

“Really? What do you like about me?” Katie asked, unveiling a cruel smile that did not match her angelic looks as she contemplated how to torment the young man.

“I like it when you stay away from me.” Yang Zhen’s reply caught both girls off guard. He continued, “I also like your staff.”

As he spoke, Yang Zhen took the staff from Katie’s stunned hands, unscrewed the light crystal core from the top, and carelessly tossed the rune-engraved staff onto the ground. After finishing all of this, he took Roland, who was equally dazed, and left the area.

Katie remained in shock for a long time. She picked up the staff that had lost its crystal core, murmuring to herself, “Why? Why did the Great Love Incantation fail…?”

Before long, Kerry stood beside her. Filled with frustration, Katie shouted at her brother, “Can’t you tell me why the Great Love Incantation didn’t work!”

“The Great Love Incantation didn’t fail, because…” Kerry spoke softly, a twisted affection evident in his eyes, “Katie, I love you!”

Katie felt as if she had been struck by lightning; her mind went blank! The Great Love Incantation hadn’t failed, but why didn’t it work on Yang Zhen? Instead, it had ensnared Kerry, who was watching from a distance!

The feeling of being thrown from heaven to hell and then back to heaven was indescribable. After this turmoil, Roland remained silent, like a puppet being pulled back to the Mage Tower by Yang Zhen.

“Lan’er…” As Yang Zhen began to speak, Roland suddenly flung herself into his arms. The girl could no longer suppress her emotions and broke down in tears, holding Yang Zhen tightly, as if afraid of losing him.

“I… I thought… I’d lost you… forever…” Roland managed to choke out the words, tightening her grip on Yang Zhen’s arm. He gently patted her back, understanding the depth of their love; he could feel her pain, and if the roles were reversed, he would also be heartbroken.

After a long while…

Roland finally calmed down, lifting her pretty face to look at the young man, her eyes slightly red and swollen. Yang Zhen leaned down and kissed her gently on her eyelids. The taste of saltiness lingered on his tongue, a bittersweet reminder of her emotional release.

“But it was the Great Love Incantation! How come you’re unaffected?” Roland looked at Yang Zhen in disbelief, her heart filled with the luck of having found something precious again. After this incident, they would cherish each other even more.

Yang Zhen had wanted to joke, saying, “Do you wish something had happened to me?” but he feared it would only hurt her further. He held Roland close, relieved as he said, “It’s because I’m a beast taming grandmaster.”

The girl froze for a moment, and then her eyes were filled with pride.

On the Firmament Continent, there had never been a beast taming grandmaster among humans. As a result, no one knew that the Great Love Incantation was ineffective against a beast taming grandmaster!

The Great Love Incantation was a form of positive magic that operated on a psychic level. Thus, it was different from the psychic oppression Karl exerted. The silver sphere in Yang Zhen’s brain showed no reaction at all, allowing the euphoric energy to flow freely into his consciousness!

To this day, Yang Zhen still felt a chill down his spine. If he hadn’t been a beast taming grandmaster, and if he hadn’t been able to communicate with the lovebird’s soul at that critical moment, he would have turned into a puppet madly in love with Katie! The thought of that venomous girl gradually made his heart turn cold.

It was the lovebird that had embroiled the siblings in a forbidden romance, and this did little to ease the anger brewing inside Yang Zhen; they brought it upon themselves! Just a bit more, and he would have lost Roland forever! Everyone has flaws, and Yang Zhen was no exception. If he had to describe himself in one word, it would be “obsessive.”

No one could stop him from doing what he was determined to do; when he loved someone, he devoted himself completely. However, when he hated someone, he would bring ruin to their entire family! Katie didn’t realize that her actions had filled Yang Zhen with hatred toward the entire Sword Cultivators Guild!

What had started as an ordinary challenge had completely transformed under the influence of the “Great Love Incantation Incident.” This was not just because of Roland, but also due to the inherently good-natured lovebird, which had been killed and turned into a tool for chaos!

“Lan’er, let me introduce you to a friend.” Yang Zhen flipped his hand, revealing the crystal core he had taken from Katie’s staff. In the girl’s puzzled gaze, he began to chant the familiar ritual chant once again. This time, however, he added a few syllables from the beast god language.

While the ritual chant sounded obscure and drowsy to the half-blood dwarf Gu Pan, Roland found herself captivated by it. To her ears, there was no more wonderful sound in the world; if it could be written into a piece of music, it would surely be a magnificent creation.

Lost in the beautiful melody, Roland suddenly noticed that the crystal core in Yang Zhen’s palm was growing smaller and slowly disintegrating into shimmering white light that floated upward. Gradually, it coalesced into a beautiful little bird. Yang Zhen smiled gently at Roland’s astonished expression, but just as he was about to speak, a blue light burst forth from his forehead!

This was the lovebird’s recognition. Yang Zhen had always been unsure of what this was, and no matter how he scanned his body with inner vision, he couldn’t find it. Only now did he understand, as the blue light circled around the lovebird’s soul, and with a “bang,” it transformed into a matching blue lovebird!

This… was also the lovebird’s soul!

According to legend, the male lovebird’s soul is blue, while the female’s soul is white. Lovebirds have only one mate throughout their lives, and if one dies, the other will die in mourning. Their souls remain intertwined, returning to the embrace of the Beast God.

“The souls of the two lovebirds before us were once a pair in life. The female was killed, and her crystal core was taken, sealing her soul within. Her longing for her mate was then used to create the Great Love Incantation. The male followed her in mourning; when his soul was about to dissipate in aimless wandering, he was rescued by the flamingo. Now, after all their struggles, they have finally reunited again.”

As Yang Zhen recounted the lovebird’s communication with his consciousness, tears once again streamed down Roland’s face. She gazed deeply at Yang Zhen and declared resolutely, “If you die, I won’t live either!”

“Fool, don’t say such things! None of us will die!” Yang Zhen affectionately tapped her nose. The two of them cuddled together, watching the intertwined souls of the lovebirds in the air.

Slowly, the two lovebird souls merged together and, after circling around Yang Zhen and Roland, began to gradually dissipate. Yang Zhen softly said, “They have returned; just a moment ago, they blessed us.”

“As long as there is love in the heart, there will be eternity!” A woman’s voice suddenly echoed. The seductive woman, transformed from the flamingo, appeared in the Mage Tower, smiling as she looked at Yang Zhen and asked, “Do you know what eternity is?”

“Eternity? Does it refer to life?” Yang Zhen was filled with thoughts of cultivation and answered uncertainly.

“Wrong answer. Sorry, you only have one chance, so you don’t get a gift,” the woman shook her head, a sly smile flashing across her face.

“What are you talking about?” Roland scanned between the two before finally looking at Yang Zhen with confusion.

“She asked me what eternity is,” Yang Zhen replied.

“Of course it’s thought. Only thought is eternal,” Roland answered without hesitation.

“Correct! What gift do you want?” The woman suddenly spoke.

“So you can talk, huh?” Yang Zhen pointed at her, dissatisfied.

“When did I ever say I couldn’t speak?” The woman replied with a look of indifference.

“I just want our hearts to be together forever. Even if we are temporarily separated, we will never forget each other,” Roland said, gazing deeply at Yang Zhen.

The woman smiled, nodding but then shaking her head, leaving her thoughts ambiguous. After a brief pause, she asked, “Given the uncertainty of the future, between the past and the present, which do you choose?”

“You… you’re saying I could return to the past?” Roland’s body trembled violently. When she saw the woman nod in response, she closed her eyes, and after a long moment… she opened her eyes again, filled with determination, and said, “I choose the present!”

“Don’t be so quick to give me an answer. The moment you truly face this moment is when you really make a choice. Also… I don’t actually have the ability to take you back to the past, ha ha…” The woman let out a giggle, causing Roland to pout in frustration.

“What are you all talking about when you mention the past, present, and future? I can’t understand any of it,” Yang Zhen said, a confused expression on his face. He understood the literal meanings, but he didn’t grasp the meaning behind their cryptic conversation.

“Shh… don’t ask; you no longer have a past,” the woman said, her slender finger resting on her red lips. Yang Zhen began to understand; he sensed that the woman was referring to the memories he had lost.

“Finally, my trust has not been in vain. The two little birds have reunited. You now deserve my recognition,” the woman stretched lazily, her body slowly fading away as she added, “Remember to go to the Beast Language Forest; it will unravel the mysteries in your heart. I hope you like my gift.”

“Hey! Are you just leaving? What exactly is your recognition?!” Yang Zhen shouted anxiously. The woman smiled as she gradually disappeared, leaving him without any answer about what her recognition was.

“She’s just like you; she loves to play mysterious games!” Yang Zhen said with a frown as he looked at Roland, which made the girl burst into laughter.

Just as Yang Zhen was about to say, “What are you laughing at?”, the floodgate of his memories suddenly opened, and a surge of memories related to runes poured forth. He savored them carefully, and joy filled his face! He turned to Roland and pulled her up to the sixth floor of the Mage Tower.

That’s right! Gaining the recognition of the flamingo, which would typically pertain to the advancement of a beast taming grandmaster, had transformed into his advancement as a runesmith. He had now become a runesmith master. The runes on the sixth floor felt like old friends to him, no longer a strange and familiar contradiction!

This meant that as long as he had all the materials, he could completely repair all the Mage Towers of the Bidel Mage Guild! He could then use the violent rejection of elements on the sixth floor to cultivate his willpower!

While Yang Zhen was overjoyed, he suddenly realized something important. In the past, he had only gained runes and magic principles besides the light runes during advancements. However, this time, during his advancement as a runesmith, he found that he possessed advanced light runes in his memories!

“Is this the gift from the flamingo? But she is a fire element… unless…” Yang Zhen immediately thought of an answer: “Elemental Simulation Theory?” Yang Zhen believed that even if this wasn’t the reason, the flamingo, being a thirteenth-tier divine beast, certainly understood principles far beyond just Elemental Simulation Theory.

“When you think you know everything, in reality, you know nothing,” Yang Zhen suddenly recalled this saying. He sighed deeply, realizing that there are always endless things to learn about magic principles. If he wished to become a flawless anti-mage, he would have to keep advancing and learning!

Yang Zhen let out a long breath, feeling a sense of liberation at the moment he broke through the bottleneck. Now, he needed to maintain this state as he prepared for the battle of the Sword Cultivators Guild tomorrow!

“After tomorrow, the guild will truly rise. I will repair all the Mage Towers, making the Mage Guild worthy of its name!” Yang Zhen declared solemnly, pointing at the damaged runes on the wall.

“I believe!” Roland nodded vigorously. In her eyes, the young man was capable of anything! She had such confidence in Yang Zhen’s abilities that she had already prepared the signboard that the Sword Cultivators Guild would put up-“WC!”