Chapter 163: Back to Sol Aethel

Chapter 163: Chapter 163: Back to Sol Aethel

Stepping through the blue glow of the central relay gate at the capital’s grand transit hub, Squad 07 was immediately met by an elite escort of silver-armored Imperial Guards. Without delay, Princess Lyra was guided into a heavily fortified royal carriage under high-priority security, whisking her directly back to the safety of the Imperial Palace.

Meanwhile, Rowan, Seraphina, Barney, Caelen, and Mirei were ushered straight toward the upper administrative spire of the Imperial Academy.

They were led into a sprawling, high-security tactical conference room. Seated along the long mahogany table were several high-ranking Imperial Academy professors in gold-trimmed robes, alongside senior military strategists.

Standing at the head of the room, her hands resting firmly on her cane as she stared out the panoramic glass window, was Head Dean Sterling of Sol-Aethel Academy.

"Sit," Dean Sterling commanded, turning around with a stern, unyielding gaze that immediately commanded the room.

As the five cadets took their seats, the official debriefing began. Seraphina presented their tactical logs, detailing the sudden onslaught of over fifty mutated zealots from the Order of Humanity outside Keystone Citadel’s inner walls.

She highlighted the volatile composition of the cultists’ purple-black blood—a synthetic mana-nullifying rot engineered to scorch topsoil and sever local leylines.

"Our early assessments on the lower floors showed small-scale node sabotage," Dean Sterling noted, her voice low and grave as she looked across at the capital professors. "However, deploying living bio-weapons on the 10th floor to directly corrupt Keystone Citadel’s primary soil junction proves the cult is accelerating its crusade to dismantle the Tower’s infrastructure."

The imperial professors leaned forward, scanning the spectrographic data on their slates with visible shock. "The fact that Keystone Citadel’s central leylines remain completely intact is astounding," one senior professor remarked, eyeing Rowan with deep intrigue. "Standard alchemical agents could not have neutralized that volume of synthetic rot in time."

"Which brings us to Cadet Rowan’s actions," Sterling added, a faint glint of pride touching her sharp eyes. Rowan explained how the contaminated topsoil was excavated and hauled outside the city gates, where he utilized his primordial terra-mana to break down the toxic compounds and restore the soil to clean, nutrient-dense earth.

With the debriefing wrapped up, Dean Sterling tapped her cane sharply against the floor. "You five handled a high-tier crisis that would have overwhelmed veteran squads. The Imperial High Command has been formally notified, and your detailed report marks the official completion of your exchange program in the imperial academy. Rest up, Squad 07—you’ve more than earned it."

A palpable sense of relief and quiet pride settled over the room as Dean Sterling’s words resonated through the conference room.

Barney let out a low, appreciative whistle, rolling his broad shoulders after days of relentless front-line vanguard defense. "An official completion of the exchange program with a high-tier crisis conquered... not a bad wrap-up for Squad 07."

Beside him, Caelen and Mirei exchanged a rare, approving smirk. Though Caelen still felt a slight twinge of regret over having their 10th-floor beast hunting cut short, concluding their imperial exchange after saving Keystone Citadel and dismantling a major cult cell was an undeniable victory.

Rowan tipped the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat, resting the Hoe of the World-Tiller comfortably over his shoulder with his usual unshakeable calm. "We appreciate the recognition, Head Dean. We’ll make sure the team gets proper rest before our next move."

With their formal report logged and their exchange program officially concluded with highest honors, Squad 07 turned to exit the debriefing hall, ready to take a well-deserved rest before deciding on their next great ascension.

***

Escorting Squad 07 to the pristine borders of the Sunny Vale estate, the familiar, grounding scent of fresh topsoil and wild grass immediately washed away the lingering tension of the 10th floor and the Imperial Academy.

Barney, Seraphina, Caelen, and Mirei pulled out chairs along the spacious wooden porch of the newly built two-story homestead, leaning back to take in the breathtaking view.

Before them lay fifty rolling acres of shimmering spirit-crops, glowing softly under the peaceful protection of Rowan’s Sovereign Terra-Barricade and Earthen Ward.

"Spirits above, this place feels more serene than the royal gardens," Barney remarked, resting his thick forearms on the porch railing with a deep, appreciative grin.

"The atmospheric purity here is extraordinary," Seraphina added, adjusting her spectacles as she inhaled the crisp, vitality-laden mist rolling over the fields. "It naturally eases mana fatigue just sitting on the threshold."

Leaving his squadmates to unwind in the cool evening air, Rowan headed upstairs to his quiet second-floor bedroom. He washed away the soot and travel dust from their recent battles with a quick, refreshing bath, changing into his comfortable cultivator clothes.

Reaching for the Hoe of the World-Tiller leaning beside his desk, he set his Enchanted Straw Hat firmly onto his head. Setting his mind toward preparing an extraordinary home-cooked celebration feast, Rowan centered his core mana.

[Activating Domain: The Virgin Soil]

Space folded smoothly in a quiet, golden-green ripple, dissolving the timber walls of his bedroom and depositing Rowan directly into the center of the Primordial Garden.

Thanks to the pocket plane’s heightened time dilation and sovereign earth flow, the isolated sanctuary was overflowing with pristine life force.

The air thrummed with hyper-pure vitality mana, smelling richly of rain-soaked topsoil, sweet nectar, and blooming spirit flora.

Before him stretched vast, beautifully aligned plots of peak-ripe botanicals—densely golden Spirit Wheat, translucent Azure Dew Berries, and ruby-marbled Starlight Sun-Tomatoes practically bursting with divine mana Nectar.

[Skill Activated: Earthbreaker Plough - Harvest Flow]

Wielding his implement with fluid, effortless grace, Rowan moved down the rows. Every strike cleanly extracted the legendary produce without damaging delicate root structures or leaking stored vitality.

Gathering a massive, pristine payload of high-purity ingredients directly into his system storage, Rowan smiled as he turned back toward the spatial boundary, ready to step back out and treat his team to an unforgettable feast.

***

Stepping quietly out of [Domain: The Virgin Soil] back into his second-floor bedroom, Rowan set down his trusty implement and brushed a stray speck of domain soil from his sleeve.

In his hands, he held a carefully selected batch of newly mutated fruits harvested directly from the subterranean leylines near the World Tree: several radiant Amethyst-Gold Peaches and shimmering Sun-Crystalline Eden Apples.

The fruits thrummed with a gentle, harmonious mana pulse, casting soft ruby and topaz light across his palms while filling the room with an intoxicating, clarifying fragrance.

Moving silently down the staircase, Rowan made his way into the heart of the Sunny Vale kitchen. Through the wide glass doors leading out to the front porch, he could hear the easy, relaxed laughter of Barney, Seraphina, Caelen, and Mirei.

After days of grueling combat outside Keystone Citadel and the heavy tension of the Order’s attack, his squadmates were finally unwinding under the serene, protective warmth of the estate’s Sovereign Terra-Barricade.

Opening the large kitchen refrigerator, Rowan carefully arranged the pristine fruits onto the central glass shelf. The Sun-Crystalline Eden Apples glowed like polished gemstones, their star-like cores burning gently behind semi-translucent topaz skin.

Beside them, the Amethyst-Gold Peaches rested with dark obsidian sheens, their ruby-marbled veins pulsing with hyper-concentrated life energy. As the cool air of the fridge washed over the produce, the stasis effect locked in their crisp texture and peak freshness.

A subtle, knowing smirk touched Rowan’s lips as he closed the refrigerator door. He knew his parents, Martha and Arthur, were already preparing to join them for the evening, and presenting these miraculous A-grade mutated fruits as a chilled post-dinner dessert would be the ultimate surprise.

Not only would the transcendent nectar wash away any lingering mana exhaustion for his squadmates, but the peach’s revelation essence and the apple’s protective vitality would deeply nourish his mother and his growing baby sister.

Satisfied with his hidden preparation, Rowan rolled up his sleeves and turned toward the kitchen island, pulling out fresh domain vegetables and golden spirit flour to begin cooking an unforgettable celebration meal for his family and squad.